TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



thirsting for revenge. He knowing this and probably 

 also guessing the form that it would take if he allowed 

 himself to be caught, did his best to get away. It was a 

 good race, for though I was younger, and probably faster, 

 he had a good start, and, moreover, was not encumbered 

 with a superfluity of clothing or boots. However, I 

 caught him up at last, but my anger by this time having 

 somewhat cooled down, I let him off quite lightly as 

 compared with his offence. 



This was, I think, one of the worst disappointments I 

 ever experienced in pursuit of sport, for it is seldom that 

 a fraud is so deliberately manufactured. That native 

 information is often unreliable is quite true ; but there is 

 generally some foundation for it, such as a tiger or leopard 

 having been heard or seen in the locality, or the skeleton 

 or a few bones found of some domestic animal believed to 

 have been killed. 



And yet from the general appearance and character of 

 the offending shikari in question, no one would have 

 supposed him capable of concocting a trick so well thought 

 out and ingenious. A Mohammedan by caste, he was 

 nevertheless addicted to strong waters, and when off 

 duty was not infrequently seen drunk. In other respects, 

 too, he was a low type of native distinctly more stupid 

 than intelligent. In dress, too, as I have already hinted, 

 he was not what might be called particular. A generally 

 unclean turban and a string round his waist over which 

 hung, fore and aft, a narrow strip of cotton cloth, plus a 

 brown blanket, carried, not worn over his shoulder, was 

 all that he had on in the way of a " suit," while a brass badge 

 hung on his person described him as " Emamdeen, the 

 station shikari." This badge of office being, in his esti- 

 mation no doubt, the most important part of his attire, at 

 any rate was the only evidence of civilization about him. 



After administering the well-deserved correction to this 

 prince of deceivers, we wended our way homewards, sadder 

 and wiser men than when we had set out on this adventure, 

 and resolved to keep the matter to ourselves lest the ridicule 

 of those who had refused to join the expedition should be 

 added to our discomfiture. 



But we had counted without that extraordinary, 

 12 



