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