Twice he started to leap down
into the hollow, but each time retreated to shake one wounded limb
after another into the air with whines of pain and distress.
As soon as the great beast reappeared once more Dick continued his
firing. Soon his pistol was empty, but the lion had not been hit
again. In nervous haste the lad started to re-load only to find
that his cartridge box was empty.
"Get out!" he yelled at the lion, and threw a stone at the beast.
But the lion was now determined to descend into the hollow, and
paused only to calculate a sure leap to the boy's head.
But that pause, brief as it was, was fatal to the calculations of
the monarch of the jungle. From his rear came two shots in rapid
succession, each hitting him in a vulnerable portion of his body.
He leaped up into the air, rolled over on the edge of the hollow,
and then came down, head first, just grazing Dick's arm, and
landing at the boy's feet, stone dead.
"Hurrah! I reckon I hit him!" came in Tom Rover's voice.
"And so did I," came from Randolph Rover.
"But he has disappeared."
"This way, Tom!" cried Dick, with all the strength he could
command. He was shaking like a reed in the wind and all of the
color had deserted his face.
"It's Dick!" ejaculated Tom. "I told you that I had heard several
pistol shots."
Soon Tom and Mr. Rover presented themselves at the top of the
hollow, followed by Aleck and Cujo. The latter procured a rope
made of twisted vines, and by this Dick was raised up without much
difficulty.
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