4 IN THE GRIP OF THE NYIKA CHAP. 



Undoubtedly the lion meant to have seized him; but 

 just as the brute was, as the workman graphically 

 described it, "dancing on his legs" preparatory to a 

 spring, a cleaner who was at work on the engine a 

 little distance away threw some slag on to a heap 

 of iron rails, and this so upset the lion that he dived 

 under instead of into the van. 



Presently the watcher on the sleeper stack saw 

 him come out from the shadow of the van, stand for 

 a few seconds in the open track as if undecided what 

 to do next, and then disappear again beneath the 

 train. He must have run along very quickly under 

 the wagons, for a moment later he was seen 

 standing beside the coolies' truck; and before the 

 watcher had time to utter another warning cry, 

 the lion gave a spring and landed in amongst 

 the men. As may be imagined, the panic that 

 ensued was indescribable. Shrieks, yells, and terri- 

 fied cries broke the silence of the night, as the 

 powerful brute closed his jaws through the shoulder 

 of his victim, and, shaking him as a terrier would a 

 rat, lifted him up and carried him off. 



Ogilvy's servant happened to be lying next to 

 the man who was seized, and the lion, in springing 

 up, landed with a paw on his shoulder, driving 

 the claws well home. The poor fellow got a 

 terrible fright, and, thinking no doubt that his 



