HO NAM A AND HIS MEN. 81 



about fifty yards in advance, and the 

 other as far behind me, I heard the 

 latter call to me ; but as he did not sig- 

 nal by whistling, to signify that anything 

 was in sight, I did not stop on the in- 

 stant. Presently he came up breath- 

 less, " Mr. Forbes, the tiger has just 

 crossed the path not three paces behind 

 you." He had given his gun to a fol- 

 lower to carry, but I had mine on my 

 shoulder, and had I turned when he 

 spoke, I might have been tempted to 

 fire, which is a very dangerous proceed- 

 ing when face to face with a tiger. 

 Even with this evidence of the tiger's 

 whereabouts, we did not succeed in get- 

 ting a shot at him; but as he was not again 

 seen or heard of after that day, he pro- 

 bably left the neighbourhood in disgust. 



