CHAPTER XX. 



AN OLD REPROBATE AN EXCITING ADVENTURE. 



ALTHOUGH the night was altogether a most uncom- 

 fortable one, I got two or three hours' sound sleep 

 towards morning, in spite of the chattering and 

 lullaluing of my servants and the new arrivals. 



Soon after break of day, Chummy and myself met 

 at the camp-fire to enjoy our coffee, when it was 

 determined that we should devote the forenoon to 

 searching for his majesty the king of beasts who 

 had disturbed our quiet the previous evening, both 

 by his powerful voice and his desire to appropriate 

 some of our belongings. 



One of the new arrivals, who was listening to 

 our conversation, joined in, and informed us "that if 

 we could rid the neighbourhood of this lion we 

 should be doing good service to their chief, for the 

 marauder was an old villain, too lazy to hunt, there- 

 fore had taken to killing cattle, and that as likely as 

 not he would soon commence the slaughter of 

 women and children." 



