CHAPTER LXV. 



THE TIGER. 



THE party now halted within a few rods of the bamboo hut that had been the 

 scene of the adventures already described. By this time the courage of several 

 of the natives had oozed away and they quietly slunk off, so that when our 

 friends looked around they found there was but a single one left beside the three 

 servants, two of whom were mounted on the elephants, while the third was riding 

 the pony of Mr. Godkin. 



The anxious glances which all cast around failed to reveal anything of the tiger 

 for which they were hunting; but, nevertheless, the belief was general that he war 

 not far off. 



' Nothing can be done," said Mr. Godkin, " by sitting idle. Jo, Jim, Jack and 

 the other fellow there will enter the jungle with a view of driving out the game into 

 the open plain where we can get a shot at him." 



" But he may be hiding in the grass beyond," suggested Dick. 



As the boy spoke he pointed to some grass that extended out, perhaps, a hun- 

 dred yards from the front of the jungle, and ran parallel with it for five or six times 

 that distance. It did not begin opposite the bamboo structure, but farther to the 

 west that is, in the direction leading away from the village. 



This grass was several feet high, quite dense, and parched by the sun to a red- 

 dish-brown. It would hardly be supposed that a wild beast would ensconce himself 

 among this, unless he wished to lie in wait for his prey passing along the highway. 

 The audacity of the tiger gave probability to the theory that he was really waiting 

 there, even though he had indulged in such a frightful feast but a short time before. 



" We'll examine the grass," said Mr. Godkin, after surveying it from the back 

 of the elephant The elevation, however, was so slight that it gave little facility in 

 the way of observation. 



After a brief consultation it was agreed that Jack, who was mounted on my 

 agent's horse, should enter the grass at a point nearest to them, and, keeping close 

 to the jungle, advance with extreme caution. 



This was deemed prudent, for if it should prove that the beast was there, it was 

 believed he would be seen soon enough for the pony to carry himself and rider out 

 of danger. He was a well-trained animal, very agile, and had been in several 

 scrimmages with tigers, so that considerable reliance was placed on his intelligence. 



If one of the natives should go forward on foot he could not escape a diiect 

 attack from the tiger, even though the others hurried to his assistance. Two or 

 three prodigious leaps of the animal would be sufficient to overtake the fleetest of 

 men. 



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