with explosive bullets. The Houssas were told to keep a sharp
watch in camp, in case the leopards, approaching from the other side,
might be attracted by the smell of meat there, rather than by the bait.
The Fans needed no telling to induce them to keep up great fires all
night.

Soon after dark the watchers heard a roaring in the forest. It came from
the other side of the camp.

"That is unlucky," Mr. Goodenough said. "We have pitched on the
wrong side. However, they will probably be deterred by the fire from
approaching the camp, and will wander round and round: so we may hope to
hear of them before long."

In answer to the roar of the leopards the natives kept up a continued
shouting. For some hours the roaring continued at intervals, sometimes
close at hand, sometimes at a considerable distance. Frank had some
difficulty in keeping awake, and was beginning to wish that the leopards
would move off altogether. Two or three times he had nearly dozed off,
and his rifle had almost slipped from his hold. All at once he was
aroused by a sharp nudge from his companion. Fixing his eyes on the bait
he made out something immediately below it. Directly afterwards
another creature stole forward. They were far less distinct than he had
expected.

"You take the one to the left," Mr. Goodenough whispered; "Now!"

They fired together. Two tremendous roars were heard. One of the
leopards immediately bounded away. The other rolled over and over, and
then, recovering its feet, followed its companion, Mr. Goodenough firing
his second barrel after him.

"I'm afraid you missed altogether, Frank," he said.

"I don't think so, sir. I fancied I saw the flash of the shell as it
struck him, but where, I have not the remotest idea. I could not make
him out clear enough. It was merely a dim shape, and I fired as well as
I could at the middle of it.

"Shall we go back to the camp now?" Frank asked.

"Yes, we can safely do so. You can tell by the sound of the roars that
they are already some distance away. There is little chance of their
returning tonight. In the morning we will follow them. There is sure to
be blood, and the natives will have no difficulty in tracking them."

The rest of the night passed quietly, although roars and howling could
be heard from time to time in the distance.

Early in the morning they started with the Houssas.

"We must be careful today," Mr. Goodenough said, "for a wounded leopard
is a really formida