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 



