92 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



persuade myself that even yet the "devil" might 

 not have eluded me in some uncanny and mysterious 

 way. Happily my fears proved groundless, and I 

 was relieved to find that my luck after playing me 

 so many exasperating tricks had really turned at 

 last. I had scarcely traced the blood for more than 



"HIS LENGTH FROM Til' OF NOSE TO TIP OF TAIL WAS NINE FEET 

 EIGHT INCHES." 



a few paces when, on rounding a bush, I was startled 

 to see a huge lion right in front of me, seemingly 

 alive and crouching for a spring. On looking 

 closer, however, I satisfied myself that he was 

 really and truly stone-dead, whereupon my followers 

 crowded round, laughed and danced and shouted 

 with joy like children, and bore me in triumph 

 shoulder-high round the dead body. These thanks- 



