, for a story. He willingly granted
their request, and at once proceeded to tell them of a narrow escape he
once made, as follows:

"At the time of the occurrence I was staying at a small village called
Yealah, in India, with a young friend in the civil service, who had a
bungalow there. We used to amuse ourselves picking up shells on the
beach in the cool of the evening, and later, sitting out enjoying the
breeze and smoking our cheroots. One evening, however, our conversation
was interrupted by a herd of buffaloes rushing past us at full speed,
which we imputed to their being chased by a tiger. On the following
morning our surmise proved correct, and we learned that a tiger had
carried off a buffalo within two or three hundred yards of where we had
been sitting on the previous evening. My friend, who was a keen
sportsman, resolved to track the tiger; and I accompanied him, with a
number of natives, who took care to keep at a safe distance in the rear.
Following the broad track through the jungle, we soon arrived at the
spot to which the tiger had dragged his prey, and here we found the
mangled remains of the buffalo, but the tiger had betaken himself
elsewhere to enjoy his siesta after gorging himself. We proceeded on
cautiously; but as the jungle got very thick and tangled, my friend
decided it would be imprudent to proceed any further, and we halted. We
brought the butts of our rifles to the ground, and being of a botanical
turn, I stooped to pick up a flower. At that moment a tremendous roar
echoed through the forest, and seemed to stun me. I staggered a little,
as if from a blow; but recovering myself, grasped my rifle, for I
immediately guessed it was the tiger. My friend, with an exclamation,
'What an escape!' dashed away to the right, and I was about to follow, I
knew not exactly whither, when he made his appearance, to my intense
satisfaction.

"His first exclamation was, 'The brute has got away. Just like my luck.'
And then he added, 'What a lucky escape you had!'

"'What do you mean?' said I.

"'Why, don't you know that, as you stooped down to pick the flower, that
tiger sprang at you, and missed you by a few inches?'

"I confess a cold sweat broke out over me, and I inwardly thanked the
Almighty for my providential escape.

"As my story is rather a short one, I will tell you another of a lucky
escape I witnessed; though first I should mention that soon after this
affair my friend paid with his life f