camp when the sound of a distant horn was heard far up the hillside.
Almost instantaneously lights burst out in a great semicircle along
the hillside, and a faint confused sound, as of the shouting of
a large body of men, was heard on the still night air.

"That is very well done," the general said in a tone of satisfaction.
"I had hardly expected it to be so well managed; for the operation
on such broken and difficult ground was not easy to carry out, even
with the moon to help them."

"But see, father!" Malchus said, "there are many patches of darkness
in the line, and the lions might surely escape through these."

"It would not be possible, Malchus, to place the parties at equal
distances over such broken ground. Nor are the lions likely to
discover the gaps in the line; they will be far too much terrified
by the uproar and sudden blaze of light to approach the troops.
Hark, how they are roaring! Truly it is a majestic and terrible
sound, and I do not wonder that the wild natives of these mountains
regard the animals with something of the respect which we pay to
the gods. And now do you keep a sharp eye along the foot of the
hills. There is no saying how soon the beasts may break cover."

Slowly the semicircle of light was seen to contract as the soldiers
who formed it moved forward towards the foot of the hill; but
although Malchus kept his eyes strained upon the fringe of trees
at its foot, he could see no signs of movement.

The roaring still continued at intervals, and it was evident that
the beasts inclosed in the arc had descended to the lower slopes