IN AMBUSH. 55 



other successively. " A pretty rifle shot," he thought, 

 as he aimed, without, of course, the intention of 

 firing. He was thus employed, when the stillness 

 was disturbed by a crackling sound, such as an 

 animal might make in stepping on a dried twig or 

 patch of shrivelled leaves. He instantly brought 

 down his rifle and listened. Apparently the noise 

 came from amidst the jungle on the slope of the hill, 

 some two hundred yards below, and to one side of 

 fche place he occupied. The native caught the sound 

 at the same time, and pointed in the direction 

 whence it proceeded. Norman nodded his head, 

 and motioned to the man to lie down behind an 

 adjacent bush. This was quickly done ; and he 

 himself, with rifle at the ready, concealed his person 

 behind the stem of the tree, listening intently to 

 catch any further sound as an indication of the 

 animal's progress, and in what direction. 



Ere long, another crackle showed that whatever 

 animal it might be, it was advancing in a line which, 

 if continued in, would bring it within eighty or a 

 hundred yards of his place of ambush. 



The narrow track by which they had ascended 

 the hill, seemed to afford, at about that distance, 

 the opening he sought as offering a chance of a shot. 

 With cocked rifle, the hunter kept his eye more par- 

 ticularly on this break in the density of the cover, 



