It Is Supposed That Ryall, After Watching For
Some Considerable Time, Must Have Come To The
Conclusion That The Lion Was Not Going To Make
Its Appearance That Night, For He Lay Down On The
Lower Berth And Dozed Off.
No sooner had he
done so, doubtless, than the cunning man-eater
began cautiously to stalk the three sleepers.
In
order to reach the little platform at the end of the
carriage, he had to mount two very high steps
from the railway line, but these he managed
to negotiate successfully and in silence. The
door from this platform into the carriage was
a sliding one on wheels, which ran very easily
on a brass runner; and as it was probably not
quite shut, or at any rate not secured in any
way, it was an easy matter for the lion to thrust
in a paw and shove it open. But owing to the
tilt of the carriage and to his great extra weight
on the one side, the door slid to and snapped
into the lock the moment he got his body right
in, thus leaving him shut up with the three sleeping
me in the compartment.
He sprang at once at Ryall, but in order to
reach him had actually to plant his feet on Parenti,
who, it will be remembered, was sleeping on the
floor. At this moment Huebner was suddenly
awakened by a loud cry, and on looking down
from his berth was horrified to see an enormous
lion standing with his hind feet on Parenti's body,
while his forepaws rested on poor Ryall.
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