ecome of yours, Mark?"

"I have got it, uncle," cried Dean. "Give me your pouch and the
cartridges, Mark. I want to load."

"But where's your piece, Dean?" said Sir James.

"Mine, uncle--mine? I came out in such a hurry that I forgot all about
it."

"Bah! Well, here's Mark's pouch. Take it and load."

"Yes, uncle," replied the boy hastily. "Why, Mark, I only heard one
shot. Did you fire both barrels?"

"Eh? I don't know. Perhaps I did."

"Well," said the doctor, a few minutes later, as he stood with Sir James
and Dean, "I don't think that there is any occasion to be uneasy about
Mark. He can't be injured, or he wouldn't be so calm. The animals seem
to be settling down again, and that's a sure sign that there is nothing
near to alarm them. What I wonder at is that we heard no sign from the
bullocks--"

"Or from the ponies," said Sir James.

"--Before Mark fired."

"Then I suppose," said Sir James, "that we may all go and lie down till
you rouse us up again, doctor."

"Which I certainly shall if there is any cause."

The alarm had not proved serious enough to interfere with the sleep of
the camp, with one exception, and Mark formed that exception, for during
the second watch either Dean or Mark's father went to the waggon as
quietly as possible to look after the injured lad, and oddly enough had
the same report to give, that Mark was sleeping easily and well, while
as soon as each visit had been paid the boy turned over, exclaiming,
"Bother! Anyone would think the lion had half eaten me. I wish they
would not make such a fuss."

The last time, when Dean was coming off duty, it was to find his
cousin's eyes wide open.

"Oh, you are awake now," he cried. "How are you?"

"Oh, all right. Seen any more lions?"

"No; it's been quite still all the rest of the night."

"Father all right?"

"Yes; he will be here directly. I say, Mark, let's look where you were
hurt before he comes."

But this was not achieved, Sir James darkening the opening of the waggon
tilt just as the neck of his son's shirt was thrown open, to display a
big blackening bruise upon the boy's right shoulder, and further
examination revealed a small hole where a thorn had penetrated, and some
scratches upon the boy's hands.

"Are those claw marks?" said Dean excitedly.

"Pooh! Nonsense!" said a voice which made all look up, to see the
doctor climbing into the waggon.

He too examined the injuries, and exclaimed, "Yo