A CHANCE TIGER. 373 



" A tiger ! where ? " Mackenzie ejaculated, as, now 

 completely aroused, he and Hawkes jumped up and 

 got hold of their rifles. 



" He saw him cross the river, Sahib, and go into 

 the jungle on the other bank," Baloo answered. 



Waiting only to put on shoes, and thrust their arms 

 into their short shooting-coats, which with the baggy 

 paijamas below formed anything but a pleasing or 

 graceful sporting costume, the two followed Norman 

 towards the man in a very brief space of time. 



The fellow said that he was on his way to go and 

 cut grass, when he had seen the tiger as described 

 by Baloo. Under his guidance, the three hunters 

 descended to the river ; and there, sure enough, in 

 the sand was the animal's recent foot-print. The 

 jungle on the bank w r as thick and extensive ; and 

 should he not remain in it, the man said, would 

 most likely leave by one of two paths in the direc- 

 tion of the hills. 



Thinking the chance of intercepting him worth 

 trying, the hunters determined to take up these 

 positions. Several men of the village, who had 

 been lounging about the camp, or in some way 

 employed there, were dispatched by the servants 

 with spare guns after their masters, and now reached 

 the little party. Under the guidance of one of 

 these, Mackenzie and Hawkes started off to occupy 



