"'Well, very likely we sha'n't find them,' I said, 'but we can try
anyhow. Bring that bottle with you; the tiffin basket can wait here till
we come back.' In another five minutes I had begun to climb down the
watercourse--the shekarry following me. I took the double-barrelled
rifle and handed him the shot-gun, having first dropped a bullet down
each barrel over the charge. The ravine was steep, but there were bushes
to hold on by, and although it was hot work and took a good deal longer
than I expected, we at last got down to the place which I had fixed upon
as likely to be the bears' home.

"'Sahib, climb up top,' Rahman said; 'come down through wood; no good
fire at bear when he above.'

"I had heard that before; but I was hot, the sun was pouring down, there
was not a breath of wind, and it looked a long way up to the top of the
wood.

"'Give me the claret. It would take too long to search the wood
regularly. We will sit down here for a bit, and if we can see anything
moving up in the wood, well and good; if not, we will come back again
another day with some beaters and dogs.' So saying, I sat down with my
back against a rock, at a spot where I could look up among the trees for
a long way through a natural vista. I had a drink of claret, and then I
sat and watched till gradually I dropped off to sleep. I don't know how
long I slept, but it was some time, and I woke up with a sudden start.
Rahman, who had, I fancy, been asleep too, also started up.

[Illustration: "MY GUN, RAHMAN," I SHOUTED.]