The naturalists looked back and smiled.
“Maybe it would work the other way around,” chuckled Mr. Holton. “What would the lion do to you?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Dad. I’m not a bad shot. You know that. And I’ve met wild animals before.”
“True, Bob,” came from his father. “But none happened to be as ferocious as old felis leo——”
“I thought the lion is called simba,” interrupted Joe.
A burst of laughter followed.
“It’s very apparent,” said Mr. Lewis, “that you need to brush up on your natural history.”
“Why?” inquired Joe, somewhat surprised. “What was funny?”
“Still don’t get the point, huh?” laughed Mr. Holton. “Well, we’d better tell you before you spring that one before some of our naturalist friends. Felis leo, boys, is the lion’s scientific name. Simba is the name given to him by the natives.”