A single blow of his paw brought the horse to the ground.  Then the lion seized the soldier by the shoulder, shook him as a cat would a mouse, and throwing him on the sand lay with his paw across him.  At this moment Malchus galloped past at full speed, his bow drawn to the arrow head and fixed.  The arrow struck the lion just behind its shoulder.  The fierce beast, which was in the act of rising, sank down quietly again; its majestic head drooped between its forepaws on to the body of the Nubian, and there it lay as if overtaken with a sudden sleep.  Two more arrows were fired into it, but there was no movement.

“The brave beast is dead,” Malchus said.  “Here is the arrow with which I slew it.”

“It was well done, Malchus, and the hide is yours.  Let us set off after the others.”

But the stand which the lion had made had been sufficiently long to enable the rest of the troop to escape.  Leaving two or three of their comrades to remove the body of the soldier, the horsemen scattered in various directions; but although they rode far over the plain, they could see no signs of the troop they had pursued.

After a time they gave up the pursuit and rode back towards the camp.  When they reached it they found that another troop of lions, eight in number, had approached the other grove, where two had been killed by the party commanded by Adherbal and Giscon, and the rest of the cavalry were still in pursuit of the others.  They presently returned, bringing in four more skins; so that eight lions in all had fallen in the night’s work.

“Well, Malchus, what do you think of lion hunting?” Adherbal asked as they gathered again in the general’s tent.

“They are terrible beasts,” Malchus said.  “I had not thought that any beast could make so tremendous a roar.  Of course I have heard those in captivity in Carthage, but it did not seem nearly so terrible as it sounded here in the stillness of the desert.”

“I own that it made my blood run cold,” Adherbal said; “and their charge is tremendous —­ they broke through the hedge of spears as if they had been reeds.  Three of our men were killed.”

“Yes,” Malchus agreed; “it seemed almost like a dream for a minute when the great beast was among us.  I felt very glad when he rolled over on to his side.”

“It is a dangerous way of hunting,” Hamilcar said.  “The chase on horseback in the plains has its dangers, as we saw when that Numidian was killed; but with proper care and skill it is a grand sport.  But this work on foot is too dangerous, and has cost the republic the loss of five soldiers.  Had I had nets with me I would have adopted the usual plan of stretching one across the trees ten paces in front of us.  This breaks the lion’s spring, he becomes entangled in its meshes, and can be destroyed with but little danger.  But no skill or address avails against the charge of a wounded lion.  But you are wounded, Giscon.”