taken up
his post, when he heard a loud chattering, and looking up, saw that the
trees were alive with monkeys, which were peering down upon him,
wondering what had brought so strange-looking an animal into their
domain. As he did not move, they grew bolder, and began frolicking
about, swinging backwards and forwards, some with both paws, others with
one, turning somersaults, and performing all sorts of strange antics.

"See, sahib! What is that?" said the shikaree wallah in a low voice,
pointing to a sunny spot at no great distance off, where Reginald caught
sight of the huge head of a crocodile, with its jaws open. The creature
was apparently fast asleep, basking in the sun. Reginald raised his
rifle, intending to shoot the saurian, when at that moment there was a
rustling in the bush, and a magnificent young tigress walked out on her
way to drink at the river. The creature had not advanced far when her
eye fell on the crocodile, towards which she stealthily crept, her soft
padded feet making not the slightest noise as they trod the ground.
Reginald was thankful that he had not fired at the crocodile, as it
probably would have brought the tigress upon himself at the very moment
that he was unarmed. He considered whether he should shoot the
magnificent creature, but he was curious to see what she would do with
the crocodile. On she went, till she got within a little distance of
the saurian, when, making a spring, she seized the creature's tongue,
evidently with the intention of dragging it out. The attempt was a
dangerous one. The instant the crocodile felt her paw in its mouth, it
closed its huge jaws, and holding her foot fast, began to crawl towards
the water. So great was the agony she suffered that she was unable to
make any resistance, or to seize the head of the crocodile in her mouth.
While she shrieked with pain, the crocodile slowly drew her on towards
the river, into which, her instinct told her, should the saurian once
dive, her fate would be sealed. In vain the tigress struggled to free
herself, and drag back the crocodile. The monkeys, meantime, seemed to
think the affair great fun; and seeing their two enemies engaged, began
to descend the branches close to the ground; and one of them, more
daring than the rest, actually tried to get hold of the ear of the
tigress. She, however, lifting up her paw, was about to give it a blow
which would have finished its existence, when, nimbly climbing up a