VENGEANCE OF JHAPOO THE GOND 259 



thrust the leaf-clad stone swiftly under it, and let it return 

 to its original position. After this he retired out of sight 

 under the overhanging bank; and the cleverly imitated 

 cry of the kola-bdlit or solitary jackal a most horrible, 

 wailing sound welled out thrice from below my feet 



"'P/te-a-a-oohf 



" In spite of my amusement at the old humbug's attempts 

 at playing the wizard, I must confess to a certain odd 

 feeling of disquietude. Although the moon now brightly 

 illuminated the surrounding jungle, falling palely through 

 the interlacing fretwork of forest growth that overhung the 

 bed of the deserted mdlah, her rays were so interrupted 

 by some heavy mango trees that my own post was 

 shrouded in deep black shadow. I knew that old Jhapoo 

 close below my bank was the originator of that spectral 

 yell, but as it sank, echoing in that eerie place with its 

 dying gurgle, a sensation of utter solitude prevailed, and 

 the elemental feelings that are stirred by the lonely moon- 

 lit mystery of a shadowy woodland began to creep in- 

 sidiously over me. Far down beyond a bend of the little 

 watercourse I could distinguish the silver line drawn by 

 the moon at the margin of a deep dark pool ; the glittering 

 stars pricked a luminous sky where it showed through the 

 naked black branches of leafless trees; and, out beyond 

 the dark patch of gloom in which I crouched invisible, the 

 stones of the moonlit K6kri drew my gaze to that boulder 

 which I knew concealed the mystic fetish placed beneath 

 it by the old Gond. A bat came fluttering close to my 

 face, and a frog raised its lazy croak on the still hot 

 air. Later on, there echoed abroad the mournful mewing 

 of distant roosting peafowl, and, when that had died away, 

 the sleepy trill of insects held the jungle in an absolute 

 hush. 



" It was long after this that I recognised the low * cluck ' 

 of the tongue used as a signal between my old shikari and 

 me, and, listening intently, I seemed to hear a stone turn 



