“They went straight up the road, then across Farmer Gill’s fields to get to Plashett’s wood, where they thought the tiger ’ud most likely be, and the nearer they got to the wood the slower they walked.  The sun ’ad just gone down and the wood looked very quiet and dark, but John Biggs, the blacksmith, and George Kettle walked in first and the others follered, keeping so close together that Sam Jones ’ad a few words over his shoulder with Bill Chambers about the way ’e was carrying ’is pitchfork.

“Every now and then somebody ’ud say, ’Wot’s that!’ and they’d all stop and crowd together and think the time ’ad come, but it ’adn’t, and then they’d go on agin, trembling, until they’d walked all round the wood without seeing anything but one or two rabbits.  John Biggs and George Kettle wanted for to stay there till it was dark, but the others wouldn’t ’ear of it for fear of frightening their wives, and just as it was getting dark they all come tramp, tramp, back to the ‘Cauliflower’ agin.

“Smith stood ’em ’arf a pint apiece, and they was all outside ’ere fancying theirselves a bit for wot they’d done when we see old man Parsley coming along on two sticks as fast as ’e could come.

“‘Are you brave lads a-looking for the tiger?’ he asks.

“‘Yes,’ ses John Biggs.

“’Then ‘urry up, for the sake of mercy,’ ses old Mr. Parsley, putting ’is ’and on the table and going off into a fit of coughing; ’it’s just gone into Bob Pretty’s cottage.  I was passing and saw it.’

“George Kettle snatches up ’is gun and shouts out to ’is men to come along.  Some of ’em was for ’anging back at first, some because they didn’t like the tiger and some because they didn’t like Bob Pretty, but John Biggs drove ’em in front of ‘im like a flock o’ sheep and then they gave a cheer and ran after George Kettle, full pelt up the road.

“A few wimmen and children was at their doors as they passed, but they took fright and went indoors screaming.  There was a lamp in Bob Pretty’s front room, but the door was closed and the ’ouse was silent as the grave.

“George Kettle and the men with the guns went first, then came the pitchforks, and last of all the scythes.  Just as George Kettle put ’is ’and on the door he ’eard something moving inside, and the next moment the door opened and there stood Bob Pretty.

“‘What the dickens!’ ’e ses, starting back as ’e see the guns and pitchforks pointing at ’im.

“‘’Ave you killed it, Bob?’ ses George Kettle.

“’Killed wot?’ ses Bob Pretty.  ‘Be careful o’ them guns.  Take your fingers off the triggers.’

“’The tiger’s in your ‘ouse, Bob,’ ses George Kettle, in a whisper.  ‘’Ave you on’y just come in?’

“’Look ‘ere,’ ses Bob Pretty.  ‘I don’t want any o’ your games.  You go and play ’em somewhere else.’

“‘It ain’t a game,’ ses John Biggs; ’the tiger’s in your ’ouse and we’re going to kill it.  Now, then, lads.’