his suggestion, and from the way it dried I was in hopes that
the experiment would be successful. I was about to return for the
remainder of the meat, to dry it in this way, when the rein came down.

Notwithstanding the more substantial food Natty had now got, he was
still too weak to walk any distance. The flesh of the gnu, with the
honey and mushrooms, enabled us to subsist in tolerable plenty for a
week. The portions I had smoked and dried, at the end of that time
became almost uneatable, and I saw that I must succeed in killing
another animal, or that we should starve. That night I was awaked from
sleep by hearing a low cry of distress. The dreadful thought seized me
that a hyena had come into our cavern and carried off Natty. I
anxiously put out my hands, and to my relief found that he was on his
bed, breathing quietly. Then I thought that he must have cried out in
his sleep. But again that low wail of distress reached my ears. It is
some human being, I thought to myself, attacked by wild beasts, or
fallen into a lagoon; indeed, it sounded exactly like the cry of a
person in danger of drowning. Perhaps it may be one of our friends come
in search of us. Again it came through the night air. I could bear it
no longer, for I was certain that a fellow-creature was in danger. I
awoke Natty. "Do not be alarmed," I said; "I hear some one calling for
help. I must go out and see what I can do, but I will be back
presently. Remain quiet till my return!" Seizing my rifle, and feeling
the lock to ascertain that it was all right, I hurried out in the
direction from whence the sounds came. Again that plaintive cry reached
my ear. I thought I heard the very words,--"Come, come! Help, help!"
I dashed forward, for I knew the ground thoroughly. It could not be a
person drowning, for there was no lagoon in that direction. As I
advanced the wails became lower and lower, and sobs alone reached me. I
was afraid that I was too late to render help. Presently, bending down,
to be more certain of the direction I should take, I saw against the
dark sky the outline of a lion. His claws were on his prey, and his
tail was moving round. "He has killed the man, I fear," I thought.
Still, regardless of the danger I was running, and urged by an impulse I
could not resist, I rushed forward, ready to fire should the lion
advance towards me. I shouted at the top of my voice. I went on till I
was within a dozen yards of the br