AN OFF-DAY 55 



fright ; the ibex meanwhile lay down and 

 went to sleep in perfect security, knowing 

 how safe they were." 



" And I," said a coolie, " once saw a bear 

 having a fight with a leopard in a wood. 

 The leopard got behind a tree and showed 

 his face round the corner : the bear had a 

 smack at him, which the leopard easily 

 eluded by withdrawing his head, and the 

 bear hurt his hand against the tree ; this 

 one trick he played again and again for 

 some five minutes, until the bear had re- 

 duced his hands to pulp ; he was examin- 

 ing his injuries when the leopard suddenly 

 taking him unawares, caught him by the 

 throat and killed him." 



"That's true," said Lassoo. "If you 

 want to learn stalking, watch a leopard ; he 

 is the shikari's tutor." 



" Now, I'll tell you a story," said Muk- 

 sooda, " which I'll swear to on the Koran, 

 as I saw it with my own eyes. I was out 

 with a party from our village after musk 

 deer, about eight years ago, before the 



