VENGEANCE OF JHAPOO THE GOND 255 



the exertion of carrying the weighty tiger-skin, her simple 

 cotton garment stained with the blood that had oozed 

 therefrom. 



" I learned that the tiger had been killed that morning by 

 a party of native shikaris, and that the pair before me were 

 now taking its skin to their village close by, near which 

 my camp was pitched. And thus it was that I first met 

 Jhapoo the Gond. 



" I need not describe how Jhapoo soon gave me evidence 

 of his extraordinary mastery of woodcraft, an art that was 

 marvellous even among a race famed for their prowess and 

 cunning as hunters. Suffice it to say that I at last per- 

 suaded him to leave his native village and accompany me 

 on my wanderings throughout all that part of India, and 

 that he finally became my, trusted head shikari and valued 

 friend. 



" It was not long ere I discovered that Jhdpoo, in addition 

 to his natural gifts of jungle-craft, possessed qualities which 

 raised him considerably above the ordinary jungle G6nd, 

 and enjoyed a notoriety among his fellows as the possessor 

 of 'occult' powers, which caused him to be somewhat 

 feared by them in consequence. Over the camp fire I had 

 listened to many a dark hint of his capabilities in this line, 

 but so shy was Jhapoo himself on the least mention of 

 such a subject that it was not until he had been with me 

 a great many years that I had an opportunity of becoming 

 an eye-witness of his mysterious art. Meanwhile he had 

 aided me in bagging many scores of tigers, besides pan- 

 thers, bears, bison, and other lesser game. That Jhapoo, 

 during his long service with me, may have secretly practised 

 his uncanny arts and flattered himself that they, and not 

 himself, were responsible for the almost unbroken chain of 

 success enjoyed by his appreciative master, I have little 

 doubt. But for me it was sufficient to enjoy and marvel at 

 his wonderful skill in the application of apparently simple 

 but really clever means in dealing with the wiliest tiger 



