Jack could hardly tell afterwards how it all happened, for he felt that
he must have gone off fast asleep from utter exhaustion, but his sleep
could not have lasted above an hour, for when he awoke with a start the
sun had only just dipped down out of sight, and there was a faint glow
still amongst the trees.
All was very silent and he was drowsy, but a feeling of alarm now began
to oppress him, and he wondered whether Chicory and the General would
soon be there.
His next thought was about his rifle, which still lay across his knees;
and feeling that he might at any moment be called upon to use it in his
defence, he cocked both barrels, and was then about to get up and shout,
when, not a hundred yards away down a broad vista of the open forest, he
saw something which made him present his rifle and then sit motionless,
with his heart going thump, thump, heavily beneath his ribs.
For there, stealing softly along, with its belly almost sweeping the
ground, was a huge lion--not a smooth, maneless lion, such as the two
they had slain, but a big-muzzled, rugged-maned, hairy monster, such as
he was familiar with in pictures--the natural history lion that he had
seen a hundred times.
To have attempted to fire would have been madness at that distance, and
it was evident that he was at present in no danger, for seated as he was
in the shadow, with his back to the trunk of a great tree, the lion had
not seen him.
The next moment Jack saw why he passed unnoticed.
The lion was cautiously stalking some dark animal that was softly
gliding through the bushes, following it step by step awaiting the time
to spring.
It was an interesting sight, though painful; and Jack thought of his
brother's adventure with the serpent, and whether he was not in duty
bound to save this animal from its pursuer as his brother saved the
gazelle.
The next moment Jack's heart seemed to stand still, for the dark animal
passed out of the bushes into sight, and he saw that it was no wild
animal, but poor Chicory, bending down, and evidently carefully tracing
some spoor, perhaps his brother's, while the lion was following to
strike him down.
It was a terrible position; for young as he was in woodcraft, Jack had
not yet acquired the firmness in critical moments that comes to the old
hunter, and for the time he felt paralysed.
He was a brave, self-denying boy, but in that emergency he could only
sit there, turned as it were to stone, and watch the motions of poor
Chicory, and the merciless beast that was stealthily creeping along in
his wake without a sound.
Jack knew that Chicory's position was critical in the extreme, and that
if he did not save him by a lucky shot the lion would strike him down;
but he could not move; the muscles of his whole body refused to act, as
if he was in a nightmare; all he could do was to move his eyes and watch
the terrible tragedy about to be enacted.
The boy felt as if he would have given worlds to be able to fire, or
even shout; but he could do nothing but wait, and see Chicory creeping
patiently along in and out among the trees and bushes, now hidden, now
coming into sight for a few moments, but always so intent upon the
footprints he was examining, that he did not hear his enemy.
And what an enemy! There was the great powerful beast, with glaring
eyes and horrent mane, creeping along with its fur brushing the grass,
and every foot touching the ground like velvet. At times Jack could see
the great muscles moving beneath its skin, and the pliant tail swaying
and quivering as it softly lashed it to and fro.
Several times over it crouched down, as if about to spring, but a quick
movement on the part of the Zulu boy caused it to pause--and still the
hunt went on.
As Jack sat there the great drops of perspiration gathered upon his
forehead, and trickled down his face. The sun's light reflected from
the glowing clouds grew less, and there was a grey gloom gathering
round, which made the scene before him more painful. At one time he
thought that as darkness came on Chicory might give up, become aware of
his danger, and so escape. Even now, if he could have warned him the
boy would have doubtless bounded into a tree, for he was as quick and
active as a monkey; but no warning passed from Jack's lips, and the
strange weird scene went on.
The forest glade before him might have been a maze whose path Chicory
was trying to thread, and the lion some faithful attendant beast,
watchfully following in his very steps. But though Jack's body was as
it were enchained, his mind was in a fearful state of activity; and not
only did he follow as if fascinated every step, but his thoughts even
went in advance, and he felt sick as he thought of the catastrophe about
to happen, seeming to see the lion make its final crouch and spring,
hearing too the boy's death-shriek; and as the actors in the terrible
scene drew nearer to him, Jack strove with all his might to cast off his
inaction.
On still, and in and out, in a heavy weary way, as if he could hardly
put one leg before the other, went poor Chicory; and slowly and
carefully followed the lion, the massive jaws thrust forward, and each
great paw raised and set down without a sound.
It could not have lasted more than a few minutes, this exciting scene,
but it seemed never ending to Jack as he sat there, till in one instant
he was roused back into action, and to try and the poor boy.
In his wanderings in and out, as has been said, Chicory came nearer to
where his young master sat, with his back to the trunk of the great
forest-tree, and more than once Jack wondered that the lion had not seen
him; though this was easily explainable--he remained perfectly
motionless, and the animal was intent upon his prey.
Chicory had come on nearer and nearer then, till he was not above thirty
yards from Jack, when, turning in amongst some long grass, the positions
were suddenly reversed, for in place of following the Zulu boy, the lion
crept round a clump of bushes so as to come face to face with him, and
then crouched ready to spring--just as Chicory stopped short, leaning
forward over something in the long grass, and, dropping his assegai,
uttered a piercing shriek.
Not thirty yards away, and just in face of where Jack was; and he knew
that Chicory had come upon something terrible, perhaps the body of his
brother, while he, Jack, had been sitting there quite unconscious, and
had even in his ignorance gone to sleep.
It was that cry that roused Jack into action, for, almost as the boy
dropped his assegai and leaned over that something in the long grass,
the lion gathered itself for its spring, and the watcher's rifle rose to
his shoulder. There was one quick aim--the sharp crack, followed by a
multitude of echoes; and Jack sprang to his feet and on one side, to
avoid the charge should the lion come his way.
There was a deafening roar, and the lion, which had fallen short in his
spring and rolled over, evidently badly hit, struggled to his feet, and
made at Jack, who sheltered himself behind the nearest tree; and when
the great brute came on, with distended claws and bristling mane, he
fired again, at a distance of a couple of yards, forgetting that his
charge was but small shot.
At that distance, though, small shot were as good as a bullet, and the
lion fell in his tracks, snarling and growling horribly, as he struck
impotently at his slayer; then his head fell back, the mighty paws grew
inert, and he lay over more upon his side--for with a furious cry of
rage Chicory forgot his weariness, and picking up his assegai, drove it
deep into the animal's chest.
Hardly believing it true, Jack rapidly reloaded, congratulating himself
upon what he had done, when he heard the rustling of leaves, and
presented his piece, fully expecting that it was the lion's mate.
But no: it was the General, who ran panting up, having heard the sound
of the rifle, and as he reached them Chicory took his hand, and led him
to the patch of grass without a word.
Jack followed, instinctively knowing that something terrible was there.
And then his heart seemed to stand still, as he heard a deep groan burst
from the General's breast, and he sank down by the body of the son he
had come to seek.
"Is--is he dead?" said Jack, in a hoarse whisper, as he gazed down in
the gathering darkness at poor Coffee's bleeding form.
For answer the General was feeling the boy's chest, and he then laid his
ear against his side.
"No, not dead!" he cried excitedly.
Then lifting the boy in his arms, he started off back towards the
waggon, Jack and Chicory following behind, but not until the latter had
rushed back to where the lion lay, and plunged his assegai once more
deeply into the monster's chest.