They never slackened speed, for the leopards seemed tireless. They ran softly yet swiftly, hour after hour, while the sun rolled overhead with scorching force. The burning glare from the hot sand was blinding, and the helmets and chains must have been almost unbearable, yet the hardy drivers did not appear to feel them. They leaned forward with flashing eyes and streaming tresses, and still urged their willing animals on.
Once during that day they roused a pack of fine lions, who bounded after them. Ned saw one of these fierce beasts nearing the chariot, and shouted to his driver to warn her of the danger. His rifle was between his knees, loaded, but it was of no more use to him than a stick. He dare not relax his grip of the side at the rate they were going, or he would have fallen out.
The dauntless girl looked back, at his cry, with a merry laugh. Then, gripping her whip with her teeth, she slipped off her bow, and tightening the string, took out one of her shafts, and fitted it.
Swiftly turning half round, she bent the bow until the arrow-head was touching it, then the string smote the bow with a twang like a loud harp-note.
Ned watched the shaft, as it sped with a whistle through the air. Straight it flew towards the lion, and buried itself in his flaming eye. It was a splendid and deadly, though it looked a careless aim. With one leap upwards the lion rolled over and over, half burying himself in the loose sand in his death-throes.
When Ned looked from the lion to his slayer he saw her standing, with her bow once more in its place and the whip in her hand, standing and looking forward, while she drove for all she was worth.
The other lions were treated in the same fashion by the rest of the drivers. Evidently they had nothing to learn in the ancient craft of archery.
That afternoon, however, as they rested for an hour, Ned found an opportunity of showing what his rifle could do. Yet, after her archery feat, he did not feel too conceited over his most modern of death-dealing implements.
The desert appeared infested with lions of the fiercest order. Hardly were they seated when one appeared at a little distance. It was within shooting distance, but too far off for her shaft, so, while she was leisurely tightening her bow-string, he took a steady aim and fired. At the report she started up with unfeigned alarm, but, quickly recovering herself, she sat down again with stoical composure.
It was a long shot, but he did not need to repeat it. The lion was done for.