328 THE EASTERN HUNTERS. 



With a low roar, the tiger broke from a walk into 

 a gallop, and tried to charge up the hill. It was 

 evident to the sportsman that it was suffering great 

 distress from its continued exertion during the heat 

 of the day, and, very likely, from its wounds also. 

 Before it reached the tree, gasping for breath, its 

 pace had again subsided into a walk, but it pertina- 

 ciously continued still to advance towards Norman. 

 The double gun had replaced the single rifle in his 

 hands, and, as the tiger approached, he fired his 

 right barrel, expecting to see the beast roll over. 

 But it neither acknowledged the civility by a roar, 

 by turning from its line, accelerating its pace, or in 

 any other way. Without taking the slightest notice 

 of the occupants of the tree, directly under whom it 

 passed, it continued a little further on, and then sat 

 on its hams like a cat, as if completely unaware of 

 their vicinity. 



Possibly it might have been merely waiting to 

 catch some sound by which to ascertain the exact 

 situation of its adversaries, but more likely it was 

 so exhausted as to be unable to proceed any further 

 without resting, and, in its flurried state, incapable 

 of detecting where its danger lay. Norman had 

 been unable to fire at it as it passed underneath, 

 owing to the thickness of some foliage which con- 

 cealed it from him ; but he now screwed himself 



