iv NO LUCK 65 



sadly beautiful melancholy of the scene. Occasionally 

 I looked back at the Mussulman ; there he sat motion- 

 less as a statue, with a look of stern anxiety depicted 

 on his dark swarthy face. For about the space of 

 three hours we both remained in exactly the same 

 position in which we had settled ourselves. The 

 stillness began to get overpowering, and I was just 

 dozing off, despite all my efforts to the contrary, when 

 a movement on the part of the calf quickly restored 

 my weary senses. It rushed about for a minute, and 

 then stood at the end of its rope, trembling so that 

 I could hear it in the mechaun, and staring in one 

 direction. I suspected the cause, so cocked my rifle 

 quietly, and strained every sense and nerve to make 

 out the enemy's position. I listened with painful 

 attention, and at last made out distinctly a low guttural 

 purr. I knew it was the tiger, and expected to see 

 her every minute ; but was fated to be disappointed. 

 The strange appearance of my cacht had warned 

 the cunning brute, and the next time I heard her she 

 was some distance farther away. My chance was 

 over. Nevertheless, I tried to keep awake ; but though 

 I did my best I could not, and dozed for about one 

 hour between two and three, and dreamt I was going to 

 be married a very different occupation to sitting up for 

 a tigress, I take it. At five exactly I wrapped up my 

 bed, and started for the bungalow. The moon was 

 still shining bright, and it being just the time of the 

 morning a tiger was likely to be on the lookout (I 

 was obliged to go, having promised Gough to be 

 ready to start very early this morning), I made the 

 Mussulman walk close behind me, and cocked both 

 barrels of my Purdey, and kept a sharp lookout. No 

 tiger molested us, and we arrived at the bungalow 

 about 5.30. 



