Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/313

 his highness with his left hand, while with his right he tried to send home a settler.

"‘O wiji gah!' bellowed the populace, never having seen a lion so misused before.

"And their eight-footer, seemingly oblivious of Tib, began humping himself in a narrow circle, with me at the centre. If Tib let go and fell I knew the beast would make the circuit and be upon him before he could get out of the way. For his every jump possessed all of the hilarious energy of a fast-freight train.

"‘O wagh!' yelled the spectators, as the dizzy pair sped by the second quarter, with the favorite about to break.

"‘Hang on and sprint faster,' I encouraged, dancing wildly in my hysteria.

"‘D'ye—think—I'm—trying—to—throw—this race?' retorted Tib, in jerks, over his shoulder, as his heels cuffed only the elevations and his fat form snapped playfully into a horizontal position.

"Then from down the lists came a roar that re-echoed even above the hooting of the mob, and I turned to see the other cat, a female, smaller and maneless, bounding up the aisle. This nerved me to jump onto the race-track and send two shots full into the mouth of Tib's steed, and as the mischief-maker rolled over and sighed sleepily my old patron was flung at my feet.