"This way! Here!" shouted Buck Denham. _Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! _Roo--oomph_! came now, with a fiercer roar than ever, which roused the lion's companions to utter a furious burst of snarls. "Cooey! Cooey!" came again. "All right, mate," said the big driver, in a low voice. "You must find your own way now. That last bit of tongue meant, look out for squalls." "Anybody hurt?" came in a well known voice now from close at hand, and Dan hurried up. "I think not, Dan," whispered Mark, and then he stretched out his hand and felt for the little sailor. "Are you all right?" "Yes, sir. I fired off all my cartridges." "Here's someone else coming, gentlemen," said Denham, in a low, deep tone. "They are your two lads, I think." "Yes," cried Dean eagerly. "Nobody else would have cried cooey, unless it was little Dan." "Yes, I might, but I didn't to-night; I have been too busy." "That you, Peter. Where's Bob Bacon?" "Me, Mr Mark, sir?" said the latter. "Here I am, as large as life. We have been at it pretty warm. But I want it to grow light, to see if we can retrieve any of the game." "Yah! Ain't 'it anything," growled Buck Denham. "But where's Peter? I heard two cooeys," said Mark. "Yes; that was me, sir. I ain't seen him." "Well, now then, gentlemen," said Buck Denham; "all loaded?" "'Cept me," said Dan. "Take these. Here are some cartridges," said Sir James. "Now then--ready?" said Denham, quite loudly, and there was another burst of roars and snarls. "Thank ye," said Denham; "that's just let us know where abouts to fire. Now, all of you let them have it, as near as you can guess; and fire low. I'd kneel down. I'll just give them a rouse up with a shout. That will make them roar again. Then you, doctor, give the word, and let 'em have it." "Right," said the doctor. "Ready, my lads?" whispered Buck. There was a low murmur of assent, and the driver put one hand to his cheek. "Hullo, there, you!" _Er_--_rr_--_oomph_! came in a roar, followed by a snarl; and this time there was a sharp crackling of bushes, as one of the savage beasts made a bound towards them. It was all guess work, but the volley fired at the advancing brute was followed by a roar from several feline throats and a struggling plunge and trampling amidst the undergrowth, with a fiercer snarling than ever. "Load again quickly," said the doctor, "and stand firm, my lads." "Ay, we've got to," added Denham. "I was in hopes that those shots would have scared them; but one of them has got it pretty warm." For the violent kicking and tearing amidst the bushes went on, supplemented by the snarling and growling of the hidden beasts. "How long is it to morning?" asked the doctor in a whisper. "Good two hours, I should say, sir." "Then we had better retreat to the waggons before the savage brutes take courage and come on at us."