"I was out gathering the eggs near the henhouse," said Mrs. Jason, "and I heard a sort of groaning noise. Then I saw somebody coming toward me.
"At first I thought it was a tramp, and I was just going to call my husband or one of the men, when I heard crying, and then I saw it was only a boy, and that he was bleeding."
"How long ago was it that you found the scratched boy?" asked Mr. Brown.
"Nearly an hour now. As soon as I saw what the matter was I hurried him into the house and got him on a couch. Mr. Jason and I did what bandaging we could, and then I made him go for the doctor."
"Did you know the boy, and did he say where the lion attacked him?" asked Mr. Brown.
"I never saw him before, that I know of. But he just managed to say the beast jumped out of the bushes at him when he was coming through our rocky glen, then all of a sudden he fainted."
"Where is this rocky glen of yours where you say the lion jumped out at the boy?"
"About two miles from here, back in the hills. Waste land, mostly. You aren't thinking of going there, are you?"
"Not now, though I think I'd better send word to the circus people that their lion is around here."
"Yes, it would be a good thing."