186 DAYS AND NIGHTS OF SHIKAR 



he heard a snarl in the bushes close by, and there 

 certainly was a crackle among the dead leaves. 

 Panthers are generally so wonderfully stealthy in 

 their movements they do not make a sound, but 

 this one was so bold or so hungry he did not seem to 

 mind treading on dead leaves. The Ranger said 

 it would be much better to go at once to the village 

 and wait there for the guns. I knew quite well 

 what would happen if we did this : the panther 

 would at once walk in, seize the pony and drag it 

 away any distance, where we could not possibly find 

 it at night-time, and that would be the end of the 

 whole thing. 



I told them they could go if they liked and hurry 

 on the men with the guns, but I should stay where 

 I was. They stayed too, and in the loudest of tones 

 began to talk : they were quite sure it was a tiger, 

 it was much better to go away and let him eat and 

 we would have a beat next day they were willing 

 enough now to have a beat, or suggest having one, 

 although the two men had been killed in one before 

 and we could go back at once. I said and when 

 it was my turn to speak they coughed, cleared their 

 throats and made every noise they could think *of 

 it was a panther kill we heard another crackle 

 among the leaves and that I meant to stay and 

 sit up crackle, crackle, rather further away, great 

 grunting and coughing from the men, a crackle now 

 more behind us and that I should wait on that spot 

 until the guns came crackle much nearer and on 

 one side. It was pitch dark and we could not see 

 each other. It was the men's turn to talk and they 



