Bevis Part 94

"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 anything they could do to add to their defences, and at the same time increase the chances of shooting the tiger.

"Perhaps he won't spring over," said Mark; "suppose we leave the gate open? else we shan't get a shot at him."

"I want a shot at him while he's on the fence," said Bevis, "balanced on the top, you know, like Pan sometimes at home." In leaping a fence or gate too high for him they had often laughed at the spaniel swaying on the edge and not able to get his balance to leap down without falling headlong. "I know what we will do," he continued, "we'll put out some meat 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 to jump over for the hare."

"Drive in a stake half-way," said Mark, meaning half-way between the cage and the stockade. "Let's do it now."

There were several pieces of poles lying about, and the stake was soon up. The birds and the hare were to be strung to it to tempt the beast to leap into the enclosure. The next point was at what part should they aim? At the head, the shoulders, or where? as the most fatal.

The head was the best, but then in the hurry and excitement they might miss it, and he might not turn his shoulder, so they decided that whoever was on the watch at the moment should aim at the body of the creature so as to be certain to plant a bullet in it. If he was once hit, 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 bars there 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 would be in when it approached them. Mark was to load the matchlock for the second shot in any case, while Bevis sent arrow after arrow into the creature. Pan was to be tied up with a short cord, else perhaps the tiger 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 middle of the night."

"He's been in the day when we were out," said Bevis. "Suppose we go up on 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 with them the gun, the axe, and bow and arrows. If the beast entered the enclosure they could get a capital shot down at him, nor could he leap up, he would have to go some distance round to get at them, and meantime the gun could be reloaded. They waited, nothing entered the stockade but a robin.

"This is very slow," said Mark.

"Very," said Bevis. "What's the use of waiting? Suppose we go and hunt him up."

"In the wood?"

"Everywhere--sedges and fern--everywhere."

"Hurrah!"

Up they jumped full of delight at the thought of freedom again. It was so great a relief to move about that they ignored the danger. Anything was 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 the cliff, and fire down--"

"Jolly!"

"Look very sharp."

"Blow the match."

They entered among the trees, following the path which led round the island. Bevis carried the matchlock, Mark the bow and arrows and axe, and it was arranged that the moment Bevis had fired he was to pa.s.s the gun to Mark, and take his bow. While he shot arrows, Mark was to load and shoot as quick as he could. The axe was to be thrown down on the ground, so that either could s.n.a.t.c.h it up if necessary. All they regretted 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 to where the willow-tree lay overthrown in the water, and up to the firs under which they had reclined. Then they went to the sh.o.r.e at the uttermost southern extremity and sent Pan into the sedges. He drove out a moorhen, but they did not shoot at it now, not daring to do so lest the beast should attack them before they could load again.

Coming up the western side of the island, they once thought they saw something 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 was thicker, and intent on the slightest indication, the sudden motion of a squirrel climbing a beech startled them. From the top of the green knoll they looked all round, and thus examined the glade. There was not the slightest sign. The feathers of a wood-pigeon were scattered on the gra.s.s in one place, where a hawk had struck it down. This had happened since they were last at the glade. It was probably one of the pigeons that roosted in the ivy-grown oak.

Crossing to the oak, they flung sticks up into the ivy; there was no roar in response. While here they remembered the wires, and looked at them, but there was nothing caught, which they considered a proof that the rabbits were afraid to venture far from their burries while the tiger, or whatever beast it was, was prowling about at night.

Returning to the sh.o.r.e, they recollected a large bed of sedges and reed-gra.s.s a little way back, and going there Bevis shot an arrow into it. The arrow slipped through the reed-gra.s.s with a slight rustle till it was lost. The spaniel ran in and they heard him plunging about.

There was nothing in the reed-gra.s.s.

Lastly they went to the thicket of "wait-a-bit" blackthorn. Pan did go in, and that was as much, he soon came out, he did not like the blackthorn. But by throwing stones and fragments of dead branches up in the air so that they should descend into the midst of the thicket they satisfied themselves that there was nothing in it. It was necessary to cast the stones and sticks up into the air because they would not penetrate if thrown horizontally.

The circuit of the island was completed, and they now crept up quietly to the verge of the cliff behind the spiked stakes. The stockade was exactly as they had left it; Pan looked over the edge of the cliff into it, and did not even sniff. They went down and rested a few minutes.