The lion gave a roar of rage and pain, then, crouching for a moment, with a few tremendous bounds he reached the edge of the wood.  He could see his enemies now, and with a fierce spring threw himself upon them.  But as soon as they had discharged their arrows the soldiers had caught up their weapons and formed in a close body, and the lion was received upon the points of a dozen spears.

There was a crashing of wood and a snarling growl as one of the soldiers was struck dead with a blow of the mighty paw of the lion, who, ere he could recover himself, received half a dozen javelins thrust deep into his flanks, and fell dead.

The rest of the troop had followed him as he sprang forward, but some of the soldiers, who had been told off for the purpose, seized the lighted brands and threw them over the head of the leader among his followers.  As the glowing brands, after describing fiery circles in the air, fell and scattered at their feet, the lions paused, and turning abruptly off dashed away with long bounds across the front of the grove.

“Now, Malchus, to horse!” Hamilcar exclaimed.  And the general and his son, leaping upon their steeds, dashed out from the grove in pursuit of the troop of lions.  These, passing between the two clumps of trees, were making for the plain beyond, when from behind the other grove a dark band of horsemen rode out.

“Let them pass,” Hamilcar shouted; “do not head them back.”

The cavalry reined up until the troop of lions had passed.  Hamilcar rode up to the officer in command.

“Bring twenty of your men,” he said; “let the rest remain here.  There will doubtless be more of them yet.”

Then with the twenty horsemen he rode on in pursuit of the lions.

The chase was an exciting one.  For a time the lions, with their long bounds, kept ahead of the horsemen; but the latter, splendidly mounted on their well bred steeds, soon began to gain.  When they were within a hundred yards of them one of the lions suddenly faced round.  The Numidians, well accustomed to the sport, needed no orders from their chief.  They scattered at once and broke off on each flank so as to encircle the lion, who had taken his post on a hummock of sand and lay couched on his haunches, with his tail lashing his sides angrily, like a great cat about to make his spring.

The horsemen circled round him, dashing up to within five-and-twenty yards, discharging their arrows, and then wheeling away.  Each time the lion was struck he uttered a sharp, angry growl, and made a spring in the direction of the horsemen, and then fell back to his post.

One of the soldiers, thinking that the lion was now nearly crippled, ventured to ride somewhat closer; he discharged his arrow, but before he could wheel his horse the lion with two tremendous springs was upon him.