256 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



approached a grunt. But soon even these re- 

 minders ceased to interfere with the peaceful 

 slumber of the prostrate giant, for the operator 

 himself was ere long stretched beside him and 

 tranquilly reposing. 



Norman could manage to make out, through the 

 foliage, that the position of the dark objects on the 

 opposite " niuchan " had become more horizontal 

 than vertical, and readily guessed how the case 

 stood. But he yet awhile held up manfully. A 

 pair nay, I am sorry to say for his constancy 

 two pair of bright eyes looked down on him through 

 the leaves as he ever and anon glanced at the moon 

 and heaved something approaching a sigh. One pair 

 had been seen recently ; but it was long years 

 away in the old English home since he had looked 

 lovingly into the other with a boyish admiration 

 for their owner. And both would perhaps be suc- 

 ceeded by others, in the future, on some such 

 occasion as the present. But the summer moon 

 was glorious, and induced sentimental reverie. 



Another half-hour passed, and the moon played 

 through the foliage in little jumps and starts of 

 light on the faces of three slumbering Englishmen. 

 The natives alone kept watch and ward. 



"Bappoo is off to sleep too," muttered Eugo- 

 uauth, as he regarded the twin pLice of ambush,- 



