The lasso streaked out with arrowy swiftness, circled, and snapped viciously close to Old Tom's head.

"Kill him! Kill him!" roared Jones.

Then the lion leaped, seemingly into the air above me.
Instinctively I raised my little automatic rifle.

I seemed to hear a million bellowing reports.

The tawny body, with its grim, snarling face, blurred in my sight.