MORE LIONS 



"Very many lions," I agreed, as though assent- 

 ing to a mere statement of fact. 



Although I am convinced there was no real dan- 

 ger, as long as we stuck to our plan of campaign, 

 nevertheless it was quite interesting to be for so long 

 a period so near these great brutes. They led us 

 for a mile or so along the course of the stream, some- 

 times on one side, sometimes on the other. Several 

 times they emerged into better cover, and even into 

 the open, but always ducked back into the thick 

 again before we ourselves had followed their trail 

 to the clear. 



At noon we were halted by the usual growl just 

 as we had reached the edge of the river. So we sat 

 down on the banks and had lunch. 



Finally our chance came. The trail led us, for 

 the dozenth time, from the high grass into the thicket 

 along the river. We ducked our heads to enter. 

 Memba Sasa, next my shoulder, snapped his fingers 

 violently. Following the direction of the brown arm 

 that shot over my shoulder, I strained my eyes into 

 the dimness of the thicket. At first I could see noth- 

 ing at all, but at length a slight motion drew my 

 eye. Then I made out the silhouette of a lion's 

 head, facing us steadily. One of the rear guard had 

 again turned to halt us, but this time where he and 

 his surroundings could be seen. 



159 



