.

The flame leapt and fell. The grass had burned out. With frenzied
haste Jim and Buck tore fresh handfuls to feed the fire. Every second
they expected the tigers to rush on them through the darkness. But no
charge came, and once more the red flame ran through the dried grass
and leaped into the air. As it did so, they gave a cry of
astonishment. There crouched the tiger, just as before, save that his
tail no longer swept to and fro. His head was laid low, his paws were
drawn under him just as if he were about to rise in the air and
descend upon them like a living thunderbolt, but he made no movement,
uttered no sound. Suddenly Jim Dent broke the wondering silence.

"By George," said he in a low voice, "what a shot! What a shot! Jack,
that's a dead tiger."

"Do you think so, Jim?" said Jack, joyfully. "Have I killed him?"

"Sure thing," said Buck, "that's a brain shot. He never moved after
the bullet hit him. Now for the others. Where's the lone, lorn widdy
and the poor orphans. Jack, they'll rip holes into you for robbing
them of a kind father."

Buck was still speaking when the tigress returned and rushed up to her
mate. She seemed to suspect something, and she bent over the huge,
prostrate figure and snuffed at it eagerly. Then she gave a
blood-curdling growl and retreated slowly towards the cubs, which came
bounding to her side, whining impatiently.

"Those cubs are very hungry," said Buck.

"Yes," said Jim quietly. "What's her next move? Will she scent danger
and clear off with the young ones, or is she in so great a need of
food for herself and them that she will attack us?"

Suddenly Me Dain began to shout, "Shoot, sahibs, shoot! She is coming!
She is coming!" His experienced eye had told him that the tigress was
about to charge, and another instant showed that he had given no false
alarm. Maddened by the scent of the pack animals, and by the whining
of her famished cubs, the tigress turned short and came at them with
two tremendous leaps! The second carried her full into the light of
the fire, and as she touched the ground, all three rifles cracked, and
three bullets were driven home into her shining, striped body.

Again she rose to her leap, her eyes blazing madly, her mouth opened
to its fullest extent, showing her huge fangs, and the repeaters
crackled as a rapid fire was poured into her in hopes of checking her
rush, for a wounded tigress is the most savage and dangerous beast in
the jungle. The