However they hoped for success. The villagers had been quite carefulof late and the tiger had consequently been obliged to go hungry. Itwas just possible he might return to the kill. So they got permissionfor a mangled body to be left there, and built a machan near it. Atsunset they took up their places and watched.

At first the pair felt cheerful. A brilliant moon illuminatedthe whole country making everything as clear as day. But no tigercame. And later, as the hours dragged on, their cramped position,the nearness of a dead body, the silence and mystery of the evening,all got on their nerves, and they wished they had not attempted sucha task. But to leave now would be dangerous. So they did their bestto encourage each other and waited on.