Following the report, and mingling with it, came a scream so shrill and full of terror that the boys could not help jumping. Through the smoke they could see a big, tawny, yellow body leap high into the air, and then, falling back, begin to claw the earth and stones, while the screams continued to ring out. "You nailed her!" cried Jim. Hardly had he spoken before there was a rattling sound behind them. All four turned, to see, crouching, not twenty feet away, a big, male mountain lion, ready to spring. It was the mate of the female the boys had just mortally wounded, and the big beast's eyes flashed fire as it saw the death struggles of its den-mate. For a moment the hunters stood as if paralyzed. The sight of the lion in their rear had unnerved them. The male must have been stalking them, just as they had followed the other. As they watched, a sudden tremor seemed to run through the big brute's body. "He's going to spring!" said Jim, in a low voice. At the same moment he brought his gun up, ready to fire. An instant later the lion launched itself forward, propelled by muscles like steel springs, straight at the group, anger blazing in its eyes. Bang! spoke Jim's rifle, and the big cat seemed to turn completely over in the air. But the momentum of the spring was not checked by the bullet which had struck it in the throat. On it came, and Jim yelled: "Duck boys!" He had no time to do so himself, so, before he could throw himself to one side, the lion was upon him and the cowboy went down in a heap, the beast, snarling and growling, on top of him. There was a confusion of man and lion, a vision of flying legs, fast-working claws and the sight of a yellow body in convulsions. "Fire at the lion!" yelled Jack. "Don't! You might shoot Jim!" exclaimed Nat. "Get your knives out!" cried John, drawing his own blade. But they were not needed. A moment later the big cat rolled over off Jim, and, in a few seconds the cowboy rose from the ground, covered with dirt and blood, but, apparently unhurt. "Did he bite you?" asked Jack, "He was dead when he landed on me," said Jim. "It was only the dying struggle. Might have clawed me up a bit, but not much." In fact the cowboy had several long and deep scratches on his hands and legs, where his heavy trousers had been cut through by the terrible claws. Aside from that he was not hurt. "Good thing I had a load in my gun," he remarked, as he threw out the empty shell and fired a bullet through the head of the lion to make sure it was dead. "I guess the other one's done for," said Jack, as he looked toward where the lioness had stood. "I'd hope so, with three of you firin' at her," spoke Jim as he went over to a little spring and washed some of the dirt and blood from him. "This isn't half bad," spoke Nat. "I wish some of the fellows at Washington Hall could see us now." "Maybe they would think we were some pumpkins," put in Jack.