THE PANTHER 
49 
animal was wriggling and growling furiously, but it 
was helpless. The dogs were barking wildly. Buck’s 
horse reared in alarm, almost unseating its rider, be- 
cause even when trained for hunting, horses are 
afraid of lions. 
“Whoa, boy!” Charlie soothed the frightened 
horse, at the same time grinning at Buck and yelling 
to him, “Hang on tight, old timer!” Buck held on 
tight. He was frightened at all the noise and action. 
Things were happening too fast! 
In another moment or two, Charlie had slipped a 
short rope over the lion’s front paws and bound them 
tightly together. Then he did the same to the hind 
legs, and tied the great beast so firmly that it could 
not scratch. 
Next Charlie ordered the dogs back several yards, 
commanding them to stay there. Then the first lariat 
rope was loosened, the trussed lion let down to the 
ground, and the hunt was over! 
“Whew!” sighed Uncle Ely, loudly, “I have been 
in on many a roping act heretofore, but never one as 
fast and skillful as that, Charlie!” 
“Nothing to it, if a fellow’s lucky,” grinned Chan 
lie, as he slung the helpless lion to a long pole. But 
the other men knew better! They knew that Charlie 
