little active work in the way of war-manoeuvres, as the Prussians call
them. The lazy beggars have got abominably soft since Partab Singh's
death, with nothing to do but exhibit their lovely selves in the
streets, and mutiny for increased pay to settle their tavern-scores.
There's plenty of room here, and good scope, and besides, the sight
will be interesting and cheering for Sher Singh. Let's take 'em in
hand."

"I'm your man. But," with a wry face, "what about the tiger-hunting?"

"Oh, we'll get that in. Sher Singh sent word this afternoon that he
hoped I would show my forgiving disposition by deigning to allow him to
provide me with a little sport, and I had his head shikari here just
before you came. He said that owing to Sher Singh's prowess as a shot
on his visits to his father-in-law, tigers are much rarer round here
than I thought, and wanted me to go a day's journey to find a likely
spot, but I told him he must produce one within a decent distance or be
for ever disgraced. So it's a _bandobast_,[2] and the beast is to be
forthcoming to-morrow or the day after."

The next day was spent in military operations, uncheered by any touch
of sport, but on the second day after Charteris's arrival the shikari
brought news of a tiger not unreasonably remote, and the two Englishmen
stopped work early, and went off on the hunting-elephant, attended by
the wild men from Darwan as beaters, lest they should quarrel with the
Agpuris if they were left together. The tiger was duly killed, to the
intense admiration--almost adoration--of the shikari, who entreated
even with tears that the sahibs would allow him to guide them further,
to the spot already mentioned to Gerrard, where, to judge from his
description, tigers were popping in and out of a particular patch of
jungle like rabbits. Charteris was strongly tempted, and urged that
they could make the journey in the night by pressing the elephant a
little, shoot a few tigers before breakfast, and return during the day,
but Gerrard was firm. He did not intend to allow Sher Singh such an
opportunity for tampering with the troops, innocent as he might seem to
be of any desire to do so. They rode back, therefore, squabbling
amicably as to whose bullet had really given the _coup de grace_, and
discussing whether the skin should be mounted as a rug or merely cured.

Their elephant was descending into the river-bed, and the walls and
towers of Adamkot were dominating in du