Hunter,
who had been a keen sportsman, although he had of late given up
the pursuit of large game, arranged for a number of bullock carts
for the transport of tents and stores.
Bathurst himself declined to be one of the party, which was to
consist of Mr. Hunter and his eldest daughter, the Major and Isobel,
the Doctor, the two subalterns, and Captain Forster. Captain Doolan
said frankly that he was no shot, and more likely to hit one of
the party than the tiger. Captain Rintoul at first accepted, but
his wife shed such floods of tears at the idea of his leaving her
and going into danger, that for the sake of peace he agreed to
remain at home.
Wilson and Richards were greatly excited over the prospect, and
talked of nothing else; they were burning to wipe out the disgrace
of having missed on the previous occasion. Each of them interviewed
the Doctor privately, and implored him to put them in a position
where they were likely to have the first shot. Both used the same
arguments, namely, that the Doctor had killed so many tigers that
one more or less could make no difference to him, and if they
missed, which they modestly admitted was possible, he could still
bring the animal down.
As the Doctor was always in a good temper when there was a prospect
of sport, he promised each of them to do all that he could for them,
at the same time pointing out that it was always quite a lottery
which way the tiger might break out.
Isobel was less excited than she would have thought possible over the
prospect of taking part in a tiger hunt.
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