I assented to the adoption of the term as Jack proposed, at which the latter remarked that we seemed to be settling a good many important questions over our hippopotamus-steak.
Then they asked me as to the appearance, dress, and manner of Miss Boland, and I answered them to the best of my ability. After our dinner was over we had our smoke, and soon after went to bed. Before we retired our wagonmaster reported that lions were about the kraal the previous night, as he had heard them growling several times, and found their spoor close up to the fence. He thought we might have another visit that night, and wished to know if he should call us.
"By all means," I answered; "when you're entirely sure they're outside, let us know."
When we camped on that spot we made a kraal of thorn-bushes, which surrounded everything, including our tent and wagons. The cattle were driven into the kraal at night, and were carefully watched during the day by the men who had them in charge. We had about fifty oxen altogether, and five horses, and the horses were secured in the same way as the cattle. The kraal was built high and strong; it is necessary to make it high, otherwise the lions might attempt to jump it. On the outside of the kraal thorn-bushes were scattered all over the ground, at least ten or fifteen feet from the fence, the object being to prevent the lions approaching close to the kraal, where they could get a favorable opportunity for a jump.
We got our guns ready for work in case the lions showed themselves, and then turned in.
About one o'clock in the morning my Kafir came to wake me, and said the lions were outside the kraal. I was up on the instant, and so were Harry and Jack; fact is, we had not undressed at all, as we felt it reasonably certain that we would be called, and wanted to have as little delay as possible in getting at work.
At least one half of our people were out and about when we made our appearance. That there were lions around was evident by the actions of the horses and oxen. The horses were in a little kraal by themselves, each one tethered to a stake, and on a quiet night all would be lying down and at rest; now every horse was up, dancing around uneasily, and straining at his halter. My favorite, Brickdust—as I called him on account of his color—was snorting and stamping in a condition of excitement. When I spoke to him he quieted down instantly, but not altogether. He felt a good deal reassured by my presence, but at the same time believed himself in danger. It was the same with the other horses; and as for the oxen, they were likewise on the alert, and aware of the presence of their natural enemy.
The Kafirs were jabbering away at a great rate when we appeared. We enjoined silence, but it was not easy to quiet them; in fact, it was necessary to threaten them with the jambok before we succeeded in hushing their voices. When they were hushed we could distinctly hear the lions, now in one quarter, and now in another. They were evidently prowling around the outside of the kraal looking for a spot where they could penetrate to the interior.
Harry suggested that we go outside and find them; to this proposition I demurred most emphatically, and so did Jack. I presume Harry really did not intend to do anything so foolish, but made the suggestion out of bravado. It would have been folly for us to do what he suggested, as the lions would have seen us far easier than we could have seen them. They had come in search of food, and were, therefore, hungry. We should run a very good chance of becoming their victims instead of their becoming ours.
The Kafirs had erected their huts of grass and bushes inside the kraal, close up to the fence. I suggested that we climb to the top of these huts, which would give us a view over the fence; and my friends acted upon the suggestion. We scattered so that the three of us commanded three sides of the kraal with our weapons, and from this point of vantage we peered out as well as we could into the darkness.