MISPLACED CONFIDENCE. 299 



to make certain. A neat shot that of yours at the 

 distance." 



The three soon met over the dead animal, and 

 exchanged notes. Rugonauth, Manajee, and the 

 beaters also were shortly engaged in discussing the 

 affair ; and, among them, the rescued beater, ges- 

 ticulating wildly, narrated his escape, with occasional 

 interruptions and corrections from a marker in the 

 tree near the spot, who, at the same time, was 

 favouring another portion of the audience with his 

 version of the story. 



This, after a while, attracted Mackenzie's atten- 

 tion, and he called the rescued man to him. 



Looking upon himself evidently quite in the light 

 of a hero, the fellow ceased his narrative, and advanced 

 towards the little group of sportsmen. He felt that, 

 at that moment, he was an individual of no little 

 importance, and the envy of his fellow-villagers, 

 whose eyes he knew to be fixed on him. Perhaps, 

 indeed, he had very strong hopes of " baksheesh." 

 If this were the case, his hopes were quickly and 

 rudely dispelled ; for, directly he came within reach, 

 Mac gave him a cuff on the side of his puggree, 

 then seized him by the shoulders, and shook him 

 violently. 



" Ah, you baseborn ! " he said ; " you deserve a 

 hearty thrashing. What made you go into the 



