r once
more, up the other side, in the thicket for a quarter mile, then out
into the grass on that side, and so on. They were evidently wandering,
rather idly, up the general course of the stream. Certainly, unlike most
cats, they did not mind getting their feet wet, for they crossed the
stream four times.

At last the twining paths in the shoulder-high grass fanned out
separately. We counted.

"You were right, Mavrouki," said I, "there were eight."

At the end of each path was a beaten-down little space where evidently
the beasts had been lying down. With an exclamation the three gunbearers
darted forward to investigate. The lairs were still warm! Their
occupants had evidently made off only at our approach!

Not five minutes later we were halted by a low warning growl right
ahead. We stopped. The boys squatted on their heels close to me, and we
consulted in whispers.

Of course it would be sheer madness to attack eight lions in grass
so high we could not see five feet in front of us. That went without
saying. On the other hand, Mavrouki swore that he had yesterday seen no
small cubs with the band, and our examination of the tracks made in soft
earth seemed to bear him out. The chances were therefore that, unless
themselves attacked or too close pressed, the lions would not attack us.
By keeping just in their rear we might be able to urge them gently along
until they should enter more open cover. Then we could see.

Therefore we gave the owner of that growl about five minutes to forget
it, and then advanced very cautiously. We soon found where the objector
had halted, and plainly read by the indications where he had stood for a
moment or so, and then moved on. We slipped along after.

For five hours we hung at the heels of that band of lions, moving very
slowly, perfectly willing to halt whenever they told us to, and going
forward again only when we became convinced that they too had gone on.
Except for the first half hour, we were never more than twenty or thirty
yards from the nearest lion, and often much closer. Three or four
times I saw slowly gliding yellow bodies just ahead of me, but in the
circumstances it would have been sheer stark lunacy to have fired.
Probably six or eight times-I did not count-we were commanded to stop,
and we did stop.

It was very exciting work, but the men never faltered. Of course I went
first, in case one of the beasts had the toothache or otherwise did
not play up to our cal