HIS FIRST BISON. 181 



how long ; but that, I fancy, should be according 

 to the time of year and the latitude. Here, in 

 Chota Nagpore, and in April, it means till you 

 feel an inclination to move, and that feeling has 

 not come over me yet. Don't be impatient, old 

 chap. One would fancy you are to shoot the 

 bison, and not I. Remember, this is my first 

 bison, and I am all excitement. Catch your 

 hare ? Gad, the fellow is becoming sententious. 

 Just see me dance no, see me on the war-path, 

 and you won't talk of catching. That bison is 

 as good as nobbled. I wonder if W - will let 

 me put the head up at the head-quarters 

 armoury. Not a bad idea that, a kind of in- 

 centive to good shooting among the B. N. R. 

 (Bengal-Nagpur Railway) Volunteers, as each and 

 every man might do likewise. Don't laugh, 

 man ; they laugh best who laugh last ! Come, 

 I don't mind going you a fiver that the honour 

 and glory of this shoot falls to me. 



" Nay, nay, if thou lovest me, Ned, let me rest 

 awhile, and I'll forgive you your next ' spoof ' 

 at company drill. This weather is too killing, 

 so be off and kill that bison, for I don't budge 

 till sundown." 



Kartik, the shikaree, had just returned with 

 khubber (news) that the herd was grazing in a 

 glade beyond the ridge, only a mile off. There 

 was no time to lose, so leaving our worthy 

 Adjutant under the shade of the sal tree, I 

 moved off double quick. A smart tramp up the 

 rise, and there was the herd, not six' : hundred 



