Dr. Watson and Murray the orderly went camping, somewhere between Mumbai (then Bombay) and Kandahar.
"Why do they call this a 'dome' when the canvas is draped from that single center pole?" Murray asked as he stared at the roof of their two man tent. "Aren't domes round?"
"Who called it a dome?" Watson inquired, as he hadn't heard it described in that way.
"Captain Moran -- you know, the one with that grand moustache."
"Ah. The gambler. Heard he bagged a Bengal today that had attacked a mail runner." Watson sighed. "I suspect that fellow enjoys going out of his way just to shoot things."
"Still sore from Moran picking at your double-barrelled musket, are you?" Murray chuckled. "Why do you even have that thing? You're a doctor."
"My brother insisted I take it. More of a hunting piece than an army one. You'd think Moran would have appreciated that, if he's the sportsman he claims to be."
Murray suddenly sat up and froze, motioning Watson to keep silent.
"What is is?" Watson whispered.
"I hear something," Murray whispered back.
Something pushed against the side of the tent, then again closer to the front flaps. The front tent flaps rustled and a furry feline head came through.
"TIGER!" Watson shouted and grabbed for his double-barrelled musket, swung it toward the intruder, and pulled both triggers. The musket clicked on empty chambers.
"Rowr" chirped the curious tiger cub.
Murray broke into hysterical laughter and Watson found himself laughing along.
"Shoo!" he said and tried to wave the cub off, but the young tiger started swatting back at Watson with his paws. Using his musket's barrels, he pushed the tiger cub out of the tent and tied the flaps up tight, also holding them together until he was sure the cub had moved on.
"We should have brought a guard dog," Watson suggested.
"Only Americans use pup tents," Murray quipped.
"Go to sleep," the doctor ordered.
And so they slept. And at some point in the night, Murray attempted to wake Watson.
"Watson . . . Watson . . . wake up," the orderly spoke quietly.
"What?"
"Look up and tell me what you see."
"If somebody didn't steal our tent, I'm not opening my eyes."
Something snuffled next to Watson's face.
The tiger cub was back.
---------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, I have no idea how to write a joke. And I don't know what happens with that tiger cub now. So I guess this is just random fanfic at this point. Thanks and apologies to all who make it to this sentence.
No comments:
Post a Comment