"I see that your ball last night broke one of his hind legs.

That spoilt his spring.
Had it not been for that he would undoubtedly have reached you, and a blow with his paw, given with all his weight and impetus, would probably have killed you on the spot.

We ought not to have stood near a tree strong enough to bear him when in pursuit of a wounded leopard.

They will always take to trees if they can, and you see this was a very suitable one for him.

This bough on which he was lying starts from the trunk only about four feet from the ground, so that even with his broken leg he was able to get upon it without difficulty.