416 THE EASTEEN HUNTEBS. 



" I told you it was a deceitful one, this tiger, 

 Sahib," he said. " I much fear that after all he will 

 slip away. He is cowardly, and will not face your 

 lordships to eat of bullets. I know not where to 

 seek him." This was said dejectedly, as if the 

 speaker was mourning bitterly the chances of 

 escape. 



" Nor I," replied Norman. " This seems as good 

 a place as any, till we hear something of his where- 

 abouts. None of the markers seem to have dis- 

 covered him." 



But while Norman was yet speaking, a man came 

 running round to say that he had just seen the 

 beast, and could show where it was retreating, if 

 they made haste. Norman at once started off, and 

 was just in time to get a snap shot as the tiger 

 disappeared in a nullah, the result of which was a 

 stern wound, but not of a nature to stop it. 



The animal had now got among very broken 

 ground, intersected by various nullahs, but a little 

 more open in respect of jungle. After loading, 

 Norman gave his spare gun to Roopur, with strict 

 injunctions that the latter was on no account to fire 

 until he had himself done so. Cocking both barrels 

 of his own rifle, he led the way to a place from 

 which he thought he might intercept the tiger. 

 They had just reached it, when a rustling and 



