He had only to wait a moment before the frightened person burst into sight, hatless and coatless, his face as white as a sheet, where he came down the road running for dear life. “What is it?” asked Rob, as he came nearer. “The--the--tig-er! he’s killed the children and eaten ’em up!” “Where are they?” “Down in the clearing back----” That was all Rob could catch, for the terrified wretch had not stopped in his wild flight, but was speeding on toward the village as if a hundred wild tigers were at his heels. Without stopping to think of what the consequence might be to him, Rob bounded toward a clearing off on the right and which entered the woods like a huge wedge driven in from the open country. He had not gone half a dozen rods before a shrill scream in a childish voice reached his ears. He knew then he was going in the right direction. A moment later he saw a sight which fairly froze the blood in his veins. A short distance below him was a little group of children who had been gathering May flowers, while, crouching near them, where it had crept with the cunning and stealthiness peculiar to its race, was a huge tiger! The cry of the frightened boys and girls had suddenly aroused its rage, and lashing the ground with its long tail, the infuriated brute was ready to spring upon its prey. It was a situation where a moment’s time means a life. Unarmed as he was, Little Hickory could not stand idle while others were in such deadly peril. Regardless of what the result might bring him, he picked up a small rock at his feet, and hurled it with all the force he could muster straight toward the springing tiger! CHAPTER XVI. A TUSSLE WITH A TIGER. So well did Rob throw the stone that it struck the crouching tiger upon the back, when the brute uttered a fierce growl, which brought another scream from the frightened children that were clinging to each other a few feet away. Fearing that his first shot had not drawn the attention from its intended victim, Little Hickory poised a second stone, sending it with such precision that it fell between the animal’s ears with a resounding thwack. Another shriek from the surprised tiger rang out, louder and fiercer than the first, when the creature wheeled furiously about to see who this assailant from its rear might be. Rob had picked up another stone, and as the maddened beast faced him, he threw it with all the power he could command. But this time he missed his target, though the tiger gave vent to its rage in another howl of anger, and whipped the ground with its long tail. Rob now realized that his situation was a desperate one. The aroused brute was preparing to attack him, and in a hand-to-hand battle with the terrific animal he must be torn limb from limb.