He put one foot into the bush.
A great fiery yellow and black head rose cautiously above the level of the green and paused a moment, glaring.

The wretched man, transfixed with terror, stood stock still, expecting death.

Then he moved, as if to throw himself on one side, and at the same instant the tiger made a dash at his naked body, such a dash as a great relentless cat makes at a gold-fish trying to slide away from its grip.

The tiger struck the man a heavy blow on the right shoulder, felling him like a log, and coming down to a standing position over his prey, with one paw on the native's right arm.

Probably the parade of elephants and bright coloured howdahs, and the shouts of the beaters and shikarries, distracted his attention for a moment.