372 THE LION KILLER. 



up the ridge on one side, and ten on the other, having agreed 

 to come together on the highest point of the range. 



The trackers on the northerly side found nothing but old 

 spoors snowed under, but their comrades, more fortunate, 

 came upon the very lair of the lions. Astonished at being 

 awakened at so unseasonable an hour, they got up from their 

 beds, and finding the prudent Arabs had placed themselves 

 beyond all reach, they took to another cover, grumbling very 

 much in their own* language at this annoyance. 



The Sheik of the Seguians who was with me in the hunt, 

 and came up to tell me what had been discovered, said that 

 the lions were brothers, and that one seemed to protect the 

 other, and was constantly showing fight. We started right 

 off for, but did not reach their lair until the afternoon. The 

 Arabs who were standing* sentinel around, told me that they 

 were still there, and that one had showed himself several 

 times outside of the bushes as though anxious for revenge. 

 After having placed the officer of the Arab bureau, who had 

 accompanied me, in a place of safety, I ordered all the natives 

 to leave and keep out of sight, retaining one near me to carry 

 my arras. 



The ruse succeeded admirably. 



The moment that the Arabs disappeared behind the rocks 

 on the brow of the hill, a lion showed himself on the edge of 

 the copse, and after- looking all around him, and seeing me 

 alone with only a single man behind me, he came directly 

 towards me. After him his brother came out of the copse, 

 and followed on about fifty steps behind, both marching 

 boldly to the place where I was posted, carrying their heads 

 high in air. 



I had taken my seat on a knoll which overlooked the 

 place, and that was easily attainable by ledges of rock in 

 front, that sloped up to where I sa.t, The ^rab was behind 

 me holding my Lepage gun that I ha,d cp ( cked and put into, 



