bulls; and, though he kept up his angry baying, he appeared altogether
disinclined to venture out again.

Just then, the singular noise was heard outside the door--something
between a shriek and a whistle--and this time with a far more terrifying
effect: since, whatever produced it--bird, beast, or man--was evidently
near, and still approaching nearer.

Of the three individuals within the hut, only one had ever before heard
a sound exactly similar to that. Ossaroo was the one. The old shikaree
recognised the noise the moment it reached his ears, and knew perfectly
well the sort of instrument that must have been producing it; but he was
hindered for a time from proclaiming his knowledge, by surprise, as well
as a strong feeling of terror at hearing such a sound in such a place.

"By de wheels ob Juggernaut car!" he gasped out. "Can't be--can't be;
no possible him be here."

"Who? What?" demanded Karl and Caspar, in a breath.

"See, sahibs! it him--it him!" hurriedly rejoined the Hindoo, in a sort
of shrieking whisper. "We all perish--it him--it him--de god--de
mighty--de terrible--"

There was no light within the hovel, except a faint glimmer from the
moon shining brightly enough outside; but it did not require any light
to tell that the shikaree was frightened pretty nearly out of his
senses. His companions could discover by his voice that he had suddenly
changed position, and was retreating backward to that corner of the hut
furthest from the doorway. At the same time his words reached them in
whispers, cautioning them to lie close and keep silent.

Both, without knowing what the danger was, of course obeyed injunctions
thus emphatically delivered; and remained sitting up on their couches
without uttering a word. Ossaroo, after having delivered his cautioning
speeches, kept equally silent.

Once more the strange sound fell upon their ears--this time as if the
instrument that produced it had been thrust into the doorway of the
hovel. At the same instant the turf outside, hitherto glistening under
a bright moonlight, became darkened by the shadow of an enormous
creature--as if the queen of night had suddenly disappeared behind the
blackest of clouds! Still the light could be seen beyond, and the moon
was shining. It was no cloud that had obscured her; but some vast body
moving over the earth, and which, having come up to the front of the
hovel, was there halting.

Karl and Caspar fancied they could