after I missed his shoulder."

But he had not missed the shoulder. His first shot had been a mortal
one, and his second had struck nearly in the same place; the tremendous
vitality and energy of the lion had served to carry him forward until
the third bullet pierced his brain. This gave Guru a chance to point out
the advisability of shooting for the shoulder, in which case the lion
would be crippled and could not charge.

The lion was packed off to be inspected, then photographed, and on the
way back Jack knocked over a small Grant's gazelle, which would make the
food supply a sufficient one. Charlie received many compliments on his
first lion from von Hofe and Schoverling, and regretted that keeping the
skin was impossible under the circumstances.

At six that evening they outspanned the oxen, fed and watered them at a
waterhole, and rested for three hours, during which all the party slept
save Schoverling, who remained on guard. At nine the march was taken up
again, and they went on steadily until four in the morning. The night
was cold. Overhead on the horizon blazed the Southern Cross, while the
moon afforded a good light.

At seven in the morning the oxen were inspanned and they went forward
until noon. On this occasion the General accompanied the boys, and they
brought in enough game for the rest of the day and night. During their
noon halt they met a freighter's wagon-safari trekking west to some of
the outlying ranches, but the men were all Boers or natives, and no stop
was made.

So during four days and nights they pushed on relentlessly. During the
last two days they ran into a driving, cold rain, but finally this was
gone and the boys found themselves on the verge of the heavily forested
country about Mount Kenia.

At the last stopping place, a shallow drift, or river, in a valley under
the western slopes of the great hills, it was decided to make camp here
beside the drift, as a sort of headquarters. They had met scattered
parties of Kikuyu men, and had passed one or two of the native villages,
so after a day's rest a number of the Masai were sent out to bring in
some of the natives.

"They can tell us any news of the elephants," declared Schoverling, "and
can guide us to the herds. It's ticklish business going without some of
them along."

"Why so?" inquired Charlie, "Are they such good hunters?"

"Never mind," laughed the explorer. "You wait and you'll see something."

With this the boys were