260 PEERING OUT INTO THE GLOOM. 



tell him a most gratifying truth. By one of those strange accidents which now and 

 then come to us in this world, the first bullet fired by Bob Marshall had penetrated the 

 brain oi the lion and killed him. The four balls sent after the first had all found an 

 entrance into the immense head, and any one of them would have been enough 

 to cause death. So I may say that the youth was guilty of a waste of ammunition. 

 It was a vast relief, indeed, to him, who was wise enough to improve his chances 

 at once. There might be other wild beasts near at hand, and it would never do to 

 count on the aid of the lightning, that had just done him such a good turn. 



Without glancing in any direction, Bob broke into a run for camp, his feelings 

 quickly changing to a panic as is often the case when we start to flee from some 

 danger. 



He almost fell headlong among his friends. 



" Where did you come from ? " asked the astonished Jack Harvey. 

 " If you had been going a little faster you wouldn't have been able to stop yet 

 awhile," added the wondering Mr. Godkin. 



" I think you would run, too, if you found a lion at your heels," replied the 

 youth, somewhat abashed at the exhibition he had made. 

 " Was that your gun we heard ? " 

 " Yes ; didn't Dick tell you where I was ? " 

 " No; we haven't seen Dick," said Jack; " where is he?" 



" I suppose he is in the wagon," remarked the director, his manner showing hi* 

 uneasiness. 



Bob ran thither with little hope of finding his cousin. Of course he was absent, 

 and Bob came back with the announcement that he had fled, and that his gun had 

 been left behind, there being enough light from the camp-fire to show that dis- 

 quieting fact. 



Jack Harvey was vexed. 



" How long before you tenderfeet will gain enough sense to take care of your- 

 selves ? " 



Bob felt the reproof was deserved, but his whole thoughts now were of his absent 

 friend. Except for his own experience with the lion, his alarm would have been far 

 less, but the night, as I have shown, was just such a one as was likely to bring out 

 the dreaded beasts against which the hunters had taken every precaution at their 

 command. 



The gale had threatened to blow away their fire, but, by heaping on the wood, it 

 roared and crackled with a vigor that threw out a more extended illumination than 

 before. 



All the oxen, horses and goats were in sight a fact which they seemed to 

 appreciate, some of them showing a disposition to crowd still closer, as though 

 well aware that danger was abroad. 



The violent tempest had brought each native from his sleeping-quarjers, and 

 they were giving their efforts toward the protection of the property of their employ- 

 ers. Orak was probably the most active, and he made several circuits around the 



