254 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
of the *303 bullet threw him back on his haunches 
just as he was in the act of springing, but in an 
instant he was up again and coming for me so 
quickly that I had not even time to raise my rifle to 
my shoulder, but fired point blank at him from my 
hip, delaying him for a second or so as before. He 
was up again like lightning, and again at the 
muzzle of my rifle; and this time I thought that 
nothing on earth could save me, as I was almost 
within his clutches. Help came from an unexpected 
and unconscious quarter, for just at this critical 
moment Roshan Khan seemed all at once to realise 
the danger of the situation, and suddenly fled for 
his life, screaming and shrieking with all his might. 
Beyond all question this movement saved me, for the 
sight of something darting away from him diverted 
the lion’s attention from me, and following his 
natural instinct, he gave chase instead to the yelling 
fugitive. 
Roshan Khan having thus unwittingly rescued 
me from my perilous position, it now became my turn 
to do all I could to save him, if this were possible. 
In far less time than it takes to tell the story, I had 
swung round after the pursuing lion, levelled my 
rifle and fired ; but whether because of the speed at 
which he was going, or because of my over-anxiety 
to save my “boy”, I missed him completely, and 
saw the bullet raise the dust at the heels of a 
