Three Lions before Breakfast 



and terrific roars were very alarming, but Spots 

 followed me up so close that retreat (had I wished 

 it) was impossible. I do not believe his head was 

 quite in the small of my back, but I know he was 

 whispering, " Kill um, kill um," " One, two, dree," 

 in a manner meant to be very encouraging and 

 chuckling with delight the while. When ten 

 yards only separated us from the bush, our friend 

 leapt forth again with such a gurgling roar that 

 I involuntarily recoiled on to Spots, nearly up- 

 setting both of us ; at the same moment I brought 

 my rifle up, and this time, encouraged, I suppose, 

 by my step back, the lion stood for a second 

 in full view, then crouched, and in another moment 

 would, I believe, have been hurtling through 

 the air but for my bullet that caught him, in 

 the nick of time, full in the chest. Instead of 

 springing he reared himself on his hind legs, 

 caught a bough above him in his teeth, snapped 

 it in two, and toppled over sideways into the 

 bush. 



I foolishly dashed at him rather too soon, 

 and as I stooped to get a better view of him 

 under the boughs, he suddenly sat up again on 

 his quarters with a snarl, and I was so close 

 that I had to put my rifle against his great head 

 and blow his brains out, somewhat to the detri- 

 ment of his skull. 



Great hand-shaking was now the order of 

 127 



