TO DO OR DIE 



but I now remembered that I carried a loaded pistol in the 

 holster of my belt. 



" It was a double-barrelled weapon of enormous calibre, 

 and fired at such close quarters might kill the brute at 

 once, but even if it failed to do so, my position could hardly 

 be more desperate than it was already. 



" The jungle was growing denser every moment, and 

 it was evident the tiger could not drag me much further. 

 I had, therefore, no time to lose, for I felt that when 

 he stopped he would at once begin to maul me. 



" My right hand was hanging free, and with it I tried 

 to find the holster, but a muffled growl and a more savage 

 grip upon the captive arm warned me to desist. I tried 

 again, more cautiously, and succeeded in unbuttoning the 

 flap. 



" I knew that to draw the weapon out would require 

 some force which might again excite the tiger's rage, and 

 hasten his attack, but I was desperate now, and with the 

 courage of despair I seized the butt and pulled. 



" The next moment the pistol was in my hand, and 

 cocked. The tiger growled and bit more savagely than 

 before, but with the newborn hope within me growing 

 stronger every moment, I cared nothing for his rage, and, 

 placing the muzzle close to where my left hand rested, I 

 pulled both triggers at once. 



" The sound of the explosion must necessarily have 

 been considerable, but was drowned in the deafening roar 

 with which it was accompanied. The next moment I 

 received a violent blow across the face, and then a pon- 

 derous weight seemed to come crashing down upon me, 

 and I remembered nothing more. 



" When I came to my senses I found the tiger lying 

 beside me, and my friend bandaging my arm, which was 

 now extremely painful. 



" He told me that he had seen the tiger seize and 

 drag me off as the elephant bolted, and, as soon as he 

 could stop the panic-stricken beast, had followed in our 

 tracks, to find the tiger and myself lying side by side, 

 both apparently quite dead ! 



" Happily it was the tiger only that was dead. Both 

 bullets had passed through the heart, and death must 



223 



