last volley carried the day. Each fired into the open
mouth, and each hit his mark. The bullets, travelling at terrific
speed, cut their way through flesh, sinew, brain, and bone, and almost
tore the head of the tigress to pieces. She dropped across the fire
and lay there without moving, her coat singeing in the embers.

"Whew!" Jim blew out a long breath. "I thought she was in among us
that time. And if she had been, we should have known about it. There's
a fore-arm for you." As he spoke, he touched the short, thick leg
where the muscle bulged in huge rolls under the loose skin.

"And look at her claws," said Jack, bending with much interest to
examine the dreadful creature now lying so still. "A stroke of those
would mean mischief."

"I saw a tiger once rush out of cover and give a beater a stroke in
passing," said Jim. "I remember I thought the brute had only patted
the man. I wasn't fifty yards away, and I'm perfectly sure the beast
didn't put any particular force into the blow. But the man dropped,
and when we ran up to him, we found five of his ribs torn clean out of
his body. He died from loss of blood almost at once."

Buck twisted a bunch of dried reeds into a rude torch and lighted it.
"Let's have a look at the boss," he said, and they crossed to the
great tiger, still crouching as if about to spring. There was no mark
of injury on him save a small patch of blood between his eyes.

"That's where you hit him, Jack," said Buck. He bent down and felt
among the fur. "I can feel the hole in the skull," he said, "but those
Mannlicher bullets are so small, there's scarcely anything to be
seen."

"That bullet took him through the brain and then went down the spine,"
said Jim. "Must have done, to have settled him so completely. You see
he never moved after he was hit."

Jack took the torch from Buck's hand and looked proudly over the
magnificent proportions of his first tiger. The gleaming, satiny skin,
the bright bars of black and yellow, showed that the animal was in
splendid condition, and at the height of his powers.

"Isn't he a splendid fellow?" murmured Jack. "I should just about like
to have his skin."

"Sahibs," came a voice behind them, "let us go. Perhaps the Kachins
hear the guns."

"The dacoits!" cried Jack. "Upon my word, I'd forgotten all about
them! By Jove, it's a matter of saving our own skins without worrying
about the tiger's. We'd better be on the move."

"I'd clean forgotten 'em mys