mined to face it out; and now, strengthened as I thought by his
advice, I made a full stop and turned sharply on them. This new policy
on my part caused them to check instantly. They now stood lashing their
tails and growling, and displaying unfeigned wrath, but a few paces from
me.

"I then had time to inspect them. They were a right royal pair of the
pale sandy variety, a species which is noted for its fierceness, the
knowledge of which by no means made my situation more pleasant. There we
stood; both parties evidently feeling that there was no direct solution
to the matter in hand. I cannot tell you exactly what passed through
their minds, but they evidently thought that it was unsafe to advance
upon this strange and new being, the like of which they had never seen
before. I cannot tell you either how long a time we stood face to face.
Minutes seemed hours, and perhaps the minutes were only seconds; but
this I know, my boy was out of hearing when the drama was concluded.

"And this is how it ended: After an interval I decided not to fire at
them, but to try instead what a little noise would do. So I suddenly
threw up my arms in the air, and set up a yell, and danced and shouted
like a madman. Do you know, the lions were so astonished to see your
sober old uncle acting in such a strange way that they both bounded into
the bushes as if they had been shot, and I saw them no more!

"As the coast was now clear I thought I might as well secure my prize, a
real little beauty. So I seized it by its hind legs and dragged it as
quickly as I could along the ground, the bushes quite keeping it out of
sight. When I had gone what I had deemed a sufficient distance I took it
up and swung it over my back, and beat a hasty retreat, keeping a sharp
eye open in case the parents should lay claim to the body, for I should
not have been dishonest enough not to let them have it had they really
come to ask for it!

"I soon found the cub was heavier than I bargained for, being about the
size of a South Down sheep, so I shouted for my boy. It was a long time,
however, before I could make him hear. I began to be afraid I must
abandon my spoil. At length I saw him in the far distance. Fortunately
for me he did not know his way back to the camp, otherwise his intention
was to return to the camp, and ask the men to come and look for my
remains.

"The arrival of the cub caused a tremendous sensation among the natives;
dozens of men came to se