The lion stopped suddenly in its charge with a low harsh grunt of surprise.  Never before in its hunting had it heard such a wild uncanny noise.  In one motion it stopped in its charge and swerved to the right, and as it swerved the boy fired.  The lion gave a mighty bound, he heard it strike the ground with a heavy thud, and then it seemed to disappear, though he knew it was near from the low growling it set up.

From the camp there came a confused shouting, followed by the sound of a man running.

Venning moistened his lips.  “Look out,” he shouted, “there is a lion here.”

“Where are you?”

“Here, by this rock.”

“Stay there, and keep quite still.”

The growling increased, and once more the same paralysis attacked the boy so that he could scarcely breathe.  Then some one stood at his side, and the fear went from him at once.

“He’s over there, somewhere; but I can’t see him.”

“I can.  Get round the rock, my boy.  He’s lying flat with his head between his paws, and it’s a mercy you did not fire again and draw his charge.”

Venning moved round the rock, and Mr. Hume slowly followed.  He stopped awhile to listen to the incessant growling.

“You’ve hit him, but not, I think, mortally; anyway, we’ll leave him, if he will leave us.  Move on towards the camp quietly—­don’t run.”

“No, sir,” said Venning; but it required an effort not to make a bolt for it when he saw the friendly gleam of the fire.

Mr. Hume followed slowly, with his head over his shoulder, towards the place where the growling came from.  When he reached the fire he gave a great sigh of relief.

“Thank God.  Now tell us what happened, my boy;” and he put his hand on Venning’s arm.

Venning started violently, for just then from the river there came a harsh, growling call; and no sooner had it ceased than the ground shook to a terrific roar.

“The lion answers the lioness,” said the chief, calmly.

“Throw a little wood on the fire, Muata.  Now, my lad.”

Venning told his story, and Compton listened with intense excitement; but the hunter treated the whole thing calmly, with set purpose.  He had in his experience seen the effect of a terrible shock, in the complete breakdown of the victim, and, personally, he had known one man die from the shock to his system caused exactly by the sudden and unexpected appearance of a lion at night.  He kept Venning’s thoughts off the mental picture of the charging lion until dawn, when all hands prepared for the hunt.

“If you hit him hard he will be lying near, and I guess it will be a different matter meeting him by daylight—­eh, my lad?”

Venning looked into the hunter’s calm eyes, and felt strong.  He went straight to the rock against which he had crouched, and pointed to the deep scars made in the hard ground by the sharp claws as the lion had stopped his charge and wheeled.