“He smells us, if he cannot see us,” said Harry.
Still the creature appeared doubtful whether he would spring towards the suspected point.
“Now, Harry, let’s see what you can do,” I whispered.
“I shall be glad if I can knock him over the first shot,” he answered.
Harry and Jan’s rifles went off at the same moment, and we could hear their bullets strike, but neither brought the lion to the ground. His rage overcame his fears; and lashing his tail and again roaring, he was about to spring on us, when Hans and I, taking steady aim at him as he rose from the ground, sent our leaden messengers of death through his body. He must have leapt up half-a-dozen feet, falling right over on his head, where he lay struggling for a few seconds; but before we could leap over the rocks and get near him, he was dead. We signified our satisfaction at the victory by a loud shout.
“We shall now sleep soundly,” said Hans, giving the animal a kick with his foot.
We repaired to our camp and made up the fire. Though Hans declared that there was no necessity for
remaining awake, Harry and I agreed to keep watch and watch until the morning, not feeling at all certain whether another lion, or perhaps a leopard, might pay us a visit; or a herd of elephants, buffaloes, or rhinoceroses, might come our way and trample us to death, while enjoying our balmy slumbers.