nett start back and draw one
of his pistols.

"Don't fire!" exclaimed Reginald. "The brute is tame, though I only
captured her this morning. See! I became her surgeon, and she is
grateful for the service I rendered her."

Burnett could scarcely believe his senses, till the secret of her
apparent sudden tameness was disclosed.

At dinner Faithful crouched down at her new master's feet, and
gratefully accepted the small morsels thrown to her; though Burnett
advised that she should have a more substantial meal, or she might take
to helping herself, if pressed by hunger, to a human creature, if not to
some of the tame animals they might meet with on the road. In the
evening Reginald again dressed the tigress's foot, when she exhibited
the same marks of gratitude as before.

Though the tigress was much better the next morning, she was still too
lame to walk, and accordingly Reginald had a large wooden cage made for
her, with a bed in it of dry grass, on which she might repose with
perfect comfort. This cage was slung on the back of an elephant,
counterbalanced by several heavy articles. It was some time, however,
before the sagacious elephant, which knew perfectly well the contents of
the cage, would allow it to be lifted up on its back. Faithful also
felt very uneasy when brought near the elephant; and not till the cage
had been completely covered up, so that the two animals could not see
each other, were the drivers able to secure it.

The journey was resumed; and occasionally stopping to have a day's
sport,--to which Reginald consented more for his friend's sake than his
own,--greatly to his satisfaction, they at length arrived in sight of
the domes and minarets of Allahapoor, the city in the far interior to
which they were bound. They encamped outside, that they might get into
order and present themselves in a becoming manner to the rajah, Meer Ali
Singh, the despotic governor of the province. Captain Burnett put on
his uniform, and all the attendants dressed themselves in their best
costumes.

"I have made up my mind to appear in my seaman's dress," said Reginald;
"from what I have heard of Meer Ali, he is more likely to give me a
favourable reception should I present myself in an unpretending manner
than with all the pomp I could assume. It will also have the effect of
making his favourites less jealous of me, and unsuspicious of my object.
I do not allude so much to the natives as to a European who is