It was the silence of the ferocious beasts that paralyzed him.

Then the jackal howled behind him, and his blood rushed through his veins.

His tongue no longer clave to the roof of his mouth, and when the great beast was within ten yards of him, he let forth a terrific yell and jumped to his feet, with his rifle in his hands.
The lion stopped suddenly in its charge with a low harsh grunt of surprise.

Never before in its hunting had it heard such a wild uncanny noise.

In one motion it stopped in its charge and swerved to the right, and as it swerved the boy fired.