had taken the big ' looper ' cartridges from his gun 

 and reloaded with No. 6, fired. The shot only 

 maddened her, and she charged ; but the two dogs 

 dashed at her, one at each side, barking, snapping and 

 yelling, rushing in and jumping back so fast and 

 furiously that they flustered her. Leaving the man 

 for the moment, she turned on them, dabbing viciously 

 with her huge paws, first at one, then at the other ; 

 quick as lightning she struck right and left as a kitten 

 will at a twirled string ; but they kept out of reach. 

 It only lasted seconds, but that was long enough for 

 the man to reload and shoot the lioness through the 

 heart. 



There was only the one dog in our camp ; and she 

 was not an attractive one. She was a bull terrier 

 with a dull brindled coat black and grey in shadowy 

 stripes. She had small cross-looking eyes and un- 

 certain always-moving ears ; she was bad tempered 

 and most unsociable ; but she was as faithful and as 

 brave a dog as ever lived. She never barked ; never 

 howled when beaten for biting strangers or kaffirs or 

 going for the cattle ; she was very silent, very savage, 

 and very quick. She belonged to my friend Ted, 

 and never left his side day or night. Her name was 

 Jess. 



Jess was not a favourite, but everybody respected 

 her, partly because you knew she would not stand 

 any nonsense no pushing, patting or punishment, 

 and very little talking to and partly be- 

 cause she was so faithful and plucky. She 

 was not a hunting dog, but on several 



49 D 



