But no single word about his own predicament--its horror, danger, loneliness, and risk. No single syllable. Even the Hindus, the driver, and the man who carried the guns, were left unmentioned. Bananas were equally ignored. The tiger itself had passed into oblivion. "Thanks most awfully," said Tim, politely, after an interval. "It must have been awful for you." It was said as spokesman for the other listeners. All were kind and grateful, but actual interest there was none. They took the pause to mean that the story was at an end; but they had not cared about it because they--did not believe it. "Simply awful," the boy added, as though, perhaps, he had not made it quite clear that he wished to thank yet could not honestly praise. "Wasn't it, Judy?" And he jerked his head round towards his elder sister. "Oh, _awful_--yes," agreed that lady. But neither of them risked inviting the opinion of Maria. Her uncompromising nature was too well known for that. Nevertheless, unasked, she offered her criticism too: "Awful," she said, her podgy face unmoved, her blue eyes fixed upon the ceiling. And the whole room seemed to give a long, deep sigh. Now, for the hero, this was decidedly an awkward moment; he had done his best and miserably failed. He was no story-teller, and they had found him out. None the less, however, he was a real hero. He faced the situation as a brave man should: For his tale was mediocre, And his face of yellow ochre Took a tinge of saffron sorrow in his fright; Yet he rose to the occasion, Without anger or evasion, And did his best to put the matter right. "Tell me how you knew," he asked at length, facing the situation. "What made you guess?" "Because, in the first place, you're not an atom _like_ a tiger, anyhow," explained Judy. "And you made the jungle so very dark," said Tim, "that you simply couldn't have seen the bananas falling." "And we _know_ you haven't got a tail at all," Maria added, clinchingly. "Of course," he agreed; "your discernment does you credit, very great credit indeed. Few of the officials under me in India had as much." Judy looked soothingly at him and stroked his sleeve. Somehow or other she divined, it seemed, he felt mortified and ashamed. He was a dear old thing, whatever happened. "Never mind," she whispered, "it really doesn't matter. It was very nice to hear about your tiger. Besides--it must hurt awfully, having a cold like this." "I knew," put in Tim sympathetically, "the moment you began about the bananas falling. But I didn't say anything, because I knew it couldn't last--anything that began like that." "But it got wonderful towards the end," insisted Judy. "Till he was in the tree," objected her brother. "He never could really have got along a branch like that." "No," agreed Judy, thoughtfully, "that _was_ rather silly."