WATCHED BY WILD ANIMALS 



closer and closer. Occasionally I caught a 

 glimpse of the low-held body and the alert 

 raised head. The back-pointing, sensitive three- 

 foot tail, as restless as an elephant's trunk, 

 kept swinging, twitching, and feeling. Plan- 

 ning before the lion was within leaping dis- 

 tance to warn the mare with a yell, I sat still 

 and watched. 



The well-developed and ever-alert senses of 

 the mare I know not whether it was scent or 

 sight brought a message of danger. Suddenly 

 she struck an attitude of concentration and de- 

 fiance, and the frightened colt crowded to her 

 side. How capable and courageous she stood, 

 with arched neck, blazing eyes, vigilant ears, 

 and haughty tail! She pawed impatiently as 

 the lion, now near, watchful and waiting, froze. 



Suddenly he leaped forward, evidently hoping 

 to stampede both animals and probably to 

 seize the separated colt. Instantly the mother 

 wheeled, and her outkicking heels narrowly missed 

 the lion's head. Next the lion made a quick 

 side-leap to avoid being stamped beneath the 

 mare's swift front feet. 



For half a minute the mare and lion were dod- 

 ging and fighting with all their skill. A splendid 

 picture the mare made with erect tail and arched 

 neck as she struck and wheeled and kicked ! 



Again and again the lion tried to leap upon 



