Don't talk, dear, but try and sleep, at least keep quiet; for a
human voice in this place is so unusual, that even the bats will come
and look at us if they hear it. Sleep again, Katie, all is safe."

"We must all keep awake now," Hans whispered to his companions: "that
lion may attract others. Let us sit back to back, and let no man speak
without a cause, and then let it be in the lowest whisper: our lives and
those of the poor girls depend now upon such apparent trifles as these."

The three men sat back to back, and thus each had one-third of the
horizon to examine, so that no enemy could approach from any direction
where a pair of eyes were not on watch. The night was a still and clear
one, and sounds were audible from a considerable distance; near them,
however, were noises which kept these hardy hunters in a state of
excitement. The lion having captured its prey, had dragged it but a few
yards, and had then commenced feasting on it. The sound of the powerful
brute's jaws was distinctly heard as it crunched the bones of its
victim, and when at length it had satisfied its hunger, and seemed to
have retired a short distance to sleep, other and smaller carnivora
squabbled over the remains of the monarch's feast, and with even more
noise fought for their supper.

The poor half-starved horses were carefully hobbled and made fast to
each other and to the bushes near, and thus could not escape. Their
snorting and uneasiness showed that they were well aware of the presence
of their formidable enemy; but the feeble state to which they were
reduced caused them to seem almost indifferent to dangers which at other
times would have rendered them almost frantic.

After a long silence and most intent listening had convinced the hunters
that no immediate danger threatened them, Hans, speaking in a whisper,
said--

"That lion must have been stalking our horses when the Matabili came in
his way. I wonder was there another man with this one? they often
venture alone on these risky journeys. This man, however, will never
hunt again in these fields."

"It is strange that he should have been thus trapped by a lion whilst
trying to stalk us," whispered Victor: "it is the first time I ever
found a lion to be my friend, but he has saved us powder and shot. Tell
us, Hans, how the man approached us."

Hans gave a brief description of the manner in which he had heard the
man approaching, and of his precautions to prevent an ac