eful!" screamed his aunt. "That lion may jump right up
to the second story window!"

The boys went to an upper window, and then, growing bolder, stepped
out on the top of the front piazza. They saw several men running
along a cross street. Then another shot rang out.

"The lion must be in this vicinity," said Snap.

"I saw something then---over yonder!" cried Giant, and pointed to
the back of a yard down by the corner of the street.

"A dog---and he is legging it for dear life," returned Whopper. "He
looks as if he wouldn't stop this side of the North Pole!"

"Perhaps the lion scared him," said Shep. "I think-----Look!"

The doctor's son broke off short and pointed with his hand. Gazing
in the direction indicated, the lads saw something dark slinking
on the opposite side of a high picket fence.

"It's the lion!" said Snap in a whisper. "See his tail swaying
from side to side?"

"Oh, for a rifle!" murmured Whopper. "Aunty, have you a gun?"
called Shep. "We see the lion!"

"No, I haven't any gun," answered the lady of the house quickly.
"And you had better get inside as quickly as you can. The lion
may leap up at you."

"I don't think he can jump so high."

"There are some of the men with their guns," went on Giant. "See,
they are running around to the front of that house."

"I wonder if they see the lion?" asked Snap. "Let us yell to them,"
suggested Whopper. One after another the boys set up a shout. But
the hunters were now out of sight and paid no attention to them.

A moment later the lads saw the lion leave the vicinity of the
fence, cross the yard, and disappear behind the side of a barn.
Then came a sudden smashing of boards, and a wild-eyed horse
burst into view and ran down the street at top speed.

"The lion scared that horse," said Whopper. "Well, he's enough to
scare anything."

"Boys! boys! why don't you come in?" pleaded Mrs. Carson. "If he
sees you he'll surely try to get up on the piazza."

"If he turns this way we'll come in and shut the blinds," answered
her nephew.

"It may be too late then."

"Oh, I think not, aunty."

Another shot rang out, and then the boys saw the men running around
the barn.

"Perhaps they have managed to shut the lion in the barn," said Snap.

"If they are circus men they would rather capture the lion than kill
him," returned the doctor's son. "Lions must be worth a good deal
of money."

It was now about seven o'clock, and not as lig