The hunters tried to hide the truth because they feared the wrath of the Maharaja. Missing the target could have angered him, as he was obsessed with killing all tigers to fulfill the prophecy of avoiding his death by a tiger. The king’s pride was at stake, and revealing that he had missed the target could make him lose face. They wanted to protect him from embarrassment and possible punishment.
“If I am able, are you?” Sadao asked. “No,” Hana said, “But if you can do it alone...” Sadao hesitated again. “The strange thing is,” he said, “that if the man were whole I could turn him over to the police without difficulty. I care nothing for him. He is my enemy. All Americans are my enemy. And he is only a common fellow. You see how foolish his face is. But since he is wounded...” \hfill (The Enemy)