upstanding ears, was marked much in the same way; while his fine
whiskers gave him the appearance of a huge cat, and so in a way he
was, for he belonged to the cat tribe and had all the instincts of the
race.

It was beginning to grow dusk, but Tranta was early to-night. This was
the reason that his eyes had a somewhat peculiar look just then, for
he did not care very much for light. It made the pupils of his eyes
contract from their usual vertical slits into small, round spots, and
when this was the case he could not see very well.

As Tranta stood there, every sense on the alert, there was another
rustle close by, but of this he took no notice. The grass waved as
before, and no human eye would have been able to discover anything but
grass, but in another moment a second striped, tawny body came forth,
somewhat smaller than Tranta, but marked in the same way, and moving
with the same lithe, noiseless steps. This was Tera--Tranta's wife--
and she was one of the fiercest tigresses for miles round.

Not far off, hidden cunningly in the jungle grass, were four fine
cubs, who looked like big, playful kittens. This was the first time
Tera had left them, and she was unusually cautious and careful.

Tranta stopped listening as soon as his wife appeared, and began to
move softly and stealthily off; his furry body scarcely showing
against the jungle grass and making no sound whatever. The truth was
Tranta had an idea that the beaters were out, and he was looking for a
couple of nice _korinda_ [Footnote: The _korinda_ is a bushy shrub
with large, drooping branches, covered with thick leaves. Tigers so
habitually use this bush that hunters invariably look out for it when