{"product_id":"2940016105994","title":"Tales of Daring and Danger","description":"CONTENTS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e                             Page\u003cbr\u003eBEARS AND DACOITS,              7\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTHE PATERNOSTERS,              37\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA PIPE OF MYSTERY,             71\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWHITE-FACED DICK,              99\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA BRUSH WITH THE CHINESE,     119\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e[Illustration]\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBEARS AND DACOITS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA TALE OF THE GHAUTS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER I.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA merry party were sitting in the verandah of one of the largest and\u003cbr\u003ehandsomest bungalows of Poonah. It belonged to Colonel Hastings, colonel\u003cbr\u003eof a native regiment stationed there, and at present, in virtue of\u003cbr\u003eseniority, commanding a brigade. Tiffin was on, and three or four\u003cbr\u003eofficers and four ladies had taken their seats in the comfortable cane\u003cbr\u003elounging chairs which form the invariable furniture of the verandah of a\u003cbr\u003ewell-ordered bungalow. Permission had been duly asked, and granted by\u003cbr\u003eMrs. Hastings, and the cheroots had just begun to draw, when Miss\u003cbr\u003eHastings, a niece of the colonel, who had only arrived the previous week\u003cbr\u003efrom England, said,--\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Uncle, I am quite disappointed. Mrs. Lyons showed me the bear she has\u003cbr\u003egot tied up in their compound, and it is the most wretched little thing,\u003cbr\u003enot bigger than Rover, papa's retriever, and it's full-grown. I thought\u003cbr\u003ebears were great fierce creatures, and this poor little thing seemed so\u003cbr\u003erestless and unhappy that I thought it quite a shame not to let it go.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eColonel Hastings smiled rather grimly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"And yet, small and insignificant as that bear is, my dear, it is a\u003cbr\u003equestion whether he is not as dangerous an animal to meddle with as a\u003cbr\u003eman-eating tiger.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"What, that wretched little bear, Uncle?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes, that wretched little bear. Any experienced sportsman will tell you\u003cbr\u003ethat hunting those little bears is as dangerous a sport as tiger-hunting\u003cbr\u003eon foot, to say nothing of tiger-hunting from an elephant's back, in\u003cbr\u003ewhich there is scarcely any danger whatever. I can speak feelingly about\u003cbr\u003eit, for my career was pretty nearly brought to an end by a bear, just\u003cbr\u003eafter I entered the army, some thirty years ago, at a spot within a few\u003cbr\u003emiles from here. I have got the scars on my shoulder and arm still.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Oh, do tell me all about it,\" Miss Hastings said; and the request being\u003cbr\u003eseconded by the rest of the party, none of whom, with the exception of\u003cbr\u003eMrs. Hastings, had ever heard the story before--for the colonel was\u003cbr\u003esomewhat chary of relating this special experience--he waited till they\u003cbr\u003ehad all drawn up their chairs as close as possible, and then giving two\u003cbr\u003eor three vigorous puffs at his cheroot, began as follows:--","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47101225042160,"sku":"2940016105994","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940016105994","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}