Brock, However,
Persuaded Me To Remain Where I Was; And A Few
Seconds Afterwards I Was Heartily Glad That I
Had
taken his advice, for at that very moment one of
the man-eaters - although we did not know it
-
Was quietly stalking us, and was even then almost
within springing distance. Orders had been given
for the entrance to the boma to be blocked up, and
accordingly we were listening in the expectation
of hearing the lion force his way out through
the bushes with his prey. As a matter of fact,
however, the doorway had not been properly
closed, and while we were wondering what the
lion could be doing inside the boma for so long,
he was outside all the time, silently reconnoitring
our position.
Presently I fancied I saw something coming
very stealthily towards us. I feared, however, to
trust to my eyes, which by that time were
strained by prolonged staring through the
darkness, so under my breath I asked Brock whether
he saw anything, at the same time covering the
dark object as well as I could with my rifle.
Brock did not answer; he told me afterwards
that he, too, thought he had seen something move,
but was afraid to say so lest I should fire and
it turn out to be nothing after all. After this
there was intense silence again for a second or
two, then with a sudden bound a huge body
sprang at us. "The lion!" I shouted, and we
both fired almost simultaneously - not a moment
too soon, for in another second the brute would
assuredly have landed inside the wagon.
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