re! Come and
blow. I can't get this fire to burn."

Chicory threw himself upon his hands and knees, and as Dick, with
agitated fingers, hastily reloaded, and tried to see the next lion so as
to have a shot at it, there came a deep-mouthed roar from behind. Then
another and another, and the horses grew frantic, for the beasts were
evidently going to make their attack.

Dick raised his piece to his shoulder and prepared to fire, longing the
while for some relief, when, all at once, there was a bright flash, and
the fire that had refused for so long to burn, burst into a brilliant
flame, showing three lions quite plainly, creeping along at a short
distance; and as soon as they were a little farther off, they began
growling again.

Jack and Chicory had, however, gathered together a goodly portion of
combustible wood, and there was plenty more at hand, so that a roaring
fire was soon casting its light away from the wood, which somewhat
sheltered them behind; and as soon as some of the good-sized pieces of
bush were well ablaze, Chicory began to send them flying in the
directions where a low ominous growl or two told that the lions were
waiting their time.

Farther progress was impossible, and, with the knowledge before them
that they would have to pass the night where they were, a steady
onslaught was kept on at the trees and bushes, goodly pieces of which
were hacked off and used to feed the fire.

Every now and then, in spite of the blaze, some hungry lion would make a
charge, one which Dick, being pretty well experienced in such matters
now, met by hurling a blazing stick at the beast, several of which
sticks he kept burning and ready to his hand.

For firing in the deceptive light at creatures whose colour assimilated
so with that of the ground, was not only doubtful but dangerous, from
its likelihood to wound and infuriate the savage beasts. When it was
tried before the fire blazed up, it was as a last resource, and in the
hope that the flash might help to intimidate, which, as it happened, in
this case it did.

There was very little rest, for, being unprovided with an axe, it was
hard work to hack off the boughs with the hunting-knives, but as the
night wore on and their enemies made no determined attacks, but, as it
were, kept on skirmishing, one of the party did have a bit of a nap from
time to time, though the horses neither ate nor slept, but stood
shivering together, most probably longing, like their