ation of the strange
fact they had observed.

They were about thinking of wrapping themselves up in their blankets,
and retiring to rest, when an incident occurred that kept them awake for
another hour or two.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

THE SAMBUR STAG.

"See!" cried Caspar, who was more sharp-eyed than Karl.

"Look! look yonder! two lights, I declare!"

"Indeed, yes," replied Karl; "I see them--bright round lights! What can
they be?"

"An animal!" answered Caspar; "I can affirm that much. Some wild beast,
I fancy!"

They regarded the strange object with some uneasiness, for they knew
they were in the haunts of dangerous wild beasts.

"Maybe a tiger?" suggested Karl.

"Or a panther?" added his brother.

"I hope neither one nor the other," said Karl.

He was interrupted by Ossaroo, who had now observed the shining spots,
and who with a single word reassured the whole party.

"Samboo," said the shikarree.

Both knew that Ossaroo meant by "Samboo," the great deer or stag known
to Europeans as the sambur deer. It was the eyes of a deer, then,
glancing back the blaze of the oak fagots, that had alarmed them.

Their fears were suddenly changed to feelings of joy. They had a double
motive for being pleased at the sight. To shoot and bring down the deer
would be such excellent sport; besides, a fresh venison steak was a
delicacy which both could appreciate.

All of them, Ossaroo included, were too well accustomed to the habits of
hunters to act rashly. Any sudden movement among them might frighten
the game; and if it bounded off into the forest, or even turned its
head, it could no longer be seen in the pitchy darkness that surrounded
them. The shining eyes were all of it that were visible; and if the
creature had but chosen to _shut its eyes_ it might have stood there
till the morning light, without the least chance of being aimed at.

The animal, however, was too full of its own curiosity to adopt this
precaution. Instead, it remained where it had been first observed--its
great round orbs uncovered to their full extent and gleaming in the
light like a pair of "bull's-eyes."

Caspar in a whisper cautioned the others to remain silent and not to
move hand or finger. He, himself, gradually dropped his arm, until he
was able to grasp his large double-barrelled gun; and then, raising the
piece slowly to a level, took aim and fired. He very prudently did not
aim for the centre spot between the eyes. Had