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Off to the Wilds, a fiction by George Manville Fenn |
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Chapter 23. An Interference With Washing, And The Result |
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_ CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. AN INTERFERENCE WITH WASHING, AND THE RESULT. "Oh," cried Jack, "we both missed, and he has drawn the poor thing in." "I don't believe I missed," said Dick. "No: look, Jack!" For at that moment they saw a movement amongst the undergrowth behind where the antelope had been kneeling; and the poor beast, with bleeding nostrils and starting eyes, staggered down to the water's edge, drank with avidity, and then bounded back as another or the same crocodile half leaped out of the water to catch it. But the antelope, weak and exhausted though it was, escaped, and bounded away into the dense reeds, while Jack as he coolly reloaded his rifle-barrel said,-- "Nice place this, Dicky. Let's take our clothes off and have a bathe." "Ugh!" shuddered Dick. "The monsters!" "What have you shot, boys?" said Mr Rogers, hurrying up. "I was afraid it was an accident, the two rifles went off like one." They told him, and being eager to see if there was any trace of the crocodile, they went round the shores of the little lake to the other side of the point, for the river wound so that the incident took place on their own bank; but for a few minutes they could see nothing but muddy water. "I'm afraid you did not kill him, boys," said Mr Rogers. "But we frightened him off," cried Jack; "and that's something." "Chicory find him; look!" cried the boy, pointing where he stood. They went to his side, and there sure enough, with its light underparts showing, lay a great crocodile, its tail moving feebly to and fro, and, most satisfactory sight of all to the boys, a couple of threads of blood rising slowly from the monster's head through the clear water. "Hah!" It was Chicory who shouted, and as he did so he struck back his young masters. For his quick eyes had seen what looked like a dark shadow in the river; and his effort was just in time, for a huge crocodile threw itself half out of the water, disappearing again with a sullen plunge as it missed its prey. "I think that will do for to-day, boys," said Mr Rogers. "Let's get back to the waggon. For my part I feel disposed to spend the rest of our time shooting crocodiles, so as to try and rid the country of a few of the pests." "Only all we could kill would be as nothing, would they, father?" said Dick. "No, they would hardly count," replied Mr Rogers; and they made the best of their way back to the waggon, only too glad of the meal Dinny had ready for them, roast and boiled. Chicory turned a rough kind of somersault as he caught sight of his brother sitting up and doing that which was dear to Chicory's own heart--eating; and as there was a good share of food beside Coffee, the tired brother made no scruple about going to join him and help him eat. It was wonderful what that boy could eat when he was thoroughly hungry. Dinny would stare at him, rub his ears, and screw up his face with a look of disgust, while the very dogs seemed envious of his powers. Rough'un would wait patiently for some time bearing it all apparently as he abided his own time; but when he saw Chicory keep steadily on he began to bark furiously, as if such behaviour were not to be borne. "Shure, Masther Dick, it's my honest belafe," said Dinny, "that if you put down enough mate before them two Sooloo boys they'd kape on aiting till they got to be hungry again." In spite of the heat of the weather, the performances of Dick and Jack upon strong venison essence and roast gazelle were enough to startle any housekeeper of small income and an anxiety about the state of the butcher's bill. But of course the outdoor life and constant exertion produced a tremendous appetite; and as Mr Rogers noted the change in Dick, whose palate had to be tempted only a short time back, he felt thankful to see the difference. Dinny had outdone himself that day in the matter of cookery; and a hearty meal having been eaten, the boys spent half-an-hour with their pets, the leopard being so far particularly docile, and their horses whinnying with satisfaction as soon as they heard their masters' steps. Then there were the cattle to look at, all of which were sleek and well; and lastly, the various specimens to arrange before going to rest. The sun was getting low by this time, and the stillness of the wilds was only broken by the twittering of a little flock of birds in the adjacent trees, when Dinny came running from the river-side-- "Hoi, sor! bring the roifles, an' ye plaze. Here's Pater being swallowed down by one of thim great crocodivils!" "Quick, boys!" cried Mr Rogers; but there was no need to speak, for the rifles had been already seized, and away the little party ran, towards the river. The water was not visible till they were close upon it, on account of the conformation of the land; but when they did come in sight, the scene was so curious that they halted with cocked pieces, gazing down from the rocks at black Peter the driver. Peter being a particularly cleanly man had taken a pair of his linen drawers down to the stream to wash, with Dinny sitting on the edge of the rock smoking his pipe, and looking-on. All had gone well till Peter was beating the garment about in the water for a final rinse, when suddenly the jaws of a huge crocodile were protruded from the surface, not a yard away. As might have been expected, Peter dropped his drawers, and darted back, while the crocodile remained staring at him, and Dinny rushed off shouting for help. They learned afterwards that what they had now seen had been repeated several times. For just as they paused, Peter was creeping cautiously forward towards where his drawers lay upon the sand, stooping with outstretched hand to seize them, when there was the slightest disturbance possible in the water, and the head of a monstrous crocodile appeared. Back darted Peter, and the head of the crocodile sank slowly beneath the water, when, unaware that help was at hand, Peter waited a minute or two, and then once more stole gently and on tiptoe towards his much-coveted garb. This time his hand was almost upon it when out came the crocodile's head, and Peter nimbly darted back, but only to come on again as quietly as possible, apparently quite ignorant of the fact that it was by the eye that the reptile distinguished his coming, and not by ear. Twice more was this watched, when Mr Rogers, feeling alarmed lest the driver should be too venturesome, whispered to his sons to shoot. "No, father," whispered back Dick; "we want to see you shoot this one." Mr Rogers hesitated a moment, and then lying down upon his chest he rested the barrel of his rifle on the edge of the rock where it went perpendicularly down to the little strand, and waited for the next appearance of the dangerous monster. He had not long to wait, for Peter seemed to be determined this time to make sure of his garment, and cautiously stealing forward he had almost touched it, when out came the crocodile's head once more, and as Peter darted back it remained stationary, its hideous eyes watching the black driver, when Mr Rogers' rifle spoke out, and Peter fell upon his back, yelling for help; while the stream, that had quietly rippled over where the crocodile lay, was suddenly beaten by the monster's struggles into a tempest of foam. "Are ye kilt, Pater, ma black bouchal?" cried Dinny piteously, as he leaped down to the aid of his fellow-servant. "Mind the crocodile, Dinny," shouted Dick maliciously. "Oh! murther!" roared Dinny; and he scrambled up the rock again, and sat there panting, as the boys roared with laughter. "Ah, and it's moighty funny, I've no doubt, Masther Dick, sor, but how would you fale yourself if one of the great crocodivils had got hold of ye?" "Very bad, Dinny," said Dick. "There, go and help Peter; he isn't hurt, only frightened." "Thought boss shot me," said Peter, making a rush, and then triumphantly waving his drawers over his head, before withdrawing to a place of safety, where he could watch with the others the dying struggles of the crocodile, which grew weaker and weaker, and then ceased; and the stream flowed calmly on, sweeping away the mud and sand, and revealing the body of the monster, apparently quite dead, at the bottom of the shallow water. Generally speaking these reptiles get away into the depths of the rivers, or into some deep hole beneath the banks, but this one had apparently been hit so badly that it had not had time to get away, and the sight of the monster so excited the boys, that they begged hard to have it dragged out on to the strand. "But it is of no use, and its musky odour will be very offensive," said Mr Rogers. "But we want to see it, father--to measure it, and see how long it is, and how big round." "Very well," said Mr Rogers, "then you shall. Peter, get one of the oxen and a rope, and we'll drag the brute ashore. Dinny, go and ask the General to come." The Zulu chief, and Peter with his ox, arrived at about the same time, when no sooner did the former hear what was wanted than he made a big loop, waded into the water, and slipped the noose over the monster's head. This noose was pulled tight, the rope attached to the yoke of the ox, the word given, and the crocodile drawn not only out of the water on to the strand, but through an opening in the rock and on to the firm ground above. Here the General proceeded to unfasten the rope, Mr Rogers curiously examining the mark made by his bullet just behind the creature's eye, when, to the astonishment of all present, the reptile made a tremendous snap with its awful jaws, and as the General darted aside, the creature began to thrash the air with its tail, sweeping it from side to side, and snapping its jaws as it began to move off towards the edge of the little cliff. Both Dick and Jack stood there paralysed for a few moments, for they had believed the reptile dead; but Dick soon recovered, and as the crocodile was slowly progressing, snapping its jaws menacingly as it went, the boy went close up and fired at its eye. There was a terrible convulsion; then the monster levelled shrubs and herbage in all directions, after which it suddenly seemed to succumb, when getting Peter to help him, the Zulu thrust one of the reptile's legs beneath it, got hold of the other, and the crocodile was hauled over upon its back, and the keen knife of the Zulu cut its head nearly off, and ripped it open from end to end. "He'll never get over this," said Jack. "I dare say this wretch has killed hundreds of innocent creatures in its day, and I'm glad it's done." They were not disturbed by lions that night, but the mosquitoes and sand-flies made up for it, tormenting them so that morning was gladly hailed, and Jack and Dick went off with a measuring tape to get the length and girth of the great reptile as a trophy. "I say eighteen feet long," said Jack decidedly, as they walked along. "Do you remember what father said about the travellers' measurements?" said Dick drily. "No, Jack, he is not eighteen feet long, nor sixteen. I should say fifteen feet." "But I read that they grow to twenty-five and thirty feet long," said Jack. "Perhaps they do," replied Dick, "but our one hadn't time to grow so long, and--hallo!" "Hallo!" said Jack. "Hallo!" said Dick again. "Father must have had it dragged back into the stream, so let's go back. Pah! how busy the vultures have been." They had evidently been gorging themselves upon the crocodile's vitals since daybreak, and a perfect flock of them flew sluggishly away as the boys made sure that the reptile was not where it had been left, and then went back to ask their father about the monster. "No," he said, "I have not had the creature touched. I'll go with you. Here, General." The Zulu strode up, and Chicory followed; and thus strengthened they went back to the place where the crocodile had been left, and the General pointed out the exact spot where it had lain. Then bending down, he pointed with his finger to certain marks leading to the edge of the little cliff, and then showed that it was evident that the crocodile had struggled to the edge, and fallen over some six feet on to the sand and stones below. "But he couldn't have gone down there," cried Dick. "Father shot him dead, and then I did." "Was that you speaking, my boy, or Dinny?" said Mr Rogers, smiling. "Ah, but you know what I mean, father," cried the boy; and then they all looked down on to the strand, but not without keeping a watchful eye upon the water. Here the General showed the impression made by the crocodile in the sand, and also the marks of its claws and tail as it crawled into the river, and then they all stared at each other. "Why, it must have come to life again," said Jack. "No kill some crocodiles," said the Zulu solemnly; and then, after a little more examination of the spot, Mr Rogers turned back towards the camp, Dick and Jack remembering that it was breakfast-time, and feeling quite ready for another hearty meal. "But could the crocodile come to life again, father?" asked Jack. "Certainly not, my boy. It could not have been killed; and horrible as its injuries were, it seems to have had life enough to enable it to crawl back into the river, where probably it now lies dead at the bottom amongst the mud." _ |
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