330 THE EASTEEN HUNTERS. 



walked underneath, and then pulled up, as I have 

 told you." 



" Queer beast, certainly ! He must have been 

 utterly exhausted. By all tiger right, he ought to 

 have been as savage as as as a tiger," Mackenzie 

 added, at a loss for a word more fitted to convey 

 the idea of pugnacious irritability. 



While thus speaking, they had been engaged in 

 examining the body. 



" This must be the wound he got in the river," 

 said Norman, pointing to one in the ribs. " He has 

 been licking it. But there is only one." 



" There are only two others," said Mackenzie ; 

 " so you must have missed just now with one of 

 your shots." 



" Then it must have been with my second, when 

 the beast was within ten yards ; for I'm certain my 

 first told." 



" No," remarked Hawkes. " Here is a regular bit 

 cut clean out of his tail. You took a good line, 

 Norman, but shot high. Jt must be yours, for it 

 has evidently been fired from the front." 



" A muffish shot, and no mistake," Norman said. 

 "But- 



" Dookur ! dookur ! " (pig ! pig !) here cried out 

 several of the beaters, who, having heard of the 

 death, were making the best of their way to the 



