158 THE WILDERNESS AND JUNGLE 



acre, and the stems stood ten or twelve feet 

 high. The first proceeding was to guard every 

 likely exit through which the lion might break 

 and to send the dogs in after it. The fun 

 soon began ; lion roaring, dogs baying, and 

 every moment the men posted outside expect- 

 ing the furious animal to charge. But some- 

 thing quite different happened. A sharp yell 

 of pain came from one of the dogs, and out 

 came the pack with their tails between their 

 legs. They had had enough of it. Only one, 

 the best hound of them all, stuck to the enemy, 

 and he, poor brute, presently limped in view 

 with his back broken. It is not surprising 

 that, after such an experience, nothing would 

 induce the dogs to face the lion again, so Mr. 

 Reid and his friend decided that there was 

 nothing for it but to go in after the lion them- 

 selves. A start was made, and the plan de- 

 termined on was to cut two main paths at 

 right-angles and then to beat each quarter of 

 the covert in turn. Cutting down those tough 

 reeds, each the thickness of a man's wrist, was 

 laborious work, but half a dozen of the boys 

 went at it with a will, the two Englishmen 

 following at their heels, rifles cocked and 

 senses alert. When the party had got about 

 half way, a terrific roar shook the reeds, and 

 back jumped the boys, all but knocking Mr. 

 Reid and his friend over in their anxiety to get 



