A HARMLESS SHOT. 381 



by. The elephant was driven round the patch of 

 cover, but I did not manage to detect my friend till 

 I had returned nearly to the place from which I had 

 shot the first. 



"Here, all of a sudden, I twigged number two, 

 looking at me from a position exactly similar to 

 that of the other. Of course I at once ordered the 

 mahout to stop, and the elephant did so, but with 

 one foot down a sloping bank. I aimed, and fired ; 

 but in the very act of pulling the trigger, the ele- 

 phant slightly moved from the awkward position in 

 which it was, and my bullet flew harmless into the 

 bushes. It was sufficiently close, though, to arouse 

 my feline friend, who turned and made away among 

 the jow. I lost sight of him, till he emerged on the 

 other side of the thicker portion of the cover, and 

 gave me a galloping shot as he made off. I fired 

 twice, and I thought unsuccessfully ; but some de- 

 clared he was tickled up behind." 



" What a pity," said Hawkes, " that you did not 

 see them at the same time ! You might have got 

 tigers right and left. Did you see anything more of 

 number two ? " 



" No," was Mackenzie's answer ; " but number 

 three afforded me some good sport. 



" As soon as I had examined the dead tiger 

 which was a male of full length and height, but 



