100 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



bolt too. I don't wonder at his nerves proving 

 unequal to so close an acquaintance. He might 

 certainly have had the grace to leave the loaded gun 

 behind ; only, unfortunately, on these occasions the 

 correct thing is not remembered till afterwards." 



" Come here, you scoundrel," said Hawkes to the 

 man. " Look here ! do you see this gun, or rather 

 what was once a gun 1 It is all through you that 

 it is smashed. Why, if you and all your family 

 were to be sold, it would not bring enough to buy 

 one like it. What do you think ought to be done 

 to you ? " 



The wretched creature averred with many pro- 

 testations that he would never run away again as 

 long as he lived. If the Sahib would only forgive 

 him this time, he would show how faithful he would 

 be in future. 



Eugonauth now made his appearance, having 

 stopped the beaters when he heard the shots, and 

 hastened to ascertain the result, and if his services 

 were required. 



" Sahib," he said, " I knew it. I told you there 

 would be more than one dead beast taken to the 

 tents to-day." 



When told, however, that at one time it looked 

 very much as if one of the hunters themselves might 

 prove to be the second beast he referred to, he railed 



