Swiftly turning half round, she bent the bow until the arrow-head was touching it, then the string smote the bow with a twang like a loud harp-note. Ned watched the shaft, as it sped with a whistle through the air. Straight it flew towards the lion, and buried itself in his flaming eye. It was a splendid and deadly, though it looked a careless aim. With one leap upwards the lion rolled over and over, half burying himself in the loose sand in his death-throes. When Ned looked from the lion to his slayer he saw her standing, with her bow once more in its place and the whip in her hand, standing and looking forward, while she drove for all she was worth. The other lions were treated in the same fashion by the rest of the drivers. Evidently they had nothing to learn in the ancient craft of archery. That afternoon, however, as they rested for an hour, Ned found an opportunity of showing what his rifle could do. Yet, after her archery feat, he did not feel too conceited over his most modern of death-dealing implements. The desert appeared infested with lions of the fiercest order. Hardly were they seated when one appeared at a little distance. It was within shooting distance, but too far off for her shaft, so, while she was leisurely tightening her bow-string, he took a steady aim and fired. At the report she started up with unfeigned alarm, but, quickly recovering herself, she sat down again with stoical composure. It was a long shot, but he did not need to repeat it. The lion was done for. When she saw this, she displayed the most lively and childish interest about his rifle. Pointing to a great vulture in the sky, she signed him to shoot it. While he was taking aim, she put her fingers into her ears; then, when she saw the bird drop headlong, she cried with wonder. He had raised her admiration in a new direction. All through that night and the best part of the next day they raced. They only took three or four half-hours' rest during this time, while they ate a few dates and drank a mouthful of water. As for the leopards, they got nothing except a few small cakes during those short breathing spaces. Our heroes were forced to own that for swiftness and endurance the trained leopard beats both horse and dromedary for desert travel. At midday the distant city and lake appeared on the horizon, and by four o'clock they had passed between the first of the palm trees, and left the desert behind. Ned, Fred, and Clarence had by this time become somewhat used to their uncommon and ancient surroundings. The biblical and archaeological chariots, armour, costumes, and features had startled them when first seen. Now they were only driving toward, what they expected to find, a specimen page of prehistoric illustrations, preserved in the heart of that Africa from which those decayed nations had sprung.