Just then, too, we saw something else, for half-way down the marsh
a great male lion broke cover, and began to steal off toward the
sand-hills. It was about two hundred yards from Higgs, who chanced to
be nearest to it, and, therefore, as any big-game hunter will know, for
practical purposes, far out of shot. But the Professor, who was quite
unaccustomed to this, or, indeed, any kind of sport, and, like all
beginners, wildly anxious for blood, lifted his rifle and fired, as he
might have done at a rabbit. By some marvellous accident the aim was
good, and the bullet from the express, striking the lion fair behind the
shoulder, passed through its heart, and knocked it over dead as a stone.

"By Jingo! Did you see that?" screamed Higgs in his delight. Then,
without even stopping to reload the empty barrel, he set off at the top
of his speed toward the prostrate beast, followed by myself and by Orme,
as fast as our astonishment would allow.

Running along the edge of the marsh, Higgs had covered about a hundred
yards of the distance, when suddenly, charging straight at him out of
the tall reeds, appeared a second lion, or rather lioness. Higgs wheeled
round, and wildly fired the left barrel of his rifle without touching
the infuriated brute. Next instant, to our horror, we saw him upon
his back, with the lioness standing over him, lashing her tail, and
growling.

We shouted as we ran, and so did the Zeus, although they made no attempt
at rescue, with the result that the lioness, instead of tearing Higgs
to pieces, turned her head confusedly first to one side and then to
the other. By now I, who had a long start of Orme, was quite close,
say within thirty yards, though fire I dared not as yet, fearing lest,
should I do so, I might kill my friend. At this moment the lioness,