isappeared with its victim. It was much the same to the deer whether
it was eaten by us or the crocodile, but we were greatly disappointed at
losing it. However, the occurrence made us look out more carefully for
deer, as we might hope to catch one or two, and venison we calculated
would be highly prized by our friends. Besides which, we ourselves were
getting somewhat tired of duck every day.

As we thought it very likely that another deer would come down during
the afternoon to drink at the lake, we formed a screen of boughs, which
served as a favourable look-out. While two of us kept watch for the
deer, the third guarded the rear of our ambush lest a wild beast might
carry off one of us for his supper, instead of our supping off deer as
we hoped to do. It was very fortunate that we took these precautions.
We had not occupied our posts more than a quarter of an hour when Harry,
who was on the look-out, whispered--

"There's a creature crawling along not a hundred yards off."

Charley took a glance round. "It's a leopard, and it evidently sees us;
we must be ready to fire," he whispered.

"But if we do, we shall frighten the deer; so don't pull a trigger
unless it comes nearer," I observed.

The leopard slowly crept by, being apparently itself in search of prey.
It soon disappeared, and although we kept a bright look-out, it did not
return. After this we waited patiently for nearly an hour, when we saw
a small herd of deer coming down the glade. So anxious were we, that we
scarcely dared breathe lest we should alarm them. I remembered the
leopard, and thought that it might possibly be on the look-out for the
deer, and might put them to flight before they could come within shot.
On they trotted, however, as if thoughtless of danger. We allowed the
leader to reach the water. Charley signed to me to point out the one at
which I intended to aim. We each selected one.

The cracks of our three rifles were heard almost at the same moment.
Two of the deer fell killed. The third, at which Harry had aimed,
attempted to escape, while the rest, looking about them with a startled
glance, bounded off. Scarcely, however, had the leader gone a dozen
yards than a leopard sprang out, and seizing the creature in its
powerful jaws, carried it off through the forest.

"Load, quickly, load," cried Charley.

We did so, and then rushed out to secure the deer we had killed, fearing
that another leopard might have a feast