"No, I want to get back, too," answered Snap. "Sleeping out of doors is all well enough once in a while, but I prefer to be under some kind of a roof, even if it's only canvas."
The three boys moved forward once again, each with his gun ready for use, should anything worth shooting appear. They came up to the cedars and were then able to look beyond, where the mountain side was full of rocks, with numerous holes between.
"Oh!" yelled Snap at the top of his lungs. "Look!"
All gazed in the direction indicated, and for once they were fairly rooted to the spot. Before them, on a flat rock, stood a large and magnificent lion, gazing boldly at them.
CHAPTER XX
ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE
For fully ten seconds the lion did not move, and during that time the young hunters stood spellbound. Then the foreign monarch of the forest turned and like a flash disappeared into a hole on the mountain side.
"Did—-did—-was it really a lion?" gasped Whopper when he could speak.
"It certainly was—-and a big one, too," answered the doctor's son.
"But here?" began Snap. "We don't have lions in America."