our horses towards my
cousin. He caught sight of us coming.

"Fire! fire!" he shouted. "Kill the brute! Never mind though you hit
me!"

I sprang from my horse, and just as I got my rifle to my shoulder,
Stanley, with the lion still clinging to him, dashed by. It was not a
moment to hesitate. If I failed to hit the lion, my cousin must be
killed. I fired, and he and the lion fell from the back of the horse.
My heart felt sick, for I thought he had been killed. The horse, freed
from the grasp of the mighty brute, galloped off across the plain. My
cousin lay on the ground, and I saw that the lion's paw was still on
him. I instantly began to reload. Timbo in the meantime had come up.
What was my horror to see the lion, though wounded, working his way on
towards Stanley's body. I was afraid if I now fired of hitting him.
Without a moment's delay Timbo bravely rushed forward, shouting loudly,
when the lion, raising himself on his fore-feet, and crouching down,
prepared to make his deadly spring. Timbo stood firm as a rock. I
fired. For an instant I saw the lion in the air; but the next he rolled
over, not two feet from the brave black. I rushed up to Stanley. As I
approached, he lifted himself on his arm, greatly to my relief.

"He nearly did for me; but I believe I am less hurt than I supposed!" he
exclaimed.

However, even as he spoke, he sank back again. I knelt down by his
side. The lion's claws had inflicted a fearful wound on his shoulder,
and his hip also appeared to be greatly torn. Timbo, having ascertained
that the lion was dead, now came up to assist me in supporting his
master. Fortunately we had brought some spirits. I shouted to the
blacks to come on with Natty and our goods, and as soon as possible
poured a good portion of spirits and water down Stanley's throat. Natty
had got out of his palanquin and came towards us. Some of the blacks
had, in the meantime, gone off to catch the horses. Poor Natty's
concern was very great at seeing what had occurred.

"O Captain Hyslop, you must be put into my litter!" he said; "I am sure
I shall be able to ride, for I feel quite strong now."

This indeed seemed the only way of conveying Stanley.

"But suppose I go on, and bring up Massa David," said Timbo. "Dat is de
best t'ing."

I agreed with him. Having washed Stanley's wounds, and bound them up as
well as I was able, with Timbo's assistance, we placed him in the
litter; while Natty moun