Part 31 (1/2)

”All right,” gasped Venning

”Feel for it first, or you'll be hitting , alare to alarh the side”

There was a sudden fierce yap and a snapping of jaws Coave ith a tear, and outside in the dark the leopard screamed Inside the cry was answered by the howl of a jackal

”It's our jackal,” shouted Venning

”Where--what?”

”Here;” and Venning laughed hysterically ”Poor old chap!” then, ”Good old jacky!”

”Nonsense!” said Coroped out in the dark, and when he felt the rough tongue, he joined in the laugh They were as pleased as if Mr Hums or Muata had returned

”Did the brute really hook you?”

”Forced his paw through,” said Co, ”but the jackal bit hiround, then they felt it stiffen, and were again on the alert Venning ran his fingers lightly along the jackal's back till he reached the nose, which was pointing straight up Without a moment's delay he raised his rifle and fired

At the sa the roof snapped and fell in upon theht, which knocked thele, but when they had crawled out of the litter, they were thankful to find that each was still alive After the first hurried words, they faced the darkness apprehensively, for their shelter was gone, and their rifles were under the branches

”Quick!” said Compton, ”help pull the branches away”

Guided by the tinder, they felt for the branches and pulled, but let go at once and fell back, for a fierce growl greeted them almost in their faces

”By Jove!” muttered Coether”

”I'ot our sheath-knives”

They drew their knives, and, holding each other by the disengaged hand, fell back step by step, till they found the support of a tree- trunk, when they waited for the attack Fro of the enemy's close presence, and to them each sound was as a death-knell; for ere their knives against a foe so powerful, who had, too, the advantage of sight?

For perhaps two hours of awful suspense they stood, and then Compton lost patience

”I can't stand this,” he said ”That brute's playing with us, and I' comes we can see”

”Will it ever come? No”

Coht, then, with his face showing rigid by the reflection, hewent too, shoulder to shoulder Each held his knife, point up, every reeted each step, and presently they sao glowing spots before the match went out

Another match was struck by a steady hand, and this ti felt for his log-book, tore out a sheet, screwed it up, lit it, and held the flame up

There, less than six feet aas the leopard, its th--a sight so forbidding that he dropped the paper and sprang back