The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-05-30

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three hours we thus stood watching and
waiting The sun had climbed high up be-
| fore the yells and exploding grenades of
the beaters proved that they were gradually
closing in on MS.
Yet we had seen no sign of the tigers
which, however, We're just as likely to be
lying within twenty feet of any one of us
as anywhere else.
A few minutes more of anxious suspense
and we could see, reflected in the tops of
the taller trees, occasional flashes of the
fireworks. We could even hear the valor-
Gus words with which the creeping beaters
sought to encourage one another. Still no
tiger !
| had begun to think that our hunt
would end without find, when off little
way to my right | heard a whining purr,
much resembling though greatly louder
than that of domestic cat rudely aroused
from its nap. The tigers were up at last,
and stretching themselves. Dodgng be-
hind my tree, with rifle ready / waited, a
little nervously, for the next move. The
heaters came steadily on, with ever increas-
ing noise and accelerated fire, apparently
covering every inch of the ground.
Soon | heard the Undesirable, vibrating
screeches, half snarl, half roar, with which
a full grown tiger md tigeress leaped over
the grunge of outlying bushes and Hoped
away along the edge of the baree.
They were no more than sixty feet from
me and | made sure of the one nearest, as
threw up my rifle and touched the trigger
But the hammer fell softly on a damaged
cartridge; and when [ hastily replaced it
| by another, and fired, scored clean miss.
Too late now for third trial
MARK right shouted, and heard next
moment the crack of Frank Maitland
rifle. followed by a scream from one Of
the flying brutes.
''Mark rightn' shouted Frank
Then Captain Smythe fired, and, almost
blending with the report of his gun, came
his sharp cry for help.
The captain was posted two hundred
yards from me, but only one hundred from
Frank. So the boy, reloading as he ran,
sped to the rescue alone. He was not IA
moment too soon. The tiger, crunchng
Smythe's left arm, stood raging over his
senseless body.
As the boy drew nearer the monster
shook his victim as terrier shakes rat,
and Frank thought he could hear the bon, 5
crack. But tiger and man lay directly
across his path, and he dared not shoot for
fear of hitting Smythe.
At any moment the brute might change
his grip to Smythe's throat Knowing
this, Frank did the thing possible under
the circumstances. When within thirty
yards he yelled at the top OF his voice. The
tiger seeing a moving foe, left the PROSTATE
body and charged directly upon young
Maitland.
Few experienced hunters could have
faced such a charge without quailing, but
Frank, on seeing the success of his ruse,
stood stock -still, cool as if on parade As
the tiger alghted within twelve feet of
him, after second bound, he fired right
into its open mouth.
The express bullet, driven by eight
drachms of POWDER traversed the whole
length of thu tigers carcass With CULVER
ing limbs and bristling hair the brute sank
down stone dead in the act of crouching
for final spring.
As ran toward the scene, passed the
lifeless body of the tigress. The boy had
achieved the amazing feat of killing two
tigers by two successive shots, and all with
in the space of one minute.
Fortunately the assistant surgeon of our
regiment happened to be the man stationed
next to Smythe's right, On examination
he found that, beyond the crushed and
lacerated arm, Smythe was not seriously
injured.
After some brandy had been forced be-
tween his lips he recovered consciousness
| looking around in dazed way and asked,
| What's up, am hurt 90
Then he learned who had saved him.
Smythe, after all, was sound at heart
Holding out his uninjured hand, he said,
shakily, Maitland, treated you badly"
"Don't say another word, Captain"
said Frank, kneeling beside him.
So that is how they came to speaking
terms again, and afterward they were the
| best of friends.