It had a way of
wagging its tail that made you feel uncomfortable like, to the sole of
yer boots; and after looking at me for some time, the baste opened its
mouth, and gave a roar that shook the whole establishment. It's a
baste safer to let alone than to meddle with."
"But we shall be up on the top of an elephant. We shall be safe enough
there, you know."
"Maybe, yer honor," Tim said doubtfully; "but I mind me that, when I
was a boy, me and my brother Peter was throwing sods at an old tomcat
of my mother's, who had stolen our dinners, and it ran up a wall ten
feet high. Well, yer honor, the tiger is as big as a hundred tomcats,
and by the same token he ought to be able to run up a wall--"
"A thousand feet high, Tim? He can't do that. Indeed, I question
whether he could run up much higher than a cat.
"We are to start this evening, and shall be there by midnight. The
elephants have gone on ahead."
At sunset the party started. It consisted of Ramajee Punt, one of his
favourite officers, and a score of soldiers. An officer had already
gone on, to enlist the services of the men of two or three villages as
beaters. A small but comfortable tent had been erected for the party,
and supper prepared.
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