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Copyright, 1885, by Beadle & Adams, Intered at Post Office, New York, N.Y., assecond class matter.

 

M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, :
Ho 0. 61. = OPES, (James Sullivan, Propriétor,) Price & Cents.

Every Week. 379 Pearl Street, New York. $2.50 a Year.

 

Mar.4, 1909.

Vol. V.

 

 
 
  

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SaaS ee ae

eS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright, 1885, by Beadle & Adams, Entered at Post Office, New York, N.Y., as second cl

 

a M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, a
No. 61 . ripe (James Sulltvan, Proprietor,) Ze oe Cents. Vol y
HUery. . 379 Pearl Street, New York. $2.50 a: Year. Se ae

 

 

 

THE TIGER HUNTERS; °° 7m on a,

BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR.

 
  

  
    

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A FRIGHTFUL LOOKING OBJECT WAS THE OLD MUCKNAH AS HE CAME CHARGING
DOWN UPON THEM,
z

 
2 The Tiger Hunters.

 

‘The Tiger Hunters;
The Colorado Boys in Elephant-land.

A Story of Sport and Adventure in
Pursuit of Big Game,

BY JOS. BE. BADGER, JR.,

AUTHOR OF ‘THE COLORADO BOYS,” ‘‘ ROUND
THE CAMP-FIRE,” ‘‘THH PRAIRIN RANCH,”
ETC., ETC., ETO,

CHAPTER I.
A DUEL BETWEEN GIANTS.

** AnD them’s what you call elephants? Git
out; you can’t fool this chicken! They’re noth-
“ing but rats, with a bad disease of the nose; or
rabbits, lop-eared rabbits, and powerful weak
specimens at that!”

“Pretty fair lot for this poor country,” was
the laughing response. ‘‘ You must remember
that you are not in your wonderful America
now, cousin Burt. Doubtless you have the gen-
uine article in perfection over there, but here—
now that old mucknah, over yonder, we would
call far above the average.” p

“If a man went out hunting rabbits in our
country, and came home with a critter or two
like them, he'd be hung for infanticide, swre !”
grumbled the incorrigible Burt,

“What did you call it, Percy?” asked the
third member of the party, taller, older and
far more serious than his brother.

“Mucknah. That is the name the natives
give those fellows without tusks, or rather with
tusks that grow downward, like that big rascal
over yonder, An elephant with big tusks they
call duntar and the female is hatnee.”

“What do they carry those saddle-blankets
on their heads for? Or are they buckwheat
ilap-jacks?” asked Burt.

“Neither,” promptly interjected Lance.
‘Those are their pocket handkerecbiefs, hung
out to dry. They got wind of your coming,
nnd have been bitterly weeping in dread of the
awful bouncers they will have to listen to, with-
out the power of either trump.ng or following
suit.

“And we've got to ride them things when we
go after the cats?” persisted Burt, his freckled
nose up-turning even more than nature intend-
ed, his round, rosy face the picture of scorn.

“Unless you'd: rather.stay behind and let us
do the hunting of the tigers, yes.”

“Oh, PU x0,” indifferently. ‘If I’ didn’t,

there’s no telling what scrapes you two young } ‘
,Zemindar, they betook themselves te the corral

blunderers would tumble into Butif I have to
straddle one of them little runts, ’ve got to
hire a couple of likely niggers to run alongside
and hold my feet upso { won’t knock all my
toe-nails off ugainst the roots and stones—”
.That will do, boy Burt. Bite it off and
keep tho rest until some time when we feel mel-
ancholy and want to die. Just now I’d rather
bear Percy talk about these elephants,” :

 

Some of the readers whose eyes rest uw
these lines may have recognized old acquaint-
ances in the speakers, and to such the few ex-
planatory words which follow will hardly be
necessary; but for the benefit of such new au-
ditors as this record of sporting adventures in
Elephant-land may reach, a brief retrospect
will not come amiss,

Lancelot and Burtis Applebee were brothers,
born in America, though of English descent, .
Nearly all of their life had been passed on a
cattle-ranch in Colorado. Their mother died
when they were mere children, and their father
followed his wife when Lance was eighteen and
Burt two years younger.

Their only living relatives were an uncle and
a cousin, the latter being about the same age as
-Lance, then residing in India, where they car-
ried on an extensive indigo plantation.

By a peculiar arrangement between them-
selves, the stock-man and the planter held their
property in common, as it were, in trust for
their heirs, and by the will of Henry Applebee
the brothers were bound to pass a year in India
studying the business as carried on by their
uncle, and if they could content themselves
with it, the stock-farm was to be disposed of
and the proceeds used to set them upin business
there. bn the contrary, if, after a faithful test,
they could not bring themselves to wholly
abandon their native country, a division was to
be made, unless Charles Applebee could be in-
duced to sell out and return with them, and the
a a were to carry on the stock-farm as be-

ore.

The visit was paid, and as soon as the busiest

art of the manufa@éuring season was over, the
indigo-planter, who had strong hopes of in-
ducing the sons of his dead brother to sett'e
down near him, indulged their sporting instinct
to the utmost extent afforded by the big game
in that district; and promisi#g them still greater
sport after the noble game of the Hill regions,
In pursuance of that promise, the three young-
sters were here, on the frontier of Nep ul, with
all arrangements made for a grand hunt, in
true oriental style.

Kolahala, the veteran shikaree, had been sent
on ahead, with ‘a letter to Baboo Bikram Jha,
the Z:-mindar, or Governor of the district in
which they had decided to hunt.

To show his good will and respect, the Baboo
had come a day's journey to meet them, his
idea being to bunt on their way back, rest at
his village, then beat the country beyond and
around, until the sporting desires of bis honored
guests were satiated.

it was all nearly as new to Percy-as to the
brothers, although this was not his first. tiger-
hunt, and as soon as they could slip away frcm
the rather oppressive hospitality of the fat little

in which the elephants designed for use in the
coming hunt, were cor fined tor the night. |
Neither Lance nor Burt had ever sen an Asi-
atic elephant and although their course of read-
ing had been quite extensive for lads wbo bad
lived their mode of life, they were greatly dis-
appointed when they came to view their novel
chargers, so much smaller and uglier than their

 
 

The Tiger Hunters. : g

 

tfeazination, aided by engravings, had pictured
em,

Percy was quite equal to the task set him by
Lance, for besides being a close observer, he
was an ardent student of natural history.

“ Although scme writers dispute the fact,
Claiming that a mucknah, or hines, is a freak of
nature, the absence of tusks being, according to
them, on a par with beardless men, I believe
that they are a species distinct by themselves;
and J’ll teli you my reasons, if you care to
listen.” ‘

““Blephants is elephants, and. these is only
lop-eared rabbits!” yawned Burt.

‘‘Hold your hush, boy Burt. or [1 Jay you
down and sit on you!” warned Lance. ‘Goon,
Perey; don’t mind Lim.”

“ook at that old tusker, first. ‘You see he
has a broad, expansive forehead, with a big
bump between his eyes at the root of his
trunk—” ;

‘““Where some thief hit him a belt with a
rock, trying to bu’st open bistrunk— Goon: I
didn’t say nothin’!” and Burt dodged his broth-
er’s fist, with a grin.

“The temple, between the eye and ear, as
you can see, is marked only by a slight depres-
sion. The eye is large, brig).t and pleasant-
looking, while the entire face bas a kind lock.

"Now look at that old mucknah and note the
same points. Its forehead is narrow, its head
very long in proportion to its width, and instead

7 :
ing female with his trunk, uttering a low,

of a bump between the eyes, there is a hollow |

like a soup-bowl. Its temple is more like that
of an old. broken-down horse, and it bas the
same hollow over the eye. The trunk is longer
and thicker. Its eyes are small, dull, sleepy-
looking, aud its whoie countenance is melan-
choly. Both the males and the females have

tusks, but they are short and curve downward, |

more like those of a walrus. They grow taller
and heavier than the other species. There are
other peculiarities which one might mention,
but I think these are enough to prove my claim
that the mucknah is of a distinct species, and
not a mere freak of nature.”

“You called him melancholy, but I reckon.
you’d have come nearer the mark if you had
said colicky,” commented Burt, who had been
watching the animals closely. ‘‘ He’s either got
the stomach-ache, or else he’s been listening to
what you said, and don’t like your descrip-
tion.

There was some foundation for this remark,
for the mucknah was growing more and more
uneasy, shifting rapidly from one foot to the
other, swaying its massive trunk to and fro,
the while uttering a peculiar, deep, muttering
sound which can only be expressed by the com-
bination “ urmp-urmp!”

A low laugh came from the lips of Kolahala,
who had approached them unheard, and the
old shikaree said:

“Ole duntar talk soft in hatnee ear; dat’s
what go wrong dis time. Muecknah he « on’t like
dat. He git heap mad, fore long, den dere be
a A fight—you see!”

'o all appearance the veteran had hit upon
the correct solution. The duntar, a tusker of

nearly ten feet in hight, and nearly as tall as
the mucknah, was caressing a melancholy look-

whistling sound expressive of satisfection. Jn
fact, this was the mate of the mucknah, aud
his rage was being excited by the audacity of
the gallant lothario.

“Let ’em fight!” uttered Burt, boy -like.
** Bet two to one on the old lorg-born; 1 knowed
it!” he muttered, in a tone of disgust, ai sev-
eral of the mahouts entered the inclosure fom
the opposite side and separated the amorous
couple. ‘‘ Just the way with them pesky vig-
gers; no idee at allof jun! Over in cur ccun-
try, they’d ’a’ made a ring an’ set ¢m to going,
red-hot, but here—git out with your old in-,
digo country, J say!”

The youngsters turned away to view scme
of the other preparations which Bikram Jia
had made for their sport and pleasure on tl
coming day, and quickly forgot their disap
pointment in not being treated to a combat be-
tween elephants, but only a few minutes were
seer thus, when they were startled by e

oerse, Sharp scream, coming fren) the corral,
‘which even those who bad never heard the like
before could hardly mistake for aught else than
the angry trump g of an elephant,

“ Hoot!” cried Kolahala, his bleck eyes giit-
tering like those of a serpent, his white; sharp
teeth gleaming in a sevage grin. ‘ Muckrak
heep madnow! You see plenty big figt:t—ha!”

“Whooray!? yelled Burt, in an ecstasy of
boyish delight, rushing toward tke inclosure.
“A free fight, and this chicken speaks for a
front seat in the cress-circle!”

Active asa cat, Burt scaled the rude bamboe
fence, and prepared to take in the free ‘cir
cus” as he would bave expressed it, Nor were
bis companions any way backward about imi
tating him in this respect.

“You see what I say?’ laughed Kolehala

ponents to where the animals were the mosi

|

agitate “Ole mucknah dar. Ole duntar
dar. Heap mad, all two both!
sure |”

Kolahala was right once more, The rive)
elephants confronted each other, trumpeting de-
fiantly, threatening each other with swaying
trunks, only kept from coming to stiJl closer
quarters by the strenuous efforts of their Te-
spective mahouts, who were cursing each other,
freeing their own shoulders of blame with wild
gestures,

A still more angry ery burst from the tusker,
and swift as thought its trunk shot out, twining
around the mabout, then the luckless fellow was
hurled far away against the fence of the corral,
with such force that several of the bamboc
canes were splintered before bis weight.

Quite as rapidly was consummated the re-
venge of the mucknah, and curiously enough it
took the same direction as that of its rival.
Even as the trunk of the tusker was elevated
in a prolonged note of mingled triumph and
defiance, the huge trunk of the mucknah
grasped the little mahout, who was ‘turning to
flee on witnessing the fate of his rival, and
flung him with terrible force direct at the
head of the tusker

Aorrible, gasping, gurgling scream of mor-
tal agony welled from tae mahout’s lipsp—a
cry that was echoed back from all those who

Fight now,

 
  

 

4

The Kiger Hunters.

 

witnessed tho tragedy, for the poor wretch was |
literally impaled upon the sharp tusks of tbe |

_duntar |

~ With a moaning, muttering cry, the tusker |
retreated a few steps, then wrapped its trunk |
around the quivering body of the death-stricken
keeper, removing it from the tusks with a care-
ful tenderness almost human,

The red blood gushed forth from the frightful |
wounds in a torrent. A gasping groan, a con- |
vulsive movement of the limbs, and the mahout |
had passed to his last account,

The tasker seemed to realiza this, and its
moaning cry changed to one of deeper import,
Its trunk and tail were elevated, its eyes soemed
to be filled with fire, as it thought of revenge
for the loss of its keeper. But the cunning old |
mucknah had passed through too many desper-
ate combats in its time to idly await an attack
from such a formidably armed antagonist as
this, and with a wild, savage trumpeting, he_
charged upon the duntur, taking him on the
left quarter thus av: iding those dangerous tusks,

All this had transpired with such rapidity that
the human eye could scarcely convey the differ-
ent changes to the brain.

Startled by the wild uproar, the Zemindar
waddled forth from his m ee, accompanied.
by Colonel Applebee, just in time to see one end
of the corral fence fall with a crash as the ele-
phants crowded blindly against it in terror as
the rival giants came together in deadly com-
bat

The odds seemed heavily against the old
mucknah, with only his rudimentary, down-
ward curving tusks to oppose the superb, sixty-
inch weapons of the duntar, but it now proved
itself to be a fast and furious fighter, striking
downward with its whole force, tearing great
gashes in the neck of its antagonist almost be-
fore the tusker could realize that it was at-
tacked.

The fat little Baboo, almost bursting with
mingled rage and anxiety at the prospect of
losing the services of two of his most valued
hunters, danced wildly around, calling on the
mahouts to urge their elephants between the
fighters an separate them before irreparable
damage was done,

That he wesnot promptly obeyed was through
no fault of the keepers, who strove their utmost
to carry out his instructions, but their charges
seemed almost paralyzed with terror, and only
crowded together as if for mutual protection,

With subtle instinct they had recognized what
bad thus far escaped the notice of the excited
keepers.

‘*Hurrah for the old long-horn! Didn’t I toll
ye so? cried Burt excitedly, for the moment
forgetting the terrible double tragedy which
they had just witnessed.

The tusker made a desperate effort, and the
old mucknah reeled before its charge, stagger-
ing to one side and dropping to its knees, to all
appearance fairly worsted. So the most of the

 

excited spectators thought—so the tusker him-
self seemed to believe, for its trunk was waved
aloft and it uttered a shrill trumpeting sound,
the note of victory.

But Kolahula was not so readily deceived, and
a shrill laugh parted his lips as he extended his
long, bony finger: a

z See! Ole mucknah no fool—heap fight
et!
: With a force that no combination of flesh and
blood, bone and muscle could resist, the one
old mucknah plunged forward with lowere
head, striking the tusker fairly on the side.
Staggered by the terrible foree thus brought
to bear against it, the tusker tried to turn and
face its implacable rival, but the mucknah
wound its trunk around one of the legs furthest
from it, then pressed still harder, toppling the
tusker over upon its side. Without allowing its
rival to regain its footing, the maddened animal
pressed the advantage it had gained to the ut-
most, rearing up and falling again, adding the

| whole of its weight to the downward thrust of

its dagger-like tusks, ripping and rending,
trumpeting savagely between every stroke of its
massive trunk, while the doomed tusker beat the
blood-stained ground with its trunk, uttering a
pitiful cry, as though pleading for mercy.

‘Tain’t fair—durned if it is!” cried Burt, in-
dignantly. ‘Pull him off, somebody! The ugly
brute’ll kill him!”

In his sympathy for his defeated favorite,
Burt would have leaped into the corral, had not
the sinewy hand of Kolahala restrained him
from committing that folly.

‘ of No good—ole mucknah he must; he kill you,
00!

“ But hemustv’t!” growled Burt, mistaking
the meaning of theshikaree. ‘‘Durn the p’izen
critter, but he has /”

The fierce, swift thrusts of the mucknah had
accomplished their work. With one desperate
effort, the tusker strove to arise, then fell back
before another savage stroke, giving a feeble
sound, its massive linibs quivering for a moment
then stretching out in death.

Still the mucknah continued its bloody work,
plunging its daggers into the insensate carcass,
thrashing it with its trunk, grunting, rumbling,
trumpeting with malignant rage and fury, until
satisfied that the tusker was dead, when it drew
back, dripping with the blood of its rival, as
well as that which flowed from its own numer-
ous wounds,

“Tf the old brute belonged to me, I’d send a
bullet through its brain!” muttered Burt, dis-
gustedly.

‘*That’s what it will have to come to, if Kola-
hala is right,” said Percy, a little anxiously.

‘“ Right, sure!” positively returned the old
shikaree. ‘‘Ole mucknah must, sahibs see dat,
heap soon.” Z

‘Must what?” asked Lance.

“ Must; that means mad, crazy. By heavens!
he is mad!” a j

With a fierce, wild scream, the mucknah
wheeled and charged toward the other elephants,
who fled at top speed.

 

CHAPTER Il.
THE MAD MUCKNAH,

In vain the yelling, vociferating mahouts ap-
plied their hooks, in vain they belabored their
charges until it seemed as though they would
batter through the thick skulls, now cursing and
reviling, now pleading and arguing with the ter-

_ rified elephants, threatening them with eternal

disgrace in the eyes of their mighty lord, Bikram

   
 

 

 

 
Bats

Bee

nee

 

ner

 

 

The Tiger Hunters, Ss

Jha, but even that usually potent name was |

powerless now, while the huge old mucknah, in
a thorough state of must, was bellowing forth
its mad fury soclose at their heels,

Crashing down the splintered bamboos,
tearing out one whole side of the corral, they
shuffled away at top speed, shrilly trumpeting
theif alarm.

Madder than ever seemed the blood-covered |

brute as he beheld his intended victims in full | would be a fool to regret what could not be

flight, and with a resounding roar, he pressed
on in frantic chase,

“Hurray!” cried Burt, in an ecstasy of ex-
citement, ‘‘ Let’ssaddle up an’ see the rest 0’
the cireus! Heap big Injun, that old mucknah !
On the war path bigger’n a wolf!” ;

A strong band fell upon his* shoulder, and as
the lad strove to shake it off, he heard a voice
saying:

‘Cool and easy, my boy! Thisis not exactly
our game,”

The speaker was Colonel Applebee, probably
the only living voice to which Burt would have

aid the slightest attention, just then, so intense-
ly was he wrought up by the strange and ter-
rible scenes which he had just witnessed.

‘But I only meant to ride after and look at
the fun,” hastily explained the youngster ap.
pealingly.

** That fun will be death to more than one, un-

. less the mad rogue fails to catch up,” seriously

replied the planter, retaining bis grip. ‘No,
no, my dear boy. We'll keep our fingers out of
ibe pie as long as we can; besides, it’s too late,
now,” be added, as the wild sounds died away in
the jungle which had swallowed up both pursued
and pursuer.

Releasing Burt, Colonel Applebee turned to
where Bizram Jha lay, panting, puffing, gasp-
ing for breath, his stumpy little legs having
given way beneath the weight of his body. His
frantic shouting, cursing and gesticulating had
completely exhausted bis bodly powers, and
overlooked for the time being by his demoralized
retainers, the fat little Baboo was in a sad
pickle. °

Assisting him to regain his ‘feet, the planter
quickly summoned several of the natives and
had them carry their lord ard master back to
the marquee, where a judicious application of
strong waters soon put the Governor in a fair
way of recovery—not, if the truth must be told,
wholly to the delight of his trembling vassals,
who knew that somebody or something must
suffer for what had recently occurred.

Percy, thoughtful and kind-hearted, as soon
as the mucknah cleared the corral; bade Kola-
hala follow him, and entering, bent over the
blood-stained forms of the rival mahouts.

After what he bad seen, the young planter
dared not hope to find either of them alive,
and he quickly realized that they were beyond
all earthly aid. Though less terribly mangled
than the mahout who bad been so strangely im-
paled, the man flung against the corral fence
was none the less dead. Scarcely a bone in bis
body had escaped being fractured, and death
must have been instantaneous,

“Tt was fun alive for us but death to them,”
muttered Burt, with grave face and subdued
air, ag he rejoined his mates, ‘I didn’t think

 

    
   
   
   
  
    
  
 
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
  
   
    
  
 
   
   
  
  
   
   
   

of that at the time, and I am sorry now that I
cheered ’em on, But who could ‘a’ helped it,
seeing them mountains on four legs a-bucking
at each other? Why, it just set me all on fire!”

No one blamed him. - Both Percy and Lance
had felt the same; and as for Kolahala, the
death of two, or of a score, such men as these
mattered little to him. It was their fate. It
was so written in the book of life, and a man

mended.

Something of this the grim old shikaree was
expressing, when Percy checked him with a
frown and impatient gesture.

‘Silence! Go bring some of those coolies
here to attend to these puor fellows.”

With a toss of his head, Koluhala stalked
away in dignified fashion to carry out his in-
structions, and returning in the course of a few
moments with the still trembling coolies whom
he had pressed into the service, stood proudly
aloof while Percy gave them his instructions,
then slowly followed the young sahibs as they
moved toward the camp.

“How do you reckon it'll end, anyhow?’
asked Burt, unable to forget the doings of the
mad elephant, now that the immediate presence
of death no longer held him under the chilling
thrall. ‘‘ Land o’ liberty! if the p’izen old crit-
ter shouldn’t git over it at all, an? we'd hae to
turn out and hunt him down; wouldn’t that be
fun? Bet your boots!”

Percy was about to reply, when Kolahala
eaught him by the arm with a grip that seemed
as though it would crush the bone, and as the
young planter turned his head in hot remon-
strance, the words were frozen upon his lips by
the wild light which filled the black eyes of the
old shikaree.

His head was slightly inclined, his lips parted
until the white, sharp teeth showed themselves,
and every nerve and muscle seemed strung to
its utmost tension.

“Fal he comes!” hissed between his tightly
clinched teeth. ‘‘ He has tasted blood; the soul
of Ravana has entered into his bedy, and he
comes—comes to slay, to rend and crush, to
tear and grind—comes like the tornado, and
more terrible than the monsoon— Ha!”

Kolahala spoke in his own tongue, so swiftly,
so hissingly that the slight acquaintance which
the brothers had formed with Hind: ostanee was
insufficient for them to follow him or divine his
meaning.

They stared at him in open-eyed amazement,
as though fearing that the mad spell had fallen
upon him also, and they were more than ever
assured of this when the shikaree made a suc-
cession of mighty leaps which carried him to the
foot of a fig-tree bard by, up which he scram-
bled with the activity of a cat.

‘*What under the sun has bit chim?’ ex-
claimed Burt, in astonishment. ‘Gone crazy,
or turned monkey, ain’t he?”

“ He says—bark!” and Perey turned abruptly
toward the jungle as a startling sound rent the
air. “‘By Heavens, it isso! The mad mucknah
is coming back here!”

os eat pore run!’ anal from his
perch in the tree-top. imb tree—hide~ole
mucknah he kill, sure!”
     

   

The Tiger Hunters.

 

None in the encampment could longer doubt |

the truth.

Trumpeting shrilly, crashing his way through
the-dense jungle as though too mad or too blind
to follow a path, the mad elephant was return-

“ing, finding himself too much hurt to catch up
with any of the fleeing train, yet with the lust
for blood so filling hig inflamed brain that all
else was forgotten,

From his place beside the overcome Baboo,
Colonel Applebee heard those ominous sounds,
and knowing right well what they portended,
he rushed forth from the tent, loudly shouting
the names of his son and nephews,

Startled and confused, for the moment, the

‘perch in

' fire, leap aside and break for cover.

|

|

youngsters hesitated, and then the huge beast '

bures through the jungle, half-way between
them and the colonel.

The horses, many of which were tethered

hard by, snorted with terror as the huge animal |

trumpeted anew, rearing back and trying to
break their fastenings, by their very struggles
for safety drawing upon them the unreasoning
wrath of the mighty creature,

With massive trunk swaying in the air above
its scarred and Blood BaP iS head, the muck
nah charged upon them, nocking the wretched
creatures right and left, then falling on its
knees and crushing the life out of one luckless

pony.

As Bikram Jha beheld the devastation which
the mad elephant was creating among his: pro-
perty, he recovered his power of speech, and
called upon his slaves to slay the demon before
all of the borses were destroyed.

As well appeal to the old mucknah himself!
The natives, with scarcely an exception were
too thoroughly demoralized to obey, even if
their unreasoning terror allowed them to hear
and comprehend, and if their superiors had
not been present, the mucknah might have
wreaked his vengeance to the utmost.

Colonel Applebee rushed back into the tent,
xeturniug with his rifle, but at that moment he
was met by Burt and his mates, their faces
aglow, their eyes flashing.

“Don’t shoot, uncle!” cried Burt, ee
and at the same time coaxingly. ‘Don’t
shoot! Let us haye a chance! ou’ve killed
elephants, but we never have—never will, if
you take this chance away from us!” :

‘Make haste, then!” he cried, as the eager
lads plunged into the tent, almost upsetting the
panting Baboo in their excitement.

In a moment more. they came: forth, armed
with their favorite rifles, into which they were
slipping heavily charged express cartridges.
The colonel checked them as they were on the
point of rushing toward their mighty game,
saying:

“Cool and easy, my lads! Steady your
nerves, or you will only waste your powder.
The eye or the temple is your mark, and re-
member that if you miss, it may be the last
trigger you will pull in this world!”

Like magic the excitement passed away, and
the brothers stood as cool: and calm as though
they had passed a lifetime in hunting Gephanin.
The eyes of the planter gleamed as he watched
them closely. They were true scions of the

ood old stock, and the name would never be
graced by them,

A sharp ¢ry brought Kolahala down from his
in the fig-tree, and a single word was
enough to give him his cue.

Grinning until every tooth showed, he glided
away toward the elephant, while the colonel
said to Burt and Lance:

“You two shall have the first shot, but there
will only be time for one. The moment you
Percy and
I will do the rest.”

“Tf one bullet can kill such a mountain, you
won't have any need of them guus,” Burt, con-
fidently declared.

The colonel made no reply, but hurriedly in-
dicated the places they were to occupy, some
twenty feet apart, and a few yards in advance
of where he and Percy stood.

Kolahala was already peeraae his share of
the work. Snatching off the cloth which was
wound looney aroure his head, he glided along-
side the mucknah, then darted ahead and utter-
ing a shrill ery as he flapped the rag across the
eyes of the infuriated animal.

No further challenge was necessary. Abandon-
ing the carcass of the pony, the mad elephant re-

' gained its feet,and with a savage bellow, start-

 

|

ed in pursuit of the light-footed shikaree, who
made a short circle and then dashed straight
back to where the young Americans were stand-
ing, passing between them, then glancing back
over his shoulder as he ran, eager to witness how
they would bear the test.

A Sa looking object was the old muck-
nah as he came charging down upon them, bis
front covered with blood, bis eyes glowing like
living coals, his trunk upraised and emitting
a shrill, frenzied trumpeting; but not an inch
did the Colorado. boys flinch.

The rifles leaped to their shoulders, and for an
instant followed the movements ofthe elephant,
then Lance cried out:

“Ready, Burt! Let him have it—now!”

‘ Making but one report, the two rifles ex-
ploded when the infuriated creature was not
more than twenty feet away from the boy
marksmen,its massive trunk already stretching
out to sweep them into eternity, and a gasping
breath passed the white lips of the planter as
he saw that the work was done, and done well.

The>brave lads io swiftly aside, according
to instructions, but it was not to flee further.
They knew that their aim had been true—that
the mad elephant would do no more damage,

On receiving the shots, the old mucknah
stopped as abruptly as though it had run against
astone wall. Its massive trunk swayed blindly
about, its legs were spread apart, and a busky,
moaning sound came from its throat. Only for
a brief space; then it plunged heavily forward,
falling upon its head with a jar that fairly shook
eee , then rolled over on its side, stone-

lead. x3

As the huge creature came charging down
toward the tent, with only the two boys to bar
its way, Bikram Jha uttered a gasping yell of
horror, and waddling forth from the frail cov-
ering,
of such a roll of fat, even when inspi with
fear. But the wild yells which burst from his
coolies as the elephant fell dead, reassured him,
and he returned to where the boys were inspect-

at as a a retreat as lay in ie pa

 

 

 

pene

  
 
   
  
 

 
nesee~

pe

ee

~

The Tiger Hunters. ?

 

ing and admiring the huge proportions of their |
_ unex

cted game.

In his quaint, broken English, he thanked and
congratulated them on the wonderful skill and
coolness which they had exhibited. Only for
them, the mad devil would tave destroyed all
the horses, have laid waste the entire encamp-
ment; and they so small, so young—it was mar-
velous!

‘ Doubtless it was all meant as a compliment,
but Burt did not take it ’so, and all his native
impudence arose in him,

“ That’s nothing,” he said, looking at the dead
beast with languid indifference. ‘‘ You should
see the elephants we have in my country—big
as ten of this, and nasty when they git mad;
now you are talking!”

“You have elephants dere—in ’Merica?”
asked the Governor, wonderingly.. ‘‘ Big ones,

, like dis? You shoot ’em?”

‘‘ Blephants till you can’t rest!” unblushingly
affirmed Burt, ‘And big? Well, I don’t want
to stretch the truth, but over in my country, a
critter of this size wouldn’t be let run alone, for
fear it would get lost, or hurt, or something.
They ain’t weaned yet, that size. And shoot?
Well, I should remark! Why, we have to shoot
@ road through ’em whenever we want to go
Baye wets, they’re so thick!”

lmost choking with his efforts to keep a
sober face, Colonel Applebee drew the aston-
0 Baboo aside, while Percy said reproach-
ully:

‘“Why, cousin Burt, I’m ashamed of you!
oes he believed every word that you said,

“Course ‘he did, an’ so I meant hes’ uld,”
was the unabashed response. ‘‘Wasn’t — try-
ing to make us out perfect greenies, a’ a throw-
ing out hints that we didn’t have no such things

in our country? I tell you what—L won’t stand |

that from no yaller critter like him! I’m going
to hold‘up for good old America, even if 1 have
to lie about it—so there!”

“ And Pm sadly afraid that you came pretty |"

near doing so, this time,” laughed Percy, giving
up the position of monitor as a profitless task.

The news that the mad elephant was killed,
spread with wonderful quickness, and shortly
after the fugitive animals began to be brought
back, and the camp to settle into something like
its former quietude,

It was now nearly dark, but the boys had |

been too thoroughly stirred up to think of quiet-
ing down all at once, and they once more in-
spected the elephants.

One tusker, smaller than some of the others,
but owning a remarkably intelligent eye anc
well-shaped head, long, sharp tusks, and innum-
erable sears covering its front, especially struck
the-fancy of Burt.

“ That's the critter for my money!” he-de-
clared, with the air of a connoisseur. ‘No
funk abovt him, I bet! Them old scratches tell
the tale. He won’t turn tail on no tiger, even if
he did run from thet old muck-bucket. I’m

: going to ask the boss if I can’t have him to ride

morrow.”

“He big fighter,” grinned Kolahala, who
stuck still more closely to Byrt, since the cool-
¢

/

ness that youngster displayed while waiting the
| charge of the mad elephant.

| “That’s just what I want,” declared Burt, an
turning as he heard footsteps, he beheld the Ba-
boo, accompanied by the planter, drawing near.
“T'll ask him now, to make sure.”

| He was as good as his word, and the consent
| of the Governor was as promptly given. Indeed,
| at- that moment Burt could hardly have asked a
| favor which Bikram Jha would not have grant-
| ed, so deeply had the Baboo keen impressed
with the marvels which Burt had set forth con-
cerning America.

But the colonel was not near as well pleased,
though he said nothing before the Zemindar,
and when the four were alone together, making
their preparations to retire, he spoke out:

“Tm sorry that you-picked out that elephant,
Burt.”

““Whyso? He’s the best-looking one in the
whole lot, and Kolahala says that he is a big
fighter—”

_“ That's the very reason,” quickly interposed ~
the planter. “Tbe very worst mount a man
ean have when tiger-hunting is one of these
fighting tuskers.”

“That sounds queer!” said Burt. ‘Would
you rather have a critter that would run away
the first sight of a cat? That ain’t my idee of

un!

“ve seen more of tiger-hunting than you,
my boy,” was the grave response. ‘“ Mind, I
don’t ask you to give up your choice, since you
have asked and obtained permission to ride that
particular elephant, but I wish to warn you
what you may expcci of a fighting elephant.

» “Tf'a tiger is cornered, or wounded, the fight-

ing d@untar is almost certain to charge in, and
when it does, it will try to drop on the t'ger
witb its knees. Lock out that you don’t tumble
overboard into the tiger’s teeth! Or, if you es-
cape that, you may break your neck.”

“Td rather run the risk o’ that than to berun
away with, to lose all the fun,” replied Burt. »

The colonel said no more, and soon all were
asleep.

CHAPTER III.
BURT AND HIS FIGHTING TUSKER.

Bricut and early the ardent young sportsmen
were afoot in the morning, longing for the tri-
umphs which that day must surely bring them,
and as the minutes passed on without any signs
| of life coming from tbe marquee where slept the
| Baboo, Burt grew imy atient.

“We don’t want to make no fizzleof it to-day,
| Lance. It won’t dc no hurt to onload our pops
‘and putin fresh shells, Reckon we'd best go

‘round to the other side, so’s not to disturb the
| boss in his morning nap.”
| There was a twinkle in Burt’s blue eyes that
spoke far plainer than his to: gue, and, nothing
loth, Lance and Percy bore bim company to the
rear of the marquee, where they rarged them-
selves in line, and with a revolver in each band,
emptied their weapons as swiftly as they eculd
work hammer and trigger, chuckling in their
sleeves as they heard a snorting ery of terror
come from the interior of the tent, for they
knew that their ruse had done its work,

 

 
8

The Tiger Hunters.

 

But they were sober enough as the head of the |
fat Baboo was thrust cautiously around the |
corner, and his husky voice demanded the cause |
of the alarm. -

“Just getting up an appetite for grub,” cook

ly responded Burt, “In our country we can’t |
eat unless we take a good smell of powder first, |
Awful sorry if we disturbed you—”

Whatever his other fai.ings might be, Bikram
Jha was no fool, and an oleaginous smile stole
over his pudgy countenance while his little pig- |
like eyes twinkled as he nodded rapidly, then
withdrew to complete his toilet.

Burt’s stratagem was completely successful, |
for the Baboo took the hint, and little time was |
lost over the morning meal. While their bet-
ters were eating and drinking, the mahouts
were preparing their charges for the day’s work
and the beaters getting ready to do their share.

At the request of Bikram Jha, Colonel Apple-
bee accepted the position of honor and responsi-
bility—captain of the hunt, Until he abdicated,
or was dethroned, his will waslaw. He decided
on the direction the hunt should take; he direct-
ed the.course of the beaters, and gave the how-
dah-bearing elephants their stations in the line,

In bonor of bis guests, Bikram Jha had turned
out his entire stud of elephants, thirty all told,
one-third of whom were howdah-bearers, the
remainder being pad-elephants, whose duty it
was to carry all the camp equipage and the
game which might be slain during thehunt. In
addition they performed an important part in
the hunt; lengthening the line, and making ib
more difficult for the tiger to escape by a cun-
ning flank movement, :

Colonel Applebee was too ardent a sportsman
himself to unnecessarily waste any time, and
having long ere this given his nephews their in-
structions how to act, and what they would be
expected to do, he soon had the elephants in
line, with the two score of beators dashing
ahead to play their part.

It was a magnificent sight thus presented, and
the blood of the youugsters flowed swiftly and-
their pulses beat high as they drank it all in.

| App

 

Eight-and-twenty elephants, huge, majestic
looking creatures, ranged in an even line,
moving slowly and steadily onward through
the thick-growing jungle. thé center rode
the captain of the hunt, On the extreme right |
hand was Burt, on the left was Lance, these —
being the positions next in importance. Mid-
way between were Percy and the Baboo, Two
of the howdah-elephants, in charge of Kolahala
and another shikaree on whom ene
could be placed, were sent ahead as videttes, to
see that no cunning tiger stole away unseen. |
Three others bore howdahs, but were unoccu-

ied, On each massive neck sat a mahout; keep-
ng their huge charges in perfect line, all look-
ing to the captain for directions. Above the
center howdah hung a blue flag, which meant
that nothing save tigers were to be shot at for
the present, no matter what other game was
8

rung. 5
Tasca’ of this ponderous line were the beaters,
yelling, screeching, making all the noise they
could, almost wild with excitement, for none
among them knew at what moment he might
be borne to the earth and death by the savage ,

charge of a tiger whom they had aroused to
activity. The louder and more outlandish noises
they could make, the greater their chance of
safety, and each one acted on this unwritten
proverb. :

For an hour or more, during which several
miles were passed over, the beating was with-
out result, though an abundance of smaller
ok was put up, and the Colorado boys were

eginning to chafe under the severe strain to
which their nerves were subjected without any
compensation, when the wild uproar among the
beaters suddenly increased, aud several of them
were seen returning in headlong flight, their
backward looks causing more toan one awk-
ward stumble and fall, while the excited cry of
“ Bugh! Bagh!” wen: up from the front.

“Steady along the line!” thundered Colonel
lebes, _‘‘Hyes open, Burt and Lance!
Don’t let the rascal steal past you without a
shot! Cool and steady!”

As already stated, Burt was stationed at the
extreme end of the line, on the right hand. The
luck which bad beco1.e almost proverbial gave
him the first positive indication that the game
was pene trying to outflank the line of ele-

ants.

Directly ahead of his tusker, his keen eyes
noticed the tall grass waving gently as some
creature glided through it. Not asound could
he hear. Only that gentleswaying of the grass,
with a wavering,)side-to-side motion, but that
was sufficient, and a loud ery escaped his lips as
he aimed low and pulled the trigzer.

Instantly all motion of the grass ceased. For
one instant Burt stared at the spot, his heart in
his throat, then he dropped his rifle into the
howdah beside him, uttering a shrill war-whoop
of exultation as his feet beat a jig of x

“Hurray! that’s the way todoit! Killed too
dead toskin, Hurray for old America!”

A warning cry came from the lips of the col-
onel, as he bade his mahout hasten to the spot,
but neither Burt nor his fighting tusker heard
or heeded it. The scarred veteran scented its
natural enemy in front, and knowing from long
experience what a rifle-shot meant, especially
when followed by an exultant yell such as broke
from the lips of its excited rider, it gavea shrill
ery and charged blindly forward.

oor Burt! His joyful delusion was short-
lived. Out from the tangied grass where it
had crouched down when the rifle ball whistled
above its back, leaped the tiger, shooting
through the air like a striped meteor, and alight-
ing fairly on the head of the trumpeting tusker,
sinking its claws deep through skin and flesh,
while an angry roar came through its widely
opened jaws as it struggled to reach the shrink-
ing mahout just beyond. ‘

‘or one instant Burt seemed paralyzed. This
furious onset was so different from what he ex-
pected. He had been so positive that his ran-
dom bullet had killed the tiger, so sure that bis
first laurels as a bunter was fairly gained, that
this swift unmasking came wholly unexpected,
For one moment, but no longer.

Before another. weapon could be brought to
bear, before the planter or any of the rest could

ain a position from whence a shot could be
red without too great danger of hitting mahout

 

 
The Tiger Hunters. 9

 

 

or occupant of the howdsh, Burt regained his

wonted nerve, and thrusting another shell into

place, he leaned forward and thrusting the muz-

ae oe bis rifle almost into the wide-open jaws,
red:

At the same instant the trunk of the duntar
twined around the body of the tiger, and tear-
ing it from its hold, flung it to the ground.
Then, with a wild, mad scream of mingled rage
and pain, the tusker doubled up its front legs
and pitched upon the writhing beast with its
whole weight. — “

So sudden was this movement that Burt, de-
snite the warning given him by the planter, was
taken unawares, and flung headlong out of the
powdah, falling upon the ground in a confused
tangle of legs’and arms, for the mahout bore
him close company.

“Ob! Pick him up, or that demon will kill
him, too!” cried Colonel Applebee, almost be-
side himself with anxiety, lest the lad come to
serious harm.

Cat-like, though he could hardly have told
how, Burt regained his feet, and expecting with
each moment to feel those terrible claws and
tearing teeth, he struck out blindly,’ only think-
ing of flight. A shrill yell burst from his lips
as a serpent-like band fastened itself around
his waist, and he felt himself raised clear of the
ground, At that moment he saw before him
the form of the wretched mahout with wildly
convulsed legs and arms as hestruggled vainly
in the deatb-grasp of the old mucknah, and he
believed that a similar fate had overtaken him.
But then he was set down on the head of an ele-
phant, and felt the strong arms of the planter
drawing him into the howdah.

‘Thank Heaven you are alive and uncrippled,
my boy!” said the planter, his voice husky and
uncertain.

"That voice drove away the bewildering mists,
and Burt was once more himéelf.

‘Did you see?” he eagerly demanded. ‘ Was-
n’t it slick? Only two shells emptied, and a
couple of big tom-cats to show for it! Hurray
for our side—burray for old America!”

Despite the terrible anxiety which he bad felt,
Colonel Applebees could not keep from bursting
into a hearty Jaugh at the comical enthusiasm
displayed by his nephew. No thought of the
danger he had so recently incurred, no thought

of his narrow escape from broken bones in that’

awkward tumble—only the genuine glee of a
boy who feels that he has done something to be
proud of. = |

“Hurray, boys!” and the excited youngster
turned to greet Percy and Lance as they came
up. “Free show and not a cent'to pay! Three
shots, and tliree cats to show for the powder!
Reckon you'll have to leave me at home, if you
ever expect to get a skin of your own killing!”

“Three!” echoed the planter. ‘‘ You are sure
there was more than one tiger in there?”

“Sure!” echoed Burt, in turn, while his face
glowed indignantly, ‘’Oourse l’m sure! Did-
n’t I knock the first one over, too dead to kick?
An’ didn’t the other one jum up, long as a
lariat and big as the side of a hilt? An’ didn’t I
jest more than upset his apple-cart? Well, I
should remark !”

Still doubtful, though with his first penef

 

somewhat shaken by the positiveness shown by
Burt, the planter bade bis mahout vescue the
carcass of the tiger from tle fighting tusker, be-
fore the skin was ruined completéry.

There was no little danger of this, for the
duntar seemed nearly as mad as the old muck-
nah, now kneeling with its whole weight upon
the crushed carcass, now standing erect and
tossing the body backward and forward with
its feet.

But the mahout knew his business thoroughly,
and urged his elephant forward at a swinging
trot, with lowered head, striking the tusker full
in the side and almost-toppling it over. Before
the duntar could recover from this unexpected
shock, the other stood over the carcass, and the
mahout of the tusker scrambled into his seat,
plying his hook vigorously, quickly bringing
him under subjection once more,

One of the pad-elephants was brought™for-
ward, but before the game was slung into place
Colonel Applebee caused the surrounding grass
to be thorcugbly beaten, in search of Burt’s
first tiger. In vain. No traces of it could
found, though Burt himself insisted on dis-
mounting and leading the search. He -was on]
convinced of his error when the spot where bis
bullet had struck was shown him, shivering a
tough knot to atoms,

“You shoot over ole bagh,” laughed the
Baboo. ‘Dat always de way when shoot at
grass. Me do it, too, some time !”

Bot Burt shook his head stubbornly,

**No, sir! You can’t stuff that down this
chicken! Didn’t I see the stripes? Didn't I
cover them plum’ center? Didn’t I see the bide
bu’st wide open when the bullet struck it? Bet
your old boots I jest did! No, sir! “No missin
mine—not any! That shell jest blowed the old
cat all to thunder—didn’t leave hide wor hair
of him!”

The little pig-eyes of the Governor opened to
their widest extent, but the sturdy ranchero did
not flinch.

“Pact! Done it more’n once over in my
country, Terrible hard shooting gun. Some
day 1’ll show you what it can do)’

Slowly shaking his head, the Baboo turned
away to where Colonel Applebees was-+on the
ground, straightening out the carcass of the
tiger, before taking its dimensions, while Burt
winked wickedly at his youthful mates, mutter-
ing:

“ They ain’t no such feller as him going to get
abead of me, while I’ve got a tongue in my
head. But he'll keep on until he gets me to ly-
ing, if be don’t mind—I know it!”

“Judging from that look and shake of the
heed, ashe turned away, be begins to suspect
that you have already drawn dangerously close
to the line which divides the truth from a lie,”
laughed Percy softly. :

“Don’t make a diff o’ bitterance! I won't let
him see that a man from old America can make
a mistake.”

It was really ludicrous to see how the Baboo
sidied away from the spot as the boys advanced,
bis pig-eyes riveted upon the face of the young
ranchero, with a wondering, doubting stare,
which sent both Perey and Lance into a convul-
sion of silent laughter,

s

 
 

10

The Tiger Hunters.

 

“Wot so. bad!” exclaimed the planter as the
lads came up, rising from where he bad been
taking the dimensions of the tiger, ‘‘ Next to
the largest one I eversaw. Seven feet seven
inches from tip of.nose to.root of tail; tail three
feet two inches; length over ell, following the
cutves, ten feet nine. Fifteeh inches ’round the
root of his tail; ’round the chest, four feet. five;
head fourteen inches Jong, and thirty-four inches
in circumference. Burt, let me congratulate
you—many a tiger-hunter who has followed
the business for more years than have passed
over your head, cannot boast of as large a kill
as this one of yours.” |

One Of his rare confidential fits overtook Burt,
and with a half-shéepish grin, he whispered, too
low for the ears of the Baboo to catch:

“Do you know, uncle Charles, the pesky
critter don’t look nigh as big as he did when J
first saw him shoot up out of the long grass and
come forme! In my eyes then, he wasa mile
long and bigger’n the side of a hill—he was,
fora fact [),

Colonel Applebee laughed softly as he mo-
tioned the aitendants to place the carcass on
one of the pad-elephants, then bis hand was
placed earessingly upon the shoulder of the Jad,
who so strongly resembled the dead brother
whom he would never cease to mourn, even
oe his place was rapidly being filled by this,

is son,

“You see now, my lad, one reason why I
warned you against your choice of an ele-
phant.”

“ He took me by surprise, or I wouldn’t have
tumbled out.”

“Just so, And such surprises are always
happening. But the tumble wasn’t the worst
danger you escaped, by far. If the tiger had
only been wounded, he would have had you be-
fore any of us could have interposed.” :

“ But he was dead,” persisted the literal lad.

“So you thought he was killed when you
fired at bim the first time—and of that I have

something more to say. But just now—there
, was still another peril, no less great, with which

you were threatened. You saw how the old
duntar fell on his knees with the carcass of the
tiger under him? Well, that is part of the
training which makes the fighting elephant so
dangerous, not only to the game he tackles, but
to whoever rides him. He chanced to be too
busy with the tiger just then, or when you fell
over its head the chances are even that he would
have trampled you just the same. It bas been
done more than once, and if I had my. way,
there wouldn’t be a single charging elephant lett
in the land of the living.”

The colonel spoke so earnestly that Burt was
moved, far more than any of his friends had

~ ever seen him before, but there was still a touch

of the old obstinacy in his voice as he made re-
“Yl not forget your words, in a burry,
uncle, but now—I’d rather give up the hunt and
turn back to camp afoot, than to change my
elepbant.
they sha’n’t have a chance to crow over dear
oid America through my putting up the white
feather. \
Lance and Percy could not help laughing, but

 

the planter rebuked them-with a silent glance,
then added, more lightly:

“You shall have your own way, my boy,
only don’t forget what I have said. One thing,
more: Never waste a shot on the moving grass.
Bikram Jha was right when he said that you
will almost invariably overshoot your game,
when guided alone by such a sign. Then, too,
you are not always sure of what you are try-
ing to’/kill. You can generally tell, by the dif-
ferent motion communicated to the grass, what
is afoot, but not always.

‘CA tiger is a big animal, but when he is try-
ing to steal away from a lino of beaters, he
slips through the jungle with very little mo-
tion to betray him, That little will be a gentle
sidelong swaying of the grass, without the least
sound. A pig plunges straight ahead, bending
the grass'before it, while a rhinoceros or buffalo
crashes everything before it.

 

They’d thiok I was scared ouf—and

‘* Keep your eye on the motion, never lose
sight of it, but press on and hold your fire un-
| til you can distinctly see the stripes—then plant
| your lead) where it will do the most good. One
! thing more—”
| At that moment the elephant which bore
| Kolahala came in sight at full speed, the shika-
| ree yelling:

_ “ Bagh, sahibs—bagh. Quick, you lose um!”

Instantly all was excitement, as the hunters
rushed to regain their seats in the howdahs,

CHAPTER IV.
AN OLD VIXEN AND HER CUBS,

LittT.E time is lost in scrambling back into
the howdahs, and in obedience to the sharply
uttered orders of the captain of the hunt, the
long line of ponderous beaters is swung around

s on a pivot, and then sent crashing along

hrough the matted grass and thick jungle,
guided by the excited shikaree. \

 

the lay of the ground, thea a simultaneous ery
escaped the lips of the huntérs, for before them
was a sight not often seen in these latter days.

For a few hundred yards further s:retched
the dense jungle, then came a narrow strip of
bare, sandy earth, Warned by Kolahala that
game was afoot, the other vedette had urged
his mount to this open ground, to keep the
tiger from stealing away before the sahibs
could come up. But now, just as the line of
elephants rose the little hill, three tigers
broke cover with angry cries, charging straight
at the solitary elephant with enormous bounds,

With a shrill pur-rut, pur-rut of terror, the
elephant, wheeled and took to flight. For a
short distanceit was followed; then the tigers
paused, cast a sullen glance back at the hunt-
ing-line, after which they trotted across the
open-and once more disappeared amidst the
dense jungle-grass,

Truly, it was a glorious sight while it lasted,
and the boys were fairly beside themselves with
excited anticipation as they begged and stormed
at their mahouts, The Baboo, too seemed elec-
trified, and clinging to the front of his howdah,
he uttered a pecuhar cry.

Look out, boys—hold fast!” the planter

eried.
’ As though by magic, there sprung out from

 

   

On sorene? the jungle and up a slight rise in -

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

The Tiger Hunters, 11

 

tne trampieda jungle numerous dark, glancing
figures — natives, each one bearing a long-
handled bamboo spear, the keen points of which
were repeatedly thrust into the rumps of the
elephants,

And then ensued the wildest kind of a steeple-

chase. The ponderous creatures, beaten before |

and stabbed behind, were urged to the top of
their speed. Straight ahead they plunged, cov-
ering the ground far more rapidly than any
one could have deemed possible, but rocking
from side to side like an ill-ballasted bark ina
ele. Timely that warning of the planter.
Desperately the lads clung to the sides fo the
tossing howdah, bracing their feet as best they
could under the circumstances and with every
muscle tensely strained. On crashed the ele-
phants, a dense cloud of dust arising before

them. Shrilly yelled the mahouts, the natives ,

as they plied their spears, and wildly shouted
the hunters, despite the prospect of a broken
neck which stared them in the face.

Through the jungle and across the strip of
open ground, then, as they enter the tall grass
once more, a sharp cry comes from the lips of
* Colonel Applebee, and the boys see him half-
raise his rifle, only to lower it again and shout:

“ All eyes open—yonder they go, an old vixen
and her two cubs! They've turned ’cross the
wind, and mean to give us the slip if they can.
Wheel the line, and ase the matches!”

“Great thunder!” cried Burt, his mouth open-
ing as widely as hiseyes. ‘‘It will be a barbe-
cue, sure enough, once set this grass afire, but
I’m blessed if be don’t mean it, though!”

Striking wax matches and casting them into
the jungle behind him as his elephant strode on,
to the young rancheros Colonel Applebee
seemed criminally reckless, but a$ they saw
the Baboo and the riders of the pad elephants
doing the same, they began to believe that after
all the jungle fires might be different from those
on the weed-prairies of their own country, and
casting aside all scruples, they added their mite
to the conflagration. ‘

Up leaped the flames, crackling and spitting
as the quickly-heated gases burst the thin shells
which bad confined them and took fire. On
charged the elephants, wilder yelled the na-
tives, madder still grew the chase.

That the tigers had taken the alarm was now
plain, for the occasioral brief glimpses could be
obtained of their striped forms as they glided
swiftly through the jungle, gradually vcering
around so as to take the breeze in their teeth,
like veterans who had been fire-hunted before
but vanishing again so quickly that the best.o:
spap shots could not have covered them with
anything like a certainty.

For a mile more that wild/ chase lasted, to
where the lay of the grourid changed, ,and
ditches, guilches and dry water-courses inter-
sected their course... Still on rushed the huge
‘chargers in the.wake of the tigers, past bush

and brake, down steep inclines where they lay
their haunches close to the ground with out-
stretched feet plowing up the dirt as they
slid forward, then scrambling up the further
side until it seemed as though they must-topple
over backward and forever crush the life out
of their riders,.through the dense scrub, where

each thorn left its mark in red letters—and be:
hind all the roaring, crackling, darting flames
—over all the suffocating cloud of commingling
dust and smoke— ah! it was a wild, insane
chase, yet one never to be forgotten by those
who experienced it for the first time.

A loud cheer from the colonel broke the weird
spell that had taken possession of our young
friends, and they felt the headlong pace of the
elephants slacken.

‘Run to earth!” cried the planter, exultanédy.
‘*No chance for them to give us the slip now /
Lengthen the line and surround the patch of
jungle—quick!”

t was some moments before the lads could
collect their rudely shaken-up senses sufficiently
to comprehend what had taken place, but then
they grasped the situation,

Hunted hard, the old vixen and her cubs had
at last sought refuge in @ mass’ of scrub and
jungle grass of no very great extent, but thick
and almost impenetrable. Surrounding this
the grass was short, with scattered patches o
brier and scrub, insuring a fair shot whenever
the game could be driven from its stronghold,
or be brought to charge.

With one more warning to the boys, Colonel
Applebee gave the word for the beaters and
those on the pad-elephants to force the game
‘frem cover, but this was far easier said than
|done. A hoarse, threatening snarl from the
gloom put the beaters to flight, while even the
most stanch of the elephants flinched, trumpet-
ing their dissatisfaction as the mahouts, ashen-
gray with dread, but fearing the wrath of their
ee even more, tried to urge them into the
scrub,

‘i bie ee the brush afire—that’ll fetch ’em !” crieé
urt,

The captain of the hunt hesitated for a ino
ment, for he knew that the skins would be in-
jured by flames before the tigers broke cover,

ut then he gave the word, and a minute later,
ae patch of jungle was encircled by a rivg of
re. \

Sharp, angry snarls and deeper growls came
from tbe cover asthe flames mounted bigher,
and o knew that the crisis must be close at

and, os

A wild cry—a lithe form darts through the
smoke and flame, so swiftly that the human eye
could scarcely follow it. A piercing scream of
wortal agony, and then one of the cubs. was
seen crouching on the body of a beater, vork-
ing its long claws in the flesh like a cat playing
with a mouse, while it glares defiantly around
upon its startled foes,

A sbout from Lance, who chances to be near-

est of those armed with guns, and a moment ~

later comes the report of his rifle. Roaring
savagely, the tiger left its victim, and with one
mighty leap, covered half the intervening dis-
tance, but as he rose again, another weapon
vomited forth its contents, and the infuriated
he fell to the ground in a heap, stone
ead.

“Good shot, Percy!” cried Colonel Applebee,
approvingly, but swiftly adding, ‘‘ Look out,
urt—

The warning was unnecessary. Hager to re-

_ deem what he felt had been a disgraceful blun-

 

 

 
 

  

12

The Tiger Hunters.

 

der, Burt caught sight ofa striped form dart-
ing tbrough the fiery circle, and swift as
thought his weapon spoke, Stricken full be-
tween the eyes with the bollow-pointed express
bullet, the second cub fell in a heap, its skull
shattered to atoms.

* Hurray!” shouted the exultant lad as he
witnessed the result of his sbot. ‘That's the
way we doitin good old— Ge-thunder!/ there
she goes, tail-on-end—”

css rash and headstrong than her cubs, the
old vixen broke away through the further side
of the buritng patch, no doubt hoping to make
her escape while her enemies were so busy, but
keen-eyed Burt caught a glimpse of her striped
coat through the smoke and flames, and gave
the alarm, though he failed to get a shot at her
in_ time.

More fortunate was tke colonel, and as his
double-barrel exploded, a frightful scream from
the tigress told that he had not wasted his
powder,

“ Hold hard!” cried the planter, as the young-
sters were shifting their positions in hopes of
securing a shot. ‘‘She’s erippled so she can’t do
any more damage. Don’t kill her just yet. I
want to give you some idea of what a crippled
tiger is capable, onco,you fall into her reach.”

As captain of the hunt, his word was law to
the Baboo, while, as a matter of course, none of
the voungsters would think of disputing his will
in such a case,

The elephants were brought nearer the crip- |
pled tigress, and the boys gazed upon her with |
something strongly akin to awe, and truly it |

was a frightful spectacle,

Struck in the back, and its spine injured,
paralyzing its hind quarters, the tigress yet re-
tamed the use of its head and front parts.
Snarling, snapping and grinding ‘its strong
teeth together, with its eyes glowing more
vividly than fire itself, striking out with its
massive paws, tearing and rending the ground
with its long claws, dragginz its crippled car-
cass along in savage longing to reach its foes,
the creature was the very personification of
malignant rage and fury.

Colonel Applebee slipped to the ground, and
picking up a stone as large as his fist, tossed it
at the tigress. With a snarling cry, she caught
the missile in her jrws, fairly grinding it to
powder with one mighty effort.

‘* What would a man be in that grip?” gravely
asked the colonel, but before either of the
qeecesiere could reply, the Baboo spoke rapidly
to him.

Colonel Applebee bowed, and regaining his
seat, bade Burt change his seat as the two ele-
phants were brought close together, adding in
explanation:

“Tbe Baboo wishes to show you some sport
with his fighting duntar and the tigress. I
can’t say that I like the idea, but the elephant
is his, to do with as he pleases.”

At a word from Bikram Jha, the mahout
Jeaped from his seat on the neck of the old
tusker, while the remainder of the elephants
were turned away toa safe distance, allowing
the novel duelists ample room for their work. .

Of all, the old tusker seemed the most |
pleased, for be trumpeted shrilly, his little ayes |

 

glowing, his huge ears tapping in savage satis-
faction as he slowly circled around the tigress,
who, though crippled, seemed all the more fero-
cious and eager for the assault to come,

The young hunters watched the curious.scene
breathlessly, all their sympathies with the ele-

hant, despite their natural love of fair play,
Te was impossible for one to look at that snarl-
ing, growling beast, so full of malignant fury,
and wish it well, or even feel the slightest shade
of pity.

Hound and round the tusker circled, making
various fein’s as though to attack, while the
watchful tigress still kept on guard; but then,
with a wondrous agility in one of such huge
butk, the tusker raised his fore-feet an 1 plunged
forward and downward, meaning to crush the
tigress with a single shock,

It only- partially succeeded. The crippled
tigress was pinned to the ground, but it was
only her already helpless hind quarters, and
with a roar of. furious rage, its mighty jaws
closed on the rear of one foot, bringing a ery of
pain from the tusker, The old fellow rapidly
shifted its right foot, and the boys ssouted in
glee as they heard the bones of the tigress’s
skull give way beneath that tremendous weight,

The tusker shook off the dead carcass, but in- °
stead of pursuing its usual tactics, and crushin
the body until taken atvay by force, it hobble
away for a few yards, then stood on three feet,
blood gushing in a torrent from the other, while
the white ends of the torn tendons showed
clearly. i

+‘ Crippled for life, poor devil!” muttered the
planter, yet with a touch of satisfaction in his
voice, which Burt detected and fully compre-
hended, though he made no comment,

The Baboo advanced to the side of their ele-
phant and said a few words to Burt, speaking
so rapidly that the lad failed to understand
hi

m,

‘‘He wants your rifls for a moment; let him
have it,” explained the planter, in a whisper,
and without stopping to reflect, Burt obeyed.

An instant later an indignant cry broke from
his lips, but came too late. The Baboo rode up
alongside the crippled tusker, and thrusting the
muzzie of the rifle almost against its temple,
pulled trigger. Stricken through the brain by
the express ball, the tusker fell in its tracks,
stone dead.

Feeling sick at heart and thoroughly disgust-
ed, Burt said:

“Let’s go home! I’ve got enough of this.
Don’t let that fat cuss speak to me, or T’ll have
to punch him in the snoot!” and he averted his
head with a shudder of strong aversion.

CHAPTER V.
MAKING A NIGHT OF IT.

Coronet ApPLEBEE fully understood the
feelings of mingled loathing and disgnst with
which the heart of his nephew was filled, and .
adroitly interposed himself as the Baboo came
to return the rifle, his greasy countenance all
aglow, his pig eyes glittering, his whole de-
meanor that of ope who has just performed a
feat of which to be proud.

‘Did you see?” he exclaimed, holding up the
rifle and patting it admiringly with the other

 

  

 

 

 

 
4 2

eS

 

 

 

/

The Tiger Hunters, is

 

hhavd. ‘Was it not beautiful, wonderful, mar-
velous? One shot, and pouf! the old duntar is
dead! Shiva himself could not have killed it
any more quickly. Ah, the beau y!” and his
thick lips were applied to the bronzed barrel
with a resounding smack, ‘‘It alone could
make a niet hunter of a blind and crippled
coward! hat, then, if such as J owned ‘it?
Great Shiva! there would be no tigers, no pigs,
no nothing left in all India.”

His breath failed him, the enthusiastic praise
died away in a husky, choking gurgle, and
Colonel Applebee, leaning far over the edge of
the howdah, took the riflefrom his grasp, de-
spite the tenacious closing of the fat fingers.

“True,” he said, with a low bow, hardly able
to keep from laughing outright as he noted what
a sour look of disappointment came over the
face of the Baboo, “there would not be a single ,
head of big game left in the whole district, and
the sport of these young sahibs would be
ruined; hut when they are ready toturn their
faces homeward, then they will pray their hon-
ored host, the mighty Bikram Jha, to accept a
present in token of their appreciation—”

“ Will it be that?” exclaimed the Baboo, vio-
lating all rules of bis class, in his eagerness, his
eyes covetously following the rifle which Burt
had reclaimed,

“That or another, just as our lord may pre-
fer,” quietly replied the planter, but Burt
growled, sotto voce :

“Tf he gits more’n the stuffing out of one o’
the shells, it’ll be when I ain’t able to kick
ag’inst it no longer—the cold-blooded varmint!
To butcher a poor critter like that, an’ then
make bis brags over it—git away!”

‘Choke it down, as best you can, my boy,”
softly breathed the colonel, even while bowing
suavely in concert with the highly delighted Ba-
boo. ‘The old fellow is not so bad, after all,
when you get more used to the country fashions.”

But Burt did not wait to hear anything more,
slipping out of the howdah and dropping to the
ground, joining Percy and Lance, who were in-
specting the dead tigers.

“ As usual, I bring up the rear,” said the lat-
ter with a shiver, as he averted bis eyes from
the horribly mangled body of the beater whom
the first cub had stricken down,

** You took chances which I dare not,” grave-
ly replied Percy, ‘‘ yet I had a broadside view
and a fairer mark.” ; :

“JT knew it was risky, but I didn’t see any
other chance of saving the poor fellow. Even
then I was too late!”

“ A bolt from Heaven could hardly havesaved
him. I don’t suppose he knew what struck him,
the attack was so swift and deadly. That’s the
worst of this business, Hardly a tiger is killed
but what some one is burt. Yet you could
hardly keep the natives away if you tried, and
there would be little sport-without them to do
the starting.”

“Ts fun slive, all but the after-clap,” said
Burt, with a swift glance from the corpse of the
native to the carcass of bis fighting tusker,
“But Pve got about enough of this style of
hunting. I’d a heap rather eo it on my own
hook. If we can’t shake that little fat old cuss
pretty soon, I’m going to take a lay-off. One ;

 

more dose of him would give me the cholera
morbus sure /”

““Well, we’ve had honor enough for one day
—four tigers is a mighty good showing, There
comes father: we'll ask him to put up the red flag
over the white one if you like that any better.”

Allusion has already been made to the
blue flag shown by the captain of the hunt,
and its import. The person thus officiating
is also provided with two others, one red,
the third white. When a red flag is shown,
it means that the hunters are allowed to
shoot at any and all game which breaks cover
while the line of elephants is still maintained,
but when the white flag is hoisted all know that
they are homeward bound, and at liberty to
break ranks, to fire at will, and act independ-
ently of the rest for the remainder of the hunt.

The death of the beater subdued the spirits of
the boys, and but little was said while the tigers
were being strapped upon the pad elephants,
Then the colonel gave the word for advancing
with the blue flag still flying from bis howdah,

The march was a short one, however, and as
soon as the nearest tank where good water could
be procured was reached, the line was broken
for dinner. e

With the dead no longer before them, and in
the presence of an abundance of food, the bungry
youngsters soon recovered their wonted spirits.

heir appetites appeased, they reclined in tle
grateful shade beneath™the cooling punkah,
which two statue-like natives kept in-sileut mo-

tion.

“Uncle Charles,” said Burt, at length, ‘I’ve
been thinking how differently that old cat acted
from her cubs... They made straight at us, while
she tried to steal away. Looks like she sent ‘em
out to draw our attention while she got off un-
seen,”

The colonel laughed softly before replying.

“Pve been waiting for that question, for I felt
sure it would come, and I believe I can answer
it to your satisfaction.

“Though the glory of the kill, perbaps, iz not
quite so great, you¢an almost always depend on
a livelier time with a cub of that age—say about
two years old—than with an older tiger, be-
cause they are more headstrong and know less
about the danger they are encountering.

“To begin at the beginning, when a cub is
born itis about a foot long, and, like puppies,
are born blind, They have scarcely any hair
on them, but the stripes are distinetly marked on
the skin. In nine days their eyes open. Ina
year the tiger cubs will average something over
five feet in\length, the tigresses a few inches
less. They rarely leave their dam before the
second year, when they will run from seven to
seven and a half feet in length,

“When they are about a year old their mother ©

teaches them how to krill, and, until they cast off
to battle for themselves, their lines have been
cast in pleasant places, for what they are unable
to accomplish their dam does for them, and rhus
far in life they have not learned what defeat

means. They see thatshe is almost invariably
successful in all she undertakes, and they begin:

an independent life witt the idea that the whole
world is their oyster, which they can open at
will. A two-year-old cub will charge 8 line

 

a
‘a

 

 

 

 

 
 

44 The figer Huntexs.

 

that an old tiger will run from, and for that
very reason they are more dangerous than a
veteran of donble their might.”

“ As they grow older do the stripes fade”
asked Lance, looking toward the tiger first
slain. ‘That one is more of a dun-color, and
the stripes seem to run together on its back, It
is much heavier built, too.”

“Exactly,” and the planter nodded approv-
ingly. ‘‘The tigress and these cubs are genuine
Bengal tigers. Ycou see their stripes are dis-
tincily marked, narrow and pure black. The
skull is low ia the crown, wide in the jaws,
making it appear flat in comparison with the
one Burt shot first, which is what we call the
Hill tiger.

“As you said, it is almost dun in general
color. ‘The stripes are double, with a dun céh-
ter, Its head isshorter and rounder than the
Bengal tiger, its body much thicker and stouter
in proportion. It is comparatively clumsy,
much less active, and from that very reason,
being unable to get away as rapidly and as si-
lently as the Bengal, is all the more dangerous
when brought to bay. More than once I have
seen them mistaken for a bullock, when the
smoke was thick or the twilight deepening.”

Much more the boys listened: to, deeply inter-

ested in the words of the colonel, who had been —

a close observer, and knew well how to make
his doses of informatiowpalatable, but at length,
when the heat of the sun was somewhat tem-
pered, word was given for the march to resume.

When all was in readiness, the captain of the
bunt hoisted a white flag, the beaters darted on
in advance, the elephants lumbered on behind,
no longer obliged to keepin line, while all eyes
were on the eager lookout for game, it mattered
not what, *

More matches were lighted and dropped be-
hind them, the dry jungle crackling and roar-
ing, the flames leaping bigh toward heaven.
There was a double purpose in this. First, it
prevented any game from skulking under cover
until the hunt had swept past them. Second, it
clears away the dense covering of dead grass
and gives the fresh shoots room to start up.

The youngsters were in their glory now,
They had slain a sufficiency of large game to
satisfy their desires, and.now that they were
permitted to fire at any game that broke cover,
they made the most of their privilege. Discard-
ing the formidable express cartridges, they
filled their magazines with regulation shells,
and gave such exhibitions of their skill at flying
targets as caused the little pig-eyes of the fat
Zemindar to nearly pop from their sockets.

Here’a hog-deer jumped from its grassy couch,
only to fall into a lifeless heap as Burt’s uner-
ring rifle spoke a word to it; there a florican,
with its plumy pendants ‘of mingled white and
black, doubles up and falls with a thud as Lance
sends if an invitatidn to stop to supper; then a
brace of jungle fowl drop right and left as
Percy dexterously handles his double-barrel,
now loaded with coarse shot; here a resplendent
peacock, there a fox, and now a sleek buck,
with wide-spreading antlers, leaps up andaway,
only to turn end over end as the colonel counts
acoup. Again, with many an indignant hoof
end snort, a sounder of pigs crash through the

 

jungle, and for a time the reports of riffle and
double-barreled smooth-bore ring out in swift
succession, for the hunters know that the vil-
lage not far ahead is full of always hungry na-
tives, already licking their chaps in anticipation

_of the gloricus feast which their fat little lord

and master has assured them shall follow that
memorable hunt, and they know too that no va-
riety of game will come amiss, since every
caste, from the highest to the lowest, is con-
tained by that, as all other Indian villages.

As the sun sinks from view the village is
reached, and for once satiated with the sport,
our young friends slip down from _the backs of
their huge chargers and take a most welcome
bath in the tank of cool water which stands
hard by.

“ Hungry as hunters,” they gladly answer the
summons to supper—nay, it is a mighty feast,
with a spice o: ones hovering over it all,
which the brothers ‘fin
feature,

There are no plates, no knives, no forks. The
broad leaves from the nearest sal tree are
twisted around into shallow cups and fastened
witha thorn. Into these are put the viands—

rics, meat and different vegetables, dhall, chut- .

nee, curds, ghee, sugar and preserves; little
brass and horn drinking cups filled with rice-
whisky and palifi-toddy—al) this and still more,
mysteries of the native culinary art, which the
young rancheros eye suspiciously. and tasté cov-
ertly.

rs first it causes them a little qualm when
their nearest neighbor, a tall, gaunt brahmin.
plunges his talcn-like fingers into the leaf o:
boiled rice, rolling up a huge ball of the snowy
grains, dipping it into the leaf of melted butter,
then throwing back his head and stretching up
his neck like a pelican in the act of swallowing
a fish or frog, dropping the dripping ball into
his wide-open mouth and suffering it to slowly
slip down his throat without mastication, then
uttering a lazy grunt of satisfaction before re-
peating the operation ad infinitum.

. Long before the fat Baboo pr any of the na-
tive guests were satisfied, the young hunters
were vanquished, and seeing’ this the kind-
hearted captain of the hunt gaye them the de-
sired opportunity of slipping away, excusing
them to the Governor, who wished them to keep
him company in the debauch which, as a matter
of course, was to follow the feast,

“Thank the pigs! we’re well out of that!” ex-
claimed Burt, 7s they reached the tent which
had been erected for their accommodation,
“One more such blessed tuck-out, and 1 dow’t
helieve I could tie the belly-band of the fat little
cuss around my grub-basket, without piecing it
out witha trail-rope! Anacondas, every pesk,
one of ’em! If some o’ the lot don’t go off wit!
a ’splosion afore they’re through, and. leave
their mourning wives and widows to sweep up
the pieces, then they’re lined inside and out
with {njun rubber, sure!”

For some time they lay in the cool darkness,
talking over the exciting events of the day,
then, worn and weary with the violent exercise
BE ope than walking or running, Burt de-
clared—of clinging to their swaying howdahs,

not the least pleasant

 

 

|
i}

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

The Tiger Hunters. : is

 

ae tried to compose themselves to sleep, but
n vain.

The fiery rice-whisky and powerful palm-
toddy was beginning to do its work on the
brains of thé feasters, and the noise waxed
rather than waned, The usually tactiturn and
grave natives were all talking together, and
each one raised his voice higher and higher in
the effort to make himself heard, forming a
racket almost deafening.

At this stage of the game, Colonel Applebee
stole away from the revelers, and came to the
tent. He found tbe boys discussing the idea of
leaving for the jungle, but put a veto on that,
and by wrapping their heads up in their blank-

- ets, they drowned the noise so that they at

length fell asleep. Only to be aroused by a
frightful tumult, that caused them to start up
with exclamations of wonder and alarm.

“Bu’sted up in a row!” suggested Burt, dis-

gustedly.
‘Worse than that!” cried the colonel, bound-
ing to his feet. .

 

CHAPTER VI.

AT CLOSE QUARTERS.

YxELLS and screams and howls, coming from
the bonfire-lighted circle around the wide-
spreading pippul-tree, where the fat little Baboo
and his guests of many castes had been left ina
steadily deepening debauch—a revel which now
seemed to be turned into a pandemonium of
terror and pain.

For one moment the suddenly awakened
planter and young hunters listened, then, as the
wild uproar increased ratber than diminished,
they grasped their weapons as best they could
in the dark, but ere they could do more, a cy-
clone seemed to burst over them.

Amidst frightful. screams, the tent was
leveled-to the arount, they were knocked down
and entangled in the folds of the canvas, while

-an army of elephants seemed to be running

over them! Only a moment, then they realized
the truth, and knew that all this was caused by
a wild stampede of the revelers, from some
cause as yet a mystery to them.

“* Dug gun ye !” growled Bart, fastening upon |

aform that fell across him and swiftly rolling
it over. ‘‘Come your p'izen gum-games on me
will ye? Trample the stuffin’ out o’ me ag’in,
‘won't ye? Thar you've got it, chuck up—”

“Let up, Burt!” chokingly cried a voice that
caused the angry lad to cease his sturdy punch-
ing instanter. ‘‘Confound it, boy, you're stav-
ing in my ribs!”

**Good Lawd! uncle, an’ I all the time think-
ing it was one of them pesky niggers,” gasped
Burt, in dismay.

“Tye got one of them—if this foot don’t come
off!” gurgled Lance, the words coming in short
jerks which told bow desperately the yelling
native was trying to free himself by frantic
kicking. ‘‘ Crawl out, boys, and nab him while
Ispit on my fingers for a fresh grip! Ifit’sa
trick, we'll have one nigger to lick for it, any-
how!”

Once freed from Burt’s vigorous grip, Colonel
Applebee drew his knife and’ slit the folds of
the tent open, then crawled forth and quickly

tore the covering from over the three lads,
though a cry of rage broke from the lips of
Lance, as that action breke his hold upon the
ankle of the native whom he had captured,

“ Rope bim, Burt! Don’t let him get away!”
he cried, still believing that this was a scurvy
trick being played upon them by the drunken
natives,

“Hold hard!” and the strong grasp of the
planter settled upon the two bewildered young-
sters. ‘‘There’s more in this than the idle rrick
you faney. Hark!”

The wild yells and frantic shrieks had in a
great measure died away in the distance, but as
he spoke there came the sounds of groans,
mingled with snatches of prayer and pleadings
es the gods of India, from the space beneath the

g-tree.

‘Some one hurt over there,” added the ,col-
onel, releasing the boy.and groping amid the
ruins of the tent’ for his weapons. ‘Stay here
while I take a look—”

His warning came too late. Both Burt and
Lance darted forward to where they could
catch a view of the lighted circle, and the
former now laughed aloud as he cried: -

“It’s the fat little cuss and a couple more

‘ niggers—all in a heap, drunk, I reckon, with a
touch of the colic from the howling they keep
uw =

The lad’s raillery instantly ceased, and his
face grew grave as he noted a significant fact
which had until now escaped even his keen

eyes.
me There’s blood on ’em—too much to come
' from a bout at fisticuffs—don’t yoy see?”

“Get your weapons before you come a foot
nearer!” sternly cried the colonel, brushing past
them and graspicg a couple of blazing brands
| from the fire. ‘Take these and keep your eyes
open. There’s danger somewhere — either a
tiger or a leopard. Hyes wide open and on your
guard!” .

“* Ole bagh, sabib!” hoarsely uttered Kolahala,
rising from the darkness as though a spirit of
the night. ‘‘ Jump in+maul Baboo, maul dem
—pick up one man in mouth, den jump back in
night again, Ole man-eater, sahib—big as
duntar |”

“Only one tiger and a hundred men—yet they
ran away, and you with them, Kolahala!” ex-

“claimed the planter, with cutting scorn in his
tones. ‘ You, the mighty shikaree!”

|” “olahala drink a heap, sahib,” muttered the
native, bis head bowed, but with the-fire reflect-
ing redly from his glittering eyes, ‘‘Odders
run—Kolahala run, too. Hedrunk. Dat make
im fool, an’ he ’fraid when he see ali rest
*fraid too.”

“You are not with cowards now,” added the
colonel, conveniently forgetting the momentary
panic which he, together with the boys, had felt
when the tent came down about their ears,-and
a legion of screeching devils trampled them un-
der foot, ‘‘ Look if the tiver is gone. Take that
side, while I see to this. Make sure work. Boys,
you stay here—-I order it~and be ready to put /
in a shot if we make the bloody rascal break
cover.” :

The search was brief but thorough, and then,
satisfied that the man-eater had indeed beaten

 

 

 
      
   
    
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
  
   
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
   
   
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  

i6

The Tiger Hunters.

  

 

a retreat with the horrible feast which be had so
audaciously. won, Colonel Applebee re-entered
the circle of firelight and looked. to the still re-
cumbtent, still groaning and praying Baboo.

Kolahala and the three boys lent their assist-
ance, though Burt could with difficulty restrain
his scorn when be saw that Bikram Jha had es-
eaped with only a few comparatively trifling
scratches.

As the highest in rank, and therefore the most
important, the Baboo was first attended to,
being carried to his house which stood not very
far distant, and in which were discovered sev-
eral trembling wretches, where they had fled
when the man-eater made his attack on the
revelers.

Rousing them to a sense of their duty by dint
of stern words and still more effective blows,
the Governor was left in their charge, while
the good samaritans returned to the feasting-
ground,

“T knowed that little fat cuss didn’t have the
sand,” commented Burt, in an undertone, for
the benefit of whoever might be inclined to lis-
ten. “How he howled an’ grunted, jest cause
of a few little scratches no wuss than a feller’ll
give to a ’skeeter or a flea-bite, while that one,
with his whole scalp gone, don’t even whim-
per—

He ceased absapey, as the colonel turned the
man over on whom his eyes were fixed, and his
ruddy cheeks grew pale, while there came a
sinking, fluttering sensation at his heart, for
now he could see why the unfortunate brah-
min had borne his frightful injuries so quietly.
He was stone dead, his scalp torn away, bis
skull fractured by the fearful blow which had
stricken him down in the midst of the revelry.

The third native was senseless, his arm torn
and lacerated, dislocated at the shoulder, where
the mighty man-eater had caught and given
him a playful shake, before choosing another
victim to carry away in its retreat,

By this time the natives began returning to
the spot, having run their terror off, as was
more likely, because they feared to remain
in the darkness, and to.them the dead and the
wounded were left. y :

Colonel Applebee, assured by Kolahala that
the man-eater had certainly carried off a vic-
tim with it, made a short but stirring appeal
to the trembling natives, urging them to set out
on the track of the man-eater, and either trail
him to bis den, or bring him to bay. They,
the whites, would answer for the rest. But he
vnight as well have spoken to sticks and stones,
for all the impression his elcquent words made,
Not one among them would volunteer, even
when threatened with the dire displcasure of,
their Jord and master, Bikram Jha. s

** Let thelimpsy critters. go!” cried Burt, im-
patiently, ‘‘Tbey’d be more in the way than
of any use. We don’t need ’em. We can do
the work a heap better without ’em, ¢h, boys?”

“Tf father will lead us, yes,” said Percy,
while Lance nodded emphatically as he gripped
his trusty rifle.

The colonel hesitated, glancing doubtfully at
the eager youngsters. Not that he feared their
courage would fail them, let the pinch come
never so severe, but he knew that it would be

 

risky work following up the oid man-eater, on
foot and in the darkness, and these dasbing,
impetuous Jads were more precious fur to him
than the epple of his eye or the core of his heart.
He was ready at all times to risk his own life—
but theirs—there was the rub!

The sharp old shikaree, eager to win back the
confidence of the master whom he loved as few
of his class can love, read bis doubts aright, and
coming closer, he muttered quickly:

“ Kolahala take torch an’ go first on trail.
Ole bagh got meat, now. He like eat bettex
dan fight. He make sound ‘fore he jump out.
Dat tell sahibs look out. They shoot—ole bagh
git kill, sure! It be all right, den.”.

From personal experience Colonel Applebee
knew that the shikaree was speaking the truth,
and after so roughly scoring the natives for
their cowardice, he saw that he could not back
out without a loss of prestige dear to the sports-
man, Only a brief period of hesitation, then he

said:

“‘You shall have your way, this time, boys,
though I am weak—criminally weak, some
would say—in yielding. It is a dangerous piece
of work, and Heaven grant that you may all re-
turn safe and sound. But you must promise to

be wholly guided by my advice—promise on -

your honor!”

Promptly the pledge wasgiven, and thenarm
ed with a blazing torch in each hand, both to
east light upon the trail and to protect him
against an attack by the tiger, when run to
cover, Kolahala led the way from the circle of
fire at a gliding trot, his keen eyes readily pick-
ing up the trail, though there were no traces of

a human body having been dragged over the -

ground, as the lads expected.
“Some mistake, I reckon,” muttered Burt,

dubiously, but Kolahala, who caught the words *

and readily divined their meaning, pointed to
here and there a spot of fresh blood alongside
the trail, while the planter supplemented:

“The tiger was carrying him clear of the
ground. I have known them to‘do the same
with a full-grown bullock.” “

Burt’s eyes opened widely, and had his in-
formant been any other than the colonel, his in-
credulity would have broken forth in words
more plain than polite.

Fortunately for the hunters, the ground
around the village was tolerably clear of jungle,
though the man-eater had taken his line of re-
treat where the cover was most plenty, and to
the side of the town where the ground was
broken and too rough for cultivation to any
great extent. Hereand there were patches of
tall grass.or dense scrub, and whenever the trail
led into any of these, Kolahala would make a
circle around at a safe distance, until he found
where the trail led on once more.

Fortunately, too, for the tensely strained
nerves of the youngsters, the trail was not a
long one. When but little more than half a
mile from the village, Kolahala came to a small
but compact patch of jungle into which he saw
that the blood-stained spoor was leading, and
cautiously circled around, holding the torches
low to the ground, his glittering eyes scanning
every inch of surface, to guard against pass-

ee

 

ity

ede ret,

  
ad

i
i
1

 

 

The Tiger Hunters. ; 17

ing over the trail, should the man-eater have
continued beyond,

Breathlessly the whites watched him, not
knowing at what moment the furious man-
eater might break cover in a deadly charge,

’ and as they beheld the shikaree suddenly start

erect and make a backward leap, uttering a
warning cry, their weapons leaped to their
shoulders, their nerves strung for the fight to
the death which they felt must soon come.

But they heard nothing, saw nothing of the
tiger, and as Kolahala came stealing back, the
colonel muttéred: _

‘What was it? What did you see?”

“See notting—Kolahala hear /” was theswift
reply. ‘‘He in dar. Man make groan—not
dead, yet.”

“The quicker we get him out, then, the bet-
ter,” said Burt, impetuously. ‘‘ Pitch in one o’
them torches and set the grass on fire. That'll
fetch the striped rascal fast enough!”

“No,” quickly countermanded the colonel, as
he saw the old shikaree draw back his arm to
obey the suggest‘on. ‘We will need the
torches to see where to aim. I came provided
for all emergencies,” drawing a small bomb
from his pocket. ‘If there were only some
trees near enough—”

But there wasn’t, and the plant-r ceased ab-
er as he caught the sound of a threatening
por coming from the mass of grass and

riers. Hvidently the man-eater saw them,
and his rage was rising. :

“But the poor devil in there!” exclaimed
Lance, burriedly.. ‘‘ What of him? If he’s
still alive, we can’t burn him up—”

“Kolahala fix dat,” was the hasty suggestion
of the shikaree. ‘‘See!” and “he stuck the
torches into a patch of dry brush. ‘Dat make
plenty light for shoot. Kolahala slip ’round
odder side. Den, when ole bagh come out, he
jump in, pull odder feller out.- Dat do, eh?”

“Tt must,” said the colonel, decisively. ‘‘ Un-
less we kill the tiger, the poor devil is doomed
beyond all doubt, This way he has a chance—
Quick!” he grated, as another and*still more
ominous sound camé from the patch of jungle,
while they Could hear a rustling among the dry
stalks as if the tiger was preparing for its leap.

Kolahala glided swiftly away, and fearing to
wait longer, the planter lighted the fuse of the
bomb, holding it in his hand until it was on the
point of exploding, then hurling it into the cen-
ter of the covert.

Almost instantly the dry, tindery mass was
all ablaze, and with every nerve like strung
wire, the daring hunters stood ready for the
struggle. For a breath all was silent as death,
save for the crackling.of the swiftly spreading
flames—-then a horrible roar smote upon their
ears, and a long, heavy body shot out of the
midst of the smoke and fire, landing not adozen
feet away from the party.

Like one weapon out rung the four rifles, and
with a frightful roar of pain and rage, the man-
eater once more leaped forward, this time fall-
ing short of the other mighty bound. ,

A ery of horror burst from the planter’s lips,

 

as he saw Lance slip and fall as he strove to jt,
leap aside, and then he was struggling under | prain unable to think of any other calamity,
| since they were all alive and hearty,

the tiger’s mighty paws!

Though they saw the same thing, not a sound

came from the blanched lips of either Burt or |
Percy, as they rushed forward, thrusting the —
muzzles of their guns fairly against the head of »

the tiger, firing and shattering his skull like an
eggshell, while at the same instant one hand of
the colonel gripped the monster by the neck, bis
knife sinking to the very hilt through flesh and
bone, severing the spine.

“Good enough!” cried Lance, cheerily, tearing
himself loose and evading the now trembling
arms of his uncle. ‘The critter didn’t touch
me, and my worst wound is a tore trowser-leg.
Seems like I was always the one to get in a
pickle,” he added, with a forced laugh, that
could not entirely conceal the mortification
which he felt.

All bad been too terribly tried to say much,
though the grips which his hand had to undergo,
caused that member of Lance’s person to tingle
for hours afterward.

Kolahala had nobly performed his portion of
the work, and now brought around the bleeding
body of the native, still alive, though badly
wounded and scorched in places. The old shikaree
had not come off scot-free, having received quite
a scorching before he could find where the man
lay, but he made light of his hurts, more than

repaid by the consciousness of having redeemed -

his lost credit in the eyes of his master.
As usual, after all danger is over, a number
ofthe natives put in an appearance, and leaving

some of them, under the supervision of Kolaha- .

la, to remove the skin of the man-eater, others
were pressed into service carrying the feebly
groaning brahmin back to the village.

“Plagued if that little skrimmage don’t make
me sleepy!” yawned Burt,

CHAPTER VII.
BURT CHANGES CHARGERS.

Tum sun was well up above the eastern hori-
zon when the three youngsters opened their
eyes on the morning after their firstencounter
with the monarch of the jungle, on foot, but
they leaped to their feet rapidly enough when
they beheld the planter standing before them,
his face preternaturally long and grave, as he
slowly shook his head from side to side.

*Something’s bu’sted wide open—what is it,
uncle Charles?” exclaimed Burt, ever ready
with the first word. ~

“Y fear it will fall heavily—on you especial-
ly, poor Burt,” was the grave, almost mourn-
ful response, ‘‘ But bear up—nerve yourself to
endure what cannot be cured. Remember that
the most fortunate of life-trails must have bere
and there a thorny stretch in it, that we must
take the scrub and briers with the grass of life’s
jungle—”

The planter’s voice faltered and grew husky.

 

He averted his head as though to hide the

growing emotion of which he was ashamed,
while the three lads exchanged glances of won-
der, doubt and bewilderment, What could it
mean? what had happened?

“Word come that we've got to turn back, ;

just as we was gittin’ our hands well in—is that
, uncle?” ventured Burt, bis usually fertile

seems

uh neg:

 
18 —

 

The Tiger Hunters.

 

‘No, my poor boy,” muttered the colonel, his
head still averted, his voice husky and trem-
biing with powerful emotion. ‘‘ Would that it
was no worse! But—the Baboo says he’s hurt
ws bad to think of continuing the hunt to-

a —

“ Hurray!” shouted Burt, too thankful for the
information conveyed to take umbrage at the
masterly “sell.” ‘‘That’s the best news [ve
heard in a‘month o’ Sundays, and I must give
you a big hng—help me, boys!”

Quickly Lance and Percy took the roguish
cue, and before he could make a move to es-
cape, Colonel Applebee was surrounded by the
youngsters, enveloped in their strong arms, en-
tangled by their rapidly-shifting legs, until all
went down in a heap together, kicking and
squirming, but above all laughing.

“Let up, boys, while there’s two bones of
poor me left united!” gasped the colonel. ‘‘ Let
up, oe boy-constrictors!”

“You won’t do so never no more at all,
sc.’cely ?”

The colonel ptomised, and was suffered to
arise, just as the grinning Kolahala announced
the morning meal. The boys dashed out to the
tank which is the inevitable appendage to all
native villages which are not situated on or
near the banks of a stream, hastily made their
ablutions, then returned quite ready for eating
and the further explanation of the colonel.

This was given as they ate. Though the in-
juries inflicted by the tiger were scarcely
worthy a second thought, the Baboo was reall

rostrated by fright, and unable to rise, muc

: Toes continue the hupt, as projected. He prof-
fered the use of his elephants and servants, but
believing that the youngsters would be quite
content to rest on the laurels which they had
already won in that style of hunting, he, the
colonel, had declined the offer with many
thanks, :

‘“‘And mighty right, too!” exclaimed Burt,
nodding soimpetuously that it seemed as though
he would jerk his bead off. ‘It’s powerful
hefty on style, and all that, I know, and I ain’t
sorry that I’ve took ahack at it, but for up-and-
down fun and neat work, give me a good horse
or shanks’ mare when I go hunting! How does
it tickle you, little boys?”

* Anything to please the children, boy Burt,”
retorted Lance, ‘‘The chief end of our trip is
to amuse you, I believe.”

“T had an idea,that a change would not come
amiss,” the planter said, smilingly. ‘‘ While
you were sleeping, I made all preparations, and
we will set out as soon as you like.”

‘Any objections to tell us where and what
for? Not that it makes any partieular differ-
ence, just so there’s fun and some sort of
game at tho other end of the trail,” said Burt,

“Not in the least,” laughed the colonel, “ It
is only carrying out part of the programme
prepared for us by the Baboo, It was intended

to take place here, but he has already sent a
runner out to his other village, where they will
be in readiness for us and it, by the time we get
there.”

“Big it or little it?’ innocently asked Burt. |

| encouragingly.

 

“Do we hunt it, or eat it?”
: “Both,” smiled the planter, reminded that he

 

had been a little obscure In hisianguage, ‘It
is the feast of Chumpa Buttee, the Hindoo god-
dess corresponding to Diana.”

Burt groaned most lugubriously, his eyes roll-
ing wildly, both hands clasped over the pit of
his stomach.

‘Nother feast? Moly Hoses! where’s my bat?

—I’m sick—I want to go home!” he gasped,”

bat stipe boy,” said the pl
* Cheer up, m r boy,” said the planter,
Fett This isa feast with ha feast
left out, unless you wish to putitin, The main
part of it all is for everybody to kill, beg or
steal some sort of meat, wild or tame, too late
now to explain more fully; it will keep until we
have more leisure. We must be stirring, if we
expect to have any sport by the way. While
you are getting ready V’ll make our adieux to
the Baboo,” and the colonel strode away.

Ten minutes later they were in the saddle, ac-
companied by Kolahala and followed by a cou-
ple of pad-elephants, which Bikram Jha insisted
should be taken to carry such game as might fall
before their weapons along the way.

“Now thisis something like!” exclaimed Burt,
enjoying the free, easy going of his mettlesome
charger. ‘Riding an elephant is all good
enough for once in a way, as it’ gives you a
chance to do some tall blowing among those who
have never been so unlucky; but it’s like red
pepper—a little of it goes a powerful long ways
with me! Aman can’t do justice to his gun,
*cause he’s afraid every minute that he’s going
to be pitched overboard to break his blessed
neck—”

“ But he has an elephant to kill his tigers for
him—you mustn’t forget that,” maliciously in-
terpolated Lance.

“Be a good boy, Lance, and when we get
home I'll give you one of my tiger-skins. Tnlessa
you let the cat out of the bag yourself, nobody’ll

know but what you killed it,” patronizingly re-

torted Burt.

The breaking away of a “‘sounder” of pigs at
this juncture put a stop to the talk, and fora
few moments firing went on briskly, although the
fugitives were not chased from the main trail,
as the village was still quite distant. ~

There is no necessity for following them step
by step, though that was a ride long to be re-
membered by the brothers, for game of almost
allsorts was unusually abundant, and though
no royal quarry was started from the dense
coverts, opportunities for shots were plenty at
game new and strange to them. Then the
colonel was in a talking humor, and gave
them much important and interesting informa-
tion concerning the various birds and beasts
which fell to their guns, as well as of the strange
trees and bushes along the trail.

Here grew the tall sal tree, one of the most
valuable timber-trees inall India, with broad,
glistening leaves, in which the usual course of
nature is strangely reversed, since the leaves in
spring are edged- with beautiful bronze and
crimson, as though touched by frost, which
changes to deep green as the season advances,
Yonder rose the birch-like sissoo, or shes/vwm, the
wood of which is employed for the native cart-
wheels, The kormbhe, whose red, stringy bark
the Hindoos use as touch-wood for their rude

NX

  

 

  
The Tiger

Hunters. 19

 

_ match-locks. ‘The parass, which, in season, is
covered with a wondrous wealth of brilliant
- erimson flowers, with not a green leaf to be
seen, for, like our native red-bud, the foliage
does not burst forth until after the blossoms
have fallen off. The mhowa, also a blossoming

tree, whose wealth of white blooms scent the |

air for rods around with the peculiar, sickly-
_ sweet perfume of our black locust, and from
which a strong spirit is distilled by the natives,

: - while the flowers form a favorite feast for the
deer, wild pigs and bear. The hill siree, tall

and trim in shape, with graceful, feathery

foliage, the bark of which is used by the native

_ fisherman in his trade, as it possesses a stupefy-

_ ing power over the fish, when bruised and flung
into thé tanks or streams, not unlike the effect’
produced by the potent drug, indicus coeculus.

Of these, of the birds and- beasts, discoursed
the planter, and the interested boys hung upon |
his words as though they would never tire of ©
listening; but then came an interruption that
drove all such thoughts from their minds, and
formed one more thrilling incident for them to
recall with enthusiasm in the days to come.

Kolahala was riding a few‘rods in front, lead- |
ing the way along the indistinct trail, when

- those behind saw him suddenly wrench up his
horse,-with a sharp cry, then wheel and ride ,

toward them, wildly gesticulating as
_ shouted: Sat we

“* Gaerha, sahib—gaerha!”
“@Gay what—Good Lawd! old horny himself,
or I’m a nigger!” cried Burt, ag a huge creature
broke through the cover, charging after the
fleeing shikaree, but coming to an abrupt halt |
as it sighted the little body of horsemen,
“A rhinoceros!” cried Colonel Applebee. |
“‘ Wheel and scatter! If he charges one, let the
rest fire; but look to your mounts—if
_ bles and falls, all is up with him!”

_ There was time for no more. Always irri: |
table and ready for a a with big or liftle, the |
rhinoceros, enraged by having its mid-day siesta
so rudely broken into, for Kolahala had almost |
ridden upon it before making the Cre |

one stum- |

uttered an angry snort, lowered its ugly, arm

_ front, and charged straight at the hunters.
In obedience to the colonel’s ery, the
_ wheeled their animals and scattered, at t
game time firing upon tho huge beast. Thoygh
struck, the rhinoceros did not appear to mind
the leaden hail, other than by uttering that
vicious snort once more, as it weheclag aa:
nf en Percy, who chanced to fill his de-
ctive vision first. : ie,
“Give him the nl loneee Ns Burt!” shouted
Lance, ejecting the empty shell from his\Win-
chester and replacing it with an express bullet.
~ While doing so, his frightened horse bolted, —
and before he could regain control of it he |
heard his brother cry out: ,
ERS ce stuck a leopard, and ain’t got over
bragging about it yet. J’lb.stick a rhino, or
bu’st something!” . ‘
Colonel Applebee uttered a cry of angry
warning as he comprehended what the reckless
lad was about to attempt, but if heard, he was
nheed The dare-devil spirit was fairly
1 ad, and the young ranchero gave not a

boys’
8

thought to the danger he was so rashly incur:
ring. : $ ;
Slinging his rifle to the pommel of his saddle,
he drew the stout boar-spear from its slings,
and with a shrill yell of overflowing spirits,
charged swiftly down upon the beast. ;
Still with its eyes fixed upon Perey, whose
horse was plunging with terrified snortings
through a dense patch of brambles, into which
it had blindly bolted, the rhinoceros paid not
the slightest attention to the rest of the party,
and Burt forged alongside, drawing back his
right arm and delivering his spear with all the
force he could command. Yet the tempered
steel only slipped from the tough hide, without
drawing blood, and Burt was almost thrown
from the saddle as his horse made a sidelong
leap, terrified by its close proximity to the awe-
inspiring creature. ; SF
Crack! went Lance’s rifle, and as though
stricken by a thunderbolt, down went the rbi-
noceros, its long horn plowing up the soil until
it caught beneath a mass of roots, when the
huge creature fairly turned end over end, set-
tling at last with its legs doubled up beneath if,
“Good boy Lance!” shouted Burt, as he saw
this. ‘But I said I'd stick a rhino, and sol
will, if only a dead one!” | me
Leaping to the ground, -he nimbly sprung
upon the carcass, and adding all his weight to
the stroke, papaes tae boar-spear deep into the_
rhinoceros, between the shoulders. 2
There seemed to be magic in that thrust, for
active as a cat, apparently unhurt, the rhinoce-
ros regained his feet, shaking its head in a be- ’
wildered manner as though to clear its eyes of
dust, while Burt, startled half out of his wits,
dropped astride its body, clinging to the upright
spear-shaft with the desperation of a drowning
man to a plank, , :
A hoarse ery from the-agonized planter, as
he dashed up and emptied his weapon into the
huge beast, then made an ineffectual grasp at
the lad, foiled by the flinching of his horse,
Bellowing madly, the sharply stung animal
wheeled to charge, unwittingly giving Lance
the chance he quickly improved, sending an ex-
a bullet crashing through the monster’s
rain, splintering as it struck, and blowing the

_ skull to bits.

Again it plunged headlong, this time to rise
no more, tossing Burt far over its head, into a
thorn-bush, from which he crawled with a shee

, ish grin and deprecatory glance toward his pale
_and frowning uncle,

we do

“Hurray for us! a
cried,

‘ That's the oy
things up in. good old America!” he
shrewdly, and not withont-the desired effect,
_for the frown vanished from the face of b

uncle, ‘ , i ‘
“ Scolding would be utterly thrown away on

' you, you graceless SOFC laughed the planter.

‘But one thing you can depend upon: if ever 1
get you safe back to the factory, Pll take good
care how 1 throw you into the way of such

temptation again—mind that” _

“

hen I reckon I'll have to maké hay while
the sun shines,” grinned Burt, nothing daunted. _
“Lance stuck a leopard, and brags about it, —
eyen in his dreams; so.I thought I’d see him |

 
 

20 The Tiger Hunters.

 

rhino, and he was just dropping when Lance
had to putin and spoil his top-knot—just so I
vouldn’t wear it for a scarf-pin!”

“Look!” and Lance pointed to the second
horn, which was splintered badly. ‘ That’s
what downed him the first time.”

CHAPTER VII.
A CURIOUS BODY-GUARD!

As he spoke, Lance pointed to where his first
bullet bad struck, squarely at the base of the
secondary horn, splintering it after a fashion
that spoke more eloquently than words in favor
of the express bullet for dealing with large
game. When properly proportioned, with the
cavity in tho point neither too large nér too
small for the leaden walls behind and upon
either side, and impelled by plenty of good
powder, no other weapon can begin to compare
with it for deadly work. An explosive shell may
occasionally give better results, but they are
not always reliable, and the very one on which
a life may depend, may prove faithless. Their
main fault is that of exploding prematurely, or
when they first strike the object aimed at,
making a frightful surface-wound, but not af-
fecting any vital point.

Colonel Applebee, like all sportsmen who
keep a systematic record of all their kills among
the big fame, was busy with his tape measure,
Lance noting down the dimensions as called
cut. Eleven feet six inches from the snont to
the tail; six fect seven inchesin hight; girth a
little over ten feet, and main horn nearly eight
joches long.

Barely were these observations made, when
the party were startled by a confused uproar,
coming from some distance ahead on the line
they were to follow to reach the village, but
growing momentarily louder. Loud bellowing
and routing, the shrill cries of a human being,
either in mortal pain or affright, mingled with
angry snarls and roars such as only a tiger or
tigress could emit,

Ata sign from the planter, Kolahala darted
on ahead.

“Mount, lads!” cried the colonel, setting them
the example by leaping into the saddle. — *‘ We
may have to ride for life if the herd is charging
oe way. Keep close together and follow my
ead,

‘ Dashing on in the direction of thealarm, they
quickly overtook the shikaree, who had, paused
on the edge of a level plain, almost entirely
free from cover, and near the center of which a
strange drama was being enacted, as though for
their especial benefit.

A whirling eddying cloud of dust bung over
the actors, torn from the earth and cast upon
the air by hundreds of pawing, trampling hoofs.
Snorting fiercely, clashing their long horns,
their cloven hoofs rattling sharply as they
charged, was a herd of more than a hundred
buffeloes,

“ A tiger!” cried keen-eyed Burt, pointing out

 

a huge, striped cat, toward which the rage of |

the herd seemed directed.

“Yes—she has bit off more than she can
chew, this time, from the looks,” replied the
planter, ‘‘Look your fill while you may, for

and go one better—and I did, too! I stuck x

 

 

you may never see another such sight in a life-
time, But keep ready for a dash it it comes to
that.

“Look! there’s a man on one of those cattle!”

muttered Lance, his eyes glowing with. excite-
ment.
“The gwalla, orcowberd. See—he is urging
his charge on. By the Lord Harry! I would
give a horse to be in his plece now!” and the
eyes of the enthusiastic sportsr:an glittered, his
breath coming fast and hotly as he viewed the
peculiar scene,

Mounted on one of the leading bulls, was the
form of an almost naked man, waving his long
spear, gesticulating wildly, though the sounds of
his voice were drowned by the clashing of horrs
and clattering of hoofs as the buffaloes made
their short, blundering charges.

At each of these rushes, the tiger or tigress
would retreat with swift bounds, then turn
around, crouching close to the ground, showing
its teeth, snarling savagely, reluctant to retreat,
yet fearing to attack where such an array of
sharp horns guarded every point. 7

In the frontranks were the males of the herd.
Behind them came-the cows and younger mem-
bers, with the calves bringing up the rear, malkk-
ing short, blind rushes here and there, stretching
up their necks, shaking their beads ard switch-
ing their tails as though at a loss to understand
what it all meant, now breaking away in terror
as a shapeless mass was tossed high into the air
above the charging herd.

“* A tiger-cub!” exclaimed the planter, as he
noted this.
showing such a bold front. Ready, boys! We'll
have to take a hand in, unless we want to be
run over.” °

Keeping well under cover, he rode rapidly to
the right, by this move gaining a point from
whence there was no danger of the gwalla or sny
of his herd being hif by a ricochetting bullet.
Then, at the word they dashed out into the open
es and halted, firing as the planter gave the
word.

The tigress leaped high into the air whirlirg
over and over, falling back in a writhing heap,
death-stricken before it could realize the new

ril.
Por did the gwalla or his herd notice the new-
comers until the sharp volley rent the air,
when a change as sudden as it was ludicrous
took place. :

From urging his curious body-guard on with
voice and spear-staff, now yelling at the snort-
ing buffaloes, now reviling the sullen tigress
with every insulting epithet his nimble tongue
could utter, displaying a bravery that might
have shamed many a far better-armed man, the
gwaila was panic-stricken by that unexpected
discharge, and with a wild yell of terror, sought
safety in flight.

Scrambling to his feet upon the shargy back
of his charger, he turned bis face toward the
rear of the agitated herd, leaping from one to
the other with all the agility and sure -footed-
ness of a professional tight-rope-dancer, until
nearing the hindmost, when his foot slipped, or
the cow on which he ictended alighting shifted
her position, and he fell flat across her back on
his stomach, yelling frantically as the terrified

“That accounts for the old vixen |

  

ORR eos

  

 

 

 
“

yi

creature started off in a mad gallop, snorting,
bellowing, doubtless thinking some bloodthirsty
enemy had attacked it. Lut the demoralized
cowherd hung on with a grip that defied her
utmost efforts to loosen.

Shouts of laughter came from the spectators
of this truly ridiculous scene, but their mirth
was short-lived, for they were quickly made
_ aware that danger threatened them.

The buffaloes, as the tigress fell in its death-
agony, made another rush, and trampling the

: "ge into a shapeless mass, were tossing it
high into the air, catching it upon their sharp
horns as it fell, when the foremost bulls seemed

- to discover the presence of strangers for the

first time. -
. Once more they presented a bristling front

_ pawing up the earth, shaking their heads until

their long horns clashed against each other,
_ forming anything but an agreeable sight.

“Hail that fellow, Kolahala!” cried Colonel 1

Applebee, hastily. ‘“‘ Make him understand that
__ we are friends, or those ugly devils will charge
s, when only a run will save our bones. Quick
—n his own tongue!” = ;
The shikaree obeyed, at the same time dashing
- diagonally across the front of the herd, thus
drawing their attention upon himself. The
nearest of the creatures made their customary
short charge, but Kolahala easily avoided it,
shouting some swift sentences which .the
seemed to recognize, for sey halted in a bewil-
__ dered manner, thus giving him the time neces-
sary to reassure the terrified cowherd.
This was quickly accomplished when the
poe hee ‘recognized the human voice, and
e soon had his herd under perfect subjection.
As he came closer the riders saw that he had
= peen badly mauled by the tigress before rescued
by bis herd. His bod
-. marks of her teeth and claws, and he was bleed-
ing freely, though he did not appear to mind it.
much. — ate /
_ Fe says he was sleeping under a tree over
yonder,” the colonel een to the brothers,
who were unable to understand the rapid speech
of the native, ‘‘ when he was pounced upon by
the tigress. She had young cubs with her,
which explains why she did not kill him at once.
While she was playing with him, as a cat does
with a mouse, he called up his herd, and the ti-
- gress dropped him to save her cubs. He jumped

x

ona bull and went in to get square for his hurts

and scare.”
- On inspection it was found that the skins of
oth tigress and cubs were ruined, torn and
shed oy the horns and hoofs of the buffaloes.
his was a srenk disappointment to Burt, who

as particu I
of a cub to make him a saddle-skirt, but the
loss was quickly bee when the planter
- promised him an exhibition of native skill and
Aorcmlty, such as few white men have wit-

messed, 4

The gwalla was given a drink of Srandy,
‘then the colonel hinted to him that they would
I eatly pleased to have him furnish them
with a little fresh pork, in return for which
7 would present him and his with the carcass

‘hinoceros. nee :
without this great inducement, the

Layee

The Tiger Hunters.

and one thigh bore |

the middle of t

ly desirous of obtaining the skin |

 

: freeing himself, the planter tore down

21
gwalla would have granted his wish, but now
he was more than willing to display his man-
ner of encountering the wild boar.

Where game of all sorts were so plentiful it
was not .difficult to start a pig or two, and
mounted on a chosen buffalo, leaving the re-
mainder of the herd to shift for themselves, the
cowherd led the way into the jungle, while the —
colonel explained to the boys the working of
the weapon he carried.

This was a spear, with a head not unlike those
used by the white pig-stickers, with a broad,
sharp head, but provi with a short socket,
into which was thrust the end of a slender and
pliable but tough bamboo shaft, some three
in long. A long, twisted cord of buffalo-

ide was secured by one end to a hole in the
socket of the spear-head, the other end tied
firmly around the middle of the shaft, When
not in use, this cord was kept coiled around the
shaft. In addition to this spear, and a knife,
the cowherd carried another weapon, some-
thing like the quarter-staff of olden time, iron-
bound and shod, armed with which alone, men
of bis caste have been known to attack and drive
a tiger away from the carcass of a fresh kill.

Before they had proceeded far into the jun-
gle; the gwalla turned his head, his eyes glitter-
ing as he made a swift sign,

“Halt!” muttered the planter, ‘He sights
orscents game, and if we go further we will
frighten it before he can get within striking
distance—”? f :

His words were cut short by a savage grunt —

from the dense cover, and out burst a huge >
boar, griading its teeth in a blood-curdling man-
ner, but suddenly Serre g as it beheld the low-
ered frontlet of the buffalo, Spe recog- —
i :

nizing an enemy it had learned to fear.

Quick as light the right arm of the gwalla « 4
went back, holding the Baraboo spear at a poise, —

then shot forward, and as the keen 1 sunk
deep into its shoulder, the boar gave a fierce —
grunt and wheeled in flight. : <

As it did so, the gualla gave a loud cry of

Rea. and the boys saw the spear-shaft fall
from its socket, and the rawhide cord untwine
as the boar fled. ; :
Apparently enjoying the hunt to the full as
much as its naked rider, the buffalo bull plunged
through the jungle hard at the heels of the flee-
ing boar, and bringing up the rear came the
horsemen, eager to witness the result,
This came Figat speedily. Being tied around
e shaft, the cord unwound, and
then the stout bamboo acted as an anchor, be-
coming entangled among the scrub, finally
bringing the boar t6 a stand-still. :
Slipping off his ungainly charger, the gwalla —
ised his heavy lathee, and dexterously avoid- —
ing the mad rush of the pig, dealt it a stu
‘ning blow across the back, disabling it for the
moment, then repeating his blows with all the
force and rapidity he could command, soon
beat in the skull and killed the boar, then turned —
laughingly toward the astonished-lads, :
‘olonel Applebees moved forward to congratu-
late him, but in doing so was obliged to pass —
beneath a mass of creepers, one 0 ee
came entangled in his floating Pa ot

 
   

}

 

22

The Tiger Hunters.

 

'
the long lines, and a red shower immediately
fell from above,

Kolahala uttered a warning cry, but it was
too late. The colonel was covered with aswarm

of the dreaded red ants, and their poison-laden |

forceps were already at work.

“Run—out of the way!” cried the planter,
even then niindful of others. ‘‘ If they gét on

ou— )

With a half-stifled cry of angry py his ad-
vice ceased, and leaping from his horse, he be-
gan stripping off Bis clothes as he danced around,
slapping his person here and there, performing
such antics that an anchorite could not have
kept from bursting into laughter. Much less
the boys, though they did try hard to choke
back their mirth at the extraordinary specta-
cle, Burt falling from the saddle and rolling
over and over the ground, snorting and gasping
like one in a fit. \

It was an uylucky move on his part, for he
rolled into a nest of the still more dreaded
ground bees, or bhowras. Instantly the air
was filled with their angry buzzing, and Burt’s
rairth changed to a yell of agony as they settled
on him, 3

“Run, sahibs, run!’ cried Kolahala, dash-
ing forward and dropping a blankét over the
luckless lad, then picking him up and dashing
away for the the open grounds as soon as possl-
ble.

All fled at top speed, but the winged demons
followed and overtook the swiftest, giving them
many a hot reminder before they were beaten
off.

A ludicrous spectacle they presented, when
the enemy was finally beaten off. Already
their hands and faces were beginning to swell,
and painful Jumps to start out upon their per-

sons where the poisonous stings had saluted:

them, while the planter was in still worse con-
dition, having received a double dose, none the
less potent from having discarded nearly all of
his wardrobe before Burt awakened the hor-

nets. :

“That's the way we do in good old America!”
ventured Percy, laughingly, but dodging sud-
denly as Burt struck out at him savagely.

“Sahibs wait. a littl—Kolahala git cure
ppey. soon,” said the shikaree, slipping from

is horse and gliding away. 7

“Darn such a country, anyhow!” growled
Burt, gingerly rubbing first one afflicted spot
after the other. ‘It was fun alive, watching
uncle. dance—ha! ha!” and for the moment all
pains were forgotten in the remembiance of
that ludicrous spectacle. :

The planter also joined in the merriment, but
it was in a half-hearted way, and he blushed
like a school-boy as he tried to cover his naked-
ness,

With a grin on his blood-stained countenance
which he vainly strove to conceal, the gwalla
approached, and touching the blanket which
Kolahala had used in attempting to protect his
favorite, he uttered swiftly in his own tongue:

“Give me this, and I will get the sahib’s
clothes,” ‘

I isneedless to say that the colonel gladly
assented, and wrapping himself from head to
foat in the blanket, the cowherd -entered the

| janele, dropping upon his hands and knees when
| he neared the spot where the still excited hor-
nets were buzzing around, cautiously secured
the scattered garments, now and then grunting
in imitation of a hog as he worked, finally re-
treating without receiving a single sting as a
reward for his audacity,

At the same time Kolahala returned, bearing a
uantity of leaves, which he assured the suf-
erers would ¢ffect.a speedy cure, when chewed

to a pulp and placed upon the stings.

For the next half hour, all hands were too
buisily employed for speech, but at the end of
that time, they felt greatly relieved, Kolahala
having told no more than the truth when he
promised them a speedy cure.

Colonel Applebee now told the cowherd where
he would find the body of the rhinoceros, and
with many bows and grateful thanks, the
gwaila mounted his buffalo and rode away.

“Come,” said the planter, mounting his horse
and seating himself gingerly in the saddle.
“ We must be traveling, if we are to reach the
village before sunset.”

‘But the pork, uncle,” put in Burt, with a
grin. ‘‘Sha’n’t we go back after that? reckon
we’ve earned it.”

‘said the colonel, with assumed ferocity. ‘ Si-
lence in theranks—rice on! “ _ t healthy
this time of year, anyhow!”

CHAPTER IX
THE FEAST OF DIANA.

Tux village was reached in the course of time,
and found to be of considerable size, much more
cleanly and healthy-looking than the town of
Bikram Jha, though still filthy enough in the
estimation of the brothers, who were not. yet
habituated to the babits of the lower classes.

All of the party were sore from the effects of
their encounter with the pests of the jungle,
and after paying the head man of the village a
brief visit, and promising to join in the hunt of
the coming day, Colonel Applebee retired to the
hut which bad been hastily erected for their
accommodation on orders received from the
Baboo.

This, not being thoroughly dried, possessed a
smell which was anything but’ agreeable, and
awakened the curicsity of the young rancheros,
The result of their investigations, added to those
explanations by the planter, resulted thus:

Those of the, Nepaulese settled in British ter-
ritory are known by the native name of Par-
buttecas, while those across the border, where
our friends now found themselves, are known as
Fahareeas, a native te1m, meaning mountain or
bill men, derived from pahar, a mountain,

The conical,~thatched but cecupied by the
hunters, was of the national pattern. row
of bamboo stakes were planted firmly in the
ground, in ‘circular form. Rice-straw was
twisted into ropes, then woven in and out
around the circle of posts, pounded down close-
ly until the desired hight was obtaiued. The
structure was then lifted upcn a raised plat-
form, the corner posts of which stood on glazed
earthern pots, inverted to guard against an in-
road of rats, mice and other vermin, The
walls were then plastered inside and out with a

 

 

“ Another word, and I'll send you after it!”

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

  

The Tiger Hunters.

 

23

 

mixture of mud, chopped straw and cow-dung,
when a thatched roof was clapped on top and
the building was done,

Another application of bruised leaves was
made to their hurts, and the hunters secured a
fair night’s rest, awaking with the coming of
day refreshed and ready for their part of that
day’s ceremonies,

The entire village was afoot, eager, excited,
talking, laughing, jesting and playing tricks
among th mselves or closely noting the move-
ments of the honored guests of their lord, Bik-
ram Jha, te fat little Baboo. a

“We will not require the horses to-day,” said
Colonel Applebee, as the young hunters fill d
their ammunition belts. ‘Our stations will
not. be far from the village, as,the beatersedo
most of the work, and drive the game to our
stand.”

Kolahala had not, been idle, and having
learned where the best prospect for sport lay,
he led the way through the dense jungie, clear-
ing a path for those who followed with a kock-
ree, the national weapon of the Hill-men. This
was a long, heavy, broad blade, carved some-,
thing like a cimeter, but-with a thick back;
lending force to a downward blow. Striking
right and left; with a peculiar twist to the
weapon that cast the severed brush and vines
aside even as it severed them, Kolahala cleared

the way as fast as the rest cared to walk, and,

was not long in reaching the point where it had
been decided the hunters were to take their sta-
tions. | ~
This was well into the edge of the sal jungle,
‘and an hour earlier a large number of cvolies
had stolen on in advance to spread out and form
the beating party to drive the game toward
this spot, where such as escaped the guns,
would have to run the gantlet of the nets be-
ond. These were quite a quarter of a mile in
ength, when fully extended, fastened to stakes
and tree-trunks, while the net-men, armed with
clubs and every conceivable weapon save fire-
arms, lay in hiding at the wings and behind the
nets, ready to leap up and slaughter the terrified
athesls when they became entangled in the
nets.
Several hundred yards ahead of these nets,
the hunters selected ‘stations, covering as much
ground as possible, though taking care to keep
within supporting distance of each other, should
such aii become necessary. : ’
Kolabala kept with his favorite, Burt, and as
after-events proved, most providentially.
For some time after securing their positions,
all was silence in the gloomy forest depths,

and Burt gave a short sigh of relief as a troop {

of monkeys came swinging their way arene’

_ the overlapping tree-tops, playing their pranks
with many a grin and chatter, acting in such a
ridiculous manner that the fun-loving lad was
unable to smother a hearty laugh.

This sound attracted the attention of the |
slyly

monkeys, und for some minutes thy

watched them, peering around from the tree-
trunks and larger limbs, but gradually their
suspicions were lullefl, and their latent mis-
chievousness displayed itself. One of the lead-

ers, not satisfied with grinning and chatterin
at the intruders, broke off a decayed limb, and —

 

hurled it at Burt, with such precision that only
a brisk ducking of the head saved the lad from
an ugly rap. As though this was a signal for
hostilities, every monkey ae and flung
something, if only a handful of leaves, chatter-
ing angrily the while.

“Come, now!” growled Burt, as he bumped
his head against the trunk of the tree behing
which he had taken his station, in dodging a
missile, ‘‘That’s too much sugar for a cent!
You ain’t going to have all the fun—”

He was raising his rifle, when the hand of
Kolahala fell upon his arm, and he looked up to
see the stern expression.on the old shikaree’s
face which spoke plainer than words.

“‘Mebbe they’re your brothers, but they ain’t
mine,” said the young ranchero, doggedly.
“Make ’em move on, then, or Vil salivate a
thousand or two, snre as shooting!”

Fortunately, perhaps, at that moment the
sounds of the line of beaters came down the
wind, and taking the alarm, the monkeys disap-
peared like magic.

“Look out, sahib!” muttered Kolahala, his
black eyes glittering like coals of fire when
fanned by a breeze. ‘‘ Dey come now—plenty
shoot—make big heap o’ meat!”

“T can’t hear nothing, nor I don’t believe

‘ou do—hello! there’s something—the mate to
ance’s spotted cat, by all that’s holy!”

Kolahala uttered a warning cry, but too late,
Burt had caught sight of a leopard stealing
silently along through the forest, coming
straigut for their stand, and fearing to lose a
cbance on such rare game, he raised his rifle
and fired, quick as thought.

With a snarling yell, the hard hit leopard
bounded forward, straight at the young ranch-
ero, who, in his excitement bad ited to his
feet. The distance was so short, the movements
of-the leopard so swift, that Burt was unable to
cock and bring his rifle to bear, but with a wild
yell, Kolahala sprung between him and the in-
furiated creature, receiving it with a savage
stroke of his kookree, the keen blade striking
fairly across its throat, nearly severing the
head from the body. Yet, so impetuous was
the leap of the seunet es that the shikaree went
down before its charge, while the ugly. fangs

 

fastened upon his left arm, which he had flung
out to protect his throat,

| Quick as a flash Burt. dropped ‘his rifle, and
drawing his bunting-knife, grasped the beast by
_ the back of its neck, driving the keen blade to
| the hilt in its side, repeating the stroke with
eres swiftness, that let out the little remnant
of life, ;

Kolahala rolled the carcass over and strove te
regain his feet; but even in death the savage
creature retained its grip, the teeth being fast
locked, and it was only when the muscles of the
massive jaws were severed that his arm could
| be released. es

The wound was an ugly one, and Kolahala
was urged to permit some of the net-men to car-
ry him back to the village; but, though his
dark eyes grew soft as he listened, he laughingly
refused, only asking that a fold of his turban be
bound tightly under the injured member to
check the flow of blood.

“T won't forget it soon, old fellow,” whispered

ce

  
  

24

The Tiger Hunters.

 

 

Burt, his blue eyes winking fast to keep down
the moisture he was ashemed to have seen,
“Only for you I would be in heaven, or some
less pleasant seaport, by this time, Dll lay itup
against you, be sure of that!”

“Tt was nothing,” softly said the shikaree, a
strangely soft light in his eyes as they dwelt
upon the open countenance of the lad who bad
taken his heart by storm. ‘‘Kolahala would
lay down his life at any time to save the young

* sabib from a scratch. al” he exclaimed, hiss-
ingly. ‘They come—back, sahibs! Shoot—
killj—plenty sport now f?

Nearer came the line of beaters, steadily con-
tracting their lines, hooting, yelling, beating
gongs and old kettles, anything to make a
hideous racket and keep the terrified game
straight for the ambush.

Back to their stations dashed the marksmen,
none too soon, ;

First came a troop of monkeys, hopping and
shambling along on all-fours; but, as they are
deemed sacred, Kolahala rose up, and, waving
his arms, frightened them off to one side, be-
yond the line of nets,

Then came other game in swift succession,
and the rifles began to merrily speak. Deer,
pigs, foxes and jackals; peafowls, floricans and
jungle-cocks, with countless other birds and
animals, until: the magazine rifles. and double-
barrel breech-loaders grew hot with rapid firing,

Nor were the men at the nets idle, As the |
terrified game became entangled in the meshes,
they rushed forth from cover and plied their
clubs and other weapons with frantic fury, un-
til the scene became one of simple butchery,

Only for a few moments this lasted, but it was
long enough to pile up sufficient game to fur-
nish the entire village with a feast, and when
the natives began to gather up their nets-to
choose another location for a drive, the colonel
shook his head gravely.

‘** Let them go alone, boys. This is enough to
make me feel like a cold-blooded assassin for a
month tocome! It is all well enough for once
in a way, since you came out here to see the
customs of the country, but butchery is not

rt,

If the youngsters did not fully coincide with
this opinion they were too wise to say so, and
back to the village the little party made their
way, where Kolahala was kindly forced tohave
his wounds washed and dressed, then to lie down
and remain quiet, to ward off the fever which
might otherwise follow.

The colonel, as they sat in their cool hut, gave
an interesting account of the national feast,
whick he called the Sirwah Purrul, or annual
feast of huntsmen,

It was given in honor of the Hindoo goddess
of the chase, Chumpa Buttre, and every male
isin duty: bound to go. bunting and bring in |
some meat, whether of fin, fur or feather, even |
if they have to beg or steal it.

 

|
|B
Tn conclusion, he gave Burt some good advice |

on the subject of leopard shooting. |
‘Never fire at one when it is coming head-on, |

even when the chances are a hundred to one in

favor of your killing it in its tracks. That bun-

dredth chance may be the very first one te

ep up, and the result be the losing of your
ue, ;

‘*But those are the chances we all must take
when we go out after big game,” argued Burt,

“Not when you can avoid it, my boy,” was
the sober response. ‘It is not cowardice, but
simple common-sense, to take all reasonable
precautions, Let the leopard or tiger, if you
are hunting“afoot, pass by you, or at least get
opposite, before pulling trigger. Then, if only
wounded, he is almost sure to blindly charge
straight ahead, and thus give you g chance to
put in a second shot, Of the two, I would
rather meet the attack of a wounded tiger than
of aleopard. He is smaller, but far more cour-
ye and twice as dangerous at close quar-

ers”). ©

Much more was said, but a lack of space for-
bids a repetition here. Nor need much be said
of the feast which took place that night, since it
was but a repetition of the one at the village
over which Bikram Jha presided, but a little
less dignified from the outset, and, consequent-
ly, even more noisy and boisterous.

A very little time satisfied the youngsters,
and though there seemed slight prospect for
sleep that night, they soon retreated to their
hut, to pass away the hours as best they might,
But the night was not to pass without its excit-
ing adventure, and this feast, like the one pre-
ceding it, was fated to be summarily broken up
by an outsider.

It was near midnight that the drowsy lads
were startled by a frightful uproar ouiside, and
snatching up their rifles, they rushed forth, to
witness a strange sight.

In the midst of the blazing firesa huge ani-
mal was rolling with muffled, choking growls
and howls, kicking the brands and glowing em-
bers in every direction, while, with yells of
terror the natives were seeking safety in flight.

“A tiger,” cried the planter, who had laid
aside his weapons, as the youngsters came up.
“Shoot him—”

His words were drowned by a volley, and
with one spasmodic bound, the tiger fell in a
heap, dead.

An inspection revealed the cause of his strange
actions, and explained why he had not injured
any of the assembly.

The large knee-bone of a bullock was wedged
fast in its throat, and the helpless brute was
choking to death when, blind in its agony, it
rushed into the circle and fell into the fire,

““T never knew of.a case like it before,” said
the planter, as they returned to their hut,
“though I have seen even larger bones taken
from the stomach of a tiger when opened,”

“Do you know,” said Burt, slowly and so-
berly, ‘‘I am almost sorry we killed the poor
critter, instead of sending for a-doctor and hay-
ing the bone pulled out.” ;

“What do you mean?” asked the colonel, in

urprise.

“That he bu’sted up that p’izen row, and now
we can take a snooze in peace and quietness,”
laughed the rogue.

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

ae

The Tiger Hunters. 25

CHAPTER X.
ARISTOCRAT AND PLEBEIAN.

For severe] days nothing of particular mo-
ment occurred.to the young tiger-bunters. They
made the P: kareea village their base of opera-
tions for the present, as an abundant supply of

found within a reasonabl distance, and at the
same timeColonel Applebee could make arrange-
ments about his supply of indigo seed, the main
steck of which came from this region or district.

There were idle spells between these intervals
of work, for ardent sportsmen though our young
friends were, even they were fain to acknowl-
edge that hunting in the jungles is work, and
ae of the most exhausting and trying descrip-
ion,

Then they would roam idly through the
wilderness, noting and admiring the beautiful

parrots, which were to be found in great’

variety, from the common green one, to the
gorgeous putsocgee, most brilliant of all featber-
ed creation. Other birds and fow]s were there,
equally worthy notice, and watching these, with
the animals which inhabit the morung, they
passed many an enjoyable if lazy hour.

Near the middle of one day their siesta was
broken by an unusual commotion in the village,
and while they were lazily wondering what was
in the wind, Kolahala peered into their hut, bis
eyes sparkiing as he saw that they were awake.

“ Khubber, sabibs—big khubber!” he ex-
claimed, rubbing his hands together, the long,
sinewy fingers twining in and out with a shake-
like suppleness, a token that he was thoroughly
aroused, and his bunter-spirit fully awakened.

“News of what?/yawned Lance, still drowsy.

Tersely enough the old a gave them
the desired information. One of the villagers,
of the gwalla or cowherd cast, while watching
over a small herd of cattle as they fed in the
sal junele, that day, had been leaped upon and
badly mauled by a tiger. Doubtless believin

him dead, the tiger killed a fat bullock an
carried it away, leaving the luckless cowherd
to make his way to the village as best he
could. According to his story, there was never
seen a larger tiger than this one, anid he be-
lieved it to be a fresh arrival, since there was
no record of such a monster having ever been
seen in that district before.

“To be divided into two parts, and one of
them swallowed with an equal quantity of
salt,” muttered Burt, doubtingly.

Keen-eared Kolahala caught the words, and
hastily retreating from the but, soon returned
with the cowherd himself, covered with blood
and dirt, scarcely able to stand.

“Det sabibs look!” cried Kolahala, hardly
waiting for the poor fellow to make his respect-
ful salaam before he whirled him around and
touched the scored back with the tip of his
fingers. ‘‘ Dar track of ole bagh. He no cub
dat scratch so wide. Plenty big tosleep alone!”

Directly between the broad shoulders of the
cowherd the attacking tiger had planted _ its
foot, sinking the long, curved claws deep into
the flesh, then withdrawing them without tear-
ing, jast as we have all seen a cat do with a

“captive mouse,
he boys no longer doubted. Such clear

‘chance.

 

proof could not be laughed at. The largest
tiger they had as yet killed, was but little more
than a cub compared with the owner of that
monstrous paw.

“Tm going to take that old fellow into camp,

| Geri 1” eri y ; ‘ +
game, both large and small, was always to be | if it costs a leg!” cried Burt, nodding his head

until it seemed as though it must fly off bis
neck, ‘That will be worth talking about
when we get back home. He’s my meat, sure!”

“¥" one of us don’t get in the first shot,”
laughed Lance. :

“Or be stops long enough in these parts,”
added Percy. ‘If a stran-er here, he ma
be just passing through, and this khubber be a
the information we’ll ever have of him,”

“Git ole bagh sure,” persisted Kolahala, nod-
ding his head in confident affirmation. “He
stop to eat, den sleep, den eat rest all up, "fore

*he go off. Kolahala find where he leave meat,

If dar, Kolahala scare off little way, while dem
make good mychau for sahibs, an’ den we git
him, sure!”

Colonel Applebee came in at this juncture,
and when he examined the traces left by the’
tiger on the person of the cowherd, in addition
to bearing his story, he was to the full as eager
as Kolahala or any of the youngsters, to bring
the monster to bag.

Acting on information given by the gwalla,
Kolohala went out to track the tiger to bis
present lair, while the sportsmen overhauled
their weapons and sorted out their ammuni-

tion. :

“What did Kolahala mean by saying that
the natives could build us a mychau ?” asked
Burt, curiously, of the planter.

“That means a station inga tree-top, high
enough to be beyond reach of a tiger's leap,
where the shooters can lie in wait near a kill, «
to watch for the game to come along for an-
other feed, Idon’t favor them much, for they
are more suited to teather-bed sportsmen than
honest workmen; but if the notion is correct
that this fellow is a stranger in these parts, and
only. passing through, it may be our only
To- morrow he may be miles away,
and we could not organize for a regular beat be-
fore that time.” i

Kolahala returned about the middle of the
afternoon, the bearer of glad tidings, as the
first glimpse of bis face told his employers. He
had found the remnant of the bullock killed b:
the tiger, and fancied that a patch of jungle _
not far distant contained the marauder.
eareful scout confirmed this opinion, and confi-
dent that the tiger would not abandon the
ground until it had finished the bullock, he has-
tened back to report, so that the my-hau could
be constructed before the cool shades of even-
io the tiger to activity and suspicion.

nough scarcely probable, after the hearty
meal which it had so recently eaten, it was
ee possible that the tiger might make aw
attack on the natives while at work, and so th?
sportsmen went out with their rifles to guar
against this. «

There is never a lack of trees in what i¢
known as a sal jungle, and Colonel Applebee
had no difficulty in selecting favorable locations
for two mychaus, each of which was nob more
than twenty-five yards from where the half-

 

 
 

26

The Tiger Hunters.

 

 

eaten carcass of the bullock lay, in a little | warning snort which caused the other pigs to
patch of grass, tolerably well beaten-down by | ceasé eating and crowd around with uneasy

the tiger, and where the full moon promised | grunts and whines.

to cast a flood of light as soon as night set in,
In these trees stout and comfortable plat-

|

“The tiger is coming now!”
Even as the words were spoken, the bushes
parted to permit the passage of a long, lithe

forms of limbs were constructed, with a railing , form which shot through them without a sound
on all sides, to guard against any of the occu- | or rustle, landing fairly in the midst of the pigs,
pants falling overboard through a careless , and scattering them with a double stroke, right
move, or in the excitement attendant upon the and left of its terrible paws,

|

tiger-shooting.
Furnished with blankets, to serve as a screen

Even in that instant Burt felt strong disap-
pointment.

zrom the cold dews, as well as a mask to hide! ‘‘That can’t be our game—it’s too small by

them from the eyes of the tiger, should he

choose to take a suspicion of their presence into |

his head before showing himself, provided with

rifles and an abundance of ammunition, the :

four whites quietly left the village as the sun

sunk low, leaving strict orders behind that not |

a soul was to follow them before their firearms
were heard, and were soon ensconced in their
ambushes.

The colonel chose Burt to bear bim company,

|

and just before parting from the others he whis- |

pered:

“‘Remember, not a shot is to be fired save at
a tiger, and not even that until I give you the
word. We must make sure work of it at the
outset, or the old fellow will break away and
foil our hopes after all.”

It was tiresome waiting, even with the pros-

ect so favorable for big game to reward them
in the end. Hour after hour crept by, and
scarce a sound broke the oppressive stillness.
The moon moved along until the grass-patch
in which the remains of the bullock lay was
lighted up with almost the distinctness of noon-
day. If the tiger would only come now—ha!

A crackling sound from the ¢loom beyond the
moonlight—a snapping of twigs, rustling of
leaves—and the young hunters catch their
breaths, grasping their weapons more tightly as
they strain their eyes to catch the first glimpse
of the royal game—but not so the veteran
oe after the first swift leaping of his

ood,

“Too much noise for a tiger,” he muttered in
the ear of his nephew. ‘‘ See—only a sounder of

igs.
e Into the bright moonlight came a huge old
gray-tusker, followed by a core or more others,
the majority of them being small pigs, with an
old sow or two,

“Too bad!” growled Burt, as the patriarch of
the sounder came toa halt, loudly sniffing the
air. ‘Tbey’ve smelt us, and they’ll raise such
a row that the old tiger will be scart off, sure as
shooting!”

“Not so—it’s the meat they smell—see!” as
the boar walked straight to where the carcass
Jay, and with a satisfied grunt plunged its long
muzzle into the open stomach, rending and
grinding at the flesh and bones, while the pigs,
squeafing and fighting among themselves,
crowded around the carcass.

“That noise will bring the old fellow out of
his lair, unless he has already left it and stolen
away,” said Colone’ Applebee, in a tone of sat-
isfaction. ‘‘ Look!” he added, as the boar sud-
denly planted its fore-legs on the carcass, with
fend uplifted, tushes champing, bristles erect,
as it stared off into the forest, then uttered a

 

half, or else those claw-marks lied like thunder!”

His comrades made the same discovery at the
same instant. Instead of a giant of its kind,
this tiger was a cemparatively small one,
Surely it could not be the one they were after.

For a moment there was a terrible uproar
below among the pigs. Two of their number
had been slain outright, and the tiger was lying
upon a third, a tough old sow, which was strug:
gling to free itself, squealing terrifically the
while. ‘

As the tiger broke cover, the big gray tusker
retreated in haste, but now, greatly to the
amazement of the lads, it gave vent to a fierce
whoof, and lowering its head, charged the tiger
most savagely. :

Taken by surprise, the tiger could only half
arise to meet the assault, The blow which it
delivered was partly eluded, then the long tusks
of the boar were buried in its sidé, the shock |
being so heavy that both aristucrat and plebeian
rolléd over and over the ground, snarling,
grunting and fighting like veritable demons.

‘¢ Hurrah for the old grunter!” cried Burt, so
excited and carried away by the strange duel,
that he forggf where he was, for the moment.
‘Bet my old boots on the pig, if only for his
pluck! hoop-ee/ the cat’s got enough al-
ready!”

Such indeed apparently was the case. Be-
coming separated as they rolled over and over,
the tiger was first to reguin his feet, and was
slinking away as though satisfied, when the
grim a tusker uttered a fierce challenge and
charged,

The tiger eluded the headlong rush by leaping
to one side, then whirled and pounced upon its
enemy, bringing it to the ground with a power~
ful stroke, but the pig was not yet conquered.
By some means it caught the fore paw of the
tiger in its mouth, and the hunters heard the
bones crack between its powerful jaws_as the
tigér uttered a shrill scream of agony. With a
desperate effort it tore itself loose avd tried to
flee, but the boar plunged forward, and once
more they closed in a death-grapple, where the
tiger had all the advantage.

ut the gray-tusker had already done its work
thoroughly.

With entrails dragging on the ground, with
its sleek hide terribly gashed and tore, the tiger
died even as he fought; and then the victor with
difficulty rose-to its feet, legs wide-spread to sup-
port its failing form. One busky whoof of tri-
umph—one more savage stroke at the stiiped
carcass, then the gallant gray-tusker sunk down

ead,
Almost immediately the survivors of the
sounder came into the moonlight, grunting and

,

 

 

 

 

 

 
The Tiger Hunters.

 

_ squealing as they sniffed about the carcasses,

_ but their grief was not lasting, and five minutes
later they were once more fighting over the
bloody carcass of the bullock.

“Tm afraid we've missed our game for to-
night, if not altogether,” said Colonel Applebee,
after waiting for a few minutes longer, “If the
old tiger had not left the patch of jungle to

which Kolahala tracked bim, he would have

put in an appearance ere this, aroused by the

racket.”
“Well, we can get even with those grunting |
’

rascals anyhow, and the meat won’t spoil,” said
Burt, laughingly. /
The planter called out to Lance and Percy,
bidding them select their mark, and then the
rifles opened a rapid fusilade,
Not until over two-thirds of their number

- were killed did the pigs discover from whence

- came the storm of death, and flee into the jun-
gle, almost running over a crowd of coolies
: — were rushing to the spot, feeling sure of a
east. i
_. The skin of the tiger was too badly cut up by
_ the sharp tusks of the boar to be worth saving,
and followed by the Se Kolahala, who
seemed to blame himsel
all bad counted success certain, the little party
returned to the village, where they were soon
buried in slumber. The disappointment did not
spoil their rest, at any rate.

CHAPTER XI.
; : THE WITCH-DOCTOR.

“Burt, you rascal, what have you done with
‘my shells?” | ‘ Si A
“Percy, you villain, where have you stowed

_ away my hollow-points?? 4

‘“‘ And my belt, Lance? Not a shell left—”

“ Boys, you blessed little angels, which one of
_ you got up hungry in the night, and ate up all

of my cartridges?” ‘
Almost simultaneously these queries burst
from the colonel and his young relatives, as they
stoped around in the dim, gray light of dawn
which came through the open door of their hut,

eS on the morning following their night-watch for ~

the big tiger. Their shell belts were not where

_ they bad left them on retiring, and each one |

suspected some other of playing-a clumsy prac-
tical joke, but as each one realized what the
others ae ates ceased in their sear: nig and
stared blankly around, thoroughly puzzled.

Some one must have stolen them,” at length
declared Colonel AppleLee. ‘‘ But how, and for
what purpose?” Cir rts

Burt and Lance interchanged swift glances,

the
- eer Drawing near the door, they drew their
revolvers, and closely inspected them, —
_ _“ They're all right, any way,” said Burt, witha
- short laugh, ‘‘Reckon we can make it lively
_ for the
of their tricks on travelers—*
He stopped short as the planter burst into a
earty laugh, but there was a dogged look in
‘is eyes as Colonel Applehee spoke, which told
that he was far from satisfied,
“Not that, my lad, I cannot imagine wh
were stolen, but I would pledge my heag

for the failure Where |

me suspicion appearing in the eyes of |

vizen heathen, if they try tocome any’

1 ;
‘that it was for no such reason as you boys sus-

ct. ;

““Mebbe not—and then again, mebbe yes/
You can’t ’most always sometimes gen’rally tell,
with these sorghum-colored heathen, The shells
are gone, and the cat didn’t eat ’em up, nor they
didn’t take legs of themselves, neither.”

“T admit the theft, but not the inference,”
said the planter, quietly, ‘It is very provok-
* ing, occurring just now, when any delay may
| lose us that big tiger, but unless Iam greatly
mistaken, we will get our property back again,
in good condition, and the fashion in which that
is done, may be some compensation for your
losing your hunt this morning.” ;
** All the same, I’m going to keep all-two-both
o’ my eyes peeled, and the band will play a
right smart jig if the imps try to come any of —
their skin-games on this chicken—now you hear
me talk!” muttered Burt, with a defiant nod of

his curly head, as the planter left the hut, —

Before the breaking of day, Kolabala had
left the village for the spot where the two
mychaus were built, to learn, what had become
of the big tiger, and the ealbel and the boys
were to follow after him, as soon as it got light
enough for comfortable traveling through the
jungle. While waiting for the native who
served them as codk when Kolahala was other-
wise occupied, to prepare their breakfast, the
tiger-hunters set about wiping out their rifles,

‘and getting a fresh supply of ammunition in —
readiness, It was then that they made the ~
disagreeable discovery, that not only had their
belts been emptied of cartridges, but the re-
serve supply in tin-eases, had mysteriously van-
ished during the night. E

Burt and Lancs, like all'who have had much
to do with our own Indians, were naturally in-

clined to logk on all copper-colored beings as
treacherous and evil-minded.

Colonel es better acquainted with the
Indians, held a different opinion, He knew
that the natives had been deeply impressed
with the terrible effects of the explosive shells
, and express bullets, begging such cases as were
| injured in firing too much to bear reloading,
and treasuring them as all-potent talismen.
He believed that some ono ofthe villagers had
stolen the ammunition, hoping to keep it hidden
‘until the rightful owners departed, when he
could use it in his own gun, thereby gaining a
reputation as a mighty hunter.

A few minutes after his leaving, the but, a
mighty uproar broke the morning stillness, and
the boys, pistols in hand, rushed forth, believ- .
ing that their relative had been attacked by the |

| treacherous Nepaulese. Instead, they bebeld-
the planter approrching, with a smile upon his
handsome countenance, __

“Save your powder for better game, boys,”
he laughed, but with a glowing light in his.
eyes that told how thoroughly he appreciated
their devotion, ‘I’ve been to see the witch
| doctor, and he has promised to find the thie.
for us. You heard his gong, just now? That”
was to call out all the villagers. By the time
we have eaten breakfast,
| work,” - fe Ss \ 5
| _ Closely following the planter came cca 4

kK, bearing an ample supply of smoking-h

 

i G00!

 

he will be ready top
  

 

28

viands, and until he took his departure, the
oung tiger hunters held their peace, Then
urt spoke;

“A witch-doctor, you said? Sort of hoodoo
business?”

“Something like the voudou doctors of your
native land, yes. Every village has one or
more of them, and though, of ccaurse, their as- |
sumption of more than mortal powers, is a
fraud of the first water, they often deceive
themselves in the course of time, and are impli- |
vitly believed in by their less favored fellows. |

““You think, then, that he will get back our
ammunition?’ asked Lance, doubtingly. -|

“Unless it was stolen by some one belonging |
to another village. Or, if by a native here, the
thief may have taken the alarm and _ made his
escape. That would be proof of his guilt, though |
it would be but little satisfaction to us.”

When the tiger-hunters left their but, it was
to find the entire population of the village}
gathered in and around the cleared space which
was used in their feasts and. other ceremonies,
awaiting their coming,

In the center stood the Ojah, or witch doctor, |

The Tiger Hunters.

  

 

which bore traces of former splendor in the -
way.of embroidery, but. which was now sadly
worn and soiled. This he spread smoothly on
the ground, then arranged a number of articles
upon it, each in a particular. position, after
mumbling over them some uncouth words
which none of the whites could exactly catch.

Among these articles were an unripe plan-
tain, a littla horn cup of ghee, some rice, the
tooth of a rhinoceros, the thigh-bone of a tiger,
with several rudely carved idols in miniature,
Kneeling upon the edge of the carpet, the Ojab
shifted these articles from one embroidered
figure to another all the while muttering bis in-
cantations and making strange motions with his
gaunt fingers,

So long was this continued, that Burt grew
tired, and was turning his head to conceal a
lazy yawn, when he beheld a sight that drew a
ery of wonder from his lips.

‘Look! somebody coming—if it ain’t that fat
little cuss, the Baboon, ’m a nigger!”

The keen-eyed lad was right. Bikram Jha,
mounted on his favorite elephant, was just en-
tering the village, a broad smile on his fat coun-

with all the curious implements of his still more | tenance as he recognized the colonel and bis
curious calling, a tall, lean, sour-looking indi- | young companions. But this swiftly changed
vidual, whom the youngsters did not remember , as he noted the Ojah, and learned from the
having ever seen before, | cringing putwarry how deeply interested in the

» On noting their approach, the head man of |
he village, who was accountable for his actions |
nly to the Zemindar, Bikram Jha, advanced |

end led them to seats reserved for them, |
He seemed deeply mortified by the occur- |

rence, bowing and scraping and muttering his

apologies until honest Burt was thoroughly dis- |,

usted, and muttered to Percy in an under- |

Me:

“ Blest if [ don’t believe he stole °em himself!
He looks more like a thief than any of the rest,
anyway.”

Short, fat and oleaginous was Majoor Singh
the putwarry, chief and most important of all
the Kayasth or caste of writers, Accountable
only to the Zemindar, serving him in collecting
all rents and tributes justly or unjustly due, the |
writer is suspected by his master of cheating
him, is hated by the ryots whom he grinds into
the dust, and who deem it their bounden duty
to evade paying his demands when possible,
lying, forging receipts, suborning false evidence
that bis dues have been liquidated, it is not to |
be wondered at that the putwarry becomes an |
adept in all sorts of rascality the more especi-
wy when one point is considered.

ike every other caste in India, that of put-
warry, or village accountant, is hereditary,
descending from father to son, as long as there
is a male member of the. family to carry it on.
Should this fail, some other of the same caste is
elected to the office by his fellows, and as the
office changes hands, so do the secrets of the
trade, for good or evil, until the putwarry is,
whether rightfully or not, looked upon by all
outside of his own caste as a rascal second in
cunning only to his patron, the devil.

When the tiger-hunters were seated, the
Ojah, after respectfully saluting them, waved
his bony hands as though commanding absolute
silence: Instantly all was still as death.

The Ojab bowed his head over a square cloth -

 

case were his honored guests.

Slipping tothe ground, without waiting for
his elephant to kneel, or his attendant to lower”
the silken ladder which he usually used, he took
up his position beside the planter and bade the
witch-doctor proceed,

‘An insult offered to my guests is a double
insult to me, and it shall be wiped out, even if I

| have to flog every man, woman and child in the
| village with my own hand!” he declared, his

usually sleepy, good bumored countenance light-
ed up with a fierce indignation.

The Ojah wasted but little more time in his
incantations after this, but first making sure‘
that not a soul was missing from the commu-
nity, he produced a bag of rice, and passing
around the circle, gave each member a small
quantity, each one holding it exposed in his
hand until the rest were served.

The Ojah was about giving the signal, when
the Baboo abruptly checked him, saying:

“There are still three whom you have for-
gotten to serve,” touching his own breast, then
pointing to the putwarry and finally to the
witch-doctor himself. ‘There must be no
chance neglected. Do your duty.”

“Us too,” put in the irreverent Burt, holding
out his hand. ‘‘ Mebbe some of us got up in our
sleep and swallowed the shells. Anyway, we
want a show too.”

Without the ghost of a smile the Ojah served
them all, then made a signal, throwing back his
head and dropping the dry grains into his
his mouth, : é

The lads hesitated, not knowing just what ~

they were expected to do, but the colonel hasti

ly whispered:
“Chew away on the rice as the rest are do
ing. If your grist comes out dry you'll catch it!”
t was a ludicrous sight to see the entire party

munching away at the hard grains, each pair of
jaws working as though for a wager, every

 

 

 

 
 

Rabie ne ye ag

 

rie gtd

 

 

 

 

 

&

The Tiger Hunters, (

29

 

face, save those of the mirth-convulsed boys,
grave and even anxious, 3 |

Then the witch-doctor made another signal, |
at the same time spitting into-his hand the rice
which he had chewed toa pulp, Like automa- |
tons moved by the same string, the others fol- |
lowed suit, with one exception. The putwarry
Opened his mouth with the rest, but only a dry
powder fell therefrom, and a yell of angry sur-

rise burst from the langs of Bikram Jha as he
leaped forward and caught the rascal by the
throat,

“Tt is you, then, dog and son of a dog! that
has put this shame upon met Ab—ha/ I wiil |
tear your vile heart out!”

I. seemed as though he would put his fierce |
threat into execution, then and there, only Col-
onel Applebee caught him by the arm and
forced him to release bis gasping victim.

‘Peace, my dear friend,” he said gravely.
“There may be some mistake—there must_be!
“Surely be would not steal our property! What
inducement could he have?”

See!” and the Baboo pointed to the dry
po vder which still clung to the lips of the pué-
warry, ‘The Chowl Chipao hasspoken, and it
never lies! He is the thiet!”

Ridiculous as it may appear, this ordeal,
called Chowl Chipao, rarely fails when at-
tempted. The superstitious native is frightened
by the strange incantations of the Ojah, and
though he hopes against bope, chewing his rice
furiously, the salivary glands refuse to work,
and he is betrayed by his own fears. More en-
lightened though he was, the pulwarry was
awed by the presence of his superior, and the re-
sult was as stated.

Terror-stricken, he made full confession. He
stole the shells and express cartridges, feeling
confident that be would not be suspected, thanks
to his high position, and not anticipating the
visit of Bikram Jha, he bade the witch-doctor
use bis arts to discover the thief. He had no
idea of undergoing the ordeal himself, though
there is little doubt but what he could bave
done so without betraying his guilt only for the
presence of the Zemindar.

When all tests should fail in discovering the
thief, he would keep the stolen property until
the rightful owners took their departure, and
the deed was forgotten, when he would turn a
pretty penny for himself by selling the shells to
ambitious vative hunters.

From fierce rage, Bikram Jha calmed down
to a stern calmpiess that was even more danger-
ous, and when Majoor Singh had made full con-
fession, he turned from the trembling, cringing
wretch, and bade his attendants bring forward
his elephant. /

“Whatdo you mean to do?” demanded Col-
onel Applebes, as he grasped the Baboo’s arm,

“ He has stolen—and from my honored guests.
He must: be punished as such a black crime de-
serves,” said the Zemindar, sternly, ‘* He shall
be trampled to death—” 3

**Punish him, if you like, but not that way,”
said the planter, with equal decision, ‘It
would be a brutal murder, and I will not stand
by asa witness, Order your elephant back, or
he will come tohis death, And even worse may

 

follow.”

Quick as thought the three lads ranged them:
selves alongside the planter, with hands on their
revolvers. The Baboo rightly interpreted the
action, and gravely bowed his head.

“Your wish isa command. The dogshall have
his life, but be must not wholly escape punish-
ment.” 4

“That is as you say,” and. the colonel pressed
the hand of the Baboo, with a frank smile, ** No
doubt the fellow deserves all you can give him,
but in my opinion be would suffer more if you
dealt out a sentence that would cover him with
ridicule, and degrade bim in the eyes of those
over whom he has lorded it so long.”

As the planter spoke, a smile gradurlly over-
spread the broad countenance of the Baboo, and
knowing that his point was gained, Colonel Ap-
plebee fell back.

A few minutes later, the Baboo visited them
at the hut, accompanied by an attendant bear-
ing the stolen goods, which the wretched put-
warry bad restored intact.

Kolahala had not yet returned, and knowing
that they could do nothing until he came to re-
port, the tiger-hunters made no further move,

The Baboo explained his unexpected appear-
ance, He had recovered from the injuries in-
flicted by the tiger on the night of the feast,
and started long before day to rejoin his guests,
to. invite their participation in a grand hunt
which several of the Zemindars had projected,
and which was to extend over a period of two
weeks,

While he was speaking, the lads, Burt in par-
ticular, moved where they were out of the
Baboo’s sight, and vigorously expressed their
disapproval of the project inpantomime. They
had had their fill of bunting on elephauts, for
the time being, at least.

A still better excuse had the planter for de-
clining the proffered honor. e had already
spent as much time as he could well afford to
spare from his business, and as soon as they could
bringthe big tiger to bag, they must return home.

The Baboo seemed greatly disappointed, but
accepted the situation gracefully, and then, with
a twinkle of fun in his little oblique eyes, invited
them to take a little stroll in his company.

Readily divining his object, the tiger-hun-
ters accompanied him, and on reaching (he spot
where the witch-doctor had performed his in-
cautations, they halted with a burst of laughter
which none of them could control.

The suggestion made by the planter had beer
put into execution, and there was the por ly
putwarry, suffering a punishment far worse
than death, in his own estimation,

A rough knot of wood had been placed at the
foot of the lone tree which stood in the coater
of the clearing, and the putwarry, stripped to
the bff, was forced to plant his bare head upon
this, then elevate his feet until they’ were sup-
ported against the tree trunk. ver him,-as
guard, stood a sinewy cowherd, armed with a
whip of rhinoceros-hide.

As the degraded pee saw the tizer-
hunters, and heard their merry. laughter at his
ridiculous plight, he uttered a cursing howl of
shame and rage, at the same time dropping his
feet to the ground, as though abot to fas,
But swift as light the whip of the gwulla came

 

 
   

30

The Tiger Hunters.

{nto play, bringing the blood with each touch of |

the horn-like cracker, and with, his howl of rage
changed.to a yell of pain, the pufwarry nimbly

resumed his former position, closing his eyes ,

aud grinding his teeth savagely.

|
The planter suggested that the poor devil had

suffered enough, but on this point t1e Baboo

wag not to be moved, and the luckless wretch |

was left in his uncomfortable position when the
tiger-hunters retired to hear the report of Kola-
hala.

This was far from being satisfactory. He had
‘tracked the tiger from the jungle, several miles
aed in a direct line, only to lose the spoor at
last.
that district for good, though the shikaree had
mot yet given up all hopes of finding him, having
‘only returned lest his employers Buon. grow
‘anxious at his prolonged stay. f

CHAPTER XII.
AN AQUATIC ENCOUNTER.

“Wri, you fellows may see a heap o’ funin
tthis sort o’ thing, but a mighty little of it goes
a powerful long way with me,” said Burt Apple-
bee, on the day after the exposure of the thiev-
Ang putwarry, giving a lazy yawn as he spoke,

Kolahala was still absent, trying to track
down the big tiger, and not caring to enter into
anything that would take them out of the way
of speedy communication, in case the veteran
shikaree should return with good news, Colonel
Applebee and the boys, tired of staying at the
village, resolved to pass the day in fishing, visit-
ing a broad bend in the neighboring stream for
that purpose. j

A couple of flat-bottomed boats ‘were fur-
nished by the natives, and with a mullah, or
fisberman, in charge of eath, for the hot sun and
sultry atmo phere made anything like labor all
but agreeable to the whites,

The boats were anchored some distance apart,
though still within speaking distance, the plant-
er and Lance in one, while Burt and Percy oc-
cupied the other.

he fish were biting freely, and. to one who
Ane the sport there was plenty of amusement
n it,

For a while éven Burt, who was no fisherman,
felt no little interest in the curious creatures
which were hauled in rapid succession from the
~water, many of them being wholly unlike any
of the finny tribe of his own country. In some
‘he could trace a resemblance—the bhowarry
weminded bim @f the ravenous pees the rayho,
or Indian-salmon, with its small, round, flexible
mouth, has its prototype in our sucker, or
Quffalo-fish; while the pachygutchea, with. its
swift yet stealthy darting upon its prey, as well
as its long, well-armed jaws, recalled the gar of
western waters,

Yet this very resemblance which he saw—or
fancied he saw—still more strongly recalléd the
distant home which was daily growing more
dear to his memory, and for the time being
Burtis Applebee was a very homesick lad.

Then it was that he flung down his rod, with-
out taking the trouble to unbook his last fish,
and uttered the words recorded above.

Little attention was paid to him by the others,
The sport possessed stronger attractions for

 

To all appearance, the animal had left |

|

 

eS iain

them, and they continued to pull in the rapidly
biting fish, until a loud ery from the lad start-
led them.

“‘ Holy Moses! look yonder—what a cat!”

From the high, bush-fringed bank of the
river, an enormous animal leaped into the
water, and even through the shower of spray,
the fishermen could distinguish the peculiar
markings of a tiger, and could see that it was
swimming rapidly toward the boat occupied by
Burt and Percy,

Like most of the feline race, the tiger has no
particular passion for the water, though itis a
rapid and powerful swimmer whenever neces-
sity compels; but for one to take such a head-
long plunge and press on direct in the face of
an enemy of whom they are ordinarily quite
willing to fight shy, as now, argued one of two
things—the tiger was either hard pressed by
suarae, or else was savagely bent on running
amok, ‘ 7

Colonel Applebee at once realized this, and
uttered a warning shout, but the boys did not
appear to hear him,

“ Hurray for some fun!” shouted Burt, whip-
ping forth a revolver, their rifles having been
Jeft at tho village as being more likely to prove
on incumbrance than of any service on such a
short excursion as this. ‘Better sport than
hunting ’em on a two-tailed rat— Here, you
taffy-colored son-of-a-gun! what are you doing?”

The mullah, shaking like a leaf with terror,
had. grasped his paddle and was urging the
boat away from the ugly-looking customer, but
Burt angrily whirled upon him, and in the
struggle which followed, the paddle was
dropped overboard and swept away by the
current beyond reach,

“Try that again, and I'll chaw you up worse
than any cat, old fellow!” cried the lad, releas-
ing the native, and ttirning once more toward
the approaching animal,

His first shots, together with those fired by
Lance and Percy, had some of them taken
effect, but instead of cowing the tiger, his
wounds seemed to but increase his fury, and on
he came, growling, snarling and showing his
teeth, Clearly he meant mischief, and for the
first time Burt began to suspect that perbaps
the old mullah was right in trying to flee, But
it was too late to think of that now, andvas fast
as he could work his weapons, be sent ball after
ball at the rising and falling head of the huge
creature,

The waves caused by the plunge of the tiger
into the river had reached the boat in advance,
and these, with the brief but fierce struggls

which ended in the loss of the paddle, caused,

the boat to rock so much that nearly every bul-
let went astray, while those which struck the
tiger only served to renderit all the more furious,

Colonel Applebee, realizing the deadly peril
which threatened his son and nephew, cut the
anchor of lis boat free,.and bade the mullah
hasten up-stream to the rescue, but, instead of
obeying, the terror-stricken wretch plunged
into the river, diving deep and swimming for
the land,

His cowardice was swiftly rewarded. The
double splash in the water, aroused the s!umbc r-

, ing crocodiles, and almost instantly the surface

 

 

Sees

TOT alia i et Bae 5

    
 

 
   

  
  

The Tiger Hunters. 34

 

of the river was broken by their protruding
snouts. One eee seemed to show them the
situation, and then they darted forward, some

    
  
  
   
   
 
 
   
  
 
  
  
  
  
    
  
 
    
   
  
  
    
 

 

t uttering their deep, ominous. bellowings,
while above all the din arose a single scream—
_ One full of horror and agony—and the fugitive
finng aloft bis arms, then sunk forever,
fyeing the muddy waters red with the life-
blood which spurted from the severed veins, —
The tiger tore itself loose from the crocodiles,

boat occupied by Burt and Percy, throwing its
fore paws over the edge and striving to enter,
seemingly cowed by the wounds it had received
- in the unequal fight, but the boys strongly ob-
jected to this. ;
The weight of the tiger threatened to over-
turn the boat. Already it was dipping water.
On every side-were the crocodiles, their clasb-
i jaws and thrashing tails threatening all
with death, should that catastrophe occur.
_ Thinking only of beating off the tiger, too
_ excited to see that they were only precipitating
the catastrophe which they most desired to
‘avoid, both Burt and Percy pressed forward,
and their pistols being empty, they struck at
‘the monster with tieir knives. —
A furious roar—a fierce struggle—then the
il boat was overturned, cu'sting the young-
rs into the water, almost on top of the tiger,
and in the very midst of the crocodiles, to what
se: med certain death.
The choking cry of a strong man in agony,
none the less bitter from its being mental, then
{Colonel Applebee urged his boat into the midst
of the melee, dropping the paddle and grasping
Percy, who chaneed to be the nearest him,
hile Lance caught Burt by the collar and
strove to drag him into the boat, At that mo-
ment a sharp cry broke from the lad’s lips, and
ie was almost torn from his brother’s grasp as
& crocodile closed its uzly jaws upon one leg,
Even as he uttered that cry, Burt turned his
‘body, and with a steady hand drove his knife
_ to one of the fishy eyes so ‘forcibly that the
in was reached, and the reptile, with a bel-
woof pain, released its hold and floundered

way. 2 ;

The next instant Burt was lifted into the
oat, which was urged toward the shore. The
water was almost running in over the sides, so
eatly overioaded was it, and death still
hreatened the intaates, }

Colonel pares at the earliest ible mo-
ment devoted his attention to Burt, who was

ing rapidly trom a frightful-looking wound

\ the left thigh. Perey was sent to the village
‘or aid, while the planter improvised a tourni-
net, by means of which the hemorrhage was

rarily checked,
nce at the village, the wound was cleansed,

 
  
    
   
   
  
  
 
  

  
  

  

 
 

  

   
 

 

 
 

 
 

lressed. B
: who nodded with a grave smile as

bel Ba

   

e unspoken question:

attacking the tiger, others splashing around the :

severed arteries taken up and tied, the hurt
urt looked inquiringly into tie face .

1

{
'

and by a vigorous dash, gained the side of the :

 

_ very

“ We'll fetch you around all right if you orly
keep quiet and obey orders. And we'll save
that leg for you, too,”

Burt was satisfied, and feeling faint from lost
of blood, he closed his eyes, To all appearance
he was asleep when Kolahala returned from
his scout, and on learning what had bappened
to his favorite, stole in to seehim. Butasa
drop of something bot and wet fell upon his
cheek Burt opened his eyes with a faint smile,
and still fainter voice, as he said:

‘You'd ought to been along, old fellow. We
got your big cat—lots o’ fun, too.
way—we do—in good old America—amen!”

 

“CHAPTER XIII
AMERICA FOREVER.
THERE is little more to add before we draw

the curtain on this passage in the lives of the.

young tiger-hunters,

After events fully justified the prediction
of Colonel Applebee that Burt would recover
from his wounds, thovgh it was many a long
and wearisome cay before that fact could be
said to be accomplished. .

For a couple of weeks Burt languished in that:
dreary little village; then the plauter yielded to:

| bis solicitations, and, swung in a litter, the |
wounded lad was borne by easy stages back to-

the indigo-factory, Once there he steadily im-:
ees and in another mouth was able to bob--
le about the premises, taking no little interest:

‘in the working of the property, though he still.

bad occasional attacks of homesickness andi
eee for far-away America.

Many a long and serious talk he he!d with his:
uncle, who put the case fairly before him,
though each interview but served to convince:
the planter of the wanity of the hopes he had in--
dulged in. Neither Burt nor Lance could ever>
feel contented to settle down as indigo-manu—
facturers. But these long talks were not with
out good results, Fonder than ever the planter”
grew of his young rel tives, and when the yee)
of probation was at an end he made them a pro-

posal:

‘‘Hold your final decision in reserve for yt‘:
another year. Percy and I will go back t
America with you, and take our turn, ‘

“Tf you are sti
the year, and feel that a cannot leave Ameyvi.
ca for India, then—well, I'll make no rash prom--'
ises. But it may be—may be, Il say—that we
will sell out bere and settle down to learn you”
trade instead of your learning ours /”

His further speech was checked by fovr lusty:

arms which became entangled about his neck :
but then, as soon as their transports subsided a

little, Burt said, laughingly: i
“ And then we’ll show you how we do things
in good old Colorado.” +
And the boy reader may rest assured that the
young jungle hunters kept their word to the
letter, : hae
é / THE END,

That’s the .

inthe same mind at theend of —

 

 

 
 
 
      
       
      
         
    
       
       
   
    
      
 
        
      
      
 
 
    
 

 

        
  
   
       
       
        
      
       
       
 
      
 
      
     
      
    
        
 
      
 
 
       
    
      
 
   

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&xtracts from the New York Evening Sun.

TWO REMARKABLE

in only one sense of the word can it be regarded as a
aovel statement when the fact is here recorded that litera-
ture has given many heroes to the world, and perhaps
more than one reader will have to think a moment over
this remark before the subtle delicacy of its genial wit
strikes home,

But it is most essentially a half dime novel statement
that will be news to many when it is added that litera-
ture, if traced from the dimly distant days when Adam
was a mere child down to the present day, would show
but few heroes that in the eyes of boyhood would be
even judged worthy of comparison with the two greatest
heroes known to American literature, or, to promptly re-
veal them, Deadwood Dick and Deadwood Dick, Jr.

* * * The modern heroes of fiction for young America,
who are now as countless as the sands of the sea, and of
whom the Deadwood Dicks are much the most Important
* * * it is but natural that their * * * should bear
away the palm of popularity, and suchas * * * be left
far “ehind in the race, .

«6 can be easily believed, therefore, that the two Dicks
8o firmly engrafted on the tree of popular literature
boys and young men, that their position is assured

* * and that they stand to-day head and shoulders

 

HEROES.
above all rivals in the eyes of the public for which they
have lived, and for which one of them has died,

American boyhood, and that is a tremendous factor in
the land, now knows Deadwood Dick, Jr., a good beal bet-
ter than it knows its catechism, and millions of young
minds absorb the thrilling incidents of his career in his
everlasting warfare against crime and his never-ending
solving of impenetrable mysteries.

Millions of boys follow his stealthy footsteps as he tracks
his vicious victims to their undoing, and then, when the
victims are thoroughly undone, the millions wait hungrily
for the next volume, which on every Wednesday appears
with the certainty of the Wednesday itself, and a new set
of gee hee thrills go thrilling away from Maine to Call-
fornia,

There are the volumes each so crowded with thrills and
heart-tugs that it were madness to hope to do justice to
them collectively and rank injustice to discriminate be
tween them,

To abandon the idea of giving a few extracts causes in:
finite pain, but if once a start were made in that. direc-
tion, it would be eruel to The Evening Sun’s readers to
stop, and it is therefore better not to relate one single
adventure, Suffice it to say that the stories are clean and
well written,

 

DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY.

1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road

2 The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance

8 The. Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures

4 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol

6 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval

6 Death-Face, the Detective

? The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza

8 Oid Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild
Edna, the Girl Brigand

§ Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian

10 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick
in Danger

{1 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to

Death

2 Pens Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood
Bar

48 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team

14 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter

15 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane

16 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo

% ee Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the
Gulch

18 Idy], the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand

19 Photograph Phil: or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance

90 Watch-Eye, the Shadow

81 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double
Cross

98 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief

38 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke
for Liberty

8 Deadwood Dick as Detective

25 Gilt-Kdge Dick

9% Bonanza Bill, the Man-Tracker; or, The Secret Twelve

97 Chip, the Girl Sport

$8 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune

9 Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks

% Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s

Gulch
$1 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base
® Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent

 

33 Tony Fox, the Ferret: or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job
34 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike
35 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party
86 New York Nell. the Koy-Girl Detective
87 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Scamps of the Sierras
388 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo
389 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last
Adventure
40 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road
41 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills Jezebel
42 ‘The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp
43 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues
44 eee Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator’s
ame
45 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Scheme
46 The Jimtown Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorado
47 The Miner Sport; or, Sugar-Coated Sam‘s Claim
48 Dick Drew, the Miner’s Son; or, Apollo Bill, the
Road-Agent
49 Sierra Sam, the Detective ;
50 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Detect
ves
51 eee on Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rough
anch
52 The Girl Sport: or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise
53 Denver Doll’s Device; or, The Detective Queen
54 Denver Doll as Detective
55 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport
56 Denver Doil’s Mine; or, Little Bill’s Big Loss
57 Deadwood Dick Trapped
58 Buck Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy’s
Fortune
59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sport
60 Dumb Dick’s Pard; or, Eliza Jane, the Gold Miner
61 Deadwood Dick’s Mission
62 Spotter Fritz; or, The Store-Detective’s Decoy
63 The Detective Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa
fras City
64 cones Charlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle
ings

 

M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers (James Sullivan, Proprietor),
879 Pearl Street. NEW YORK.