ever have dreamed of skinning a
ten-foot tiger alone, but Mowgli knew better than any one else how an
animal's skin is fitted on, and how it can be taken off. But it was
hard work, and Mowgli slashed and tore and grunted for an hour, while
the wolves lolled out their tongues, or came forward and tugged as he
ordered them. Presently a hand fell on his shoulder, and looking up
he saw Buldeo with the Tower musket. The children had told the
village about the buffalo stampede, and Buldeo went out angrily, only
too anxious to correct Mowgli for not taking better care of the herd.
The wolves dropped out of sight as soon as they saw the man coming.

'What is this folly? said Buldeo, angrily. 'To think that thou canst
skin a tiger! Where did the buffaloes kill him? It is the Lame Tiger,
too, and there is a hundred rupees on his head. Well, well, we will
overlook thy letting the herd run off, and perhaps I will give thee
one of the rupees of the reward when I have taken the skin to
Khanhiwara. He fumbled in his waist-cloth for flint and steel, and
stooped down to singe Shere Khan's whiskers. Most native hunters
always singe a tiger's whiskers to prevent his ghost from haunting
them.

'Hum!' said Mowgli, half to himself as he ripped back the skin of a
forepaw. 'So thou wilt take the hide to Khanhiwara for the reward,
and perhaps give me one rupee? Now it is in my mind that I need the
skin for my own use. Heh! old man, take away that fire!'

'What talk is this to the chief hunter of the village? Thy luck and
the stupidity of thy buffaloes have helped thee to this kill. The
tiger has just fed, or he would have gone twenty miles by this time.
Thou canst not even skin him properly, little beggar brat, and
forsooth I, Buldeo, must be told not to singe his whiskers. Mowgli, I
will not give thee one anna of the reward, but only a very big
beating. Leave the carcass!'

'By the Bull that bought me,' said Mowgli, who was trying to get at
the shoulder, 'must I stay babbling to an old ape all noon? Here,
Akela, this man plagues me.'

Buldeo, who was still stooping over Shere Khan's head, found himself
sprawling on the grass, with a gray wolf standing over him, while
Mowgli went on skinning as though he were alone in all India.

'Ye-es,' he said, between his teeth. 'Thou art altogether right,
Buldeo. Thou wilt never give me one anna of the reward. There is an
old war between this lame tiger and myself--a very old war, and--I
have won.'