JUNGLE STRATAGEMS 53 
’ there waiting. Every few minutes the yell was 
repeated, and it seemed to be getting closer and 
closer. At last, however, in spite of it, I fell asleep, 
exhausted. 
I was awakened in the morning by the cook 
bringing my breakfast and the jingling of the ankle 
bells of a mail-runner, who was passing the house 
on his fifteen-mile run. After I had finished eating, 
the cook returned with the native who had been 
hired to guard us. The native salaamed and spoke 
to the boy, who acted as interpreter. 
“What is he saying?” I asked the boy. 
“He says that he is the head watchman and he 
wants to know if you slept well with him watching 
over you.” The yells that had kept me up most of 
the night were the “All’s well” of the watchmen. 
Much to the amazement of the cook and the guard 
who had come to inquire after my night’s rest, I 
burst out laughing. I laughed so hard that I sat 
down on the floor and put my head against my knees 
—I howled. 
The guard was given a few rupees and told to 
keep his watchmen farther away from the house 
the next night. To this day, when I think of myself 
sitting up all night, dead tired and fighting off 
mosquitoes, while my guards became imaginary 
thieves about to attack me, I laugh. 
The headman of the village arrived with several 
natives and I went with them to inspect the tigers— 
two beautifully marked animals. I closed the bar- 
