246 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



an hour can be, when time seems independent of the 

 clock. 



Talking things over afterwards in the security of the camp 

 firelight, somebody remarked that it was ' a flattish ending 

 to a promising start,' but F. said that he took it to be the 

 beginning, not the ending, and that he felt keyed up to any- 

 thing ; the tiger had only postponed himself, and he thought 

 he would be heard of before long. His words were recalled 

 later on by every one present. 



Next morning the peon's abandoned gun was fetched 

 away from where it was lying on the ground of the hut, for, 

 almost past carrying himself as the man had been, F. had 

 not allowed him to carry his gun in nerveless hands that 

 might just have contrived to precipitate matters, and bring 

 hut and tiger about their ears. Of the tiger no trace was 

 to be seen in evidence of yesterday's story beyond the line 

 of crushed grass leading right up to the forest, which, so 

 far, kept its own secret. 



