RINGING THE COVER. 325 



party, therefore, lie directed Manajee to go back by 

 the road to the other side, and thence move down 

 the river bank, while he himself crossed directly 

 over a little lower down. He would thus be able 

 to ascertain for certain whether the tiger had stolen 

 away before the hunters reached their present posi- 

 tion, or unobserved since they had done so. The 

 two Shikarees would then work on towards each 

 other, till the ring was completed of that section of 

 the river. 



No time was lost in executing this movement, 

 and Rugonauth shortly re-appeared on the other 

 side without having discovered any sign of the 

 tiger's escape below. He then continued working 

 up towards Manajee, carefully ' examining the 

 ground at each step. A shrill whistle from the 

 latter arrested him, however, before he had pro- 

 ceeded far; and both he and the hunters shortly 

 responded to the signal by joim'ng the cautious 

 Shikaree. 



It was then found that the tiger had sneaked 

 away up a dry watercourse filled with jungle, and 

 which there joined the river at right angles. 



After a brief investigation, and the exchange of a 

 few words with Manajee arid one or two of the other 

 local Shikarees, Rugonauth informed his masters that 

 the tiger had in all probability made for an isolated 



