GERARD, THE LION HUNTER 83 



It was almost dark ; the wood was thick with shrubs 

 and undergrowth, and one had almost to crawl along. 



My three Arabs followed me, and the men from the 

 settlement came behind them. It took us nearly a quarter 

 of an hour to walk fifty steps, and even that we did with 

 much difficulty. 



After fifty steps more it was quite dark, and we had 

 lost the track. 



There was a clearing close at hand, and we made for 

 it so as to reconnoitre. 



Whilst we were scattered about in tbe clearing, trying 

 to make out some vestige of the track, either by acci- 

 dent or by awkwardness a gun suddenly went off. 



Instantly a hoarse roar was heard, and the lion fell 

 amongst us as though he had literally dropped from the 

 clouds. 



There was an instant of intense terror. Every gun 

 except mine went off at the same moment, and it was 

 only a wonder that we did not all kill each other. Need- 

 less to say that not a ball touched the lion. 



Through the fire and smoke I saw all the men 

 round me except Aiuar Ben-Sarah. Then from tbe 

 other side of the clearing I heard a piercing cry. 



I ran towards the spot from where the sound came, 

 and in the dusk only saw the man and the lion when 

 I was actually upon them. 



Amar Ben-Sarah washing on the ground, and the lion 

 standing over him. 



I felt giddy, and thought my legs were going to bend 

 under me, but the weakness passed like a flash of light- 



ning. 



The lion, seeing the muzzle of my gun so near his bead, 

 turned to me with a savage look. In another .second he 

 would have been upon me ; but I was too near to miss 

 the fatal spot. I pulled the trigger, he staggered a few- 

 paces to one side, and then dropped down dead beside 

 the man he was about to kdl. 



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