Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-06
CHAPTER I.
| NJ |


OIhy Ill slRHJ luC Il lcW
leaps, and he did not think it worth while
to fire But nothing broke from the end
At the first roar, some of the beatcrs had
scrambled into low trees, but most of them
huddled together like flock of frightened
sheep; and in this form they were now led
by old Rugonauth out of the jungle on the
side opposite to the sportsmen, with the
object of beating from the remote end and
driving the tiger from the thick patch Ill
which he had disappeared.
Advancing in a compact body, and not |
scattered as heretofore in parties or singly, |
they approached the place, throwing stones
as skirmishers in front
This was evidently not to the tigers taste, |
for he slipped down few feet of bank into
the river, and partly in water, partly on the
shingy shore, galloped back down the river
side i'll a direction almost straight towards |
Mackenzie.
Having good command from his position |
on the bank, Mac let him come on, and, |
when within some thirty or forty yards, let
drive The bullet told evidently behind for
the beast, pulling up in his headlong career,
performed regular waltz partly rose on his
hind legs, spinning around several times as
ii toeget at the wound, roaring with full
tiger power during this gymnastic perform.
ance. But Macs left barrel warned him of
reascended the bank and turned into the jun
gle, receiving right and left from Norman be- |
fore he became concealed in the friendly
cover.
The beaters were again withdrawn to tn
outside of the jungle, opposite to the place |
in which he was supposed to be lying. |
A lucky and well-directed rocket stirred him
up, however, and again he sneaked to the |
end; but this time quietly glided down the
bank into the deep water, and commenced |
swimming directly across.
Once on the other side, the same as that |
on which the hunters were stationed, the |
dense Jungle in thir rear, which extended
for miles. afforded secure retreat. That |
covering him, wounded though he was The
effort was a bold one, but it was not fated
to be successful.
The distance was over a hundred yards,
but Macs deadly heavy rifle was quickly
ing, growled forth its anathema.
Swimming, as the beast was, with only the
head, line of back and the tail visible, it
was a good shot to strike it. But the aim
was true. Rearing half out of the water, he
paved at the air. receiving from Norman also
a well-planted bullet. Turning around he gave
up his intention of forcing the passage of the
river, and again retreated to the dense cover
of Rs puTnss G qt Mae the old fdd eoW # we ssb
Norman had shouted, as the first bullet told.
"Just stopped him in time!"
"Same to you," was the reply, as Norman
followed suit; chats another for his mob"
he got III SeVerely tnere, siiu No'lhhn' dc
he joined his friend when the tiger disap-
peared. 'I don't like allowing the men to
90 in again."
at don't believe there win be any dan,
ger if they'll only stick together and shout
from the end of the patch. But let us hear
what Rugonauth says. I see Hawkes. has
gone round to the other side, too"
It was soon ascertained that the tiger was
living about a dozen yards from a small
tree in which one of the markers was stand,
inc. trembling with fear; for although he had
crent as high as the branches would bear
him. he was not more than twelve feet from
Eve can't get the marker TO speak, sahib, .
shouted Rugonauth, "but he is pointing to-
ward the tiger, and on this side we can see
the bushes moving where he is tearing them
III And in effect the two friends also saw
from their place the tops of some OF the
larger iow bushes swaying to and fro.
that all three of the hunters should join
on the other side; and, should the beast not
nrove amenable to all their persuasive efforts
70 rouse him. advance directly on the place
of his retreat. But before performing this
dangerous maneuver they decided to ex
haust all possible means of inducing him tc
show. " :.
or could be induced to get the brute to charge
ND to his tree, they might roll him over as ht
crossed an intervening open space. At any
rate the marker was safe, covered as he wal
Inv the three sportsmen then. standing no
more than twenty yards from him.
The man was appealed to in affecting terms
bv Ruponauth; but, shivering with fright
be steadily declined to hold any verbal com
muncation whatsoever -,