It was answered by another, miles away; then another, far off in a still different direction.

The scent of the bait was spreading to the far horizon and the keen-scented carrion-eaters had caught it and were hurrying to the feast.
Then, after moments of waiting, the howls came from so near that they startled us.

There seemed to be dozens of hyenas--a regular class reunion of them--yet not one could be seen in the "murky gloom." And then, a moment later, we heard the crunching of teeth and the slither of rending flesh, and we knew that a supper party of hyenas was gathered about the festal board below us.

I was afraid that they would eat up the carcass and thus keep away the lions, so I fired a shot to scare them away.

There was a quick rush of feet--then that dense, expectant silence once more.