would have recognised the yellow fern in an instant; butwhen intent on one subject the mind is ready to construe everything asrelating to it, and disallows the plain evidence of the senses. Even"seeing" is hardly "believing."
They reached the hut without anything happening, and as they could notnow wander about the island in the careless way they had hitherto done,and had nothing else to do, they cooked two of the moorhens. The gatein the stockade was locked, and the gun kept constantly at hand. A gooddeal of match was consumed, as it had to be always burning, else theycould not shoot quickly. Soon the sense of confinement became irksome:they could not go outside without arming to the teeth, and to walk upand down so circumscribed a space was monotonous, indeed they could notdo it after such freedom.
"Can't move," said Mark.
"Chained up like dogs."
"I hate it."
"Hate it! I should think so!"
"But we can't go out."
"No."
They had to endure it: they could not even go up to see the time by thedial without one accompanying the other with the gun as guard. It waslate when they had finished dinner, and went up to watch for the signal.On the cliff they felt more secure, as nothing could approach in front,and behind the slope was partly open, still one had always to keep watcheven there. Mark sat facing the slope with the gun: Bevis faced the NewSea with the telescope. The sky had clouded over and there was morewind, in puffs, from the south-east. Charlie soon came, waved thehandkerchief, and went away.
"I wish he was here," said Bevis.
"So do I now," said Mark, "and Val and Cecil--"
"And Ted."
"Yes. But how could we know that there was a panther here?"
"But it serves us right for not asking them," said Bevis. "It wasselfish of us."
"Suppose we go ashore and send Loo to tell Charlie and Val--"
"Last night," said Bevis, interrupting, "why--while I was out in thewilderness and you were in the thicket the thing might have had eitherof us."
"No one watching."
"If one was attacked, no one near to help."
"No."
"But we could both go together, and tell Loo, and get Charlie and Valand Cecil and Ted. If we all had guns now!"
"Five or six of us!"
"Perhaps if we told the people at home, the governor would let me haveone of his: then we could load and shoot quick!"
"And the Jolly Old Moke would let me have his! and if Val could getanother and Ted, we could hunt the island and shoot the creature."
Mark was as eager now for company as he had been before that no oneshould enjoy the island with them.
"We could bring them all off on the raft," said Bevis. "It would carryfour, I think."
"Twice would do it then. Let's tell them! Let's see Loo, and send her!Wouldn't they come as quick as lightning!"
"They would be wild to help to shoot it."
"Just to have the chance."
"Yes; but I say! what stupes we should be!" said Bevis.
"Why? How?"
"After we have had all the danger and trouble, to let them come in andhave the shooting and the hunt and the skin."
"Triumph and spoils!"
"Striped skin."
"Or spotted."
"Or tawny mane--we don't know which. Just think, to let them have it!"
"No," said Mark. "That we won't: we must have it."
"It's _our_ tiger," said Bevis.
"All ours."
"Every bit."
"The claws make things, don't they?" said Mark: he meant the reverse,that things are made of tiger's claws as trophies.
"Yes, and the teeth."
"And the skin--beautiful!"
"Splendid!"
"Rugs."
"Hurrah!"
"We'll have him!"
"Kill him!"
"Yow--wow!"
Pan caught their altered mood and leaped on them, barking joyously.They went down into the stockade and considered if there was anythingthey could do to add to their defences, and at the same time increasethe chances of shooting the tiger.
"Perhaps he won't spring over," said Mark; "suppose we leave the gateopen? else we shan't get a shot at him."
"I want a shot at him while he's on the fence," said Bevis, "balanced onthe top, you know, like Pan sometimes at home." In leaping a fence orgate too high for him they had often laughed at the spaniel swaying onthe edge and not able to get his balance to leap down without fallingheadlong. "I know what we will do," he continued, "we'll put out somemeat to tempt him."
"Bait."
"Hang up the other birds--and my hare--no--shall I? He's such a beauty.Yes, I will. I'll put the hare out too. Hares are game; he's sure tojump over for the hare."
"Drive in a stake half-way," said Mark, meaning half-way between thecage and the stockade. "Let's do it now."
There were several pieces of poles lying about, and the stake was soonup. The birds and the hare were to be strung to it to tempt the beastto leap into the enclosure. The next point was at what part should theyaim? At the head, the shoulders, or where? as the most fatal.
The head was the best, but then in the hurry and excitement they mightmiss it, and he might not turn his shoulder, so they decided thatwhoever was on the watch at the moment should aim at the body of thecreature so as to be certain to plant a bullet in it. If he was oncehit, his rage and desire of revenge would prevent him from going away;he would attack the cage, and while he was venting his rage on the barsthere would be time to load and fire again.
"And put the muzzle close to his head the second time," said Mark.
"Certain to kill then."
They sat down inside the cage and imagined the position the beast wouldbe in when it approached them. Mark was to load the matchlock for thesecond shot in any case, while Bevis sent arrow after arrow into thecreature. Pan was to be tied up with a short cord, else perhaps thetiger or panther would insert a paw and kill him with a single pat.
"But it's so long to wait," said Mark. "He won't come till the middleof the night."
"He's been in the day when we were out," said Bevis. "Suppose we go upon the cliff, leave the gate open, and if he comes shoot down at him?"
"Come on."
They went up on the cliff, just behind the spiked stakes, taking withthem the gun, the axe, and bow and arrows. If the beast entered theenclosure they could get a capital shot down at him, nor could he leapup, he would have to go some distance round to get at them, and meantimethe gun could be reloaded. They waited, nothing entered the stockadebut a robin.
"This is very slow," said Mark.
"Very," said Bevis. "What's the use of waiting? Suppose we go and hunthim up."
"In the wood?"
"Everywhere--sedges and fern--everywhere."
"Hurrah!"
Up they jumped full of delight at the thought of freedom again. It wasso great a relief to move about that they ignored the danger. Anythingwas better than being forced to stay still.
"If he's on the island we'll find him."
"Leave the gate open, that we may run in quick."
"Perhaps he'll go in while we're away, then we can just slip up on thecliff, and fire down--"
"Jolly!"
"Look very sharp."
"Blow the match."
They entered among the trees, following the path which led round theisland. Bevis carried the matchlock, Mark the bow and arrows and axe,and it was arranged that the moment Bevis had fired he was to pass thegun to Mark, and take his bow. While he shot arrows, Mark was to loadand shoot as quick as he could. The axe was to be thrown down on theground, so that either could snatch it up if necessary. All theyregretted was that they had not got proper hunting-knives.
First they went down to the raft moored to the alder bough as usual,then on to the projecting point where Mark once fished; on again towhere the willow-tree lay overthrown in the water, and up to the firsunder which they had reclined. Then they went to
the shore at theuttermost southern extremity and sent Pan into the sedges. He drove outa moorhen, but they did not shoot at it now, not daring to do so lestthe beast should attack them before they could load again.
Coming up the western side of the island, they once thought they sawsomething in the bushes, but found it to be the trunk of a fallen tree.In going inland to Kangaroo Hill they moved more slowly as the wood wasthicker, and intent on the slightest indication, the sudden motion of asquirrel