“You coward!” cried Leo, but Daniel Hawkins paid no heed to the remark. It is likely that in his terror he did not hear it.
“Save me, Leo!” went on the woman. “The beast is goin’ ter eat me up!”
The sound of her voice appeared to anger the lion still more.
His tail moved quicker, and Leo saw that he was on the point of leaping on the woman.
The leap once made it would be impossible to do anything for Mrs. Hawkins. The lion would simply rend and devour her.
Leo gazed about him for some weapon. He realized that if anything was to be done it must be done instantly.
His eyes fell on the whip the old farmer had dropped. With a rapid movement he picked up the article, and, whirling around, struck the lion fairly and squarely across the eyes.
It was a telling blow, and, smarting with pain, the brute let out a roar ten times louder than before.
Then he turned about and faced Leo.
“Run for your life!” sang out the youth to the woman. “Run, I tell you!”