They saw Barney, and without further ceremony came for him like a flash.
The Irishman saw his predicament, and knew that he was in deadly peril.
It required but a moment for him to act.
“Whurroo!” he yelled. “I’m a son av a say cook if the woods ain’t full av the divils. Luk out there, yez spotted imps. Be off, I say.”
Barney fired at the first leopard, and the shot struck the animal’s shoulder.
For a moment it wavered and then tumbled in a heap. But the next moment the three leopards left were upon Barney.
The Celt went to the ground like a ten-pin. It began to look as if his fate was surely sealed.
With three of the animals upon him he would speedily have been clawed to death.
But fortunately for him Barney had valuable allies in the three friends aboard the Steam Man.
A startled cry came from Frank’s lips as he saw the leopards appear.