The other had struck him on the back, near the tail, and had burst
inside him. Frank on seeing the nature of the wounds was astonished
at the tenacity of life shown by the animal.
"I wonder whether I hit the other," he said.
"I have no doubt at all about it," Mr. Goodenough answered, "although
I did not think so before. It seemed to me that I only heard the
howls of one animal in the night, and thought it was the one I had
hit. But as this fellow must have died at once, it is clear that
the cries were made by the other."
A sharp search was now set up for the tracks of the other leopard,
the Houssas going back to the tree and taking it up anew. They
soon found traces of blood in a line diverging from that followed
by the other animal. For an hour they followed this, great care
being required, as at times no spots of blood could be seen for a
considerable distance. At last they seemed to lose it altogether.
Mr. Goodenough and Frank stood together, while the Houssas, scattered
round, were hunting like well trained dogs for a sign. Suddenly
there was a sharp roar, and from the bough of a tree close by
a great body sprang through the air and alighted within a yard of
Frank.
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