“He may come back tonight,” said Mr. Lewis, “but he won’t eat all he wants.”
CHAPTER XXI
Two Ferocious Specimens
“WHAT do you mean by that remark, Mr. Lewis?” asked Bob wonderingly. “Why won’t the lion eat all he wants?”
“Simply that he won’t live long enough,” was the answer.
“What? You mean we’re going to shoot him?” persisted Bob.
“Exactly,” Joe’s father said. “We’ll build a boma—that’s a thorn enclosure—and hide behind it. Then when the lion comes to devour this carcass we’ll pot him off. Howard and I would like especially to have a good lion skin, and this seems to be a wonderful opportunity. Of course, the museum wants several, but whether they get that many we’ll have to wait and see.”
Under the naturalists’ directions they set about constructing the thorn enclosure. They built this but a short distance from the kill, so as to get a good view of the lion when and if the latter should return. The task was completed just before dusk.
A cold supper was served, so as to prevent the possibility of a fire frightening the lion if it should be in that vicinity. Then, rising from the meal, the explorers made their way to the boma.