TOLD BY THE DOCTOR 73 



ground, lost no time in scattering themselves in all direc- 

 tions, the cowbells tinkling merrily in a way that was 

 doubtless peculiarly fascinating to a tiger. I immediately 

 ascended to my machdn, which had been erected with 

 great care in the branches of a big mhowa tree that flung 

 its boughs over the pool, and all the men at once returned 

 to camp the cowherds intensely relieved, as they had done 

 their work in fear and trembling, even under the protection 

 of myself and my orderly with rifles. 



" I may remind you of my invariable custom of sitting 

 up at night alone. 



" As the sun sank in a bank of murky clouds and a fitful 

 wind began sighing through the forest, I began to make 

 up my mind that I was in for an all-night vigil of the fruit- 

 less kind we know so well, for I could hear the cowbells 

 tinkling nearer and nearer as the instinct of their wearers 

 led them to make tracks for home, and they approached 

 the narrow outlet to the valley on their way. Shortly 

 a bony old cow, the most knowing of the lot, hove in sight, 

 then another, and another, each pacing slowly forward with 

 rhythmically nodding head and swinging tail. The cunning 

 plan had evidently failed, and the striped autocrat was pre- 

 sumably ' not taking any.' 



" Just, I say, as I was reconciling myself to the idea of 

 sitting the night out, on the chance of the tiger coming to 

 drink, there was a sudden mighty commotion in the rear 

 of the herd ; and a moment later a sea of tossing horns, 

 stampeding hoofs, and upraised tails passed under my 

 tree, as a crowd of wild, mad, panic-stricken cattle scurried 

 through the pass, and out beyond, where the frenzied clack- 

 ing of their bells died away in the direction of the nearest 

 village. I felt that they must have left one of their number 

 behind, and there came over me that self-same thrill that 

 charms the heart when a heavy salmon takes one's 'Jock 

 Scott ' with a rush, and one enters on the nervous work of 

 playing him on light grilse tackle. 



