out, you horrible young imaginer of evil. If they did that they
would not be paid for their journey."

"No, uncle, but they'd get the guns and all our things."

"Ned, I'm beginning to think I ought to have left you at home," said Mr
Murray quietly.

"Oh, I say uncle, I couldn't help tumbling overboard."

"No, sir, but you can help putting all kinds of bloodthirsty ideas in my
head. Now go to sleep."

"Well, uncle, if you'll promise not to believe you ought to have left me
at home, I will not think anything like that again."

"Very well, sir. It's a bargain."

There was a long silence, and then, _ping_--_ing_--_ing_--_ing_, came a
sharp, piercing trumpeting.

"Here he is, Ned."

"Who, uncle?"

"The fellow who wants to have our blood."

"Shall I get the guns, uncle?" whispered Ned, in awe-stricken tones.

"Bah! Nonsense! Whoever shot at a mosquito?"

"Mosquito! Oh, I say, what a shame to scare me like that."

The insect came, filled himself full, and flew off replete; but somehow
sleep would not come to either Ned or his uncle, and they were lying hot
and weary longing for the repose, when they both started up, for from
somewhere in the forest beyond the cottages came a deep-toned sound
which can only be rendered by the word pow!

"What's that, uncle?"

"Hist! talk in a whisper. It may be some kind of ape on the prowl; but
I'm afraid--"

"So am I, uncle, horribly."

"Be quiet, sir, and let me finish what I have to say," cried Murray
angrily. "I was going to say I'm afraid it's a tiger."

"Oh, I say, do get down the guns," whispered Ned. "A tiger? And
loose?"

"Loose? Why, you young donkey, do you think this is the zoological
gardens, and the tiger's cage has been left open?"

"I don't know, I'm sure; only it seems very risky to be here like this,
and not even able to shut the door. No--no--no--no, uncle," continued
Ned hastily; "you promised you would not think that you ought to have
left me at home."

At that moment the cry came again louder and nearer, but modified so
that there could be no doubt about the animal that had given vent to the
sound.

The knowledge that a tiger was prowling about somewhere near was enough
to make Murray rise softly, and reach down one of the guns from the
slings, and slip a couple of ball-cartridges into the barrels, and thus
prepared he sat waiting, both having the consolation of knowing that if
the animal attacked them, it could only be by taking