284 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



two friends, Mr. Huebner and Mr. Parenti. When 

 they reached Kimaa, which is about two hundred 

 and fifty miles from Mombasa, they were told that 

 the man-eater had been seen close to the station 

 only a short time before their train arrived, so 

 they at once made up their minds to remain 

 there for the night and endeavour to shoot him. 

 Ryall's carriage was accordingly detached from 

 the train and shunted into a siding close to the 

 station, where, owing to the unfinished state ot 

 the line, it did not stand perfectly level, but had 

 a pronounced list to one side. In the afternoon 

 the three friends went out to look for the lion, 

 but finding no traces of him whatever, they re- 

 turned to the carriage for dinner. Afterwards 

 they all sat up on guard for some time ; but 

 the only noticeable thing they saw was what 

 they took to be two very bright and steady glow- 

 worms. After events proved that these could have 

 been nothing else than the eyes of the man-eater 

 steadily watching them all the time and studying 

 their every movement. The hour now growing late, 

 and there being apparently no sign of the lion, 

 Ryall persuaded his two friends to lie down, while 

 he kept the first watch. Huebner occupied the high 

 berth over the table on the one side of the carriage, 

 the only other berth being on the opposite side of 

 the compartment and lower down. This Ryall 



