engal tiger; just
prod him up, Hughes, will you!" said Curtis, in an undertone.

The Ensign's rifle leaned against one of the pillars of the verandah.
Those of the other two lay across their knees, and Hughes, giving two or
three pokes with the muzzle of his, between the sleeping lad's ribs,
tried to wake him. Worn out with the heat and watching, the boy
muttered some unintelligible words, and, turning, was again fast asleep
in a moment.

"And you don't mean to go to England?" continued Curtis, speaking in a
guarded tone.

"No, I don't," returned Hughes, in the same low voice. "You and I,
Curtis, are the crack shots of the regiment, and my rifle at least shall
be heard on the plains and by the rivers of South Africa."

"How I wish I could start with you, old fellow," said Curtis, with a
sigh.

"How I wish you could; but it's no use wishing, Curtis. You have had so
much leave of late that you can't ask, and if you did, your application
would not be forwarded."

"No, I suppose not. Colonel Desmond's a good fellow; but I should not
like to ask him. Have you any one you know in South Africa?"

"Yes, I've a relation who has been for many years Government Agent on
the Zulu frontier, and he promises me a fit out, and a letter to Panda,
the King of the Zulus."

"Won't you have splendid elephant hunting, and, may be, join again with
a Kaffir wife."

Hughes laughed. "How that sheep bleats; and hush, Curtis--there's a
skurry among the jackals. Do you hear? Hush!"

Hardly had he spoken when the sharp click of the rifle-locks was heard,
as their owners brought them to full cock, and almost at the same
moment, with a loud growl, a dark, massive form topped the low wall, and
with one blow of his powerful fore-arm the man-eater struck down its
prey. The tiger turned to fly, carrying with it the dead sheep, but the
rope by which it was tied to the stake stopped it. With a low growl of
anger the brute glanced round, as though not understanding the reason of
the check. The starlight streamed over his painted hide, and the
simultaneous reports of the two rifles rang out on the air. Hard hit,
the tiger turned, dashed at the wall, clearing it once more, but as he
did so received the contents of the two remaining barrels of the rifles,
disappearing with a howl of pain and rage.

Harris, worn out by heat he was little accustomed to, had dropped into
that dead sleep which invariably overpowers Europeans not broken to a