*XVIII*
*WATCHING A RUNWAY*
"I'll tell you what, fellows," said Hal. "I know where we _can_ get atiger."
"We'll get one in the neck if we don't watch out," replied George.
Ken thought that Hal looked very frank and earnest, and honest andeager, but there was never any telling about him.
"Where?" he asked, skeptically.
"Down along the river. You know I've been setting traps all along.There's a flat sand-bar for a good piece down. I came to a little gullyfull of big tracks, big as my two hands. And fresh!"
"Honest Injun, kid?" queried Ken.
"Hope to die if I'm lyin'," replied Hal. "I want to see somebody kill atiger. Now let's go down there in the boat and wait for one to come todrink. There's a big log with driftwood lodged on it. We can hidebehind that."
"Great idea, Hal," said Ken. "We'd be pretty safe in the boat. I wantto say that tigers have sort of got on my nerves. I ought to go over inthe jungle to look for the one I crippled. He's dead by now. But thelonger I put it off the harder it is to go. I'll back out yet....Come, we'll have an early dinner. Then to watch for Hal's tiger."
The sun had just set, and the hot breeze began to swirl up the riverwhen Ken slid the boat into the water. He was pleased to find that itdid not leak.
"We'll take only two guns," said Ken, "my .351 and the hammerless, withsome ball-cartridges. We want to be quiet to-night, and if you fellowstake your guns you'll be pegging at ducks and things. That won't do."
Pepe sat at the oars with instructions to row easily. George and Haloccupied the stern-seats, and Ken took his place in the bow, with bothguns at hand.
The hot wind roared in the cypresses, and the river whipped up littlewaves with white crests. Long streamers of gray moss waved out over thewater and branches tossed and swayed. The blow did not last for manyminutes. Trees and river once more grew quiet. And suddenly the heatwas gone.
As Pepe rowed on down the river, Cypress Island began to disappear rounda bend, and presently was out of sight. Ducks were already in flight.They flew low over the boat, so low that Ken could almost have reachedthem with the barrel of his gun. The river here widened. It was fullof huge snags. A high, wooded bluff shadowed the western shore. On theleft, towering cypresses, all laced together in dense vine and mosswebs, leaned out.
Under Hal's direction Pepe rowed to a pile of driftwood, and here theboat was moored. The gully mentioned by Hal was some sixty yardsdistant. It opened like the mouth of a cave. Beyond the cypressesthick, intertwining bamboos covered it.
"I wish we'd gone in to see the tracks," said Ken. "But I'll take yourword, Hal."
"Oh, they're there, all right."
"I don't doubt it. Looks great to me! That's a runway, Hal.... Now,boys, get a comfortable seat, and settle down to wait. Don't talk. Justlisten and watch. Remember, soon we'll be out of the jungle, back home.So make hay while the sun shines. Watch and listen! Whoever sees orhears anything first is the best man."
For once the boys were as obedient as lambs. But then, Ken thought, thesurroundings were so beautiful and wild and silent that any boys wouldhave been watchful.
There was absolutely no sound but the intermittent whir of wings. Thewater-fowl flew by in companies--ducks, cranes, herons, snipe, and thegreat Muscovies. Ken never would have tired of that procession. Itpassed all too soon, and then only an occasional water-fowl sweptswiftly by, as if belated.
Slowly the wide river-lane shaded. But it was still daylight, and thebank and the runway were clearly distinguishable. There was amoment--Ken could not tell just how he knew--when the jungle awakened.It was not only the faint hum of insects; it was a sense as if lifestirred with the coming of twilight.
Pepe was the first to earn honors at the listening game. He held up awarning forefinger. Then he pointed under the bluff. Ken saw a doestepping out of a fringe of willows.
"Don't move--don't make a noise," whispered Ken.
The doe shot up long ears and watched the boat. Then a little fawntrotted out and splashed in the water. Both deer drank, then seemed inno hurry to leave the river.
Next moment Hal heard something downstream and George saw somethingup-stream. Pepe again whispered. As for Ken, he saw little dark shapesmoving out of the shadow of the runway. He heard a faint trampling ofhard little hoofs. But if these animals were _javelin_--of which he wassure--they did not come out into the open runway. Ken tried to catchPepe's attention without making a noise; however, Pepe was absorbed inhis side of the river. Ken then forgot he had companions. All alongthe shores were faint splashings and rustlings and crackings.
A loud, trampling roar rose in the runway and seemed to move backwardtoward the jungle, diminishing in violence.
"Pigs running--something scared 'em," said George.
"S-s-s-sh!" whispered Ken.
All the sounds ceased. The jungle seemed to sleep in deep silence.
Ken's eyes were glued to the light patch of sand-bank where it merged inthe dark of the runway. Then Ken heard a sound--what, he could not havetold. But it made his heart beat fast.
There came a few pattering thuds, soft as velvet; and a shadow, palerthan the dark background, moved out of the runway.
With that a huge jaguar loped into the open. He did not look around. Hetook a long, easy bound down to the water and began to lap.
Either Pepe or George jerked so violently as to make the boat lurch.They seemed to be stifling.
"Oh, Ken, don't miss!" whispered Hal.
Ken had the automatic over the log and in line. His teeth were shuttight, and he was cold and steady. He meant not to hurry.
The jaguar was a heavy, squat, muscular figure, not graceful andbeautiful like the one Ken had crippled. Suddenly he raised his headand looked about. He had caught a scent.
It was then that Ken lowered the rifle till the sight covered thebeast--lower yet to his huge paws, then still lower to the edge of thewater. Ken meant to shoot low enough this time. Holding the riflethere, and holding it with all his strength, he pressed the triggeronce--twice. The two shots rang out almost simultaneously. Kenexpected to see this jaguar leap, but the beast crumpled up and sank inhis tracks.
Then the boys yelled, and Ken echoed them. Pepe was wildly excited, andbegan to fumble with the oars.
"Wait! Wait, I tell you!" ordered Ken.
"Oh, Ken, you pegged him!" cried Hal. "He doesn't move. Let's goashore. What did I tell you? It took me to find the tiger."
Ken watched with sharp eyes and held his rifle ready, but the huddledform on the sand never so much as twitched.
"I guess I plugged him," said Ken, with unconscious pride.
Pepe rowed the boat ashore, and when near the sand-bar he reached outwith an oar to touch the jaguar. There was no doubt about his beingdead. The boys leaped ashore and straightened out the beast. He washuge, dirty, spotted, bloody, and fiercely savage even in death. Ken'sbullets had torn through the chest, making fearful wounds. Pepejabbered, and the boys all talked at once. When it came to lifting thejaguar into the boat they had no slight task. The short, thick-set bodywas very heavy. But at last they loaded it in the bow, and Pepe rowedback to the island. It was still a harder task to get the jaguar up thehigh bank. Pepe kindled a fire so they would have plenty of light, andthen they set to work at the skinning.
What with enthusiasm over the stalk, and talk of the success of thetrip, and compliments to Ken's shooting, and care of the skinning, theboys were three hours at the job. Ken, remembering Hiram Bent'steachings, skinned out the great claws himself. They salted the peltand nailed it up on the big cypress.
"You'd never have got one but for me," said Hal. "That's how I pay youfor the tricks you've played me!"
"By George, Hal, it's a noble revenge!" cried Ken, who, in the warmthand glow of happiness of the time, quite believed his brother.
Pepe went to b
ed first. George turned in next. Ken took a last look atthe great pelt stretched on the cypress, and then he sought hisblankets. Hal, however, remained up. Ken heard him pounding stakes inthe ground.
"Hal, what 're you doing?"
"I'm settin' my trot-lines," replied Hal, cheerfully.
"Well, come to bed."
"Keep your shirt on, Ken, old boy. I'll be along presently."
Ken fell asleep. He did not have peaceful slumbers. He had been tooexcited to rest well. He would wake up out of a nightmare, then go tosleep again. He seemed to wake suddenly out of one of these blackspells, and he was conscious of pain. Something tugged at his leg.
"What the dickens!" he said, and raised on his elbow. Hal was asleepbetween George and Pepe, who were snoring.
Just then Ken felt a violent jerk. The blankets flew up at his feet,and his left leg went out across his brother's body. There was astring--a rope--something fast round his ankle, and it was pulling hard.It hurt.
"Jiminy!" shouted Ken, reaching for his foot. But before he could reachit another tug, more violent, pulled his leg straight out. Ken began toslide.
"What on earth?" yelled Ken. "Say! Something's got me!"
The yells and Ken's rude exertions aroused the boys. And they werefrightened. Ken got an arm around Hal and the other around George andheld on for dear life. He was more frightened than they. Pepe leapedup, jabbering, and, tripping, he fell all in a heap.
"Oh! my leg!" howled Ken. "It's being pulled off. Say, I can't bedreaming!"
Most assuredly Ken was wide awake. The moonlight showed his bare legsticking out and round his ankle a heavy trot-line. It was stretchedtight. It ran down over the bank. And out there in the river atremendous fish or a crocodile was surging about, making the water roar.
Pepe was trying to loosen the line or break it. George, who was alwaysstupid when first aroused, probably imagined he was being mauled by ajaguar, for he loudly bellowed. Ken had a strangle-hold on Hal.
"Oh! _Oh_! _Oh-h-h_!" bawled Ken. Not only was he scared out of ayear's growth; he was in terrible pain. Then his cries grewunintelligible. He was being dragged out of the tent. Still he clungdesperately to the howling George and the fighting Hal.
All at once something snapped. The tension relaxed. Ken fell back uponHal.
"Git off me, will you?" shouted Hal. "Are you c-c-cr-azy?"
But Hal's voice had not the usual note when he was angry or impatient.He was laughing so he could not speak naturally.
"Uh-huh!" said Ken, and sat up. "I guess here was where I got it. Ismy leg broken? What came off?"
Pepe was staggering about on the bank, going through strange motions.He had the line in his hands, and at the other end was a monster of someland threshing about in the water. It was moonlight and Ken could seeplainly. Around the ankle that felt broken was a twisted loop oftrot-line. Hal had baited a hook and slipped the end of the trot-lineover Ken's foot. During the night the crocodile or an enormous fish hadtaken the bait. Then Ken had nearly been hauled off the island.
Pepe was doing battle with the hooked thing, whatever it was, and Kenwas about to go to his assistance when again the line broke.
"Great! Hal, you have a nice disposition," exclaimed Ken. "You have awonderful affection for your brother. You care a lot about his legs orhis life. Idiot! Can't you play a safe trick? If I hadn't grabbed youand George, I'd been pulled into the river. Eaten up, maybe! And myankle is sprained. It won't be any good for a week. You are a brightboy!"
And in spite of his laughter Hal began to look ashamed.