The jungle trappers : a tale of the Indian jungle

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

A. TALE OF THE INDIAN JUNGLE.

" Sher Singh . . . remained in his crouching attitude."

Jungle . .
Wrappers.

Ji ISale of tfie Jndian Jungle.

By W. MURRAY GRAYDON,

Author of " Mutketeen and Redtkint."

Isondon :
Jofin J. Sdaw ^ Go. Jbtd.,

3, Pilgrim Street, teudgate Jiill, S.Q.

667

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAOB.

I. AGAINST MOSLEM AND HINDOO •• .. .. 7

II. MACBICE BEUINS A New Lmt 16

III. THE INTERFERENCE OF ANTONIO SlI.VA .. .. 26

IV. PERILS or THE JUNGLE 86

V. MEBVANJI THE THUG 43

VI. THE FLIGHT IN THE RAVINE .. CO

VII. THE LAST or FAZL KHAX 60

VIII. How THE FIOHT ENDED 66

IX. A MARVELLOUS Girr 76

X. BOBBILI Or THE JuNJLE 82

XL THE SOWARS or SERAXGHUR 69

XII. GRAVE CHANGES 96

XIII. A CBT IN THE NIGHT 104

XIV. THE ESCAPE or THE PANTHEB Ill

XV. FRESH HOPES 119

XVI. THE FLAG or TBCCE 126

XVII. THE CAGE or SERPENTS 130

XVIII. THE BEOINNXKO or THE END .. •• •• .. 139

XIX. BlLVA AND THE TlOEK .. .. 146

XX. A SWIM FOR LIFE 150

XXI. A FRIGHTFUL RETRIBUTION .. 160

XXII. THE CAMP BY THE NULLAH 1G7

XXIII. A JUNGLE MTSTEBT 175

XIV. ORDERS roR ASSAM 182

XXV. A CHAIN or ADVENTURE 1&9

XXVI. AMBCEHED BT NAOAS 200

CHAP. PAGE.

XXVII. THB SKIPPER or THI " MABT SHANNON" .. ..205

XXVIII. DEEDS OF DARKNESS 211

XXIX. THE BRIDGE OP VINES 21T

XXX. ALARMING SUSPICIONS 225

XXXI. GUNGA RA THE PILOT 23»

XXXII. A CRASH IN THE NIGHT 241

XXXIII. THE MAN WITH THE YELLOW FACE 248-

XXXIV. THE RAMPAGIOUS RHINOCEROS 254

XXXV. A STATE OF SIEGE 261

XXXVI. A BATTLE ROYAL 26&

XXXVII. ON BROAD WATERS 275

XXXVIII. FURIES SET LOOSE 282

XXXIX. SHOT AND FLAMB 28*

XL. BIRDS OF PREY 297

XLI. VILLAINY TRIUMPHANT 303

XLII' SNATCHED FROM THE FLAMES 312"

XLIII. STRANGE RESCUERS .. 319

XLIV. A HOT CHASE 326-

XLV. A THRILLING DISCOVERY 335

XL VI. LIGHT ON DARKNESS 341

XL VII. CONCLUSION .. .. .. .. .. 34fr

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

CHAPTER I.

AGAINST MOSLEM AND HINDOO.

A DARK February night in the far East. It was the
period of the monsoon, and that unpleasant trade
wind, blowing with hot and clammy breath over
the province of Bengal, over jungle and plain and
stream, made life oppressive to the inhabitants of the
great city of Calcutta, whether they dwelt in the fashion-
able neighbourhood of the Circular Road or in the
squalid outlying suburbs. Between the two, in the
densely-populated native quarter that was the Black
Town of earlier days, a low hovel of bamboo and plas-
tered mud stood midway along a narrow and unpaved
street. It differed in no wise from hundreds of others
in the vicinity, save that the door had been strength-
ened with extra beams. It contained two small
rooms, both on the same floor, and in the outer one of
these an English lad of eighteen, tall and vigorous for
his age, was sitting with his elbows propped on a table
and his chin supported by his hands. A book lay
open before him, and a lamp filled with cocoanut oil
shed a dim and flickering light. He appeared to be
reading, but his thoughts had gone astray from the
printed pages, which were blurred and meaningless to
him.

For hours Maurice — he knew no other name — had

8 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

been keeping an anxious and weary vigil. His bronzed
and clean-cut features, the handsome, intelligent face,
that seemed misplaced amid such dingy surround-
ings, wore a look of strained expectancy. His thick
brown hair was dishevelled, and his hazel eyes were
struggling against drowsiness. He started eagerly
up at every passing footstep, every slight noise with-
out, only to drop back each time with a murmur of
disappointment. Presently he rose and opened a small
window to one side of the door. He thrust his head
out and glanced right and left along the dismal street,
but no one was visible except a native policeman, who
was slowly receding in the gloom. Closing and bolting
the wooden shutter, the lad stood for a few moments in
hesitation.

" No use to wait any longer," he told himself. " He
won't return till morning, so I may as well go to bed.
The same old story. Tom has broken another promise,
in spite of his word. It was an hour before dark when
he took the rifle away to sell, and instead of bringing
the money home he has squandered it on drink. No
doubt he is lying now in some foul hole, stupid with
liquor. And not a rupee in the house. What is going
to become of us I don't know. The business has gone
to wreck and ruin, and I am not fit for anything else,
or I should have tried long ago to find employment."

The outer room bore witness to dire, strenuous
poverty. The walls were quite bare, and the floor of
hard-trodden earth was covered with coarse and well-
worn matting. The chairs were falling to pieces, the
dishes piled on a bench were cracked and empty, and
except for a half loaf of bread there was no sign of
food. Picking up the lamp, Maurice opened the door
leading to the tiny apartment in the rear. A ray of

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 9

light, streaming ahead of him, showed two charpoys.
or native beds, a small teak-wood chest, and a shelf
on which were a dozen volumes. He crossed the
threshold, and then stopped in sudden alarm as a
confused uproar, swelling nearer and louder, was heard
at a distance. His face grew pale, and hastily putting
the lamp on the chest, he ran to the street door and
threw it open.

Here the tumult was more distinct. Off to the left,
hoarse, angry cries and the patter of many feet were
rising on the night air. Excited Hindoos, roused
from sleep, swarmed out of the neighbouring houses.
The clamour drew rapidly near, increasing in volume,
and now, at the end of the street, a bunch of torches
flashed into view. Behind the lurid jets of fire came
a frenzied, maddened crowd, packing the narrow space
from wall to wall. They surged forward with fierce
yells.

" What can it mean ? "

As the lad's trembling lips uttered the words, a
sickening dread, a premonition of disaster to the only
friend he had in the world, struck to his heart. And
the next instant his worst fears were realized, for the
object of the mob's fury and pursuit was seen to be an
Englishman, whose long legs were keeping him well in
advance of his enemies. He wore a faded blue coat and
linen trousers that were ragged and soiled. He was
bare-headed and empty-handed, and his grey hair and
beard streamed to the wind. His once attractive
features, now bloated and discoloured by drink, were
stamped with abject despair and terror. He tore madly
on, blood dripping from a number of wounds, and stones
and spears whizzing about him. With his fist he levelled
a couple of natives who attempted to block the way. A

10 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

few more strides brought him opposite to Maurice, and
swerving to one side he staggered into the hovel. The
lad, following instantly, hurled the door shut and
dropped a heavy bar across it.

" Tom, is it really you ? " he cried, in a tone of
anguish. " Tell me, what's wrong ? What have you
done ? You are wounded and bleeding."

" Only stone cuts," panted the other, breathlessly.
" But — but I'm a dead man, Maurice. A weapon, for
Heaven's sake ! Here they come ! Don't you hear the
devils howling ? They're after my life blood."

" They'll not harm you in your own house, surely."

" They'll kill us both. Both, you understand.
There's no hope. God forgive me for bringing you to
this. I had no right to seek refuge here. I should
have turned off in another direction, gone anywhere
else. But I lost my head, and now you've got to
suffer for my sins. No, that shan't be, my boy. I'll
make a bolt for it again — "

" Stop ! it's too late," Maurice interrupted ; and
his voice was almost drowned by the deafening clamour
outside.

" Too late," echoed his companion. " You're right
— there's only one thing left to do. Listen ! The
murderous wretches are at the back as well as in
front, so it's useless to try to escape by the compound.
They'll spare you, perhaps, after they've glutted their
vengeance on me. You must hide from them, that's
the thing."

His face was grey with fright as he dragged the
lad into the adjoining room and closed the frail door.
In a trice the two beds and the chest were stacked
against it. Out in the street the ravenous mob, with
unerring scent, had gathered before the house. ShoutSv

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 11

of " Din ! Din ! " the Mohammedan battle-cry for the
faith, rose loud and shrill.

" A weapon, my boy," screeched the man. " There
ought to be one left."

His bloodshot eyes roved about the room. Maurice
shook his head sadly. " You pawned the last pistol
three days ago," he said, " and the rifle—"

"Ah, the rifle," interrupted the other. "That's
been my undoing, lad. I got thirty rupees for it
from a gunsmith in the Bhurra Bazaar. Then thirst,
and the jingle of coin in my pocket, made me a demon.
I drank and drank, until I was mad. And this is the
end of poor old Tom Dayleford. It's a just penalty.
I deserve it. Hark ! they are attacking. I won't go
under till I've spitted a couple of the dogs."

As the house shook under a rain of furious blows,
Dayleford broke an iron bar from one of the charpoys
and stood on the defensive.

" Don't talk like that, Tom," pleaded Maurice, with
tears in his eyes. " The mob won't dare to break in.
The police will soon arrive— or soldiers from the
nearest barracks."

" Not in time to save me," Dayleford cried fiercely.
" I tell you I'm a dead man."

" But what have you done, Tom ? Nothing to deserve
death ? "

" Ay, a thousand times over, according to native
law. Listen, my boy, and you shall know for your-
self. I'll spin the tale in a few words. After visiting
pretty near every rum-shop in Calcutta to-night, and
drinking till I was stupid and my money was spent
or stolen, I set off for home. Naturally enough I
blundered from the right track, and my cursed ill-
luck led me to a Mohammedan mosque — "

12 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

He paused an instant as the shouts and pounding
rose to a liigher pitch. The lad's face blanched with
terror, for already he guessed how the story was to end,
and realized his friend's desperate plight.

" I sailed into the mosque as if I owned the place,"
huskily resumed Dayleford, " and when the priests
came at me, making a rare hullaballoo, I lost my senses
and saw red. I snatched a weapon from one old grey-
bearded chap and ran him through with it. Two others
I pitched into a corner, upsetting the sacred lamp.
I knocked a big idol down, and jumped on it, and
smashed the jewels out of its eyes. Then the liquor
suddenly left my brain, and I knew what I had done.
Away I went for dear life, with the mob howling at
my heels. I was sober then, and I'm sober now. I'll
die sober, lad."

"Don't talk of dying," cried Maurice. "There
must be some means of escape, Tom. Quick ! before
it is too late."

His voice was stifled by a rending, splitting sound,
by the snapping of beams and the fall of plaster, as the
street door and the frail wall surrounding it yielded
to the attack. The fanatics had broken into the house,
and were in possession of the front room, whence came
a rush of feet and yells of triumph and rage. The next
instant the mob were beating against the inner door.

" The time is short now," exclaimed Dayleford.
" If I had a quarter of an hour's grace I would tell
you a secret that concerns yourself, that I should
have told you long ago. I've been doing you a bitter
wrong, my boy, all these years. Heaven forgive me !
I meant to confess some day, but kept putting it off.
My lips were tied — sealed with hush money, ashamed
&B I am to say it. And there was another reason,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 13

another temptation. After I learned to care for you
as if you had been my own son — "

" Then you know who my parents were," Maurice
eagerly interrupted,

" No, I don't know that. I might have helped you
to find them, perhaps. But it's no use wishing for
what can't be. Fool that I was, I never thought to
put down a statement in writing. You remember
Captain Bonnick and the • Mary Shannon ' ? "

" Yes, Tom, clearly."

"Well, don't forget those two names. There's
your clue, and if you stick to it — " The man broke
off with a groan of agony. During the short interval,
while he was speaking, the clamouring mob in the
next room had rained blows without cessation. Wall
and door were fast yielding.

" Where are the police ? " cried Maurice.

<:No hope from them," exclaimed Dayleford.
" Lad, pull out that top mattress," he added, in a voice
that rang above the tumult. " Throw it in yonder
corner, and creep under it. Ten to one they'll overlook
you. Quick ! quick ! "

" No, I'm going to stand by you," vowed Maurice.
He tore the bookshelf from the wall, scattering the
volumes right and left, and ran to his companion's side.

There was no time for more futile words. Crash !
crash ! With a sickening, grinding noise in fell the
splintered door, ripped from its fastenings and hinges.
Down toppled chest and charpoys, and the glare of
torches filled the little room. On and over the debris
leapt the maddened natives, Moslems and Hindoos
fraternizing in common cause, brandishing weapons
and shouting the watchwords of their religions.

Dayieford's iron missile, swinging unerringly, split

14 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the skull of the foremost ruffian. As he let drive again
a stone whizzed by his shoulder, and Maurice, who
had been borne back a pace or two by the rush, received
a hard but glancing blow on the temple. The book-
shelf dropped from his nerveless grasp. Lights flashed
before his eyes, all grew swiftly dark, and he reeled
heavily to the floor, where he lay apparently lifeless.

Dayleford, seeing the lad go down, uttered a cry
of rage and grief. He struck at another of his foes,
a big Moslem, smashing the fellow's arm from wrist to
elbow. Again he swung his weapon, and just then
a keen-pointed knife, launched with great force, sank
deeply into his chest. He staggered, thro whig up his
hands. As quickly the infuriated fanatics were upon
him with spears and daggers, and in less time than it
takes to tell a brave but misspent life had ended.

Maurice, still lying motionless on the floor, was at
the mercy of the assassins, who, although they be-
lieved him to be dead, were worked up to such a pitch
of religious wrath that they would probably have
plunged their weapons into his body. But fortunately
intervention was near, and it came in time to save
the unconscious lad. Already the affray had turned to
a formidable riot, spreading in different directions,
and rousing the authorities to action. Alarm bells
could be heard clanging, and the cries without of " Din !
Din ! Kill the Feringhees ! " turned to " The police !
The soldiers ! "

The invaders, their fury glutted, hastily withdrew
from Dayleford's house, to find the narrow street
crowded with scores of Moslems, Hindoos, and outcast
Eurasians. Without regard to race or caste this mixed
mob offered eager battle to the police, who had by
now arrived on the scene. Fighting was fierce and

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 15

continuous until two companies of sepoy infantry,
commanded by English officers, approached from a
neighbouring barracks. This turned the tide. The
mob had no inclination to face volleys of musketry,
and as they sullenly and slowly retreated, a fire, started
either by accident or design, broke out in one of the
native dwellings. Fanned by the wind, the flames
were quickly beyond control.

When the morning dawned a few minutes later the
Calcutta fire-department were engaged with the stub-
born conflagration, and the sepoys and police were
chasing the dismembered body of rioters from street
to street.

CHAPTER II.

MAURICE BEGINS A NEW LIFE.

STUNNED by the blow the stone had struck him, but
otherwise uninjured, Maurice did not long remain
in a state of unconsciousness. His senses returned
as the chill, grey light of dawn was streaming through the
shattered walls of the house and lighting up the ghastly
scene of bloodshed and destruction. Sitting erect
with an effort, he pressed a hand to his swollen and
throbbing forehead while he stared about him in half-
incredulous amazement and alarm. He shuddered
with horror to see a brown, partly-naked corpse lying
across the teak-wood chest. In the doorway huddled a
sorely- wounded Moslem, gasping his life away, and
groaning in piteous tones.

Then the memory of the night's terrible deeds came
to the lad in a flash, and at the same instant he dis-
covered Tom Dayleford. Creeping over to the dis-
figured body of the man who had been his only friend in
the world, he called him vainly by name. Knowing that
the pallid lips were sealed for ever, he sobbed bitterly
between hoarse threats of vengeance on the murderers.
He was so dazed by grief that he scarcely heard the
noise and clamour outside, nor perceived the smoke
that was drifting into the room.

" My boy ! "

The words, accompanied by the touch of a hand,
woke Maurice from his stupor. He looked up to find
himself in the presence of a young English officer and
and three sepoys.

16

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 17

" You've come too late," he muttered reproach-
fully.

" I'm afraid so," the officer replied. " The man
is dead, that's certain. Day le ford is the name, I
believe. Are you any relation of his ? "

" None, sir," the lad admitted, " but he has been the
same as a father to me — And now."

The next instant, before more could be said, two
fresh arrivals climbed over the debris by the fallen door.
They were Englishmen, at a glance, and one was
a tall, spare-limbed man of about forty-five, with
sharp, shrewd features, and eyes as keen as a hawk's.
He was wiry of movement, and his brown hair and
moustache were slightly grizzled. His companion was
several inches shorter and of heavier build, clean-
shaven, and with a good-humoured face. Both were
attired in clean white linen and sola-topees.

With an exclamation of sorrow the taller man bent
over Dayleford.

" The report was only too true, Carmthers," he
cried. " Here lies the poor fellow, dead and
mutilated."

" A victim of his own folly," interposed the officer.
" I've got to the bottom of the matter, and it seems
that while intoxicated he wandered into a Moham-
medan mosque and committed various outrages.
You'll understand what was bound to follow after
that. It's an ugly affair, and had best be kept quiet.
No arrests have been made, nor are the assassins
likely to be identified . They had plenty of provocation ,
it must be admitted. But you are intruding here,"
he added. " May I ask your business ? And your
names ? "

" Certainly," replied the tall stranger, in a dry tone.

B

18 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" I am Dermot Tearle, agent for Carl Hamrach and
Company, of London and Hamburg. This is my
assistant, Luke Carruthers. Hamrach and Company
deal in wild animals, and we trap and export them
them for the firm."

" Ah, something in his line," suggested the officer,
glancing towards the dead man.

" Exactly," said Tearle. " Our business with
Dayleford was professional. We have known him for
vears, and intended to have paid him a visit to-day."

" He was a good fellow — when not in drink," de-
clared Carruthers.

Maurice had meanwhile been looking closely at the
two strangers, with dawning recognition. The veil
of the past was lifting.

" Don't you remember me, my lad ? " asked Tearle.
" I saw you six or seven years ago, when poor Dayle-
ford was in very different circumstances, and on several
occasions since. I have been in other countries for a
long period, and only yesterday landed at Calcutta."

" Yes, I remember you," said Maurice. His voice
broke, and his eyes filled with tears. " Tom, Tom,"
he sobbed piteously. " How I wish I could bring you
back ! You were the only friend I had. The only one.
You were always good to me." He had not forgotten
Dayleford's last words, his partial confession of wrong-
doing and his vain regrets ; but his sorrow was none
the less sincere on that account, nor did he cherish the
slightest resentment.

Carruthers blinked suspiciously, and turned aside.

" Have you no friends or relatives in Calcutta ? "
inquired Tearle. " In India ? "

" None anywhere," Maurice told him. " I am alone
in the world now."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 19

" Cheer up, my boy," said the officer, kindly.
" Come, we must be moving. The quarter is on fire
and the flames are rapidly sweeping this way."

He was right. The roaring and hissing of the
conflagration could be distinctly heard, and smoke
was pouring faster into the house. Maurice looked
about him helplessly.

" I'll take care of you for the present," the officer
added, while Tearle and Carru there whispered to-
gether. " The magistrates will require you to give
evidence. There appears to be nothing here worth
saving. Did the murdered man have any papers ? "

" Not a scrap," Maurice replied. " Those few books
are the only things of any value left."

" The pawnshop swallowed the rest," muttered the
officer, in an undertone — he had known something of
Dayleford's habits. He examined the teak- wood
chest, which contained worn-out clothing, and peered
briefly into the wrecked front room. Then, perceiving
a door at the rear of the house, he threw it open and
entered a small courtyard surrounded by high walls.
They bristled at the top with formidable iron spikes,
set closely in rows, so that escape from the mob by
this means would have been impossible, as Dayleford
knew at the time.

" Stop ! stop ! " cried Maurice, who did not im-
mediately see where the officer had gone. " Be
careful ! There's danger."

The warning was too late. With a rattling noise
and a savage snarl a great tawny leopard, that was
fastened to the wall at one side, bounded to the end
of his chain, and leaping upon the officer's breast bore
him heavily to the ground. With great presence of
mind the man did not stir. He uttered a low, urgent

20 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

appeal for help. The beast's open jaws were within
several inches of his face, as one of the sepoys sprang
forward and levelled his rifle, but before he could fire
Maurice threw himself in front of him.

" Stand aside," he shouted. " I'll get the leopard
away. Don't shoot."

The sepoy obeyed reluctantly when Tearle interfered
in behalf of the lad, who was swift to seize the oppor-
tunity. He boldly advanced, and struck the crouching
animal a smart blow on the nose.

" Back, Lachme ! " he cried, sternly. " How dare
you misbehave ? Aren't you ashamed of yourself ? "

For an instant the beautiful brute hesitated, and
then, growling sullenly, it left its victim and retreated
against the wall.

" Well done ! " approved Tearle.
" The lad is a born trainer," exclaimed Carruthers.
The officer rose quickly to his feet, unhurt save for
a couple of scratches.

" Shoot that beast," he directed ; and up went the
sepoy's rifle.

" Stop ! stop ! don't kill Lachme," begged Maurice.
"We are fond of each other, and that is why Tom
never sold him."

The officer hesitated, the sepoy waiting stolidly.
" The lad's courage probably saved your life," said
Tearle. " Moreover, the leopard represents a part
of the dead man's property, and is worth money."

This statement cooled the officer's wrath, and having
countermanded his order he re-entered the house,
leaving Maurice to put a wire muzzle on Lachme and
unfasten his chain. Meanwhile an inspector of police
and two of his men had arrived, and the task of re-
moving Dayleford's few effects and the dead bodies —

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 21

the Moslem in the doorway had breathed his last —
was turned over to them. Without further delay the
officer's little party, which included Tearle and his
companion, set off to the barracks, making a detour
to avoid the burning area. Quite a crowd followed,
attracted by the curious spectacle of the leopard and
its young master.

Lachme was chained up in the barracks yard,
and after promising to see the lad again, Tearle de-
parted with Carruthers. In spite of his grief Maurice
was able to enjoy a hearty breakfast, and then, worn
out by what he had gone through, he went to bed and
slept soundly for the greater part of the day. He
was wakened by a fanfare of bugles, and from his
his window — he was in the officers' quarters — he
could see the white-clad sepoys passing to and fro in
the court below him. The sun was sinking in the
west, and over the scene of the destructive fire a few
wisps of smoke were lazily floating.

At nine o'clock the next morning Maurice was taken
before the civil authorities, represented by a bench of
magistrates, who had met to hold an inquiry into the
cause of Dayleford's death and the subsequent rioting.
Dermot Tearle, true to his word, was present with
Carruthers, and there were other witnesses as well.
The first part of the proceedings dealt with the sacrilege
committed in the mosque, the flight of the intoxicated
Englishman, and his death at the hands of the enraged
mob. The comments of the magistrates, though not
to Maurice's liking, were founded on precedent and
justice. The validity of native law was acknowledged
by the government of India, and it was well under-
stood that the arrest of the Mohammedan priests,
whose holy place had been outraged and defiled, would

22 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

lead to serious trouble, such as had recently occurred,
with much bloodshed and loss of life, at Allahabad
and Benares. So the question of taking steps to
punish the guilty parties — there was not a chance in
a thousand of identifying any of them — was discreetly
waived for the time being and the inquiry was resumed
on other lines.

The meagre facts concerning the murdered man
were soon established. As far as could be ascertained
he had no relatives, and, indeed, very little was known
of him. According to Dermot Tearle's testimony,
Tom Dayleford had begun business in Calcutta twelve
or thirteen years before, as a dealer in wild beasts.
He was accustomed to trap them himself in the
Bengal jungles, with the aid of native hunters, and
he disposed of them to Hamrach and Company and
to similar firms. He was a man of considerable
education, but he had never spoken of his early life.

" I may be wrong," Tearle concluded, " but I have
an idea that he had been a soldier, and that he de-
serted from his regiment, soon after it was ordered to
India, owing to a quarrel with an officer who misused
him."

Maurice was called up next, and his pathetic story,
reluctantly drawn from him by a series of questions,
was listened to with close attention and interest.

" I have no other name," he said, " and I don't
know who my parents were. I can recollect scarcely
anything about my childhood, and even that little
seems like a dream. When I was very small I used
to travel through the country — it was in England —
with a circus and menagerie. I think my father was
with me, though I am not sure. There were caravans,
and wild animals, and people who performed in a

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 23

ring. Then, one day, a strange man with a black
moustache, whom I was afraid of, took me with him
on a railway train. We came to a great city, which
I believe was London, and there I was put aboard
a ship. It was called the * Mary Shannon,' and the
captain's name was Bonnick."

" How long were you on this vessel ? " asked one
of the magistrates.

" Four years, sir, as nearly as I can remember.
Captain Bonnick treated me cruelly, and would never
tell me anything about myself, or let me ask any
questions. Whenever the ship was in port I was
locked up below until we had put to sea again. It
went on like that until the ' Mary Shannon ' sailed
up the Hooghly — it was her third or fourth trip to
India. A couple of nights later, when we were anchored
off Calcutta, the captain said that he had a new master
for me. He took me ashore and left me with Tom
Dayleford."

" When was this, my boy ? "

" Eight years ago," Maurice replied. " A different life
began then. Tom told me I must not ask any questions,
and neither of us talked of our past lives. He was
as kind as a father to me. He taught me to read and
write, and to handle a rifle, and showed me how to trap
wild beasts and birds and serpents. For five years
I went with him on every trip he made to the jungles,
until he — he started to drink hard. He had to sell
his cages and animals and discharge the native hunters.
We moved to a mean part of Calcutta, and got poorer
and poorer. Only Lachme was left, and Tom wouldn't
sell him on my account. Then, last evening, he went
away — "

At this point Maurice's voice broke, and his eyes

24 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

filled with tears. He was compelled to stop, and
gladly sat down. He hoped that the interrogation
was finished, for he meant to be unselfishly loyal to
his dead friend, and was determined to say nothing
of Dayleford's last words.

The magistrates spent a brief time in considering
what should be done with the young waif, but before
they had come to any conclusion the problem was
unexpectedly solved. Tearle and his companion
approached Maurice, and the former, putting a hand
on his shoulder, said kindly :

" My lad, I am going to make you an offer, and I
trust you won't refuse it. If you spent eight years
with poor Dayleford, and accompanied him on his
trips to the jungle, you must have picked up ample
and valuable experience."

" Tom often told me," Maurice modestly admitted,
" that I knew as much about the business as himself."

" Good ! Then you are just the chap we're looking
for. We need an extra man, and you shall enter
Hamrach and Company's employment at once, and
have a small salary to start with."

" It is a fine life, though it means hard work some-
times, and plenty of risk," put in Carruthers. " But
you are used to it, and know what to expect. He
will go up-country with us immediately, eh, Dermot ? "

" Yes, in a few days. You shall keep Lachme, my
boy — we will take good care of the beast. And
furthermore, since I'm interested in your story, at
the first opportunity I'll help you to trace the mystery
of your birth — to discover your parents if they are
still alive. Come, what is your answer ? "

" The answer is yes," Maurice cried, his face
brightening. " How can I thank you ? I will serve

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 25

you faithfully and work hard. It would please Tom
to know that I am provided for."

He ratified the bargain by shaking hands with his
new friends, who did not conceal the satisfaction the
lad's decision gave them.

The matter was speedily arranged with the magis-
trates, and the three left the court. They proceeded
first to the sepoy barracks, where they stopped to
get the leopard, and then went on to the suburb
of Kidderpore, by the Hooghly River. Here, close
to the water, was a large warehouse belonging to the
famous firm of animal dealers. In this wild beasts
were stored, preparatory to shipping them to London
and Hamburg. Tearle and Carruthers, with a corps
of native employees, had quarters in an adjoining
building.

That evening poor Dayleford was buried, and now
Maurice fully realized that a new life had opened before
him.

CHAPTER III.

THE INTERFERENCE OF ANTONIO SILVA,

OF the few men who act as head agents for the
great European wild animal dealers, who pursue
that unique and dangerous calling to the uttermost
ends of the earth, Dermot Tearle was at this time an
easy first. He had no equal, and feared none. The wild
life of four continents had tanned and grizzled him,
from the scorching suns of the Terai and the Soudan
to the biting winds of the Sierras and Siberia. For
twenty-five years he had studied the book of nature,
learning the habits of beasts, birds, and reptiles,
the while he trapped them in their lonely haunts,
watched the fluctuating market-prices, and guided
his caravans through savage places. He was shrewd
at a bargain, whether with a dusky negro king or a
manager of transport, and often he outwitted the
agents of rival firms ; by which it will be readily
understood that he had made a few enemies.

Within forty-eight hours after Tom Dayleford was
laid to rest, Tearle and Carruthers left Calcutta, taking
Maurice with them, and also their two favourite
Hindoo shikarees, Sher Singh and Fazl Khan, who
had been in Hamrach and Company's employ for
several years. The native servants remained at the
warehouse, in charge of a small number of animals
that were awaiting shipment.

The railway journey up-country, a matter of
between five and six hundred miles, was broken at
Mahdpur and thence resumed to Hazarabad, the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 27

terminus of a branch b'ne. The party were now in
the Multanpur district of the Northwest Provinces —
in a neighbourhood of hills and dense jungles that
stretched to the distant slopes of the Himalayas,
and were known to be infested with wild beasts.
Tearle had a large order to fill — including at least one
brace of tigers — and he lost no time in setting to
work. Native assistants were hired at Hararabad,
and the village carpenters began to build strong
wooden cages. As soon as these were ready, and
supplied with spans of oxen, the hunters moved a
dozen miles to the south and established a camp in
the heart of the jungle. Neither Maurice nor his two
friends having been in this particular part of India
before, they were unaware of the fact — it was one of
little or no importance under ordinary circumstances
— that they had crossed the border-line of the small
native state of Scranghur, ruled, with the usual
limitations, by the Raja of that name.

Here commenced the actual labours. Within a
radius of eight miles deep pitfalls were dug and large
traps constructed, the former being covered over with
brush and leaves, while the latter, shaped somewhat
like a mouse-trap, acted on the same principle. At the
end of a fortnight half of the wooden cages were
occupied. The pitfalls had yielded a young elephant
and a pair of buffaloes, and a panther and a leopard
had been taken in the traps. The animals were
driven singly into the cages and hauled to camp by
strings of oxen, which was, as may be imagined, a
tedious and difficult task, in some instances a road
having to be cut through the jungle. To Tearle's
disappointment tigers were apparently scarce, and as
yet none had been seen. But he was determined to

28 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

succeed, and kept the shikarees scouring the surround-
ing country; himself, with Maurice and Carruthers,
meanwhile looking after the captives and providing
them with the green stuff and flesh that they
required for their food.

In the evenings, when work was done and the toilers
were gathered about the camp-fire, Maurice had many
a long chat with his friends, and the feelings of mutual
good comradeship steadily ripened. The conversation
often turned on the lad's early life, but he could recall
little more than he had told the magistrates, and even
that was beginning to fade from his mind.

During this comparatively uneventful period, there
occurred an incident which Maurice had good cause
never to forget. Among the cages was one that had
been specially fitted up for the reception of reptiles,
and on a certain day a snake-hunt was planned. The
spot chosen was a sandy, open space in the jungle,
not far off, covered with tall, parched grass and clumps
of rock. Tearle posted his companions about this,
and the grass having been set fire to at one side, it
was not long until a swarm of ugly serpents came
hissing and wriggling from then* lairs. There was
great excitement and scurrying to and fro. The
natives, carrying long poles to which were attached
hoops and bags, like huge butterfly nets, skilfully
pursued and caught the many coloured snakes.

In the midst of the sport Sher Singh let fall his net,
and as he sank to one knee to recover it a great cobra
shot out of a rock cleft, rising erect from its coils.
That the Hindoo was not immediately bitten was
nothing short of miraculous. But the reptile, possessed
by some strange freak, did not strike. Its reared head
was less than a foot from the man's face. Its beady

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 29

eyes sparkled, its fangs darted in and out, and its
spotted head swelled with anger. Sher Singh, with
wonderful presence of mind, remained in his crouching
attitude, motionless as a graven image. Not a muscle
quivered, though his face turned Jio hue of ashes.
Knowing that the slightest move would mean death,
his mental agony must have been terrible.

Thus man and reptile confronted each other for
perhaps a quarter of a minute, until Maurice, who
was ten feet to the left, suddenly discovered the
Hindoo's peril. He dare not step an inch closer.
He had just one chance, and that a slim one. His
net was in one hand, and with the other he drew a
revolver from his belt, cocked it, and taking a careful
aim fired.

The report rang sharply, and simultaneously the
cobra dropped in a writhing mass, shot through the
head. Sher Singh's muscles relaxed and he toppled
over backward, to rise the next instant as cool and
impassive as ever.

" You saved my life, Maurice Sahib," said he.
" Sher Singh will not forget. He will always be
your friend and protector."

" That's good of you," Maurice replied carelessly,
" but I don't see that I've done anything to earn
your eternal gratitude. It was an easy shot, and I
should have been ashamed of myself had I missed."

With a shrug of the shoulders the Hindoo picked
up his net, and the sport went on as if nothing had
happened. Others had witnessed the episode, however,
and that same evening it was the talk of the camp-fire.

Nearly a score of serpents were taken, and within
a day or two they were packed carefully in sacks,
between layers of matting, and sent down to Calcutta.

30 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

In the course of the week that followed Sher Singh
stuck to Maurice's heels like a faithful hound,
keeping constantly on the alert to guard him against
possible harm, and rarely letting him out of sight.

The tigers still eluded capture, and Tearle, finally,
growing weary of such prolonged ill-luck, set off one
morning on an expedition to a wilder region in the
north. He took Sher Singh and half a dozen natives
with him, but Maurice, to his keen disappointment,
was left behind to look after Carruthers, who was
suffering from a mild attack of jungle fever.

Early the next day a Hindoo came into camp with
stirring news. He was the head man of a village five
miles to the south east, and he declared that a man-
eating tiger was ravaging that neighbourhood, which
Tearle's shikarees had omitted to visit. The beast
had frequently been seen, and was a splendid specimen,
full-grown and in the prime of life. It had killed
several persons, besides cattle and goats.

" I knew that you were encamped here, Sahibs,
the Hindoo concluded, " and on learning that you
wished to take a tiger alive I started at once to bring
the news."

Maurice's suggestion to despatch a messenger in
search of Tearle was firmly opposed by Carruthers.

" No, I have a better plan," he said. " There is
no time to waste, for the brute may go elsewhere.
You know perfectly well what to do, so you must
accompany this fellow to his village and capture the
tiger yourself. It is hard luck, this fever, which ties
me to my bed. But I am much better, and you need
not fear to leave me."

Maurice hesitated at first, and then, secretly de-
lighted, he accepted the task and vowed that he

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 31

would do his best to succeed. He chose Fazl Khan
and three natives to assist him, and with as little
delay as possible they set off, taking with them a
cage filled with tools and other material, and drawn
by four bullocks. The guide, whose name was
Ramput, conducted them by a rugged and circuitous
way, and on reaching their destination at sunset they
found the village in a state of terror. Twenty-four
hours earlier the tiger had carried off and devoured
a poor grass-cutter, and for fear that it would return
to seek a fresh victim, the people dared not venture
outside their doors.

The head man assigned a hut to his guests, and
they slept through the night without alarm. Rising
at break of day, Maurice hired extra natives, loading
some with the tools and instructing others to fell a
number of young trees. Ramput led the party to
the spot where the grass-cutter had been seized — a
small jungle-glade, half a mile from the village. Dried
blood was visible amid the grass, and near by was a
nullah or water-course. There was every reason to
believe that the man-eater was sleeping somewhere
in the vicinity of his latest exploit.

For hours, under Maurice's supervision, the natives
worked hard, while Fazl Khan kept constant vigil
with a loaded rifle. The logs were cut at a distance —
on the farther side of the village — and carried as
noiselessly as possible to the place where they were
required. By the close of the afternoon the trap was
finished, and to the lad's satisfaction. The heavy
door was lifted, and so arranged that it would crash
down through the grooves directly the mechanism
below was sprung. Then, having fastened a bleating
goat inside the doorway, and a couple of yards

32 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

back, Maurice and his companions returned to the
village.

Another night passed quietly, and at the first streak
of dawn — the lad had been astir even before that—
a motley procession might have been seen wending
its way through the jungle, led by Maurice and the
head man. Some of the natives, too impatient to wait,
quickened their pace and disappeared in front, and
soon afterwards they begun to clamour and cheer. .

" The tiger is caught ! " exclaimed Ramput. " We
have him ! The wicked man-eater will trouble us
no more."

" It must be true, Sahib," cried Fazl Khan, as the
rest of the party came in sight of the glade. " The
door has fallen."

Maurice ran forward, shouting for joy, and out-
distancing the others he marched boldly up to the
trap, which nobody had as yet dared to inspect at
close range. He heard a rasping snarl, and then a
deep, angry roar, as he stooped down and put his
eyes to a crevice of the logs. There was the mangled
carcase of the goat, half-devoured — Ah ! and there,
sure enough, was the tiger, securely caught. He was
bounding from side to side, vainly seeking to escape.
A prize indeed ! A monstrous fellow, plump and
shapely, with superb stripes. The Hindoos crowded
about the spot, their dusky faces reflecting the lad's
pleasure.

With an air of importance and pride Maurice gave
instructions.

" Fetch the cage here as quickly as you can," he
said to the head man. " Take your people with you,
Ramput, and don't let them come back — except as
many as you need to help you. They will only scare

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 33

the tiger, and make it harder to transfer him. All
shall have a look at him in good time. Fazl Khan,"
he added, " you and I, with our own men, will remain
to watch the trap."

Ramput and his followers obediently took themselves
off, and in considerably less than an hour they
returned — the head man and six companions —
bringing the cage and the bullocks.

"Now then, get to work,*' directed Maurice.

A fire had meanwhile been started, in which to
heat the irons that might be required. The movable
part of the cage was lifted from the trucks and put
in position against the front end of the trap, and a
little later, just as the heavy door was about to be
raised from above, an unpleasant interruption
occurred.

Two men stepped quietly out of the thickets sur-
rounding the glade. One was a lean, elderly native
and the other, whose swarthy features proclaimed
him to be a Portuguese, was tall, powerful, and sinister-
looking, clad in blue flannels and hunting boots, and
wearing his dark beard cut to a point. He carried
a rifle and pistols, and a large leather wallet was
slung over his shoulder.

A brief glance told the new arrivals what was
taking place, and the Portuguese scowled with
vexation.

" Have you the man-eater there ? " he demanded,
approaching Maurice.

" Yes," the lad replied. " I trapped him last
night."

" He is my property," angrily declared the
Portuguese, " and I claim him. This fellow,"
indicating his companion, " brought news of the

c

34 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

tiger to my camp yesterday. I set off with Him
at once, and we have been travelling through the
night. Am I to have my trouble for nothing ? No.
The beast is mine."

" But we heard of him two days ago," exclaimed

Maurice, trying to keep cool at this threatening crisis.

* It is impossible that you can have the slightest claim

to the tiger. You must admit that, Senor Antonio

Silva. The animal's real owner is Dermot Tearle."

At the mention of Tearle's name the Portuguese

started, and his eyes flashed dangerously for an

instant.

" You know me ? " he muttered. " Ah, yes, you
are the lad who lived with Tom Dayleford in Calcutta,
I have seen you there. And now that Dayleford is
dead, it appears that you are in the employ of Hamrach
and Company. How is that ? "

Maurice offered a brief explanation, and all the while
he was quaking inwardly, for he knew the Portuguese
to be a most unscrupulous rascal.

Antonio Silva listened with an evil smile.
" You deserve your good fortune," he said, " but
I can do better for you. I am the agent, as you know,
of Richter and Moss, the great firm of New York and
Liverpool. My headquarters are <it Madras, and my
temporary camp is a few miles from here. If you
join me you shall have a large salary, for I believe
you are worth it. The matter is easily settled. We
take the tiger and be off. Come, what do you say ? "
" I am no traitor," Maurice replied. " That is my
answer."

The Portuguese, with a harsh laugh, opened his
leather wallet and showed that it was filled with
coin.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 35

" One hundred rupees, cash down," he said, " if you
accept."

44 Put up your money," Maurice told him con-
temptuously. 4< I am not to be bought."

Silva shrugged his shoulders, implying that he would
waste no more breath on the lad. His keen eyes
scanned the group for a moment, and then, shrewdly
selecting Fazl Khan, he turned to him with his hands
full of silver.

44 Fifty rupees for you, and ten each for the others,"
he said. 4< There's a chance for you. I want the
tiger, and all you need do is to haul him to my camp —
the cage will be returned to its owner. But as many
of you as are working for Dermot Tearle can remain
with me, if you wish. I will pay you well."

Fazl Khan, treacherous dog that he was, promptly
yielded to the temptation and opened his palms for the
promised reward. This was too much for Maurice.
His anger roused beyond control, he sprang forward
and threw himself between the two, dealing the greedy
shikaree a blow that sent the coins flying out of his
hands.

44 You scoundrel," he cried, confronting Silva,
" leave my men alone,^

CHAPTER IV-

PERILS OF THE JUNGLE.

AN instant of silence followed the lad's daring inter-
ference. Fazl Khan, after spinning half-round in
the effort to save his balance, had measured his
length on the ground. His first thought was for the
scattered coins, and he began to clutch at them here
and there as he rose to his knees.

" The bantam cock crows loudly," said Antonio
Silva, with a sneer, " but we'll see who wins in the end.
The tiger is mine, and since you won't be reasonable,
I'll have to make sure that you don't carry any tales
back to Dermot Tearle. I'll give you a last chance,
you obstinate dog, and if you still refuse I'll slit your
throat as I would a — "

" Coward ! " exclaimed Maurice, perceiving the
other's hand dropping stealthily to his side ; and
with that, in his hot anger, he struck him a blow on
the mouth. It was a mad thing to do, and as swiftly
he realized the folly of it.

But the sober impulse came too late. Silva snarled
like a wild beast and uttered a fearful oath. With
blood oozing to his cut lips, his features hideous and
distorted, he whipped a long-bladed hunting knife
from his belt. Maurice quickly withdrew several
paces and swung his rifle over his shoulder, ready to
meet the threatened attack.

" Keep off," he cried. " I warn you in time."

He had no sooner spoken than the rifle was jerked

36

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 37

from his grasp by Fazl Khan, who had treacherously
crept up behind the lad. Maurice was now defenceless,
and the Portuguese, with murder in his eyes, was
about to leap at him. He threw one glance towards
the perfidious natives, and instantly abandoned all
hope of aid from that quarter. There was but a
single chance left, and he took it. He turned, dodging
a blow from Fazl Khan, and darted at full speed
across the glade.

" Stop him ! Catch him ! " roared Silva. " Twenty
rupees to the man that brings him back."

The loud offer, and the greedy cries that followed,
spurred Maurice to harder efforts. A rifle cracked,
and the ball whistled close to his head. A pistol
began to bark at him, and the rapidly-fired chambers
punctuated every stride that he made towards freedom
and safety. None of the shots struck him, however,
and soon he plunged into the green leafy shelter of
the jungle.

Fortunately for the lad, his adventurous experiences
during the past years had taught him some knowledge
of scientific running. He sped on and on as fast as
the tangled vegetation would permit, bearing frequently
to right or left. At intervals he heard the trampling
and shouting of his pursuers, now in one direction and
now in another, until he was convinced that they had
quite surrounded him. Still hopeful of escape, with
courage undaunted, he crept on his stomach into a
clump of dense grass and found a safe hiding-place
between two stones.

Here the young fugitive lay for three or four hours,
while his determined enemies scoured the neighbour-
hood, and frequently drew near the spot. Once the
Portuguese and Fazl Khan passed close to the thicket

38 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

in which he was concealed, and he feared lest the loud
beating of his heart should betray him.

" I'm as good as dead if I fall into Silva's hands,'*
he told himself, " for rather than let me get back to
camp, and report what has happened, the ruffian would
kill me without mercy."

The sounds of pursuit gradually faded away, and
at the end of another hour, when all was quiet, Maurice
ventured forth from his shelter. His situation was
deplorable. He was in the midst of a dark and tangled
jungle that was infested with mid beasts and serpents.
He lacked food and weapons, having lost his rifle
during his flight. But his inborn pluck kept him
in good heart ; and indeed he was too indignant to
think of anything but how to turn the tables on his
foes.

"We'll see who gets the tiger in the end," he
muttered. " By this time Silva and his hired traitors
have doubtless made off with the cage and the animal,
so I'll strike a bee-line for camp. I know what Dermot
Tearle will do. Silva and that scoundrel Fazl Khan
will feel pretty sore before we've finished with them."

He started off, hesitated, and stopped. To head for
camp in a bee-line was easier said than done. How
was he to find the way ? The gloom of the jungle was
like twilight, and overhead was an unbroken sheet of
intermatted foliage. A grey glimmer filtered through
— that was all. However, after wandering aimlessly
for twenty minutes, he came upon a wide-girthed tree,
into which he climbed high, until he could catch a
glimpse of the sun. Its position indicated several
hours past noon-day.

Maurice had his bearings now, and knew that time
was too precious to be wasted. Descending from the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 39

tree he set off briskly in the proper direction, and for
hours plodded the mazy recesses of the jungle, guided
by an occasional peep at the sun. But the distance
was far, and he perforce made slow progress. As
evening approached, perceptibly deepening the shadows,
he realized that it was impossible for him to reach the
camp that night. He shuddered at the thought of the
perils that encompassed him — perils at which the
bravest of men in like circumstances must have
quailed.

Twilight roused the savage guardians of the jungle
and brought them forth from their lairs. Far and
near they woke the sleeping echoes. A tiger roared
thunderously, and a leopard answered with a plaintive
wail. A great serpent wriggled through the grass with
a hissing noise. The earth shook as a troop of elephants
went crashing and trumpeting across the lad's front
on their way to a drinking pool.

With a fast-beating heart, glancing fearfully to
right and left, Maurice stumbled on his course, trying
to keep his wits about him. His only hope, he knew
well, was to find a tree large and stout enough to afford
him shelter until morning. In vain he sought for
one ; all were undersized saplings that would have
swayed down with his weight. A dry twig snapped
behind him, and fancying that he heard stealthy,
pattering footsteps, he began to run.

It was a blind, mad race, for sheer terror had robbed
him of his self-possession. Stones bruised his ankles.
Thorny bushes lacerated his hands and face, and blades
of sword-grass cut like knives into his flesh. Twice
he fell headlong, but rose and staggered forward. Sud-
denly his feet encountered something soft and yielding,
and he felt himself to be sinking. He flung up his

40 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

arms with a shrill cry, and then down he plunged —
down through empty space — to land heavily on his
head and shoulders. His brain reeled, and he re-
membered no more.

Consciousness returned to Maurice as to one waking
from a troubled sleep. He stirred, sat up with an
effort, and looked about him. He recalled his terror,
and the subsequent flight through the jungle, but could
not tell how long a time had elapsed since his as yet
mysterious accident, though he judged that it might
be as much as hah* an hour, from the fact that the
moon was casting a bright glimmer on the tree-tops
high above him.

His back was sore, and his limbs and head ached.
He was keenly alive to the pangs of thirst and hunger,
which were beyond his power to assuage. But for-
tunately no bones were broken, as he thankfully
realized when he rose to his feet. The next thing was
to investigate his present whereabouts, and in a few
moments, his eyes growing accustomed to the gloom,
he solved the problem, uttering an exclamation of
astonishment as he discovered that he had stumbled
into a native pitfall built for the purpose of catching
tigers. It was probably an old and neglected one,
since it was not baited, as was the custom, with a live
goat or kid.

" That's all the better for me," thought Maurice.

Here and there lay loose brush and bamboo poles,
part of the covering that he had brought down with
him in his blind descent. The pit was ten feet deep,
by perhaps twelve in width and twenty in length, and
on the bottom were planted a dozen upright and sharp-
pointed stakes, the meaning of which was obvious.
That the lad had escaped being impaled on one of these

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 41

was little short of miraculous. He made several futile
attempts to climb the smooth, sheer walls of his prison,
and then concluded that he was better off where he was.

" It's not such a bad place to spend the night,"
he reflected. " Wild animals are not likely to molest
me here."

He had gathered a double armful of brush for
bedding, and was about to carry it to one corner of
the pit, when he heard a wheezing, shuffling noise.
Frightened, he dropped his burden and looked up
A bar of moonlight was filtering through the jungle,
and the silvery glow revealed a terrifying sight. On
the brink of the pit stood a monstrous tiger, as immov-
able as though carved out of brass. Its eyes, like
living coals, stared into the lad's own.

A fraction of a minute passed, neither uttering a
sound, until the tiger opened its great jaws and gave
a roar that echoed far through the jungle. Maurice
dashed in fright to the opposite side of the pit, and
as quickly the beast circled around after him. It was
plainly ravenous with hunger and in search of a meal.
For a time this grimly-sportive game continued, the
lad dodging in all directions among the stakes, the
tiger following tenaciously and with frequent roars.

It seemed that there could be but one ending to the
•contest, and Maurice shivered at the thought of it. He
was losing strength and courage, and in vain he uttered
shout upon shout ; his voice merely inflamed the
passions of his foe. Suddenly the brute crouched for
a spring, its long body violently agitated, and as the lad
leapt blindly, desperately away he saw over his shoulder
the shadow of a flying form, and heard a sickening,
crunching noise. Recoiling from contact with the
nearest wall of earth, he turned to behold a welcome

42 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

sight — his ferocious enemy fast on the jagged stakes,
impaled through fore and hind quarters.

" Thank Heaven ! " he murmured.

For a few moments the beast struggled in the throes
of its death agony, biting and bending the stakes and
roaring with pain till the jungle re-echoed, while
Maurice looked on with a dreadful fascination. Then
the majestic head dropped limply, and as the last
scream died out in a moan, a second tiger, huge and
striped, appeared on the edge of the pitfall.

This was evidently the mate of the dead animal, and
without doubt the tigress understood what had
happened to her lord, and was determined to wreak
vengeance. She fixed her burning eyes on the lad,
and roared with grief and rage ; then pattered round
and round the brink, seeking a place to descend.

CHAPTER V.

MERVANJI THE THUO.

MAURICE now thoroughly believed that he was
lost, and came near yielding to utter despair.
He had successfully rid himself of one hungry
tiger, but what chance was there of eluding the other ?
The female was more cunning and crafty than the male,
and would probably find a way to reach her intended
victim and at the same time to avoid the peril of the
stakes.

As the moon rose higher the silvery glow bright-
ened around the verge of the pit. The tigress was a
large and beautiful creature, and the lad could not help
but admire her savage charms, hard pressed though
he was to keep at the farthest possible distance from
her monstrous head and paws. He slipped from side
to side, taking care that several of the stakes were
always between him and his enemy. He tried to pull
one of them out of the ground, thinking that it might
serve as a useful weapon, but it was planted too deeply
to be moved. Meanwhile the brute's rage increased,
and she roared long and often, waking a chorus of
frightened snarls and cries from the prowling animals
of the jungle.

Maurice still retained his presence of mind. He
watched every movement of the foe, and now and
then he fashioned a trumpet of his hands and shouted
as loudly as he could ; for he had a faint hope that
a native village might be within hearing.

Presently, growing weary of futile trotting from

43

44 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

point to point, the tigress paused for a moment. She
squatted on her hind-quarters, and thrust her head
^,nd fore-paws over the edge of the hole — just like a
great cat. She quivered in every limb, and lashed
her splendid tail ; her eyes flashed fire, and her double
rows of ivories shone white in the moon's rays. Now
she crept a little closer, preparing to drop lightly into
the pit.

Maurice retreated behind the farthest stakes, and
there, trembling with ghastly fear, he awaited the end.
An irresistible fascination held his gaze on the animal,
on the huge jaws which he believed would shortly
rend his body apart. A few seconds passed, and to
the doomed lad they seemed as many minutes.

But just as the tigress was ready for the leap, when
fate was trembling in the balance, the borders of the
jungle rustled and snapped and a yellow light sudden-
ly shone forth. Maurice, dazed for an instant, could
scarcely credit his good luck. He saw the tawny
beast wheel round and vanish. He heard hoarse shout-
ing and a rifle-shot, blended with a ferocious, blood-
curdling roar. Fire-arms rang twice. There was
another roar, a brief scuffle, and all was still.

The flickering light approached the pit, and a hand
-appeared grasping a flaming torch. Two dusky faces
looked down at the lad, and recognizing Fazl Khan
and the evil-eyed servant of the Portuguese, he uttered
a cry of joy. He was their prisoner, perhaps, but they
had saved him from a horrible death. At the moment
the sight of even Antonio Silva himself would have
:been welcome.

Fazl Khan took off his kummerbund, and lowered
the silken folds into the pit, when Maurice tied a
noose under his arms and was drawn to the top. He

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 45

saw the corpse of the tigress lying near, then turned
to his rescuers, and noted with uneasiness their sinister
expressions.

" I had a close shave of it," he said. " You got
here just in the nick of time. Are you coming back
to camp with me, Fazl Khan ? "

The Hindoo scowled, and glanced at his companion.

" I will make your peace with Tearle," Maurice
added. " He will forgive all when he learns how you
saved my life."

" The young Sahib must die," declared Fazl Khan,
with brutal frankness. " The Portuguese Sahib has
said it. I am his servant now. And I hate Tearle
Sahib, for once he beat me."

His eyes flashed at the recollection.

Realizing his awful plight, Maurice felt a sickening
chill of horror course through his veins. He saw no
chance of escape. Both of his captors were armed,
and they would shoot him if he attempted to dash into
the jungle. For an instant his brain was busy and
fertile. At all hazards he must gain time.

" How did you find me ? " he asked with forced
composure.

" Mervanji is a jungle fellow," replied the shikaree,
indicating his tawny comrade. " He has the scent
of a jackal and the sight of a serpent. The Portuguese
Sahib sent us on your trail. He bade us kill you, and
bring him your head as a proof."

" Dead men betray not the living," croaked Mer-
vanji, in a sepulchral voice. " It is written that you
must perish, Sahib."

He looked intently at Fazl Khan, as if expecting a
signal.

The lad's courage was ebbing fast. He knew that

46 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the ruffians would do anything for greed of gold
But life was sweet, and he hated to yield it up to this
pair of hired assassins.

" If you murder me the crime will be discovered,'*
he said hoarsely. " Fazl Khan, save my life.
I have never done you an injury. Take me to my
friends, and I swear that you shall have as many rupees
as you may demand."

The Hindoo obstinately shook his head, and Maurice
saw that further pleading would be useless. He drew
a deep breath, glanced at the surrounding jungle, and
nerved himself for a rapid dash. But Fazl Khan,
shrewdly divining the lad's purpose, suddenly seized
him from behind, pinning his arms together. A brief
struggle, noisy and desperate, ensued. It availed
Maurice nothing, for he was like a child in the grip of
the powerful shikaree.

"The rope," cried Fazl Khan. "Be quick, Mer-
vanji."

From the folds of his tunic the native produced a
thin, silken lariat, with a running noose at one end.
The lad cried out with horror, and renewed his puny
efforts to break away. He had recognized Mervanji,
by a peculiar daub of red ochre on his breast, as a
Thug — as one of that terrible sect of stranglers who have
plied their nefarious vocation in India for centuries.

A hideous, gloating smile illumined Mervanji's evil
countenance as, thrusting his torch into the ground,
he approached with the rope. In vain Maurice made
a last, frantic attempt to escape. The noose was
slipped deftly over his head and he felt it tightening
about his throat. He tried to shout, but only a
choking sound came from his lips. Lights flashed
before his eyes.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 47

" Harder," said Fazl Khan. " Finish him quickly."

Crack ! There was a jet of flame and smoke, and
a sharp report, from a thicket close to the right.

Mervanji dropped the end of the silken rope on
which he was pulling, and with a gasping cry he
bounded in air, clutching at his chest. Again he
leapt, clearing the brink of the pit and toppling into
space. Two of the sharpened stakes instantly spitted
the Thug's body, but he was dead before they touched
him.

Terrified by the fate of his companion, Fazl Khan
glanced in the direction whence the shot had come.
He thrust the lad from him and took to his heels, not
even waiting to snatch his rifle. A bullet whistled
after him as he ran like a madman and vanished in
the gloomy shadows.

The next moment, while Maurice stood swaying on
his feet, dizzy and half -suffocated, a tall, dusky figure
in white turban and waist-cloth, holding a smoking
weapon, sprang into the glare of the torch. It was
Sher Singh, and in a frenzy of delight he embraced
the lad and tore the noose from his throat.

" Thank God ! " Maurice exclaimed huskily. " And
you, Sher Singh ! Why, I can hardly believe that I am
alive. What a night I've had ! Are the others with
with you ? Where are they ? "

" Encamped in the jungle, at no great distance
from here," replied the faithful Hindoo. " I will tell
you how it happened, Maurice Sahib. We returned
from our expedition at midday, having met with no
luck, and on learning that you had set off in search of
a tiger, Tearle Sahib prepared to follow. We started
shortly and travelled until sundown, when I was
reluctant to stop. Fearing that you might encounter

48 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

danger and be in need of help, I pressed on
alone — "

" You faced the night perils of the jungle for my
sake ? " interrupted Maurice.

" Why not, Sahib ? Something seemed to bid me
come. I was led as if by an invisible hand, until, at
last, I heard your cries. Then I extinguished my
torch and hastened to the spot, just as the assassins
were about to murder you."

" Your faithfulness saved my We," said Maurice,

" Does the Sahib forget the cobra ? " quietly replied
Sher Singh. " I am always your slave. My life
belongs to you."

Maurice was not a little touched by this devotion ;
he was beginning to realize how far he had sounded
the depths of an Oriental's gratitude. He described
his thrilling adventures, and Sher Singh's usual
stolidity gave way to unmeasured indignation. He
invoked the wrath of his gods on the Portuguese and
the perfidious natives.

After a glance at the dead tigers and the body of
Mervanji the Thug, the lad and his rescuer set off for
the distant camp, Maurice taking possession of Fazl
Khan's rifle. It was a long and weary tramp, though
not a dangerous one, since they carried firearms and
blazing torches. About midnight they reached their
destination, where they found Dennot Tearle and a
force of eight natives. Carruthers was mending
rapidly, but he had been left behind in charge of the
main camp. The lad eagerly ate and drank, the
while he told his story, and then he threw himself in
a corner of the tent and slept like a log. Tearle's
placid nature was roused to a pitch of fury, and it did
not take him long to decide on a plan of action, which

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 49

he communicated to his companions at early day-
break. A little later the party were travelling through
the jungle, bound on an expedition to recover the
stolen tiger and to punish Antonio Silva and his
treacherous allies. They pressed on as fast as
possible, since it was expected that Fazl Khan had
already reached Silva's camp and put him on his
guard.

CHAPTER VI.

THE FIGHT IN THE RAVINE.

THE village whose people had treated Maurice so
perfidiously was reached two hours after day-
break, and here a search was made for Ramput
and his rascally companions ; for Tearle's blood was
up, and he wanted to punish everyone. But none of
the natives who had assisted Silva could be found.
All were missing, including the head man, and it was
reasonably certain that they had taken service with
the Portuguese. Matters began to look serious, since
Tearle's force numbered only eleven. However, by
dint of perseverance and by a free display of silver,
a man was presently discovered who swore he knew
the way to Silva's camp and offered to act as guide.
Moreover, in a short time he recruited a dozen fellow-
Hindoos, armed with matchlocks and spears, and
promised that they would fight like tigers for a rupee
apiece.

This welcome addition raised Tearle's party to
twenty-two. Of his own natives four carried rifles,
as did himself. Maurice, and Sher Singh. He
eagerly gave the word to start, and wrath had so
blinded him to prudence that he forgot the
consequences which might result from taking the
law into his own hands ; nor did he remember that
he was within the territory and jurisdiction of the
Raja of Seranghur.

In very unmilitary fashion the savage band
straggled out of the village, and made a brief halt at

50

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 51

the scene of Maurice's late adventure, where the tiger
trap lay in ruins. From this point the wheel-ruts
of the stolen cage were easily followed, and the guide
led the way at a rapid pace.

The march was steadily kept up for three hours and
more, along a tangled and rugged path, and then, the
jungle-growth becoming thinner, the trail of the
robbers emerged suddenly on a large open space
that was trampled by many feet and scarred with
recent fires. It was Antonio Silva's deserted camp-
ground.

" What horrible luck ! " cried Tearle. " The ruffian
has fled."

" Yes, we're a little too late," assented Maurice,
" but they can't be far ahead."

Sher Singh made a thorough examination of the
clearing. " They have been gone two hours — not so
much perhaps, he reported. " Behold, Tearle Sahib,
the ashes of the fire are quite warm."

" Good ! " exclaimed Tearle. " I was afraid they
had left at sunrise. Luck is with us, my boy. On
with you, men," he added. ** Two rupees each if we
overhaul and capture the Portuguese."

For such a sum the natives would brave anything.
They picked up the continuation of the trail, and
pushed forward with quick strides, oblivious to heat
and fatigue. Tearle and Maurice grew more hopeful
at every step, for the freshly-beaten path indicated
that Silva's party were burdened with quite a number
of cages. Surely they could not much longer hold
the lead.

Mid-day came and passed, and between one and
two o'clock, as Tearle and the guide were marching
at the head of the band, they caught a glimpse -of a

52 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

turbaned head moving some twenty yards beyond
them. Tearle lifted his rifle and fired, and with the
report a half -naked Hindoo, terrified by his narrow
escape from death, leapt recklessly into the path. As
swiftly he sprang back to cover and vanished.

" I didn't mean to kill the fellow," said Tearle. " I
merely wanted him to show himself. A spy, I
suppose."

" Without doubt, Sahib," exclaimed Sher Singh.
" He was put here to watch. The Portuguese must
be close by."

" He will know by the shot that we are in pursuit,
before the spy can overtake him," declared Maurice.

The news spread from mouth to mouth, and ex-
citement rose to fever-heat. The little band hurried
on at an increased speed, each man preparing for a
possible fight. Sher Singh, slipping alongside of
Maurice, begged him not to expose himself needlessly.

" I'm not going to skulk at the rear, if that is what
you mean," the lad replied, a trifle indignantly.
" Every rifle may be needed, and I know how to
use mine."

" Beware of the Portuguese and Fazl Khan,"
urged the shikaree. " They are to be feared, Sahib."

" They are just the chaps I want to meet," vowed
Maurice. " Don't worry, Sher Singh, I shall be
careful."

Five minutes later the jungle ended on the verge
of a grassy, level plain that was perhaps a half-mile
across. On the farther side was a range of low,
densely-timbered foothills, with high peaks towering
beyond them. And in the middle of the open stretch,
thrilling sight ! was the quarry that had inspired
such a determined chase. No less than seven stout

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 53

wooden cages, mounted on solid wheels, were jolting
heavily over the soft ground, tjie bullocks now breaking
into a gallop, now relaxing to a sullen trot, as the
drivers ran alongside and plied their whips
unsparingly. Right and left were a score or so of
natives, and Silva's figure was to be recognized in
front, astride of a dark horse ; with him were several
white companions, probably Portuguese.

" Faster ! faster ! " cried Tearle. " The scoundrels
are pushing for yonder hills, and they'll give us
serious trouble unless we can catch them up in the
open."

With loud clamour the pursuers dashed over the
plain and perceptibly gained on the enemy, who were
making desperate efforts to escape. Some of the
fleeing natives turned occasionally to discharge their
matchlocks, and at this Tearle bade his own men lire
high, hoping that the robbers might be induced to
pull up and stand at bay. The spluttering fusillade
increased. Bullets sang like bees through the air,
and puffs of bluish smoke went wreathing towards
the burning sky.

However, Tearle had incorrectly gauged the temper
of his implacable foe. The procession of cages, instead
of coming to a halt, rumbled forward with undiminished
speed. They were now left entirely to the care of the
drivers, for Silva, with nearly the whole of his force,
had fallen a few yards behind, as if to guard the rear.
But such was their intention only in part. Silva
and his white companions were seen to dismount and
give their horses in charge, and the next instant,
wheeling suddenly round, they led an obstinate rush
towards their pursuers, firing as they advanced in
open order.

54 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Steady, men, steady ! " beseeched Tearle.

The daring attack was unexpected, and the sight
of the on-rushing foe, and the angry whistle of
bullets, proved too much for the Englishman's
supporters, who lost courage and began to retreat
in confusion. One was shot dead. A ball carried
away Maurice's cap, and another grazed Sher
Singh's shoulder. Tearle, hit in the fleshy part of
the left arm, hastily bound up the wound and shout-
ing to them wrathfully tried to rally his scattered
followers.

Maurice and Sher Singh did good work by getting
around both flanks and threatening to shoot the
skulkers, and the result was that the panic was soon
allayed. The natives rose from the grass, where
they had sought safety, and with valorous shouts
came forward. But by this time the enemy had
swiftly fallen back, having gained the advantage that
had prompted the rush. They overtook the caravan,
and the maddened bullocks swept at full-speed in
the direction of the near-lying hills.

" Three rupees each if you check them on the
plain," roared Tearle. " Three rupees, men ! Let
me see how you can fight."

Their greed thus appealed to, the motley herd
pressed after their three leaders, not delaying to pick
up the dead man. Slowly but surely they gained on
the robbers.

Rifles began to crack again. On tore the clumsy,
wheeled boxes, careening from side to side of the
path, and the shelter of the hills was very close
when all at once the rearmost cage struck a stone
and went over with a crash. The timbers burst
apart and out leapt a huge panther. Instantly the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 55

animal seized a native by the throat, bit him
horribly, and then disappeared in the tall grass.

Naturally the accident caused delay and confusion,
and while the bullocks were being cut loose from the
broken cage the band of pursuers made a considerable
gain.

"We've got them now," cried Tearle. "A bold
dash will scatter the rascals like sheep. Don't waste
your powder, men."

But another bitter disappointment was in store. At
a few words of command from Silva a line of natives,
a dozen or more in number, spread quickly to right
and left. What they meant to do was soon alarm-
ingly apparent. From various points rose curls of
thick, yellowish smoke, and a moment later the flames,
united in a lurid sheet, were rolling towards the
Englishman's party. The enemy, half-hidden in the
rear, uttered savage yells of triumph.

A fairly stiff breeze was blowing from the hills,
and it furiously fanned the conflagration in three
directions, driving it forward and spreading it on
both flanks. The roaring red line, a leaping wave
of fire, advanced like a devouring monster,
consuming the dry, parched grass with amazing
rapidity. At first there threatened to be no escape,
and for a brief instant Tearle's natives huddled
together in helpless, stupid panic. To advance was
impossible, and they must speedily be overtaken
by the flames if they tried to flee back to the jungle.

Maurice's stout heart quailed in the presence of
so terrible a fate, and Tearle's face was stamped with
grim despair. Thus the leader stood for a moment,
and then, with a ringing shout and a gesture, he drew
his companions about him. He pointed to the left,

56 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

where the curving line of fire could be seen to
terminate in a yellow veil of smoke.

" Our only chance," he cried. " Follow me, and
don't lose your courage or your weapons. We must
circle around the flames. I believe we'll get Silva
yet, my lad."

His words inspired hope and confidence, and every
man was at his heels as he started off through the
clumps of grass. Sher Singh took hold of Maurice's
arm, and assisted his flight. A desperate race for
life ensued, and the issue was uncertain till the very
end. Clouds of smoke drifted past the plucky fellows,
and they breathed scorching air and sparks. But
they plunged on, guided by Tearle's tall figure, and
just when an agonizing death seemed inevitable they
staggered out from the lurid, smoky curtain, and
splashed knee-deep across a pool of water.

On the farther side they paused for breath, watching
the flames race by, and then turned with one impulse
to scan the plain with their smarting eyes. It was
quite empty. The last of the cages was in the act of
vanishing into a narrow defile between two of the
foothills.

" Too late ! " Maurice cried angrily. " It will
take an army to drive them from that position."

"Not so, lad," vowed Tearle. "We have the
strength to do it, and do it we will, or my name's not
Dennot Tearle. But we must set about the task at
once, and take the dogs by surprise. They will
hardly be expecting an attack now. What think you,
Sher Singh ? "

" As the Sahib thinks," replied the shikaree. " It
is a bad place, and there will be danger, but if all can
be relied upon — "

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 57

"I will bee to that," Tearle interrupted. "We
are going to continue the chase into the mountains,"
he added to the natives, " and I expect you to show
courage and earn your rupees. If you stand up to
these robber budmashes they will run like jackals."

He was answered by approving shouts, and a
glance at the earnest, eager faces of the Hindoos
satisfied him that they were to be trusted.

There was a hasty loading of weapons and looking
to small arms, after which the score of smoke-grimed
figures moved forward over the charred and
smouldering plain, giving little thought to the whirl-
wind of flames behind them. They reached the
foothills within a few yards of the pass that had
swallowed the enemy, and were soon swarming up
the narrow, rugged defile, between towering walls of
rock and serried vegetation. What road there was
twisted right and left, and was at no point visible for
more than a short distance, owing to many jutting
angles.

" This is the sort of thing that tries one's nerves,"
said Maurice.

"Ay, that's right," assented Tearle. "The crack
of a rifle would be a relief, eh ? But I don't believe
we are near the scoundrels yet."

" Be assured, Sahib," declared Sher Singh, " that
sharp eyes are watching us."

Amid ominous silence they advanced, and had gone
a thousand yards, when suddenly, from the next turn
above, the roar of a matchlock woke the echoes and
was followed by a flight of spears. One of the natives
dropped, but before the others could lose heart
Tearle's command to charge rang loud and shrill.
Straight up the road swept the whole band, yelling

58 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and firing, and directly they were around the curve
they found themselves face to face with the robbers,
among whom neither Silva nor Fazl Khan was to
be seen.

Here instantly began a struggle at close quarters,
a hand-to-hand fight. Cries of pain and fury blended
with the thud of hog-spears and rifle-locks and the
swish of rusty tulwars. Tearle and Maurice were in
the thick of it, and the lad struck out vigorously,
his every movement observed by the faithful Sher
Singh.

" No pistols if we can do without them," shouted
Tearle.

Cold lead was not needed — as yet. The out-
numbered wavered, drew back, and fled in confusion,
leaving behind them two dead and two wounded.
The victors noisily pushed their advantage, inflamed
by passion and bloodshed, and a couple of minutes
later a sharp bend brought them into full view of
the cages, which were drawn up in a line at the base
of the steep cliff on the left. On the opposite side
of the narrow road yawned a dizzy precipice, and
sixty feet below a mountain torrent brawled and
foamed.

At this perilous spot occurred the worst of the
fighting, for the fleeing Hindoos, turning at bay, were
promptly reinforced by the rest of the band, including
Fazl Khan, Silva, and two other Portuguese. Rifles
and revolvers cracked, and a mist of powder-smoke
overhung the scene. Maurice and Sher Singh were
hemmed in by a circle of foes, and the lad, having
felled one of them and broken his weapon by the
force of the blow, was about to use his pistol when a
stone knocked it out of his grasp.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 59

" Take this, Sahib," cried the shikaree, thrusting a
short, curved sword into his companion's hand. At
the same instant he tore a spear from one of his
assailants, and immediately ran the fellow through
the chest.

Maurice had his work cut out for him. He slashed
right and left, drawing blood, and then swung his
weapon for a stroke at a new enemy who had just
appeared on the scene, and was none other than the
treacherous Fazl Khan. His evil face blazed with
hatred.

" Die, pig of a Sahib," he snarled, as he took aim
with a pistol.

Quick as lightning the lad's sword flashed,
knocking the firearm upward, so that it was harmlessly
discharged hi the ah*. The keen blade went even
farther, and laid Fazl Khan's cheek open to the bone.
With a cry of rage the Hindoo leapt at Maurice and
seized him in his muscular arms. They fell together,
the lad making a desperate struggle to free himself.

Unconsciously they rolled to the outer edge of the
path, and before either could realize the danger they
had plunged into space.

CHAPTER VH.

THE LAST OP PAZL KHAN.

THE spot at which the disaster had occurred was
dangerous to life and limb. The cliff fell sheerly
down for twenty feet, below which was a
hardly less precipitous slope of rock, undergrowth,
and young timber, reaching to the brink of the
torrent.

Swift as an arrow Maurice and Fazl Khan cleft
the air, and skimming the surface of the rock- wall,
their descent was first checked by a protruding thicket.
They crashed into it with great force, and Fazl Khan,
who happened to be the undermost, bore the brunt of
the shock. But both were stunned, and very little
consciousness was left between them as they recoiled
from the bushes and whirled on to the bottom of the
cliff, still locked in a tight embrace. Bruised and
bleeding, they plunged with a tremendous splash
into a deep, circular pool of icy water, above and
below which a fierce current roared and foamed amid
jagged boulders.

The effect of the cold bath was to immediately
revive the combatants. A brief struggle freed
Maurice from the grip of his enemy, and up he bobbed
to the surface, gasping for breath. An instant later
Fazl Khan's head and shoulders rose a little to the
left. The wound on his cheek lent him a horrible
appearance, and there was murder in the frenzied
glare that flashed from his eyes.

" Dog of a Sahib, I'll have your life," he cried :

GO

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 61

and with that he swam vigorously towards the lad,
leaving crimson stains in his wake.

Maurice himself was a good swimmer, and at once
he struck out for the nearest edge of the pool, hoping
to scramble ashore in time to elude his determined
foe. However, neither had reckoned with the unseen
force that lurked beneath the placid waters. A
sucking undertow suddenly clutched its victims with
a grasp from which there was no escape, and first
the lad was drawn through a narrow aperture at
the lower end of the pool, the Hindoo following at a
slower pace, since his powers of resistance were greater.
Then, battling wildly and vainly to stem the current,
both were tossed about like corks, flung from wave-
crest to wave-crest, as they shot down the spumy
streteh of the torrent.

At this critical moment Slier Singh, who had been
hard-pressed in the thick of the strife, gained an
opportune breathing-spell and looked anxiously round
him to see what had become of Maurice. He missed
the lad, and fearing that he had been killed he sought
for him among the fallen, heedless of the risks to
which he was exposing himself. Then he hastened
to the verge of the cliff, and casting his eyes far down
into the ravine, he perceived two figures battling for
life in the boiling cascades of the mountain stream.
The distance was too great for positive recognition,
but he was satisfied that Maurice was one of the two.

Forgetting his duty to his employers and the help
that was expected of him, the devoted shikaree turned
his back on the fighting and ran fleetly along the
sloping path for thirty yards. He soon discovered
what he was in search of — a spot where the cliff fell
at a slight angle, and was broken by projecting crags

62 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and tufts of stout grass. With a long spear grasped
in one hand, he made his way down the dizzy incline,
clutching at everything that offered the least support.
Having safely reached the lower slope of stones and
undergrowth, he increased his speed and gained the
verge of the torrent.

Meanwhile, to go back a little, what had become
of Maurice and Fazl Khan ? The lad forgot for the
moment the enemy behind him, and had all that he
could do to save himself from drowning, as he was
whirled on and on, now high on the crest of the pitch-
ing waves, now deep under the green waters. His
frantic struggles were futile. He was as helpless as
an infant. Again and again he collided with submerged
rocks, and each second promised to be his last. He was
bruised and half-choked, in the throes of suffocation,
when, as he was lifted on the swell, he saw a jagged
boulder close ahead. As quickly he reached blindly
for it, and seized it in both arms.

For an instant he held fast in spite of the angry
buffeting of the waves. Then, his strength returning
a little, he was in act of drawing himself to a safer
position when Fazl Khan came swinging alongside.
The Hindoo saw and caught the rock, and while he
clung tight with one hand he raised the other and
struck the lad brutally in the face.

" Drown, you dog ! " he shrieked. " Drown ! "

At the third blow Maurice lost his grip, and with a
cry of despair on his lips, with Fazl Khan's mocking
laughter ringing in his ears, he was borne away by
the merciless tide. Again he battled for life, tossing
like a shuttlecock amid foam and spray, while the
torrent seemed to grow wilder and swifter ; and again,
the current doing him a good turn, his mad flight to

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS, 63

destruction was checked by another jagged crag that
rose a short distance to the right of mid-channel.
He embraced it with both arms, and gradually gained
a securer hold with his knees. He now had a fair
chance, for between the rock and the bank of the
stream lay a comparatively quiet eddy.

" As soon as I am a little stronger," he thought,
44 1 can swim or wade to shore."

But suddenly he remembered Fazl Khan, and glanc-
ing swiftly about him, he was horrified to perceive the
Hindoo in the very act of scrambling out of the water.
He had safely fought across the strip of raging billows
that intervened. Before the lad could make an effort
to swim the eddy his blood-thirsty foe was limping
towards him with eager strides, carrying a stone of
some pounds' weight which he had stopped to pick
up.

An icy shiver coursed through Maurice's veins.
He was face to face with death ; apparently not a
ray of hope was left. A few yards below the stream
plunged down a slanting ledge of rocks, and lost itself
in a boiling, funnel-shaped whirlpool. To release his
hold, and trust himself once more to the current,
would be nothing short of suicide.

Already Fazl Khan had reached a point on the
rugged shore that was directly opposite to his intended
victim. His dusky, lacerated countenance was dis-
torted with vindictive triumph.
* " Pig of a Sahib ! " he hissed, as he lifted the stone
in his hands. "Naught can save you this time,
your body shall go to feed yonder whirlpool."

" Have mercy," begged Maurice, though he knew
that it was useless to ask. "don't kill me in cold
blood."

64 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" A lakh of rupees would not purchase your life,"
snarled the ruffian. " The spirit of Mervanji the Thug
calls for vengeance."

For a moment, with gloating enjoyment of his
victim's torture, the Hindoo held the engine of death
poised in air. He waited a second too long, and that
brief respite saved Maurice. A spear, cast with un-
erring aim from a clump of bushes, penetrated Fazl
Khan's back and emerged between his ribs. The
stone fell from his nerveless grip, and with a horrid,
gurgling cry he toppled headforemost into the water.
The current rolled the mangled body to the edge of
the whirlpool, where it was instantly sucked down
into the churning depths.

The tragedy was so quickly done and over that
Maurice had scarcely realized his good fortune when
Sher Singh came leaping among the rocks to the brink
of the torrent. With a cry of joy the faithful shikaree
plunged into the eddy, breasted his way to the rock,
and dragged the lad to the bank. His eyes flashed
as he looked at the furious waves which had exultantly
swallowed the corpse of Fazl Khan.

" Sahib, speak to me," he implored.

For a minute or two Maurice lay silent, helpless, on
a patch of soft grass, glancing with mute gratitude at
his preserver. Then his strength slowly rallying, he
was able to sit erect.

" I owe you my life twice over, Sher Singh," he said
huskily. " I was so near death that I can hardly
believe I am alive. How shall I ever repay you — "

" Waste not your breath, Sahib," the Hindoo inter-
rupted, " for you will need it. There may be great
perils to face. Listen ! they are still fighting savagely."

Sher Singh was right. Down the rocky gorge

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 65

floated hoarse yells and the clanging sounds of strife.
There was nothing to indicate a victory for either
side.

" We must hasten to our friends," said Maurice,
as he rose unsteadily to his feet. " If they are in
straits they will require our assistance. I suppose
there can be no doubt that Fazl Khan is dead ? "
he added.

" The traitor's body is tossing from rock to rock,"
replied Sher Singh, pointing to the torrent. " His
fate was more merciful than he deserved. Come
Sahib, your words are wise. We must gain the road
above."

" How are we going to do that ? " asked Maurice,
looking in despair at the sheer precipice.

** Farther down the valley the slope grows less
rugged," the Hindoo answered, " and, moreover, there
will be the less danger of meeting any of the foe. My
arms are strong. I will carry you."

" No, I can manage well enough," protested Maurice.
" I feel all right, except for a few bruises and a head-
ache."

He proved the assertion by vigorously shaking
the water from his clothes and walking a few paces
over the rough stones. Sher Singh was satisfied, and
without comment he led his companion along the
the bank of the stream. They were soon a couple of
hundreds yards below the scene of Fazl Khan's death,
and the sounds of battle from the distance rang fainter
and fainter. A little farther on the steep sides of the
valley fell away to timbered slopes, and here the
two began the ascent.

i:

CHAPTER VIIL

HOW THE FIGHT ENDED.

EXCITING scenes had been taking place on the
arrow path, high above the torrent while
Maurice was facing death below. So fierce was
the hand-to-hand struggle that the disappearance of
the lad, and later that of Sher Singh, went unheeded.
The situation almost precluding the possibility of
flight, Silva's party fought with grim desperation,
and Tearle's personal bravery and pluck inspired his
handful of followers. For a time the contest was waged
stubbornly and unyieldingly on both sides.

At length, extricating himself from a tangle of foes,
Tearle swung his rifle round him and cleared a wide
swath. His face was bloody and powder-grimed,
and he was a formidable figure to his enemies.

" Come on, my brave fellows," he shouted. " At
them again. They are giving way."

The natives responded willingly, and their cries
nearly drowned the clash and thud of weapons. The
two Portuguese belonging to Silva's party were craven
cowards at heart. They were poorly armed, and,
moreover, they foresaw the certainty of defeat.
Breaking suddenly from the circle they dashed up the
path, and in less time than it takes to tell they had
vanished beyond the cages. No pursuit was thought
of or attempted.

" Let the dogs go," exclaimed Tearle, as he struck
right and left with untiring energy. "We are well rid
of them. The fight is ours. One more rush, my lads."

66

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 67

It was given eagerly, and now, the dusky forms
closing in, the end was seen to be near. The desertion
of his trusted allies had brought a flash of anger to
Silva's eyes, and for an instant he too had meditated
flight ; but while he hesitated the opportunity was
lost, and he and the remnant of his band were forced
back against the cliff. Here was a brief and bitter
struggle, blood flowing freely, until Tearle cleared his
way to the front and found himself face to face with
Silva. The two leaders were armed with rifles, and
using these as if they had been cudgels they parried
each other's blows for a moment. Then, Silva's
weapon parting at the stock, he reeled back against
the rocky wall, expecting his death blow to follow.
An impulse of mercy, however, withheld Tearle from
striking.

" The law shall deal with you as you deserve," he
vowed. " The game is up — surrender, and spare your
men."

" Never ! " hissed Silva. " Malediction on you ! "

With that, snatching a short spear from a native,
he hurled it straight at his enemy. Tearle, though
unprepared for such a treacherous deed, dodged swiftly
to one side and thereby narrowly escaped instant
death. The weapon passed under his right arm, and
whizzing on with undiminished force, it buried itself
in the fore-flank of one of the bullocks that were
harnessed to the nearest cage.

Immediately happened a strange thing, and it was
so swift and unexpected that Tearle had no chance of
stretching the Portuguese lifeless on the ground, as he
had intended to do. Maddened by pain the bullock
swung half-round, dragging his mates with him. The
cage was thrown over, and it struck the hard path with

68 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

a force that jarred the timbers apart. From between
them at once squeezed a hairy head and a pair of wicked-
looking horns, which were followed, after a further
rending of wood, by the huge body of a wild buffalo.

In all India there is no beast more to be dreaded at
close quarters or when in a rage, and this particular
specimen had been worked into a perfect frenzy by
the noise of the fighting. He caught sight of his
natural enemies, sniffed the ah*, and bellowed hoarsely.
Then, with lowered head, he charged like a hurricane
down the narrow path.

It was ludicrous to see how quickly the fight came
to an end. There was a general scramble in various
directions, the men of both parties jostling one another.
Some ran to the verge of the precipice and swung
dangling hi space, and others, Tearle among them — he
was the first to set the example — scrambled like cats
up the rugged face of the cliff.

For a brief moment, dazed and maddened by his
defeat, Silva stood still, and when he realized his
peril it was too late to gain safe shelter. He turned
down the path and fled at his topmost speed. The
buffalo whirled by, ruthlessly trampling the bodies that
lay in its course. Bellowing and snorting it sped on
in pursuit of the Portuguese, while Tearle, with some
of the natives, hastened along in the rear, fascinated
by the excitement of the chase. The remainder of
the foe, seizing this ripe opportunity, disappeared up
the gorge without waste of time.

Silva was in a bad plight, though for more than a
hundred yards he managed to keep ahead of his deter-
mined enemy. Then his strength began to fail him
and he rapidly lost ground, encumbered as he was
by boots and clothing.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 69

"Jump into the ravine," shouted Tearle, "or try
to climb the hill on the other side."

Either the Portuguese did not hear, or he was too
frightened and confused to understand ; he wheeled
suddenly round, and as quickly the infuriated brute
was upon him with lowered horns and bloodsho eyes.
The man, tossed in air, was thrown to the right, so
that he came down on the timbered slope, half a dozen
feet above the level. He clutched at the undergrowth
and held fast for an instant, then crawled slowly and
painfully into the thick foliage and vanished from sight.

The buffalo stamped and snorted, glaring this way
and that in search of his victim. For a moment he
had thoughts of charging the little party in his rear,
and turned to shake his shaggy head at them ; but
instead he went pounding down the path, a curve of
which scon hid him from view.

It was now that Tearle, for the first time, missed
Sher Singh and Maurice, and the discovery naturally
banished all else from his mind. Before he could con-
jecture what had become of them, however, the absent
ones appeared over the brink of the gorge, twenty yards
below. The others hurried to meet them, and Maurice,
who was exhausted by the steep climb, clung limply
to the shikaree's arm as he related his thrilling adven-
tures and timely rescue,

" Fazl Khan got no more than he deserved," was
Tearle's comment. " I shan't forget what you've
done, Sher Singh. Thank God that you are safe, my
lad. I could not have spared you." He briefly told
his side of the story. " That scoundrel of a Portuguese
must not escape," he concluded, turning to the natives.
" He was undoubtedly injured by the buffalo's horns,
and can't have crawled very far, I should think.

70 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Search the hill, men. Look closely among the stones
and bushes. I'll divide fifty rupees among you if you
capture Silva."

Incited by the generous offer the natives swarmed
up the bluff, to straggle back, in twos and threes,
within a quarter of an hour. Out of their mixed
stories was gleaned one conclusive fact ; namely,
that Antonio Silva, who could not have been badly
hurt after all, had reached the dense line of timber
that stretched along the base of the hills.

" Well, that is the end of the fellow, for the present,"
said Tearle. " It would be useless to pursue him.
Come, we are wasting time here ; " and he led the
way up the path.

On arriving at the scene of the late fight half a
dozen of Silva's party, who had boldly crept back to
recover the cages, were taken by surprise. Four
succeeded in escaping and two surrendered, though
the latter were subsequently set at liberty. The
victory was a dearly-bought one, Tearle having lost
two men killed and Silva three, while several severely
wounded natives of both parties were lying about.
It was a matter for regret that the treacherous Ramput
was among the missing.

Everything possible was promptly done. The path
was cleared and the injured were placed on litters
made of boughs and tenderly cared for ; their wounds
were bandaged and water was brought for them from
the ravine, Sher Singh volunteering for that task. By
Tearle's orders the dead and wounded foemen were
put in a shady spot by the base of the cliff.

" No doubt their friends will return and carry them
off," he said. " Our own dead we will take back to
the village where they belong."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 71

" And what is to be done with Silva's animals ? '
inquired Maurice. " Can we regard them as the spoils
of war ? "

" I'm afraid not, my lad," Tearle replied. " But
the wisest course will be to take them with us, and
then, in case any trouble grows out of this affair, we
can turn them over to the proper authorities."

" Trouble ! " Maurice asked uneasily.

"That's what I said. And trouble it is likely to
be, sooner or later. We h*ve taken the law into
our own hands, you know, and we may be called to
account for it."

" There was no other way," declared Maurice,
indignantly.. " Where would our tiger be now if we
had waited to appeal to the nearest magistrate instead
of going in pursuit of Silva ? "

" True enough," assented Tearle, " and that is pre-
cisely why I acted as I did. I admit that I did not
anticipate any loss of life. However, we must make
the best of it. Don't worry, lad, we'll pull through
all right. But come, we'll have a look at the casus
betti, if that's good Latin."

Maurice followed him to the cage containing the
tiger, who was indeed a magnificent brute. He glared
at his visitors from between the stout bars, and snarled
ferociously.

" Such a prize is well worth all we have gone
through," said Tearle. " I don't wonder that Silva
wanted the animal. And it was you did the trapping,
lad. You are getting on famously."

Maurice thrilled with pride that was tempered by
a note of sadness.

" Poor Tom taught me," he reflected. " I wish he
was alive."

72 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Altogether five cages remained intact. The tiger
occupied one, and another was half-filled with camp-
ing paraphernalia. The other three contained re-
spectively a black panther, a leopard, and a pair of
hyenas. Their combined value represented no small
amount of money, a loss which the Portuguese was
not likely to bear with equanimity or inaction.

When twilight fell that evening the gorge and the
surrounding forests were miles behind, and Tearle and
his companions, with the string of cages, were in
camp on the opposite-lying side of the plain which
they had traversed earlier the same day, in pursuit
of the marauders. Sentries were posted here and
there, and huge fires were built, these precautions
being deemed necessary lest Silva should collect a
force of wild hill-men in the vicinity and make a
night attack.

The dreaded hours of darkness passed without
alarm, however, though there was little sleep for any
one, owing to the groans of the suffering natives and
the cries of the imprisoned animals. The bullocks,
deprived of sufficient food and water, bellowed in-
cessantly. With the first flush of dawn a start was
made, and Tearle, in spite of the feverish conditions
caused by his wound, marched at the head of the
convoy. The village was reached by noon, and here
there was an anxious scene, with loud lamentations,
when the dead and injured were brought in. But the
people were in a reasonable mood, and were easily
pacified by the rupees that Tearle shared among them,
their wrath being directed against Silva and his allies,
especially the perfidious Ramput, who would have
fared badly indeed had he happened to appear at that
time.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 73

Within an hour, having paid off his hired fighting-
men, Tearle was pressing on with the handful of
companions that were left to him. The sorely- taxed
bullocks crawled slowly through the tangle of miry
paths, making another night in the jungle imperative,
so that the following day was half spent when the
weary travellers arrived at their camp, where they
found Carruthers quite well again, and with only good
news to report.

He rejoiced at the capture of the tiger, but looked
grave when he heard the complete story of the expedi-
tion. He and Tearle shut themselves up in the tent
for several hours, holding a secret consultation, and
meanwhile Maurice and Sher Singh attended to the
placing of the new cages and to the feeding and water-
ing of the bullocks and wild beasts.

Whatever conclusion Tearle and Carruthers may
have reached, they were in cheerful enough spirits
that night, when, the evening meal finished, they
lounged by the camp-fire and enjoyed the solace of
tobacco ; nor did they drop a single word as to the
possibility of future trouble, preferring to hold the
conversation on pleasanter subjects.

*4 This life seems to suit you, my boy," said
Carruthers.

" I love it," Maurice frankly admitted.

" And you are well-fitted for it. Poor Dayleford
has taught you pretty much all he knew himself.
It's a pity, though, that he died without revealing
what knowledge he had of your past, without telling
how you came into his hands."

" He meant to tell me," Maurice said, in a husky
voice, " but — but he never got the chance."

Tearle, puffing hard at his pipe, looked out from

74 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the cloud of tobacco-smoke with a sudden show of
interest.

" Is your memory any clearer, my lad," he asked,
" than it was the day the magistrates questioned you ?
Do you recall no more than you did then ? "

" Nothing more," replied Maurice. " The travelling
circus, the dark man who took me to London, the
years on ship-board with Captain Bonnick, the be-
ginning of the new life with Tom — that is all. He
hesitated for a moment. " But there is something — •
I haven't spoken of it before — that keeps coming
into my mind," he added. " The night Tom was
murdered he told me that he had wronged me, and that
his lips were sealed by hush-money ; and he said he
might have helped me to find my parents, but that
he didn't know who they were."

" Did Dayleford tell you all that ? " asked
Carruthers, with a significant glance at Tearle.

" Yes, those were almost his very words," declared
the lad.

A disturbance among the bullocks interrupted the
discussion, and a little later, after Maurice had sought
his bed and was sleeping soundly, Tearle and Car-
ruthers picked up the broken thread over their last
pipes.

" It's a mysterious case, and a mighty deep one,"
said the former.

" With a crime back of it," hinted Carruthers.

" I shouldn't wonder. This is a wicked world,
old man. It is certain, to my mind, that the boy
comes of good stock — his face shows that plainly
enough."

" And his pluck and manners," assented Carruthers.
" Breeding counts every time. Suppose we try to

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 75

get to the bottom of this affair, while we are knocking
about the globe."

"With all my heart," Tearle answered. "We'll
do what we can. And I'll tell you one thing straight,
once we've found Captain Bonnick, it won't be
necessary to inquire much further."

CHAPTER IX.

A MARVELLOUS GIFT.

THE better part of a week went by quietly and un-
eventfully, so far as those words can be applied to
the daily duties of the wild beast hunters. There
was no reason to fear that Antonio Silva had sworn
any complaint before the local authorities, or that
he was planning reprisals on his own responsibility ;
in the former case, however, since the neighbourhood
was so wild and lonely, a lengthy period might elapse
before the nearest magistrate or military commandant
could take action.

The trapping operations had been more successful
and remunerative of late, and most of the cages were
filled. It would soon be time to return to Calcutta,
whence the animals would be shipped to Hamburg
or London, and meanwhile fresh instructions were
certain to be received from the firm.

To what quarter of the globe the agents would be
ordered next was a question that offered a wide range
of surmise, and one baking, scorching afternoon it
came up for discussion in camp. Tearle and
Carruthers were stretched full length beneath a tent-
flap, gasping and perspiring, and at their feet sat
Maurice, looking rather more comfortable. Close
by squatted Sher Singh, as calm and impassive as a
bronze idol.

" Hamrach never knows his own mind till the last
minute," Carruthers was saying. " He may order
us to the Rocky mountains, or to the Himalayas, or

7G

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 77

the Terai, or the forests of the Congo, or to the desert
beyond Suakim — "

" It is more likely that we shall sail with the
animals for Hamburg," interrupted Tearle. " I am
glad, at all events, that we are shortly going down
to Calcutta."

" You are still worrying about Silva, then ? "
asked Carruthers.

" Yes, a little. He can easily trump up a black
and damaging charge and lay it before the authorities.
And his beasts and cages are in our possession. It
would have been the wiser plan, I begin to think, to
have abandoned them in the mountains. I hardly
know what to do with them now."

" They are valuable, too," said Maurice. " That
black panther in particular ought to be worth — "

" They really ought to belong to the house that Silva
represents, Richter and Mass," broke in Carruthers.
" They have an agency in Madras, and Jules Vanberg
looks after their interests in Calcutta. We might
turn the lot over to him."

" A good idea ! " approved Tearle. " That solves
the difficulty. A few more days will see our work
here finished, and then — "

The end of the sentence was inaudible, for his
voice was stifled by a noise of shouting from the out-
skirts of the camp. Tearle and his three companions
were instantly on then* feet, and going forward they
soon learned the cause of the excitement. Two of
the native hunters, whose business it was to scour
the jungles, had just arrived from different directions.
And each, it seemed, had an interesting story to tell.

" A tiger, Sahibs," exclaimed Chandar. " I have
discovered a big fellow. He is sleeping in a bed of

78 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

reeds two miles to the south, and I have men watching
the spot. It is a fine chance to use the nets."

" I also have been fortunate," cried Sri Das.
" Listen, Sahibs. I passed by the pits that we dug
to the eastward three days ago, and in one of them
is a rhinoceros — a fat, full-grown beast."

" You have both done well," said Tearle, handing
to each the customary rupee. "If we can capture
these animals they will complete the order," he added.
We will set off at once, hot as it is. Carruthers, you
and I will accompany Chandar, and try to bag the
sleeping tiger."

" Very good, Dermot. And the rhinoceros — "

"Maurice will attend to that," directed Tearle,
" with Sri Das and Sher Singh to assist him. We
will both take other helpers, of course."

" Mine will be the easier task," said the lad, " but
all the same I wish I was going after the tiger."

" You may have a stiffer contract than you expect,"
replied Carruthers, little thinking that he was
uttering a prophecy. " A rhinoceros in a cage is
worth three in a pit."

The necessary preparations were speedily made,
and w;thin an hour, as the heat of the afternoon was
begin \iug to lose its intensity, the two parties started
out ia .iearly opposite directions. In the rear of each
a cage followed slowly, drawn by lagging bullocks in
charge of natives.

With his rifle strapped to his back, and a sola-
topee on laJ9 head, Maurice pushed eastward with his
two chief helpers. A sort of a rough road, previously
broken, led to the pits, which were about three and
a half miles distant from the camp. Sri Das and Sher
Singh carried spades and coils of rope. Their task

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 79

was one of labour and skill rather than of peril, since
they had to dig a narrow, sloping passage into the
steep -walled excavation, and by this means drag or
drive the rhinoceros to the cage.

The three travelled at a steady and easy pace, and
they had covered close upon two miles when Maurice
discovered that his hunting-knife had dropped from
his belt. As the weapon was a gift from Tom
Dayleford he prized it highly, and at once announced
his intention of returning to look for it.

" Shall I come with you, Sahib ? " asked Sher Singh.

"No, I will go alone," the lad answered firmly.
" You had better push on, without delay, for not
many hours of daylight are left. I shall probably
overtake you before you reach the pits."

Sher Singh assented with evident reluctance, and
strode ahead with his companion, while Maurice
turned and retraced his steps along the path, moving
slowly and watchfully. He had gone five hundred
yards or so, passing the bullocks and cage about
half-way, when the missing knife — which he had begun
to despair of finding — caught his eye. He eagerly
picked it up, and at the same instant discovered,
on a patch of soft ground, the print of a naked, human
foot. The toes pointed straight across the path,
beyond which, within three or four yards, several
other footprints were visible.

"This looks queer, to say the least," the lad told
himself. " There can be no strange natives in the
vicinity, so I shouldn't wonder if the fellow who makes
these marks was a spy sent by Antonio Silva."

Tempted by the wish to prove or disprove his
suspicions, yet intending to proceed but a short
distance in any event, Maurice came to a hasty

80 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

decision, and one that was to result in as strange an
adventure as ever befell traveller or explorer. Leav-
ing the beaten road he struck due north, and was
immediately plunged into a semi-gloom caused by
matted foliage overhead. The ground was com-
paratively open, and the prints of the naked feet,
stamped here and there on a sandy spot, led him on
and on, until he had gone much farther than he had
dreamed was the fact. He carried the knife in one
hand, but he carelessly did not unstrap his rifle,
since he had frequently to squeeze between the trunks
of trees and pull obstructing undergrowth apart.
Moreover, at the worst, he expected to find nothing
more formidable than a cowardly, unarmed native,
who would flee at the sight of him.

He had seen no footprints for fifty yards or so,
and was in the mind to turn back, when he emerged
from the gloom on a tiny nullah, or ravine, that was
bordered by dense jungle and lofty trees. A shallow
pool lay in the middle of it, and suddenly, from a
clump of reeds by the water's edge, a great panther
rose up and confronted the terrified lad. The two
were scarcely six feet apart, and thus they stood for
a moment in silence, Maurice helpless except for the
feeble knife, the tawny beast quivering with rage
and switching its tail.

" I'm done for," thought the lad ; and just then, as
he saw that the creature was about to spring, a story
that Tom Dayleford had once told him flashed into
his mind.

" I'll try it," he vowed quickly, as a drowning
man clutches at a straw.

Drawing himself to his full height, and making
his limbs as rigid as possible, he stared tensely, with

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 81

fearless menace, at his enraged foe. Immediately
the panther, meeting the lad's steady, fixed glance,
betrayed signs of uneasiness, as if it must perforce
quail and tremble before the power of the human
eye. Its crouching attitude relaxed, and its
flattened ears rose a little. It snarled and whimpered
more hi distress than anger, and then, having cowered
low like a whipped hound, it was obviously on the
point of crawling away when a harsh, peculiar cry
came from the left. As swiftly the beast was trans-
formed, and wheeling with a blood-curdling scream
it leapt at Maurice.

CHAPTER X,

BOBBILI OF THE JUNGLE.

CLOSE upon that strange, half-human sound, which
had turned the panther's cowardice instantly
to bold fury, came a second cry, louder and
sharper. Its effect was as marked as the first, though
in a vastly different way. The animal, having landed
almost at the feet of its intended victim — the lad
was for the moment stupefied with tenor — swung
partly round instead of making another spring, and
with pricked up ears, with a throaty whine, fixed its
blazing eyes on a spot to the left. Here, an instant
later, a slit opened in the green wall of the jungle ;
and Maurice, who had been drawn by curiosity to
glance in that direction, saw a nondescript and
alarming object dart forth into the glade. His blood
ran cold at the uncanny sight, and he gasped with
astonishment.

" What can it be ? " he thought, wishing that he
had the power to take to his heels.

Again that peculiar cry. The thing advanced on
all fours, like a big monkey, apparently a mixture
of brute and human being. Then, rising suddenly
to an erect attitude, it revealed itself unmistakably
as a young Hindoo boy of perhaps fourteen or
fifteen years of age. Just as evidently he was a
child of the forest, a half-savage creature whose bed
was the ground and his roof the canopy of stars, who
had probably been cast adrift by his parents hi the
time of famine, to live or die as the issue might be.

82

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 83

He carried a short bamboo spear sharpened at one
end, and was naked except for a waist covering
fashioned from the skin of a spotted deer. His limbs
were well-formed and he was as agile and graceful as
a cat, while masses of neglected hair, thick and matted,
dangled over his back and chest and shoulders, nearly
hiding his features, yet not able to conceal a pair of
large dark eyes, as keen and piercing as a falcon-
hawk's.

If Maurice was surprised at these details, which
he noted at a swift look, he was more than startled
by what happened next ; for at once the panther
crawled over to the feet of the native boy, with whom
it seemed to be on the most friendly terms, and
settled itself there hi a crouching position, purring
with pleasure. Clearly the first cry from the jungle
had been a sign to the beast that the young Hindoo
was near, and the second had been a warning to it
not to harm the English lad.

" Am I awake or dreaming ? " Maurice asked
himself. " No, it's all real enough, and I've had
about the narrowest escape of my life. I should
like to slip off, and I would do so this minute if I
thought that precious couple yonder would attend to
their own affairs and leave me to look after mine."

Before he could seize the opportunity of vanishing,
however, it was too late. The Hindoo youth
approached, followed by his hideous pet. He came
close up to Maurice, and after regarding him curiously
for a few seconds, he touched him on the eyelids
and at the same time pointed to the panther. Then,
clapping his hands on his breast and laughing, he
began to talk rapidly.

" I've no doubt you mean well," Maurice inter-

84 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

jected politely, " but I'm sorry to say that I can't
understand you."

The strange creature laughed again, and a torrent
of thick, uncouth language continued to flow from
his lips. Mixed with it, however, were several familiar
native phrases and an occasional English word ; and
it gradually dawned upon Maurice that his display
of will-power over the panther had been seen by his
companion, and that by virtue of this peculiar gift,,
which the jungle-child also shared, the latter was-
laying claim to a sort of blood brotherhood.

" Things are getting a bit awkward," concluded
Maurice. " I hope he won't want me to go off to the
forest and live with him and the panther."

An impulse to unstrap his rifle was prudently
resisted. He shook his head, and pointed behind
him.

" Bobbili, kutchi dar Bobbili," said the Hindoo-
lad.

With that he dropped to one knee, and taking
Maurice's two hands he pressed them briefly upon
his mop of tangled hair. Then rising, he struck
across the glade with the panther trotting at his heels.
At the farther edge both turned, and the lad made
inviting gestures.

" Bobbili, Bobbili," he exclaimed earnestly.

" If Bobbili is your name," said Maurice, " I'm
glad to know it. But I can't come with you, and
it's no use to ask."

An interval of silence, which was prolonged to
perhaps twenty seconds, was broken suddenly by an
angry snarl from the panther, who lashed his tail
and stiffened to a threatening attitude. The young
Hindoo craned his neck to listen, and tapped the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 85

i

beast lightly with his spear. The next instant both
had disappeared, quickly and noiselessly, behind the
leafy screen of the jungle.

" Well, of all amazing tilings this beats the record,"
vowed Maurice, aloud. " I shouldn't wonder if that
chap hadn't been suckled by some wild animal, like
Romulus and Remus. But what could have started
them off in such a hurry ? "

A rustling noise fell on his ear, and into the glade
stalked Sher Singh, providing a sufficient answer to
the lad's question.

" Will the Sahib be graciously pleased to pardon
my disobedience ? " said the faithful shikaree. " I
returned lest harm should befall. And indeed you
have wandered far from the path."

" I followed the naked footprints," explained
Maurice. " You saw them ? "

" They guided me hither," was the reply.

" If you had come a little sooner, Sher Singh, you
would have seen a strange sight. I've had an ad-
venture with a panther — and with a half-savage
thing that walked on two legs and spoke three tongues,
though one of them must have been a wild beast
dialect, from its sound."

He went on to describe his experience, and the
shikaree listened with grave attention.

" I have heard such a tale before, Sahib," he
declared. " It is not uncommon. It happens once
in a while that a child is abandoned by its parents,
or is lost in the jungle ; and sometimes the animals
of the forest, more merciful than mankind, will nurture
and care for the helpless one. It will be wise, Sahib,"
he added, "if we make haste to our appointed task.
You would not wish to lose the rhinoceros."

86 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" I should say not," exclaimed Maurice. " You
are right, Sher Singh. We will hurry on as fast as
possible." As he started, keeping pace with the
Hindoo's long strides, he looked back once at the
glade. " Good-bye, Bobbili, old chap," he said
to himself. " I wonder if I shall ever see you
again."

Without difficulty the two retraced their steps to
the beaten path, and when they had followed it for
a mile they had come upon the wheeled cage, which
had been delayed by a fallen tree. Sri Das had
stopped here to assist the natives, and as the
obstruction was now all but removed, he desisted
from the task and pressed on with Maurice and Sher
Singh. They soon passed the first of the pits, its
covering of grass and bamboo undisturbed, and several
minutes later a dull, pounding noise made itself heard,
mingled with angry snorting.

" Yonder is the spot," exclaimed Sri Das, " and
the brute appears to be in an ugly temper."

" Let me go in advance," said Sher Singh. " There
may be danger. Keep back, Sahib."

"There can be danger only from one source,"
replied Maurice, " and I don't believe there is much
chance of that. The pits were carefully dug."

He ran on at the heels of the two shikarees, and
the intervening strip of jungle was quickly crossed,
while the menacing sounds grew louder and nearer.

Here was the place at last, and v/hat Sher Singh had
feared, but not expressed in words, proved to be a
reality. The rhinoceros was almost free. With his
pointed snout and horn he had undermined an end-
wall of his prison, causing the soil to cave in. He
was busily engaged in beating and tramping the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 87

loose earth, and the slope thus formed reached
already to within a few feet of the top of the pit.

" We are just in time," said Sri Das.

The captive, who was a splendid, full-grown animal,
stopped operations long enough to snort savagely,
and to glare at the intruders out of his wicked litt'o
eyes. Then he went strenuously on with the fight for
freedom.

" I fear we shall lose him, Sahib," declared Sher
Singh. " It was a bad spot that was selected for
digging. Behold, the soil is loose and rotten."

" I'm not going to lose such a fine brute if I can
help it," vowed Maurice. " Quick, let us throw a
noosed rope over his head, and try to haul him to
this end of the pit. That will give us a chance to
straighten the wall."

" A wise plan, Sahib, if we can carry it out,"
approved Sher Singh. " Doubtless the cage will be
here shortly."

The rope was deftly adjusted, and at the third or
fourth cast the noose dropped over the head of tho
rhinoceros. The three pulled on it with all their
strength, and after a number of frantic lunges to
right and left, the great betast permitted himself to
be forced slowly backward, yielding inch by inch.

" Now hold him fast," cried Maurice as he un-
strapped his rifle and threw it to the ground. He
picked up a spade, and lustily attacked the ruined
wall.

" Be careful, Sahib," warned Sher Singh.

At that very instant the treacherous edge crumbled,
and down the lad went. He was caught and tightly
gripped by the loose soil, which covered him to his
knees, and before he could extricate himself the

88 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

rhinoceros made a desperate lunge forward. Sher
Singh let go of the rope in time, but Sri Das was
jerked bodily into the pit.

With a snort of passion the brute charged up the
eloping wall of earth, straight at Maurice, who felt
that his last moment had come as he struggled vainly
to escape,

CHAPTER XI.

THE SOWARS OF SERANGHTTR.

THE shrill, terrified cries of his companions rang
in the lad's ears, and then he was struck like
a catapult by the tough snout of the rhinoceros,
though luckily the sharp horn did not touch him. He
soared up from the clogging earth, described a semi-
circle, and landed on hands and knees a few feet clear
of the pit. Stunned and bruised, but otherwise
uninjured, he pulled himself erect and looked back
just as the animal, by a tremendous effort, surmounted
the crumbling top of the wall.

"Dodge him, Sahib," yelled Sher Singh. "Run
this way."

But Maurice did not have his full wits about him,
and was still too dazed to take advantage of the slim
chance of escape that offered. Instead of doubling
to one side or the other he sped straight forward, with
the vicious and enraged brute hi hot pursuit. He
felt its warm steamy breath, heard its puffing snorts
and the clumsy trample of its hoofs. The branches
of a tree, hanging over his course just ahead, inspired
him with a desperate ray of hope. He leapt high at
the lowest bough, clutched it, and secured a weak hold
with his finger-tips. For a fraction of a second he
swung in air, and then was hurled upward and wrenched
violently from his frail support.

At first Maurice was stupefied and half-blinded.
The heated atmosphere surged violently against his
face. There was a warm hard surface under him

89

90 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and when he threw out his hands in fright at the dizzy,
swaying motion, they clutched something rough and
wrinkled. He heard vague, husky shouts at a distance,
and suddenly he realized the almost incredible truth.
The rhinoceros had swept him free of the limb, and
now, perched on the animal's broad back, he was being
whirled at headlong speed through the jungle. It was
indeed a unique situation, and not without a grave
element of peril. But at least it was better than being
at the mercy of the brute's hoofs and horn, as the
lad told himself.

Having straddled his leathery seat as flatly as
possible, and taken a firmer hold of the tough folds of
skin on the neck, he crouched low and tried to think
calmly ; which was not an easy thing to do in such
circumstances. The rhinoceros was by far the more
frightened of the two. It was a new experience to
find itself turned into a beast of burden, and it was
naturally panic-stricken by the living, breathing weight
that clung to its back. So, breaking into furious
flight, tearing along an aimless course, it quickly out-
distanced Sher Singh and Sri Das, who attempted to
follow.

Maurice held tight, though buffeted and scratched
by the overhanging foliage. He wondered how long
the amazing ride would last, and how and where it
would end. He was afraid to roll off, lest the mad-
dened quadruped should turn on him and rend him
to pieces. Though fear and suspense magnified the
few minutes which he spent astride of his novel steed,
it was really but a short time until the two parted
company, and the lad's precarious position was ex-
changed for another even less to be desired. Faster
and faster he was borne through the jungle, cleaving

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 91

the gloomy thickets with the speed of a galloping
horse, and then, of a sudden, scrub and forest melted
away, and all around him was a flood of light that
wa-s dazzling by contrast with the recent shadows.

Crunch ! crunch ! Splash ! Splash ! Splash ! Fresh,
cool water spurted over Maurice's face and hands. He
lifted his head and looked about. The rhinoceros was
fording a swift and narrow river, perhaps two hundred
yards broad. The dusky glow that precedes the
twilight was just fading from the horizon. Still urged
on by fear, the huge animal went splashing and
pounding across the stream, now belly-deep, now
submerged so far that the lad was wet to the hips.

In mid-channel was a bit of an island — a mere mud-
bank — that gave existence to an eddy off its lower
end. Here the circling currents had scooped out the
bottom, and directly the rhinoceros reached the edge
of this hole, a crocodile poked its bony snout from the
depths. The quadruped snorted with terror, and
swerved round so unexpectedly that the lad lost his
grip and was shot head foremost into the river.

He retained his presence of mind, and on reaching
the surface, and finding himself in the clutches of a
swift current, he splashed and kicked vigorously as
it swept him clear of the perilous eddy and carried him
on at a rapid pace. Glancing over his shoulder, he
saw the rhinoceros beating its way up-stream, its
tail lashing like the paddle of a stern-wheel steamer.
The crocodile had vanished entirely.

" I ought to be thankful to that scaly mugger,'*
reflected Maurice, " but come to think of it, I don't
know that I'm much better off than I was before.
Crocodiles don't grow singly, and there may be half
a score of them watching me at this very minute."

92 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Frightened by the bare idea of such a thing, the
lad splashed more noisily than ever, while he swam
with hard and steady strokes. He attempted to gain
the eastern bank of the river, but he was rather nearer
to opposite shore, and, to increase the odds against
him, the current was setting strongly in that direction.
So, contrary to choice, he finally crawled out on the
bank of the stream that was farthest from camp and
friends. Exhausted by his struggle he dropped, panting
and dripping wet, on the narrow strip of sand ; and
there he lay for a time, while the shadows of the
night gathered, until a confused medley of sounds — he
could not tell from what direction they came — startled
him with their suggestion of some new peril.

The next instant a lively pattering and jingling
swelled nearer, blending with a murmur of voices, and
out from the gloom of the forest, into the dusky open,
cantered, by twos and threes, a little squadron of
cavalry. The thud of hoofs and tinkle of accoutre-
ments was all around Maurice before he realized the
situation. He sprang to his feet with a shrill cry,
and dropped as quickly beneath the legs of the fore-
most horse.

" Halt ! " rang an authoritative voice. " Back,
men, back."

The speaker, who was the officer in command,
swung from his saddle and lifted Maurice in his strong
arms. Others pressed closely, amazed and curious.

" An English lad ! " exclaimed one.

" And soaking wet and unconscious," added a
second. " A bit of a mystery, this."

" It appears so," assented Captain Rogers. " There
is no time to fathom it now. The fellow must have
crawled from the river just as my horse struck him

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 93

and knocked him down. I don't believe he is much
hurt. He seems to be breathing regularly."

" The hoofs never touched him, that I'll swear to,"
vowed a bronzed trooper with a gigantic moustache,
who wore a sergeant's uniform. He dismounted and
came forward. " Not a sign of an injury," he added
after making a brief examination. " He is only
stunned, and will be all right presently. I'm think-
ing he may be one of those named in the warrant,
captain."

" Not likely ; he is a mere boy, as far as I can tell,"
was the reply. " Here, Campbell, you take charge
of him. We must be off without further delay."

Accordingly, Sergeant Campbell having remount-
ed, the unconscious lad was hoisted on to the saddle
in front of him. Captain Rogers held a short con-
versation with a gray-bearded native astride of a
lean horse, who was evidently present in the capacity
of guide. Then the latter ignited a torch, and the
next moment the command to start was given. The
score and ten of troopers turned north and rode their
steeds along the bank of the river until the old native,
who was in front with the leader, designated a fording-
place, when all spurred recklessly across — heedless of
crocodiles — and filed into the jungle behind the waver-
ing glow of the torch.

The return of consciousness to Maurice, not long
afterwards, brought with it a gradual but clear recollec-
tion of all that had happened. It was true that he had
escaped injury from the hoofs of the captain's horse ;
the blow that had stunned him — a sharp one over
the temple — was caused by a stone on which he fell.
With aching head and limbs he rested loosely against
Sergeant Campbell's broad chest, and from half-

94 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

open lids his eyes furtively watched the torchlight
flashing on steeds and riders, and gleaming right and
left into the depths of the forest. He had not spent
so many years of his life in India for nothing, and
from the fact that half of the troopers were swarthy
Hindoo sowars in silver-grey uniform faced with orange
and blue, while the others were irregular fighting-men
of the same colour, armed and attired with Oriental
splendour, he knew them to be in the service of some
powerful native potentate ; in whose pay also, without
a doubt, were Captain Rogers and three more English-
men of the party.

" Indian sowars don't ride at night for pleasure,"
thought Maurice. " There is something unusual in
the wind, and I mean to find out what it is. I could
make a close guess at it, I'll be bound."

His suspicions were soon verified, and that in a
most alarming manner. By listened intently, and
relaxing his attitude so as to feign insensibility the
better, he heard and understood much of the conversa-
tion that was freely carried on around him. For
a time his brain was planning shrewdly and actively.

" Silva's work just as I imagined," he said to him-
self. " He has laid a complaint before the Raja of
Seranghur — all the trouble seems to have occurred
inside of his territory — and now is sending these fellows
to arrest Tearle and Carruthers. Perhaps they want
me as well. Luckily, however, they don't know as yet
who I am. If I could only manage to slip away, and
warn my friends in time ! I must do it — I must. But
how ? "

The question was speedily answered, for a little
later a familiar clump of rocks was passed, and by these
the lad got his bearings instantly and correctly. The

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 95

troopers were following what had been originally a
mere elephant-path. It would lead to Tearle's camp,
but by a very roundabout way, while straight across
the forest the distance was less by almost one hah5.

Maurice's plan was formed, though to carry it out
successfully was a different matter. The knowledge
of what depended on him, as he believed, made him
cool and clear-headed. He watched and waited until
presently chance favoured him. The trail becoming
suddenly narrow, and dipping between serried walls
of brake, the lad slipped limply and quickly down
from beneath Sergeant Campbell's arms. He landed
on his feet, and the next instant he had plunged into
the jungle and was running blindly and at full speed.

Pursuit would have been utterly useless, as Captain
Rogers well knew. The troopers pulled up for a
moment, but not a man dismounted. There was
some grumbling and swearing, with loud complaints
of the lad's trickery, and then the squadron reluctantly
rode on.

Though the muffled tramp of hoofs soon died away
in the distance, to Maurice's vast relief, he continued
his flight at a rapid pace, keeping his bearings as best
he could. Thorns and spear-grass tore his clothing
and scratched his flesh, and now and then, with
considerable uneasiness, he heard the howling of wild
beasts.

CHAPTER XIL

GRAVE CHARGES.

WHEN the brave lad had gone a half-mile or so
from the scene of his escape, and was beginning
to fear that he would not be able to hold the
proper course, he was surprised and startled by a voice
from behind him. It sounded as if somebody was calling
him by name, though at first he was inclined to think
that his ears were deceiving him. However, he ventured
to utter a low shout, and the reply was instantaneous.
Pausing, he waited with ill-concealed nervousness,
while audible footsteps approached nearer and nearer.

The suspense was quickly at an end, and it may be
imagined with what joy Maurice discovered the
unknown ones to be Sher Singh and Sri Das. The
faithful Hindoos were no less delighted, and in a few
words Sher Singh gave an explanation.

" We pursued the rhinoceros," he said, " dreading
lest we should find your mangled body. Darkness
fell upon us, and as we were returning to camp, with
heavy hearts, we heard the coming of the horsemen
and hid by the path. We saw you slip to the ground
and run, and as quickly as possible we followed after
you. But tell me, Sahib, why are these native sowars,
with Feringhee officers, abroad to-night ? "

The answer to Sher Singh's question, which Maurice
briefly stated, caused his companions to share his keen
anxiety. Precious time had already been lost, and
without further delay the three resumed their journey
through the dark and lonely jungle.

96

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 97

The natives were preparing the evening meal over
blazing fires, and Tearle and Carruthers were lounging
and smoking by the tent, when the absent ones arrived
in safety and burst impetuously into the cleared space
that was hemmed around by the circle of cages.

" Where have you been 2 " demanded Carruthers.
" We were just thinking of starting out to look for
you. The cage returned long ago, and the driver and
his companions declared that you were not at the
pits, which were all empty."

" I hope you've not been as unfortunate as we were,"
said Tearle. " The tiger gave us the slip, and — "

He paused, suddenly observing Maurice's white
agitated face.

" Lad, what's wrong ? " he questioned. " Speak
quickly."

" A troop of cavalry — the Raja's sowars with
English officers," panted Maurice. " They are coming
to arrest you — be here in a few minutes — don't
wait for them — better hide in the jungle."

" Troopers coming — to arrest us ? " gasped Tearle.

" By heavens, we'll give them a warm reception,"
cried Carruthers.

" Antonio Silva is at the bottom of this, of course."

" He is, that's right," assented the lad. " From
what I overheard — "

Both men dashed into the tent, and emerged with
rifles in their hands.

" Don't you mean to get out of the way ? " Maurice
asked in surprise.

"Not a bit of it, my lad," vowed Tearle. "We
have done nothing wrong, so why should we slip
off and abandon our property ? I intend to face the
music."

o

98 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" And I'm with you, Dermot," exclaimed Carruthers.
" It's an ugly scrape, but we'll see it through."

"You can count on me, whatever happens," de-
clared Maurice, who was rather pleased than other-
wise by the decision. " I was a fool to think that you
would desert the camp. I lost my head when I heard
those fellows talking of what they were going to do."

Inspired by the example of his companions, he
possessed himself of a rifle.

" I want to know more about this business," said
Tearle. " Let us have the whole story, my lad,"

Maurice began to describe his adventures, and,
without interruption, he got as far as the point where
the horse knocked him down. Then a crashing noise
rose from the jungle, and the shrill notes of a bugle
quivered on the night air. Consternation seized the
natives, and they sought shelter beneath the cages,
between which, here and there, was had a glimpse of
a silver-gray uniform. Evidently the camp was
already surrounded. Maurice and his employers stood
their ground, for the moment undecided how to act,
and the two shikarees remained with them.

" Here they are," muttered Camithers, with an oath.

" Be careful," warned Tearle.

" Offer no resistance ; I come in the name of the
Government," shouted a stern voice ; and with that
Captain Rogers spurred into the enclosure, half a
dozen sowars riding at his heels. He glanced curiously
about him, and then, dismounting, he approached the
little group before the tent.

" I am in search of two persons," he said quietly,
" Dermot Tearle and Luke Carruthers by name. I
have a warrant for their arrest — a warrant signed
by a judge of the High Court of Calcutta."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 99

Tearle stepped forward. His face was flushed and
angry, and he handled his rifle in such a threatening
manner that several of the troopers instinctively lifted
then* weapons to cover him.

"I am one of the two you have named," he said,
" and this is Luke Carruthers. But I assure you that
the affair is a mistake, and one that can be easily
explained. It is we who should have sworn out the
warrant — "

" That's true enough," broke in Carruthers, in-
dignantly. " We have been badly treated from
beginning to end, and if ever I get hold of that scoundrel
of a Portuguese I'll wring his yellow neck."

" I don't want to hear your story," replied Captain
Rogers. " The time for that will come later. Indeed,
it is my duty to advise you to say nothing. You
must prepare to accompany me at once, as I can't
spend the night in your camp."

" I should like to know, sir, on what charges the
warrant is based," persisted Tearle.

" There is more than one," was the reply. " You
are accused of murder, of highway robbery with
violence, and of recruiting armed men for unlawful
purposes in His Majesty's tributary state of Serang-
hur ; " and with that he read the warrant aloud.

The string of pompous and solemn legal phrases,
and the seals attached to the document, had a subduing
effect on Maurice and the shikarees, while Carruthers
scowled and bit hard on the stem of his pipe.

"A string of lies," he declared.

"This is preposterous," said Tearle to the officer.
" It would be laughable if it were not likely to entail
serious consequences before the truth can be reached.
But of course, sir, you are only doing your duty, and

100 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

we shall be ready to accompany you in a short time.
First, however, I beg permission to ask a few
questions."

" They must be very brief, then," said Captain
Rogers, looking at his watch. " we have a night
ride of fourteen miles before us. Go ahead."

" Thank you. Will you tell me the name of our
accuser ? "

" There are two of them," was the reply. " Antonio
Silva, a Portuguese, and a Hindoo by the name of
Rainput. The latter is from the village of Dowla."

" Exactly ; I thought so. When was the charge
preferred ? "

" Some few days ago."

" And where ? "

" It was laid before the proper person, the Raja-
Gopal Mirza, who consulted the British Resident at
his Court of Seranghur. The information sworn tor
being of a serious nature, was forwarded to Calcutta.
The warrant was issued there, and I am here to serve
it, acting under civil authority."

" And where are our accusers at the present
moment ? " asked Tearle.

" I can't tell you that, for I don't know," the officer
replied impatiently. " They have probably left the
Court of Seranghur, but you will have a chance to
confront them at the preliminary hearing in Calcutta."

" Calcutta ? " gasped Tearle. " Are we to be taken
down there ? "

" Certainly. The case is beyond the jurisdiction of
the Seranghur magistrates."

There was a moment of silence. Tearle and Car-
ruthers exchanged uneasy, significant glances.

" Come, we must be off," said the officer, curtly.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 101

" Wait," implored Tearle, " I have a request to
make. Our arrest is a piece of sheer malice, I assure
you ; and not only that, but there is a dastardly plot
of some sort back of this charge. I'll swear to it,
though I can offer no proof. If you take us down
to Calcutta, our property will be in danger. Will
you leave an escort here ? "

" Nonsense ! " laughed Captain Rogers. " To hear
you talk, one would think we were in a hostile country.
The peril exists only in your imagination. I have no
men to spare. If anything goes wrong, your servants
can send word to the cantonments at Seranghur."

" You refuse my request, then ? " Tearle said
bitterly. " Well, sir, remember that I shall hold you
personally responsible for whatever happens. Mark
my word, our accusers will not appear at the hearing
in Calcutta — or anywhere else."

The officer hesitated thoughtfully for an instant,
and tugged at his drooping moustache.

" My instructions are plain," he replied. " I can
waste no more time in fruitless talking. In five
minutes we start."

He signalled to his bugler, who blew a couple of
notes that brought the remainder of the sowars into
the enclosure. At first, terrified by the near presence
of the wild beasts, the horses did some lively kicking
and plunging. Tearle and Carruthers, accepting the
inevitable with the gloomiest of apprehensions, pre-
pared hurriedly for the journey ; and meanwhile
Captain Rogers sat stiffly in the saddle, with torches
flaring about him and lighting up the scene. He
glanced frequently at Maurice, but if he recognized
the lad — as he must have done — he gave no sign to
that effect.

102 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" By-the-by, I must leave somebody here," he said,
as Tearle came out of the tent. " The Portuguese
claims several of the animals."

" You had better leave half of your force," Tearle
told him.

The officer, ignoring the remark, turned to the
sergeant.

" Campbell," said he, " I put the camp in your
charge ; see that nothing is removed. That will
be your duty until further orders."

Sergeant Campbell dismounted, his face clouded with
discontent, and proceeded to picket his horse near the
bullocks.

" Listen, my boy," whispered Tearle, as he drew
Maurice aside. " Be vigilant while Luke and I are
gone, and keep watch by day and night. It is a
ruse on Silva's part — our arrest. I am satisfied that
he is plotting mischief, and means to attack the camp."

" Why was I not included hi the warrant ? " asked
Maurice.

" Ah, that's the worst of it," was the reply. " It
looks as if Silva wanted to find you here. He has
a grudge against you, you know. So be careful, lad.
May Heaven preserve you from harm ! We shall
not be detained long in Calcutta, and as soon as — "

A gruff summons from the officer interrupted the
conversation. A minute later, after hasty farewells
had been spoken, a bugle sounded and the whole troop
rode forth in the jungle path. Tearle and Carruthers,
each mounted behind a stalwart sowar, turned to
wave their hands. Then they had vanished, and the
glimmer of the guide's torch faded from sight.

As calmly as if nothing had happened the native
employees crept back to their culinary duties and

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 103

heaped fresh wood on the neglected fires, while
Sergeant Campbell, sauntering near by, cast hungry
eyes at the untasted food. Maurice had slipped off
unperceived, wishing to have an interval of quiet
reflection, and he was sitting on a box at the far end
of the camp, depressed and troubled by the onerous
weight of responsibility that had fallen upon him,
when he suddenly caught sight of a dusky object
stealing towards him from between two of the nearest
cages,

CHAPTER XIIL

A CRY IN THE NIGHT.

THE lad's first impulse, to spring up with a cry of
alarm, was checked before he could carry it out ;
for, dark as the spot was, he believed that he
recognized the crawling, half -naked body and the eyes
that shone with a dull light through a drooping mop
of unkempt hair.

" Why, it's Bobbili ! " he muttered aloud.

He was not mistaken ; the intruder was the jungle-
child whose acquaintance he had made the same
afternoon. The next instant the strange creature
had wriggled to Maurice's feet, where, rising to his
haunches like a monkey, he pressed one hand to his
lips and pointed with the other towards the fires.

" All right," whispered Maurice. " But what are you
doing here, Bobbili ? I hope you haven't brought the
panther with you. Oh, I forgot — you can't understand."

However, Bobbili's errand was not one that called
for speech, though a few incoherent words fell softly
from his lips. Having fumbled briefly at his girdle,
he placed in Maurice's hand something that felt like
a tiny round stone. Then, turning and dropping to
all fours, he swiftly glided away as he had come. He
vanished at the edge of the forest, outside the circle
of cages, and a mewling, purring noise, together with
a fleeting glimpse of a pair of fiery orbs, told that
his savage pet, the panther, had been waiting for
him there. A rustling among the trees was followed
by utter silence.

104

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 105

" Well, that was a surprise visit," thought Maurice.
" It's like living in a real fairy-tale. I wonder what's
up now. The next thing, I suppose, will be a lamp
that I'm to rub whenever I want Bobbili and his
panther to obey my commands. Or perhaps that
was a magic stone he just brought me. I had better
have a look at it."

He started across the enclosure, impatient to examine
his strange gift, and was met half-way by Sher Singh,
who had come in search of him.

" My heart was troubled by your absence, Sahib,"
explained the devoted shikaree.

" I wasn't far off," replied Maurice. " The jungle-
boy has been here, Sher Singh, and he gave me this."

Opening his clenched hand he displayed, not a
rounded stone, but a button of smooth and polished
brass. The shikaree, with a grave expression,
touched it and turned it over.

" I have seen others like it," he declared. " Antonio
Silva wears them on his linen tunic."

" So he does, that's a fact," exclaimed Maurice.
" I remember now. But how did Bobbili get this,
and why did he fetch it to me."

" It means danger, Sahib," said Sher Singh, " and
it was brought to you as a warning."

" I believe you are right," assented Maurice.

It was the only theory, he had to admit, that the
peculiar nature and circumstances of the gift would
warrant. For a tune he remained in earnest con-
versation with Sher Singh, and while neither suggested
by what means the jungle-child had obtained the
button or how he could have known that danger
threatened the camp, both were agreed that Antonio
Silva was somewhere in the vicinity and that the

106 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

warning was not one to be disregarded. Clearly
the peril was very real.

" I didn't expect trouble so soon," said Maurice,
" but when it comes we'll be ready for it. We'll lose
no time in putting everything in shape for a siege."

" Our force is weak," replied Sher Singh in a gloomy
tone.

" It is strong enough to beat off the Portuguese, if
he comes," the lad said hopefully. " Unless he
has too many at his back," he added to himself.

The two rejoined their companions — not many
minutes had elapsed since the departure of Tearle
and Carruthers — and they found supper waiting for
them. The meal began in constraint and silence, for
the presence of the bronzed, long-limbed cavalryman
was resented as an intrusion. Sher Singh and Sri
Das watched him furtively, and the other natives
scowled at him behind his back.

But Sergeant Campbell was not a person with
whom one could be on unfriendly terms. Jollity
and good-humour beamed from his eyes, and lurked
under his shaggy moustache, which nearly concealed
his mouth.

" Cheer up, comrades," he cried with a mellow
laugh. " Though I'm here against your wishes and
mine, why not make the best of it and be happy ?
Your friends will return before many suns rise and
set, I'm thinking, and meanwhile I'll gladly take a
hand if there's to be any fighting. And between you
and me, I'm hoping there will be. I saw the yellow-
faced Portuguese at Seranghur, and I wouldn't have
trusted him any more than a serpent."

"I wish you had told the captain that," said
Maurice.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 107

"Bless you, he'd never have believed me," was
the reply, " and it wouldn't have made any difference
if he had. Orders are orders."

The sergeant soon had the entire confidence of
Maurice and the two shikarees, and of the rest as
well. He spoke freely of the charges preferred by
Silva and Ramput, and offered some valuable
suggestions in the way of preparation for an attack.

After supper all hands set to work, and under
Maurice's supervision the entire arrangement of the
camp was altered. The cages were drawn so close
as to contract the circle by one-half, and, for the
protection of the animals, the outer sides were stoutly
boarded up. A single, narrow opening was left for the
bullocks to reach the water-hole, which was forty or fifty
yards distant, and near this exit was the brush lean-to
where the natives slept. The tent was at the opposite
side of the enclosure. Then a more formidable task
was undertaken and finished. Large quantities of
thorn-bushes were cut, and formed into a zareba
outside the cordon of cages — an extra barrier which
was not easily to be penetrated by a foeman.

The beasts — wild and domestic — had been fed
and watered before the arrival of the troopers,
and needed no further attention. At a late hour
the final touches were added. The force in camp
numbered ten, and Maurice divided these into two
watches, who were to go on duty alternately. He
took personal charge of one, and gave the other to
Sergeant Campbell.

Contrary to expectation, the night passed by
without alarm, and the approach of dawn was eagerly
welcomed. However, this was no sign that the
danger was lessened, and sunset was looked forward

108 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

to with feelings of dread. There was employment
for everybody during the day, the bullocks and wild
animals having to be fed and watered, and the cages
to be cleaned. Sher Singh and Sri Das ventured
into the jungle to obtain fresh meat and returned
with a couple of spotted deer. They had exercised
their knowledge of woodcraft to the utmost, but
without finding any trace of human beings in the
vicinity.

" There is plenty of time yet," said Maurice. " Silva
is probably lying low and waiting his chance, or else
he has gone off to recruit more followers. When he
plans to do anything he does it well."

" Trust a Portuguese for that," replied Campbell.
" And the rascal knows that your friends can't get
back from Calcutta in less than a week or ten days."

" Sahibs, would it not be wise to hire a small force
from the village of Dowla ? " spoke up Sher Singh.

Maurice caught eagerly at the suggestion.

" That's what I'll do to-morrow," he declared. "I'm
glad you thought of it."

By now the afternoon was drawing to a close.
Soon the shades of evening settled down on the camp,
and the fires were lighted. Until nearly midnight
Maurice and Campbell sat by the tent, keeping up
their spirits by cheerful conversation. The sergeant,
puffing the while at a blackened briar-wood, chatted
for hours of his adventurous life in the service, and
finally rose and stretched his stiffened limbs.

" Time for sentry-go," he remarked, as he refilled
his pipe. " My fellows are ready for me, and I see
yours have already turned in. You had better join
them, lad, and get some sleep."

" I will," said Maurice. " I don't believe we shall

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 109

be disturbed to-night. And the first thing in the
morning I am going to the village of Dowla with a
bag filled with rupees. I'm sure that is what
Tearle would wish me to do."

" Ay, that he would," assented Campbell, " Pleasant
dreams, my boy. I'll rouse you when you are
needed."

Striding across the enclosure he sent his men to their
respective posts of duty, and for an hour he paid frequent
visits to them and kept the fires in a constant blaze.

Maurice had long since fallen into a heavy slumber
within the tent, and at his feet lay Sher Singh,
wrapped in a blanket. Suddenly a shrill, gurgling
cry rang on the silence of the night. A deep groan
followed, and all was as still as before. The shikaree
slept on, but the lad sprang up, seized his rifle, and
and dashed outside. At first inclined to believe himself
the victim of a bad dream, he knew better when he
saw Sergeant Campbell drop an armful of wood,
and stare wildly about him.

" You heard it too ? " demanded the trooper.
" It was an ugly sound — one to curdle the blood.
And I'll take my oath it was a death-cry."

" It came from beyond the camp," said Maurice.
" I'm afraid we are going to be attacked. Shall I
rouse my men ? "

" No, not yet. Hold on a bit."

They waited a full minute, scarcely daring to
breathe. But there was no further alarm, nor did the
sentries rush in. A dusky figure crept up to the two,
and the voice of Sher Singh asked,

" Is there danger, Sahibs ? "

Campbell briefly explained, and the shikaree's
face clouded with perplexity.

110 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" I must take a look around the camp," added the
sergeant. " Be ready in ease anything happens."

" I will go with you," declared Maurice.

Sher Singh followed them, and Campbell lighted
the way with a blazing brand. The first sentry was
found at his post, just outside the camp. It was
clear that he had recently wakened from sleep, for
he denied all knowledge of the mysterious sound.
They pushed on to the second sentry, who was in a
pitiable state of fright. He had heard the shrill cry
and declared that it came from a short distance away.

" Be quick," said Campbell.

The little party hastened forward, taking the man
with them, and when a semicircle of the camp had
been almost completed the glow of the torch, flaring
ahead, shone on the tiny cleared space in the jungle
where the third sentinel had been stationed. The
post was empty.

Campbell was first on the scene, and a sharp
exclamation escaped his lips as he raised the brand
high and let the flames shine on the trampled grass
— on dabs and spatters of blood.

" Murder has been done," he gasped hoarsely.
" Foul murder."

" Perhaps a tiger pounced on the poor fellow
and carried him off," suggested Maurice, peering
anxiously about as he cocked his rifle.

" A human tiger," said Sher Singh, who had stepped
over the blood-stains and parted the surrounding
screen of bushes, "Behold, Sahibs.'^

CHAPTER XIV.

THE ESCAPE OF THE PANTKEK.

THE others were instantly beside the Hindoo, and
staring with horrified eyes into the thicket.
There lay the sentry, his lifeless face upturned,
his rifle and cartridge-belt were missing. Campbell
turned the body over, and revealed a short dagger
which had been buried to the hilt from behind, and
had evidently penetrated the heart.

"The work of some prowling jungle-thief," he vowed.
"I would give the assassin a mighty short shrift if
I had him."

" I fear he was more than a jungle-thief, Sahib,"
said Sher Singh.

" That's right," vowed Maurice. " Depend on it,
Silva is not far away, and the murderer is one of
his spies."

" It sounds likely," admitted Campbell. " If that's
the case, we're running a big risk in stopping here."

" We must return and rouse the whole force,"
said Maurice. " The camp is certainly in danger.
But we ought to pay a visit to the last post."

" We'll go back that way," replied the sergeant.

Sher Singh released his grip of the bushes, which
swung together and hid the ghastly sight of the dead
man. Then, with fast-beating hearts, the little
group crept along the outside of the camp. They
were half-way to the spot where Chandar, the fourth
sentry, was stationed, when Campbell halted abruptly.

He spoke no word, but reached the torch down by

ill

112 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

his side. A narrow gap was seen in the hedge of
thorn-bushes that were stacked against the cages.

" It is freshly made," whispered Sher Singh. " The
assassin is within the camp."

"What luck!" said Maurice. "Quick! let us
hurry round to the entrance."

" There is a better and surer way," replied the
sergeant. " I'll show you."

Having dropped his torch and ground it under heel
until every spark was extinguished, he crept on hands
and knees into the gap.

" Follow mo," he whispered, " and keep your
mouths shut. Don't utter a sound."

It was a daring venture, since the exact whereabouts
of the intruder, who might even be Silva himself,
were unknown. Maurice followed Campbell, and Sher
Singh and the relieved sentry brought up the rear.
Singly they issued from the hedge, and were now
beneath one of the cages. The tent, staked a few
yards away, prevented a clear view of the enclosure.

" We'll have the rascal if he is still lurking about,"
muttered the sergeant.

He stood erect and went cautiously forward, the
rest of the party slipping after him. Maurice,
diverging slightly to one side, failed to observe a,
dark blot, cunningly interwoven with the trampled
grass, until he had tripped upon it and fallen head-
long. He felt a warm, squirming body under him,
heard a savage snarl, and was immediately gripped
by a pair of sinewy arms. Realizing that he was in
the clutches of the assassin, he fought desperately
for life, shouting as he rolled over and over.

Before anyone could interfere, however, the lad's
antagonist — he was as slippery as an eel — had twisted

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 113

himself free. He darted off like a streak and when
Maurice rose dizzily to his feet he saw the dusky
figure speeding towards the exit of the camp.

"Out of the way there," cried Campbell. "I'll
stop him."

His rifle went to his shoulder, and the report
crashed on the night air. The ball sped true, and
the fleeing enemy, with a convulsive leap, tumbled
at the edge of the fire.

An instant later a very pandemonium raged. The
frightened bullocks stamped and bellowed, tugging
at their ropes, while the wild animals roared
and screeched and dashed against the bars of their
cages. The natives burst out of their sleeping-
quarters in a state of panic and terror, and just as
the sergeant and his companions reached the fire the
two sentries who were out hastened into the enclosure,
drawn thither by the shot.

All gathered about the victim, who was stone dead.
The spy, if such he was, had paid dearly for his crime
and his temerity. He was a most repulsive-looking
fellow, small of stature, but tough and wiry. Except
for a waist-cloth and a kummerbund he was stark
naked. His features were brutal and depraved,
and his long black hair was matted and unkempt.

" A just end, if ever there was one," muttered
Campbell. " I don't regret killing him. Look, the
wretch has the stolen cartridge-belt."

" He dropped the rifle when I fell over him," said
Maurice. " He is a queer-looking chap, and I don't
believe he belongs to these parts."

" You are right, Sahib," Sher Singh answered
solemnly. " The presence of this man here means
grave peril. He is one of the half-civilized tribesmen

H

114 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

who dwell among the hills to the north — beyond
where we had the battle. They are cruel and blood-
thirsty, and many of them are Thugs."

" I've heard tell of them," said Campbell. " They
are regular fanatics at fighting — don't care a hang
for man or beast."

"Then Antonio Silva must have hired a lot of
them," replied Maurice. " Things are worse than I
thought they were. We seem to be in a bad scrape."
" Which we will do our best to get out of," vowed
Campbell. " If there are any final preparations to be
made let us tackle them now, for we don't want to be
caught napping. An attack may begin at any minute."
The sergeant's words increased the sense of impend-
ing danger which his companions felt, but no sign of
fear was shown, since Dermot Tearle had been careful
to hire only brave and experienced men. All were
provided with rifles, and some of the weapons were
repeaters. More ammunition was needed, and Maurice
and Sher Singh hurried to the tent to fill that want,
while Campbell issued brief instructions to the force,
posting two of them at the exit of the camp. Then,
followed by Chandar, he ran to the rear of the enclosure
and stopped the gap in the hedge.

He returned just as Maurice and the shikaree arrived
at the fire with a box of cartridges. The others
swarmed about them, eager to stuff their belts, and
just at this unguarded moment a straggling volley of
rifle shots rang on the still air. One of the sentries
without fell dead, and the other escaped by an agile
dash into the camp, which appeared to be already
surrounded by the foe, to judge from the shrill, blood-
curdling yells that were poured from a score of throats.
The attack coming thus swiftly, and without the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 115

least warning, annihilation and defeat at first threat-
ened the little band. But Maurice and Sergeant
Campbell were happily equal to the emergency, and
at once, as the order was given, the men scattered.
They withdrew from the fire, and sought safety in the
deep shadows to right and left.

" Down with you," shouted the sergeant. " Flat
on the ground."

The command was no sooner obeyed than a second
volley of musketry — not a heavy one — whistled
overhead. The greater part of the enemy, however,
were very fortunately armed only with spears, which
they rapidly hurled as they pushed on doggedly.

" Unless we can drive them back, Sahib, we are
lost," declared Sher Singh.

" Look sharp," urged Campbell. *' We are going
to have things our own way — for a time at least."

In that he was right. Now was a splendid opport-
unity for the besieged, and they took the utmost
advantage of it. The exit of the camp and the space
outside was alive with hideous, half-naked wretches,
who as yet were darting aimlessly to and fro. The
assailants were indeed the fanatical hill-men from
the northern forests, though if Antonio Silva was in
command of them he discreetly kept himself well
concealed.

" Fire !" cried Maurice. " Don't waste a shot."

His followers — they lay deep in the grass on both
sides of the enclosure — heard and understood, and
waited with cool nerves, as steady as old soldiers. The
next instant, as the attack began in earnest, the cluster
of rifle-barrels, focussed on the mouth of the passage,
belched flame and lead with telling effect. Through
the drifting smoke the foremost of the foe, well within

116 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the camp, could be seen to reel and tumble, clutching
at the ground in their agonies. Those behind pressed
on unchecked, trampling the fallen, yelling like fiends
and brandishing their spears.

Maurice and the sergeant continued to shout to
their companions, but could scarcely be heard for the
deafening din and tumult. The wild beasts were
raging and roaring in their cages, and the bullocks, who
had succeeded in freeing themselves, were bellowing
madly as they galloped to and fro. The plucky
fighters aimed and pulled until the weapons grew hot
in then: grasp, and still the savage tribesmen repeatedly
charged the enclosure, hoping to come to close quarters
and end the fray by sheer weight of numbers. As yet
the blazing fire and a shroud of pungent powder-
smoke was between them and the besieged.

But valour and determination were of little account
against such a fanatical horde, as Campbell, with rage
and grief, soon had to admit.

" It's no use, my brave fellows," he cried in a ringing
voice. " One more volley, and then we'll run for our
lives. We must break out by the hedge at the rear
of the camp."

" I won't run," Maurice vowed fiercely. " I'll die
first. I mean to stick to my trust, whatever happens."

" It will be folly to do that, Sahib," entreated Sher
Singh, who was at the lad's elbow. " Be wise, and
escape while you may. No mercy is to be expected
from these human fiends."

Maurice's reply was a frenzied shout, as with a
steady hand he aimed and fired across the flame-lit
canopy of smoke. For a few seconds the rifles splutt-
ered, drawing several harmless shots in reply, but that
final volley, ordered by the sergeant, was as futile as

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 117

the first to stem the wild rush. A bunch of the foe had
gained the farther edge of the fire, and dusky forms
were advancing from the rear, thirsting for pillage
and slaughter.

" Back with you," yelled Campbell, springing to
his feet. " It's a race for life now, men. Come, lad,
we'll stick together. Are you mad ? " he cried, as
Maurice stubbornly held his ground. " It's our last
chance."

But even as he spoke, at this fateful crisis, a truly
providential thing happened in almost less time than
it takes to tell, swiftly altering and saving the situation.
A rasping succession of snarls rang from the nearest
cage, and above the noise of strife was heard the
rending and splintering of wooden bars. The black
panther was free. With a scream the infuriated beast
leapt blindly from its broken cage and landed in the
very midst of the clustered bullocks, who, thrown
into maddening terror, instantly stampeded for the
exit of the camp.

Bellowing and bawling and tossing their horned
heads, the maddened little herd pounded past the
startled defenders, narrowly missing them. They
tore on, struck and overthrew the leading line of
foemen, and went thundering into the passage, which
they completely filled. It was too much for the
courage of the fanatical tribesmen, and as many as were
able to do so turned and fled, abandoned to helpless
panic. For a moment or two hoarse cries mingled with
the bawling and snorting of the horned animals. Then
the space was clear, save for the dead and maimed,
and the frightened bullocks were dispersing widely into
the jungle.

Three of the hill-men, who had dodged the charge,

118 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

remained within the enclosure. One made his escape,
and the other two were shot by Campbell and Sri Das.
Meanwhile such of the wounded as could move crawled
painfully away, and several more, who were in a worse
plight, were dragged into the thickets by their friends.

The delight and amazement of the besieged — with
Maurice joy was tempered by the loss of the bullocks
and the black panther — can be easier imagined than
described. Their satisfaction was short-lived, how-
ever, since it stood to reason that they had gained only
a breathing-spell. Doubtless the foe — they were
clearly in strong force — would soon rally and again
press the attack. A gap nearly through the hedge,
which was immediately repaired, showed what mischief
the wily hill-men had been plotting when the bullocks
created such a fortunate diversion.

*' Now is your chance," urged Campbell. " There
is no hope whatever of holding out. The end is
certain, sooner or later. Come, I'll take the lead."

He started towards the rear of the camp, but Chandar
touched his arm and detained him.

" Be careful, Sahib," he warned. " The panther
is lurking yonder in the darkness. He will spring
upon you."

FRESH HOPES.

AT this point Maurice, who had listened with
rising anger, interfered.

" What do you mean by such advice, Sergeant
Campbell ? " he demanded sharply. " Have you turned
coward ? Just when the enemy are beaten off, hard
hit and demoralized, you want to escape to the jungle.
Our chances are better than ever, and I will save the
camp yet if you will all stand by me."

There was a moment of fateful indecision. Sher
Singh, and others as well, kept anxious and watchful
eyes on the passage. The sergeant's face flushed and
he clenched his fist.

" Coward is a hard name, lad," he muttered, with
a scowl. " No man calls me that at his pleasure — I'll
settle with you at a more suitable time. Look here,
you know well enough that if we wait for another
attack we are lost."

" I don't know anything of the sort," Maurice
answered scornfully. " I won't abandon the camp.
Besides, I'm master here, and you have no right to
interfere with my authority, nor will I allow it. Come,
sergeant, help me with this cage, and then we'll see
if we can't stand the scoundrels off."

The cage referred to formed the left wall of
the passage and contained Silva's spare luggage,
which, since its capture, had been only super-
ficially examined. Campbell's sullen face cleared,
and he forgot his resentment, as he saw what

119

120 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the lad meant to do. He hastened with the others
to lend a hand.

The cage was quickly hauled around broadside, so
that it completely blocked the exit with the exception
of a very narrow gap to the left. While this extra
barricade was being put in position, the enemy, strange
to say, made no sign. Either they were disheartened
by their heavy losses, or were planning fresh devilry.

" Your scheme is not half a bad one, lad," said the
sergeant, approvingly. " This is what we should have
done in the first place. With twice as many men I
should feel reasonably sure of holding the camp. How-
ever, I'll stick by you, come what may."

" I hope you won't regret it," Maurice replied.
" For my part, I believe the odds are in our favour.
The only weak spot in the circle is this slit here."

" We'U soon fix that," vowed Campbell. " Come,
men, all hands. Tear down the lean-to yonder."

The little shed was quickly demolished, and the
timber was used to stop up the crevice and otherwise
strengthen the barricade. Scarcely was this work
finished when the foe assembled outside. For a few
minutes they yelled ferociously, wasting powder and
ball and hurling spears over the tops of the cages.
But nobody was hurt, and presently the hill-men drew
off again. A deep silence ensued that was fraught
with ominous meaning.

" The rascals have discovered that the passage is
barred to them," said Maurice. " I wonder what
they will try next."

" I daresay they will go spying about in search of
a weak point," Campbell answered in a low voice.
" The siege won't be raised before daylight at the
earliest, that's certain."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 121

" Not if Silva commands them," assented Maurice,
" and of course he does."

"No doubt of it, Sahib," declared Sher Singh.
" The Portuguese is bent on revenge, and he will not
be easily discouraged. He has many fighting men
with him, and they are as fearless and savage as the
wild beasts of then: native hills."

" We had better put out the fire," wisely suggested
the sergeant. " Then we can move about freely and
with less risk, and our eyes will soon grow accustomed
to the darkness. At present we can't stir without
more or less danger of being shot."

Chandar volunteered for this perilous duty, and
the brave fellow succeeded in extinguishing the flames
without drawing a bullet or a missile from the enemy.
The camp was now shrouded in gloom — not so thick,
however, but that the outlines of the cages and of
human figures could be discerned. The loss of the
two sentries had reduced the garrison to eight, and
a small enough force it was to keep at bay such a
horde of fanatical tribesmen.

Another consultation was held, and all agreed that
in constant and unremitting vigilance lay the one and
only hope.

" We have reliable guns and plenty of reserve
ammunition," said Maurice, " which means much.
The best thing we can do is to scatter about the camp,
and depend more on our ears than on our eyes. At
the first sign of danger give a low whistle. That will
summon the rest of us to the spot."

No better plan of defence could have been adopted*
for the barricading of the exit left the camp equally
protected on all sides, and the enemy might attempt
to break through the cordon at any point. Sergeant

122 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Campbell undertook the charge of one side of the
enclosure, and Maurice worked his way along the
other. He had assigned two men to their posts of
duty, and was counting off the distance for the third,
when a dusky form rose at his very feet and bounded
across the circle. The fellow had a good chance of
escape, for, in their surprise, none fired at him. But
just as he reached the middle of the camp he was
pounced upon by the black panther, who had been
lying concealed in the grass.

The blood-curdHng screech of the animal mingled
with the man's death-cry. There was a rush towards
the spot, and Maurice, outdistancing the others,
dropped to one knee and aimed at the pair of fiery eyes.
The hammer fell with a click — the cartridge had
missed fire. There was a rasping squall, a flying
shadow, as the panther sprang at and over the daring
lad, who was struck to the ground by a blow on the
shoulder. And the next instant, when the beast was
about to fasten teeth and claws in Maurice's body, a
swift and remarkable thing happened.

A second panther, sprung apparently from nowhere,
suddenly attacked the first one. They fought savagely
and with shrill outcry, rolling from place to place,
and then the brief combat — it lasted only a few seconds
— was terminated by a peculiar whistle. The two
animals fell apart, bolting in opposite directions, and
Maurice, who got to his feet just at that time, could have
sworn that he saw for an instant, ere it vanished in
the gloom, a childish figure with a bushy head of hair.

The entire occurrence was quickly done and over.
Amid noisy clamour several rifles were discharged at
the fleeing panthers, but without visible effect. They
escaped either by leaping over or between the cages.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 123

" You had a close call, lad," said Campbell. " Are
you hurt ? "

" Not a bit," replied Maurice, who was astounded
and a little dazed by his marvellous adventure. " I
thought it was all up with me, though, when the
cartridge missed fire."

" And where did the other panther come from ? "

" I can't tell you, sergeant."

" It's a queer thing. I don't understand it."

The panther's victim — he had been forgotten for the
moment — was now remembered. He lay where he
had been pulled down, quite dead, and by the
dim light his bitten and mangled throat could be
seen.

" One of the hill-men," declared Maurice, stooping
over the body ; " I suppose he was with the attacking
party, and ran in this direction when the bullocks
stampeded."

" Yes, that's right," assented Campbell. " He
was watching his chance to slip away. Well, the black
panther won't trouble us any more — or the other one
either. Back to your posts, men. We are giving
the enemy too good an opportunity."

" Sahib, did you see the jungle child ? " whispered
Sher Singh, as he furtively sidled near to the lad.

" He was here," Maurice answered in a low voice.
" Bobbili saved my life by sending his savage pet to the
rescue. He must have wriggled under the hedge like
a snake, and gone out in the same manner. Don't
say a word about it to any one else, Sher Singh,"
he added. " They would only laugh at the story."

" I shall be silent, Sahib," promised the Hindoo.

The dead man was left where he had met his fate,
and the tragedy soon lost its interest, for there were

124 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

more portentous things to be thought of. Maurice,
having made sure that the men were properly posted,
took his own position close to Campbell. The caged
animals, who had been stirred to a high pitch of excite-
ment by the shooting, presently became quiet again,
except for an occasional wheeze or howl.

The surrounding jungle seemed to be deserted
and not a sound could be heard. Thus nearly an hour
slipped by, and to the little band of eight, shut in
by bloodthirsty foes, the period was one of constant
and trying suspense. They listened with keen ears
for the expected signal, straining their eyes through
the murky gloom. At frequent intervals either Maurice
or the sergeant paced around the enclosure, and as
time went on, the hope that the enemy had retreated,
very fault at first, began to grow stronger.

It was a mistake, however, to hope at all, and the
lad's heart would have filled with anguish could he
have foreseen the result of his refusal to escape when
the chance had been open.

To Sher Singh fell the credit of discovering the
next attack. The brave shikaree was posted on the
left of the camp, where, hearing guttural voices and
a rustling in the bushes, he promptly gave the signal —
a sharp, clear whistle. It was quickly responded to,
and as his comrades reached the spot a number of half-
naked savages, reckless of thorns, impetuously forced
a gap in the hedge and burst through.

" Down ! " cried Maurice. " Now let them have
it. Aim low."

The volley that ensued did some execution, and
took the foe by surprise. With shrieks of agony they
fled back to the shelter of the jungle, and when the
defenders ceased fire, after continuing to blaze away

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 125

for a few seconds, all was quiet. Beneath the cages
several bodies could be perceived.

"That was well done," said Campbell. "The
wretches have had two severe lessons to-night."

" And we'll teach them as many more as they want,"
replied Maurice. " This is a dangerous spot, and
will require careful watching. Look after it well,
Slier Singh. I'll leave Chandar here to keep you
company. Lie flat on the ground, so that the enemy
will have the less chance of shooting or spearing you."

The gap in the hedge was hastily built up, and then,
the men having gone back to their places, Maurice
and the sergeant tramped round and round the camp.
They felt that it would be risky to put too much reliance
on signals, since the wild beasts were again in a state
of panic and making considerable noise.

Not five minutes later came a third attack, from
the opposite side of the enclosure. This time, however,
the savages did not succeed in breaking through the
hedge. A well-delivered volley caught them while
they were entangled in the meshes of the thorn-bushes,
and another volley dispersed them.

" They mean to keep it up," said Campbell,

*' It looks that way," Maurice assented.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE FLAG OF TRUCE.

BACK went the men to their respective posts of
duty, and Maurice and the sergeant, now more
confident than ever, proceeded as before to patrol
the camp. This peaceful occupation was soon inter-
rupted by the sentry at the upper end of the enclosure,
who, with a loud cry, discharged his rifle. The whole
force arrived at the spot — it was where the exit had
formerly been — just in time to encounter a desperate
attack. Half a dozen of the foe had already wormed
through the crevices to right and left. They carried no
fire-arms, and ere they could do any damage two were
shot dead, the others instantly retreating. Spears
and bullets whistled harmlessly over the defenders as
they threw themselves to the ground, and after that
they enjoyed a brief lull.

Maurice ordered Sher Singh and Chandar to return
to their old position, lest the enemy, knowing the
weakness of the place, should make a counter assault
there.

" That's right, lad," commented the sergeant.
" It leaves only six of us here, but we'll give a good
account of ourselves. Watch sharp ! they're coming."

A burst of ear-splitting yells from without the camp,
and the report of several muskets, was followed by a
sudden deafening crash. The heavy cage that blocked
the passage, pushed on from behind, had been toppled
clear off the truck. Its position was not materially
altered, though the barricade was now three or four

126

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 127

feet lower. At once the fanatical tribesmen clambered
to the top of the fallen cage, ready to leap down on the
inner side, and as quickly the rifle-fire, Maurice giving
the word, dropped them as a scythe cuts ripened corn.

Some fell backward, striking those who were
attempting to scramble up, and others reeled
forward to the ground, to lie squirming and shrieking
in agony. A few desperate fellows leapt into the
camp, full of life and mischief, and advanced into the
teeth of the leaden hail until all had been hit. At
intervals, as the volleying slackened, the splutter of
rifles could be heard in the rear, telling that Sher
Singh and Chandar were also in straits. No relief
could be spared them at present, for the hill-men
were still hotly storming the barricade.

" Keep it up, men," shouted Campbell.

" Faster ! don't waste a shot," cried Maurice.
" They can't stand much more of it."

Crack ! crack ! crack ! The murky night blazed
with jets of red fire, and a pall of smoke hid the
heavens. The roaring of wild animals blended with
the howling of tigerish and infuriated men. At last
the barricade was clear, and none were trying to
mount the cage. One lonely savage, who had
toppled into the camp, went down before Maurice's
unerring aim.

That was the final shot. The bloodthirsty foe
retreated, beaten off for the fourth time, and slunk
away to the jungle. Seven or eight dead bodies
were strewn at the tjase of the defences, and no doubt
as many more lay on the other side. It was a severe
loss to the enemy.

Comparative silence followed, and it was held to
be a good sign that the rifles of Sher Singh and

128 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Chandar were quiet, though no message came from
the two Hindoos. The plucky victors stretched their
cramped limbs, and looked at one another in the
smoky gloom. They promptly reloaded their
weapons, and filled their cartridge-belts from the
ammunition box, which was close by.

" Any one hurt ? " Maurice asked, in a husky
almost inaudible voice.

" Not seriously, lad," replied the trooper. " Sri
Das here has a spear prick in the thigh, and a bullet
clipped my left ear. The rascals had very little chance
to fire at us. I believe we have settled them for
good and all this time."

Maurice made a hoarse attempt to laugh. His head
was throbbing and dizzy, and crawling to the water-
bucket he took a deep long draught, the others
gladly imitating his example. Meanwhile Sergeant
Campbell hastened up the camp, and returned a
minute later with favourable news.

" All snug in that direction," he announced. " The
enemy tried to get in by the weak part of the hedge,
but the Hindoos forced them to retreat."

" Is Sher Singh wounded," inquired Maurice.

" Not a scratch on either of them," was the reply.
" One of the hyenas in yonder cage is dead though.
It must have been right in the line of fire."

" It is not our loss," said Maurice. " The hyenas
belonged to Silva. I think it would be best to move
the tiger's cage to one side. You see — hullo ! what
does that mean ? "

As he spoke the lad pointed eagerly to a white
object, faintly fluttering in the breeze, that had
suddenly appeared over the top of the barricade.

'* I'm blest if I know what it is," muttered

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 129

Campbell. " Some devilry or other, I'll bet a rupee.
It must be — "

" Flag of truce," interrupted a loud voice in fair
English from beyond the barricade, thus completing
the sergeant's sentence.

The white object rose a little higher. It was a
native kummerbund attached to the head of a spear.

" Don't shoot, you there," the voice went on. " If
you are civilized you will recognize the flag."

" That sounds well from such a pack of scoundrels,
doesn't it ? " growled Campbell. " What do you
want, anyway ? "

"I want to talk to you," was the reply. "Will
you grant me an interview ? "

" I've nothing to do with it," the sergeant called
back. " What is your answer, lad ? " he added, in
an undertone.

" Shall I talk to him ? " asked Maurice.

" I think I should," advised Campbell. " It can
do no harm, and it might lead to some good."

" That's the way I feel about it," said Maurice ;
and raising his voice he shouted ; "I am willing to
give you a brief interview. Show yourself without
fear."

There was a moment of silence, and then the head
and shoulders of a man slowly rose above the
barricade. The light, though dim, was amply
sufficient to reveal the crafty features of the Senor
Antonio Silva,

CHAPTER XVII.

•

THE CAGE OF SERPENTS.

THE appearance of the Portuguese was not
entirely unexpected, for Maurice had fathomed
a familiar ring in the voice. Some one else had
done the same, and from a greater distance ; Sher
Singh stood behind the little group with a look of
intense interest on his swarthy face.

" Chandar will keep safe watch, Sahib," he
whispered in the lad's ear. " I came because I am
anxious to hear what this treacherous dog will
say."

Silva held up both hands to show that they were
empty.

" I wish to talk to your leader," he began, in his
sleek and oily voice, " a lad named Maurice. My
business is with him alone."

" I'll speak for him, you scoundrel," Campbell
exclaimed impulsively, as he fingered his rifle. " I
am Sergeant Campbell of the Fusileers, stationed
at Seranghur, and I know all about the dirty trick
you have played on the Raja and the magistrates.
Nothing you can say is going to help you any.
You'll be sorry enough when His Majesty's govern-
ment gets hold of you, and I only hope I may be
with the troopers who run you and your hired
assassins down."

Silva laughed — an insolent, mocking laugh that
stung his hearers to the quick.

" My friend, you speak boldly for a rat in a trap,"

130

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 131

he said. " I must see the English lad, Maurice, and
none other. He has the lives of all of you in his
power, and you are lost if he refuses me an inter-
view."

" Pay no attention to him, Sahib," entreated Sher
Singh. " He is not to be trusted."

"No more than a hooded cobra," added the
sergeant. " His brain is plotting treachery, I'll
swear."

" But it may be to our advantage," protested
Maurice, " and besides, there is no danger while the
truce lasts."

With that he separated from his companions and
advanced a few feet towards the barricade, holding
his rifle carelessly in one hand. The others kept
a vigilant watch on the Portuguese, ready to fire at
the first sign of knavery.

" Well, here I am," said Maurice. " What do
you want ? "

" The surrender of the camp," replied Silva, " and
the return of my animals, cages, and other property.
If you will agree to this I promise to spare the lives
of all, and to take nothing that is not my own. Also
I will forgive the personal wrong you have done me."

" Forgive ? " Maurice cried wrathfully. " Senor
Silva, you are the most impudent rascal that
ever drew breath. The interview is at an end.
I shall hold the camp at any cost. If you want
your possessions, appeal to the proper authorities —
if you dare."

" Wait, lad," exclaimed the Portuguese. " Do
you understand what a refusal of my terms will mean ?
I have three score of desperate savages left. After
each attack to-night I withdrew them. I was

132 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

merely testing your strength. Now I shall unleash
them — bid them do their worst. They will make
one rush upon the camp, and, at the most, perhaps
you will shoot down a score. The rest will have you
at their mercy. And such mercy ! It will be a
great revenge. Do you still refuse my offer ? "

" Yes, I refuse," declared Maurice. " You
can't frighten me with such talk. And now — "

Crack ! With lightning like rapidity the
Portuguese had whipped out a pistol and fired at
the lad, the ball passing within an inch of his head,
and narrowly missing his companions. Campbell
and Sher Singh instantly returned the fire, but Silva
had dropped behind the cage. The kummerbund
fluttered for a moment, and then disappeared.

" Are you hit, Sahib ? " Sher Singh demanded
anxiously of Maurice.

" No, but I had a near thing of it," the lad replied.
" I wasn't looking for such treachery."

" The yellow ruffian shall pay dearly for it,"
vowed Campbell. " Back all of you. This is a
dangerous spot just now."

The sergeant's warning was timely, for the little
group had barely moved aside and taken shelter,
when a discharge of musketry, accompanied by a
shower of spears, was directed at the spot where they
had been standing. These hostile demonstrations
quickly ceased, however, and the jungle beyond
the barricade became silent.

" Silva's threats about rushing the camp were
only bluster, of course," said Maurice, rather uneasily.

" That's all," replied Campbell, " else he would not
have been thrown into such a rage by your refusal
to surrender."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 133

" But he will try hard to do what he threatened,"
put in Sher Singh. " There is very grave peril,
Sahibs. Moreover, if the Portuguese has three-score
of men left — "

" I'm a little doubtful myself, I admit," interrupted
the sergeant. " If they had only made one more
charge during that last attack, I'm afraid we should
have been snowed under. Suppose we despatch
a messenger to the cantonments at Seranghur.
There is a chance for one to slip out of camp now,
and if he gets through all right we'll have a squad of
troopers here by noon to-morrow."

The suggestion called for no argument. It was
immediately approved.

" Silva will be neatly trapped if he keeps the siege
up long enough," exclaimed Maurice.

" If he continues to attack us as he has been doing,"
muttered Campbell, in an undertone, " the sowars
will not be likely to find us alive when they come."

Sher Singh nodded meaningly, and there was an
expression of alarm on his face as he glanced at
Maurice.

" If it wasn't for the cages and the wild beasts —
which he means to get possession of — Silva could
have routed us out at any time by means of fire,"
the sergeant added. " But what about that
messenger ? "

Two of the Hindoos volunteered for the perilous
journey, and no doubt both were mainly actuated
by a desire to escape from the doomed camp, as they
believed it to be. The choice fell to Tara Mir, the
younger. He was a fleet runner, and, moreover, was
familiar with the road to the cantonments.

Having received his instructions he slipped

134 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

noiselessly away in the darkness, towards the rear
end of the camp. A slight rustling and scratching was
heard as he squeezed through the hedge, and not
a half -minute later a terrible shriek rang on the air,
followed by a couple of exultant yells. Words could
not have told the story plainer. The lucklesa
messenger had been butchered by the foe.

His friends, powerless to avenge his death, were
at first struck dumb with horror, then thrown into a
bloodthirsty rage.

" Just wait," cried Campbell. '* We'll have a
chance to pay them for this."

" I wish it would come now," vowed Maurice,.
" and I hope Silva will lead the next attack."

" Speak not rashly, Sahibs," urged Sher Singh.
" Since Tara Mir has been slam, there is no aid to be
expected from Seranghur. We must hold out till
the enemy are wearied of the siege — "

" Or until the worst happens," added the sergeant
bitterly.

A few minutes passed silently, in harrowing
suspense. Of the bold little garrison but seven
remained — seven against three score. The five had
been sent to their posts, and Maurice and Campbell
were patrolling opposite sides of the camp, with all
their senses on the alert, when the lad paused briefly
before a long, shallow cage that was not mounted on
trucks like the others. It stood about seven feet
from the ground.

" Here is a weak place," he told himself. " The
savages could swarm over it in force without much
difficulty. I wonder that they have not discovered it."

The inner side was covered with close wire-netting
and the interior was divided into three compartments,.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 135

in which, amid grass and sand, dwelt a colony of
serpents. A score of venomous cobras occupied one
of the compartments, and in the next were various
other reptiles, almost equally poisonous. The third
contained a large and very ill-natured python.

It was a strange coincidence that just then, as
Maurice moved slowly on, the neighbouring jungle
should have echoed to the rustling tread of many feet.
As quickly the thorn hedge was torn apart, and the
savages came with a dash against the serpent cage.
Failing to move it, or turn it over, since heavy stakes
had been driven in front of it, they leapt to the top of
it with fiendish cries, some hurling spears and some
discharging muskets.

The defenders were promptly on the spot, and a
deadly rifle-fire greeted the foe. Meanwhile a keen
watch was kept on the entrance to the camp, and
several of the party were ready to speed in that
direction at the first sign of a counter-attack. But
Silva appeared to have concentrated all his men at one
place, as he had sworn to do. With utter contempt
for the hail of bullets, the fanatical wretches surged
over the low cage and jumped down into the camp.

" Drive them back," shouted Maurice. " They
are coming faster."

The defenders themselves, however, were compelled
to fall back a few paces, still firing incessantly. With
rage and dismay they saw half a dozen of the savages
looming near, almost face to face. Others were
dropping from the cage, to trample their dead and
dying comrades.

A number of spears were hurled, and the Hindoo
next to Maurice, pierced from breast to backbone,
fell with a gurgling cry. Only six were left now.

136 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Campbell's voice rang hoarsely above the tumult ;

" Give them another volley ! If more get in we're
done for. Fire, men, fire ! "

The rifles vomited flame and lead. Here and there
dusky wretches fell, biting the ground in their death
agonies. But they were instantly replaced. It was
impossible to stem the rush.

At this critical and desperate moment, when all
seemed to be lost, a frightful disaster befell the
assailants. The top of the cage, which was of thin
planking, suddenly gave way with a crash and
precipitated eight or ten of the foe among the serpents.
Promptly discovering their horrible position, they
fought and scuffled like madmen, with blood-
curdling screams, to escape the certain doom. In
their frantic struggles the cage was overturned, and
reptiles and savages swarmed out together among
the half-score of hill-men who had gained a foothold
within the camp.

No tongue or pen can describe the ghastly, awful
scenes that followed. The bravest of human beings
are likely to meet, some day, with a peril that will turn
their oft-tried courage to wax. And so it was now.
The fight for the camp was forgotten, ignored, in the
presence of the horde of hissing, venomous creatures.

The snakes, roused to anger and terribly active,
sprang and bit right and left at the half-naked
bodies of the savages. Every nip of the sharp,
poisoned fangs meant speedy and certain death.
Wails of agony, and shrill cries of panic, rang on the
night air. One by one the victims fell, clutching at
their bitten limbs, through which the venom was
swiftly coursing. Some staggered away from the
fatal spot before they reeled down, and a very few

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 137

escaped entirely, fleeing unmolested across the camp
and climbing over the barricade. The alarm spread
to those who lurked in the jungle behind the upset
cage, and fearing for their own lives, they scurried
in haste from the infected neighbourhood.

The worst was at an end in a very short time. The
moans of the dying grew feebler and fainter, and
there was less movement in the squirming heap of
bodies, from which, here and there, a trembling form
could be seen crawling painfully and slowly over the
ground. One poor wretch, with a cobra fastened to
his naked arm, bit the reptile in the throat and then
dropped dead. Another, about whose leg was twined
a thick, green snake, leapt by a desperate effort almost
to Maurice's feet, and lay there screaming with agony.

Help for any was out of the question. The little
handful of brave men — they had withdrawn to a
safe distance — had their own safety to look after :
and, amid all the sickening horrors, their first
thought was for the preservation of the camp.

The serpents were now spreading. In every
direction the hideous, scintillating creatures went
hissing and gliding through the trampled grass. A
cobra reared its head within three feet of Maurice,
and was struck lifeless by a blow from Sher Singh's
rifle. A second was, at the same instant, ground to
death under Campbell's booted heel.

" Back with you," cried the sergeant. " We can't
stop here any longer. Death lurks at every step."

" We've got to take our chances with the reptiles,"
exclaimed Maurice. " The camp must be protected,
for it may be attacked again at any minute."

" And at least two score of the tribesmen are left,
Sahib," reminded Sher Singh.

138 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Cautiously the group retreated for a short
distance, and then, pausing in anxious indecision,
they watched all sides of the enclosure. No one
observed the python dragging its thick coils over
the heap of dead and dying savages ; indeed, the
existence of the big snake was for the time being
forgotten. He had just crept out of the cage, where
he had been lying stupidly during the whole scene,
and now, thoroughly aroused, he was hungry and
ill-tempered. His wicked eyes sparkled as he
glided towards the unsuspecting party of men.

Suddenly there was an awful yell from Chandar,
and his horrified companions scattered right and left
as they saw him caught in the embrace of the slimy
monster. Two coils encircled the unfortunate Hindoo.
His bones cracked with a sickening sound, and
his screams ended in a throaty wail. The python's
head darted to and fro, hissing and spitting.

With an exclamation of rage Maurice reversed his
rifle and sprang forward, watching a chance to strike.

" Back, Sahib, for your life ! " warned Sher Singh.

" It's too late to do any good," cried Campbell.
" Out of the way, lad, and give me a chance to
fire."

Maurice was confused by the shouting of his
friends, which threw him for a moment off his guard.
Then. quickly the python's tail slid alongside of him
and whipped about his legs, at once jerking him to
the ground. He uttered a frightful cry, and
realizing what had happened, he gave himself up for
lost.

" Help ! help ! " he intreated, as he struggled
vainly to escape from the merciless coils that were
tightening on his limbs.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END.

QOADED to desperate fury and valour by the
sight of the lad's peril, Sher Singh cocked his
rifle and fearlessly advanced to the python's
swaying head. He thrust the muzzle into the yawning
jaws and fired twice. Both balls penetrated a vital
part, and the reptile began to writhe and squirm in
its death agonies, thumping the ground with its
ponderous coils. Its blazing eyes seemed to emit
sparks, and it hissed like a steam-valve. Chandar
was silent, but Maurice's screams chilled every heart.
Sher Singh continued to send lead into the snake.

Meanwhile Sergeant Campbell had dashed to the
tent, whence he promptly returned carrying an axe.
Approaching the python, he attacked the thick body
midway between the two victims. Thud ! thud !
Each stroke told in spite of the fearful contortions.
The axe fell faster and faster, until finally the monster
dropped apart, cleft fairly in twain. Its vitality
was destroyed, though its two bodies were still feebly
agitated.

With a cry of satisfaction the sergeant staggered
back, panting and exhausted, and with eager hands
Sher Singh tore Maurice free. With the exception
of a few bruises the lad was absolutely unhurt, for
the snake's muscular power had been mostly con-
centrated on the luckless Hindoo. Chandar had
already breathed his last, and was so tightly wrapped
in the coils that he could not be liberated.

139

140 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

With one or two inarticulate words of gratitude
Maurice swooned away, but a dash of water on his
head, and a sip of brandy to follow, speedily pulled
him round. He felt better at once, and soon was
quite recovered, though his nerves were badly shaken
by what he had gone through.

All were depressed by the tragedy, and the black,
sultry night seemed to whisper of worse misfortunes
to come.

" Five of us left," Campbell said huskily. " We're
no match for that fiend of a Portuguese. I've little
heart, lad, to fight on against such overwhelming
odds."

" But the luck has really been on our side," pro-
tested Maurice, with a show of cheerfulness. " The
savages have been compelled to retreat every time>
and they will scarcely muster up enough courage to
attack us again."

" Not of their own free will, perhaps," assented
the sergeant. " I grant you that. But as long
as they are in the mind to obey Silva's orders there
is no telling — "

" Look, Sahibs ! " shrilly interrupted Sher Singh.
" There — at the end of the camp."

All eyes followed the Hindoo's outstretched arm,
and they beheld an ominous and alarming sight. A
ruddy glare danced above the barricade, and it was
evident that dry grass had been piled against the
far side of the cage and set on fire.

" We must put it out," cried Maurice, dashing to-
wards the spot. " Quick ! there are several pails of
water left."

" It's no use, lad," declared Campbell ; but never-
theless he ran with the others.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 141

They secured the pails, and fearlessly approached
the barricade. Just then a mass of forked flame
leapt out of the dense yellow smoke, hissing and
crackling about the woodwork of the doomed cage.

" It would take a reservoir to put that out," cried
the sergeant. " It's all up with the camp now. And
it's more than doubtful if we'll be able to save our
lives."

" I'm afraid you're right," said Maurice. " The
camp is surrounded, of course. Well, it's hard to die
like rats in a trap. And all my fault, too."

" If it comes to the worst we'll sell our lives dearly,"
vowed Campbell. " But a bold, determined rush may
carry us safely to the jungle. Are you ready to try
it?"

There was no reply, No one stirred. They stood
for a moment in dazed and bitter despair, reckless of
their exposed position ; for all around them was a
lurid, red glare.

The roaring flames spread, dancing higher. The
poor beasts, imprisoned in their cages, screamed with
fright as they sniffed and saw the oncoming death.
But as yet, strange to say, the enemy had fired no
shot, hurled no spear, at the clearly-defined little
group. Nor was there any sign of life outside ; ap-
parently the jungle beyond the barricade was deserted

" By heavens, I know why the rascals are so quiet ! "
Maurice suddenly cried, in a voice of alarm and con-
sternation. " They are keeping at a safe distance,
and no wonder, either. That burning cage belonged
to Silva, and among the contents are two large this of
powder — "

" Powder ? " shouted Campbell. " Are you sure ? "

" Yes ; because I opened one of the tins. I had

142 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

forgotten all about them. But Silva remembered,
you may be certain, and that is why he started the
fire."

" His object is to blow the passage free," added
Sher Singh. " That accomplished, they will rush
in."

" God help us ! " cried the sergeant. " The cage
is now wrapped in flames. At any moment they
may reach the powder. Back — back for your lives.
It is death to linger here."

At that instant, and before the warning could be
heeded, there came a tremendous explosion that
seemed to rend the very earth asunder. A sheet of
fire and flame-lit smoke rose heavenward, and as
quickly the air was filled with shattered timber and
wheels, iron bolts, clods of earth, and a shower of
smaller debris.

* The force of the explosion dashed the occupants of
the camp to the ground, where they lay, stunned and
bewildered, while the wreckage dropped around them
and the fumes of smoke were drawn into their lungs.

Fortunately, however, the little band had been far
enough away to escape serious injury. A vague sense
of peril impressed itself on their reeling brains, and
rising dizzily they stared about them, at first scarcely
comprehending what had happened.

Where the barricade had been was now a huge black
rent in the ground. The cages immediately to right
and left of the passage had been destroyed — or partially
so. In one a mangled leopard was screeching with
agony, and from the shattered timbers of the other
protruded the dead bodies of the two hyenas ; one of
them had been killed before the catastrophe. The
inmates of the remaining cages were making a fearful

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 143

din, and the whole scene was radiantly illumined by
fragments of burning wood.

The space of time during which Maurice and his
companions stood gazing stupidly about them was
in reality very brief, though to their minds it seemed
long. They were roused from their stupefaction by
a burst of angry yells, and through the demolished
barricade streamed a horde of savages. Silva's figure,
lean and bearded, towered among the foremost.

A single glimpse showed the impossibility of resisting
such a charge.

" Run for your lives ! " exclaimed Campbell, setting
the example.

He made off towards the rear of the camp, the others
following as rapidly as then: staggering limbs would
take them. Hot in pursuit pressed the hillmen,
merciless and bloodthirsty, hurling spears and firing
a few shots that failed to have any effect.

" Faster ! faster ! " panted the sergeant. " We've
a bit of a chance, maybe."

The fugitives were now in deeper gloom, and if
they could hold out a little longer they would be
safe, provided no foes were lurking ahead to cut them
off. Campbell, Maurice, and Sher Singh were slightly
in advance of Sri Das and the remaining native, whose
name was Gunput.

Suddenly Sri Das uttered a piercing yeUU A cobra
had fastened upon his ankle, and as the stricken man
reeled with agony, a musket-balj penetrated his brain
and mercifully ended his sufferings. As Sri Das
fell Maurice imprudently slackened his speed to glance
behind him, and at the same instant Gunput, by a
swift spurt, gained the lad's former place between the
sergeant and Sher Singh.

144 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Seeing that Sri Das was beyond help, and that the
clamorous savages were very near, Maurice lost no
time in speeding after his companions. But he had
not made three strides when his foot caught in a patch
of tangled grass, and down he went, striking his head
so violently on a knotty root as to partly deprive
him of consciousness.

In the murky darkness and the excitement of the
moment Campbell and Sher Singh naturally did not
discover the substitution of Gunput for the lad. They
pushed on at full speed, fearful of being overtaken
and butchered, and reaching the verge of the camp
they tore the hedge apart and crawled under the
nearest cage. They fought ahead through thorns and
scrub, bleeding and lacerated, until, when they were
some distance within the jungle, they for the first
time became aware that the lad was not with them.

Meanwhile, having been roused from his semi-
stupor by naked feet trampling ruthlessly over him,
Maurice found himself in a most unenviable plight.
Smarting with pain, he struggled to rise, and had
barely succeeded in doing so when his arms were
firmly pinned to his sides from behind. Twisting
around he discovered to his horror — a couple of torches
shed a strong light — that he was in the grasp of Antonio
Silva himself.

The lad promptly realized that he was lost, and
the thought of what his fate might be gave him a
cold shiver. Weakened by his bruises, unable to
offer any resistance, he was like a child in his captor's
grip.

" Ah ! this is unexpected good fortune," snarled
the Portuguese. " I have kept my word, boy — you
are in my power. It was you I chiefly wished for,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 145

and I am glad now that my pistol-shot failed to kill
you. I will settle old scores in a much better fashion."

" You will be sorry if you do," said Maurice, as he
looked vainly for his friends. " Would you dare to
murder me ? "

" Dare ? " sneered Silva, with an evil laugh.
" Back, you dogs ! " he shouted at the fiendish savages,
a number of whom were swarming about the two.
" Leave the prisoner to me. I will glut your thirst
for vengeance soon enough."

The hillmen doubtless did not understand a word,
but they sullenly withdrew and went yelling across
the enclosure after their comrades. An instant later
Silva was joined by two other Portuguese — the same
who had been present when Tearle's party had
the fight hi the ravine. These ruffians, Castro and
Pereira by name, were every whit as sinister-looking
as their leader. They fixed ferocious glances on
Maurice.

"You see I have the lad," said Silva. "That
satisfies me. His companions have escaped to the
jungle, and it is useless to seek for them."

" It is a pity," replied Castro. " They will hasten
to the cantonment at Seranghur, and put the sowars
on our track."

" That is true," Pereira assented, uneasily. " We
had better get away from here as quickly as possible."

" Cowards ! " exclaimed Silva. " However, you
are right. But first I will have my revenge. Call
back the savages, if they have been stupid enough to
chase the fugitives beyond the camp. And be quick,
for I need your help,'*

K

CHAPTER XIX.

SII.VA AND THE TIGER.

SILVA'S instructions proved to be unnecessary,
since the tribesmen had gone no farther in pursuit
of Sergeant Campbell and his companions
than to the edge of the enclosure. Their lust for
bloodshed baffled, they turned their thoughts to plunder.
Some, lighting torches, groped here and there, with
wailing cries, among the bodies of the slain. Others
crowded into the tent, and fell to quarrelling over the
contents. Discovering several bottles of whisky and
quinine — provided by Tearle for medicinal purposes —
they broke the necks off and began to drink greedily.
Castro and Pereira endeavoured to restore order,
but with little or no success, and then returned to
their leader, who was waiting impatiently while he
kept a tight hold on Maurice.

" The wretches are beyond control," they declared.
" They won't listen to us."

" Never mind them now," Silva cried angrily.
" I'll wake them up when I've finished with the busi-
ness I have on hand. Here, take the lad. It will cost
you your lives if you let him give you the slip."

Turning Maurice over to the two Portuguese, he
snatched a torch from one of the savages and
hastened across the camp.

" This way," he shouted a moment later.

Castro and Pereira promptly took the prisoner to
Silva, who was standing before the cage that contained
the tiger. The great ammal was moving restlessly

14G

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 147

up and down, growling in a low key. He was clearly
in a bad temper, and this was aggravated by the
clamour of the other beasts and the glare of the torches.

On Silva's face was a smile of venomous hatred and
satisfaction ; his white teeth gleamed through his
parted lips.

" What do you think of my revenge ? " he asked
of Maurice.

The lad, suddenly realizing the awful fate hi store
for him, was chilled and stupefied with horror. Beyond
a doubt the Portuguese meant to throw him into the
tiger's cage. He first made a desperate and futile
effort to escape, then hoarsely begged for mercy,
appealing to each of his captors in turn. His courage
was unequal to such a fearful test, and little wonder.

From dread of possible consequences, and nothing
else, Castro and Pereira glanced doubtfully at their
leader. But Silva had no difficulty in allaying their
scruples.

" It will quickly be over," he said. " And there
is no one to tell the tale. Who would believe any
statement made by those uncivilized wretches
yonder ? "

" If you are determined to kill me," implored
Maurice, " let it be in some other way. Why do you
wish to torture me ? "

The lad appealed to deaf ears and merciless hearts.

" Ah, you shudder ! " cried Silva. " You quake with
fear. This is a sweet revenge, indeed. You will be
a dainty morsel for the hungry brute. Behold, his
jaws are open and waiting. The great teeth will
slowly crunch your bones and devour your flesh."

Beckoning to the two Portuguese to draw nearer,
he stepped close up to the bars. Half a score of the

148 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

savages approached, and gathered about the spot
with fiendish and noisy delight. The tiger backed
to the rear of the cage, where, dropping to his haunches,
he snarled incessantly and ominously. His eyes were
balls of fire, and his tongue dangled from his blood-red
chops.

" Be quick," urged Silva, with an oath.

Rapidly, in spite of his frantic struggles and pitiful
cries, Castro and Pereira forced the lad on. With
one hand Silva fumbled at the fastenings of the cage
and in the other he held a blazing torch, with which
he menaced the animal and kept it at bay. Inch by
inch he drew the sliding door open.

" Now ! " he cried. " Throw the lad in."

As Maurice was lifted off his feet by the two Portu-
guese he uttered a loud scream, and by a desperate
effort wrested -himself partly from their grasp. Silva.
swore fiercely, and in his rage and consternation he let
the torch fall to the ground. As quickly the tiger seized
his opportunity, and leaping forward with a thunderous
roar got half-way through the narrow door, where
he became wedged fast for a moment, struggling and
twisting for liberty.

The disaster was so startling, so unexpected, that
all lost their presence of mind. Silva sprang to one
side and tripped over backward, while Castro and
Pereira, promptly dropping the lad, started to run for
their lives.

A smashing, ripping noise, a clatter of splintered
woodwork, and the enraged tiger was free. With a deep
roar the beast bounded over and beyond Maurice,
and pounced upon Pereira. Shaking the luckless
man as a terrier shakes a rat, he dashed lightly across
the camp with him and disappeared.

"With one hand Silva fumbled at the fastenings
of the cage."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 149

Confusion and clamour followed. Maurice rose
to his feet, dazed and trembling, and immediately
Silva's evil eyes were fixed on the lad. He reached
to his belt, whipped out a revolver, and levelled it
with deadly aim. But just at this critical moment
there was a shout close by, and then, from underneath
the tiger's empty cage, burst Sergeant Campbell,
Gunput, and Sher Singh. The latter instantly seized
Maurice and pulled him down in time to escape Silva's
bullet, while the other two opened fire on the Portu-
guese and the frightened savages. Castro was the
first to fall, shot in the chest, and a second or two
later Silva was seen to drop, though whether purposely
or from a wound it was impossible to tell.

The heroic little handful of rescuers stopped short
of imprudence. Directly they perceived that the
tribesmen were rallying for an attack, Campbell gave
the word to his companions to retreat. They dived
beneath the cage and back through the broken hedge,
taking Maurice with them, and safely reaching the
jungle they sped on in the friendly darkness. Sher
Singh's faithful arms lent strength and support to
the lad, whose courage ebbed back as he listened,
with overpowering joy and gratitude, to the husky
clamour of the foe growing fainter and fainter in the
distance. That he had been preserved from such an
awful death seemed too good to be true.

CHAPTER XXi

A SWIM FOR LIFE.

THE lost camp was a mile behind when a halt was
made at a shallow water-hole, which Sergeant
Campbell discovered by accidentally plunging
into it. The locality was a dangerous one, since wild
beasts could be heard in several directions. Maurice
eagerly quenched his thirst and bathed his fevered
cheeks and forehead. He was still painfully nervous
from his frightful experience with Silva, and a shudder
convulsed him now and then as he listened silently
to the account of his rescue, modestly told by Sher
Singh.

" That's enough about the past," said Campbell,
when the shikaree had finished. " I don't like to
think of it — it makes my blood boil. It's the future
that we've got to reckon with, and unless we hurry a
bit those murderous wretches will slip ahead and lie in
wait for us at the river ford. Gunput, what sort of a
hand are you at junglecraft ? Can you guide us straight
to Seranghur ? "

" Yes, Sahib, I can do it," vowed the Hindoo. " I
need neither sun, moon, nor stars."

" Off with you, then, and we'll follow. I'm fairly
itching to start the Raja's sowars after Silva and his
band before they escape to the hills. And I want
to see Silva caught and punished — unless he's dead,
which I doubt."

"What about the camp ? " Maurice suggested
anxiously.

150

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 151

"There won't be much left there worth saving,"
replied the sergeant. " The scoundrels will likely
burn everything. Though I trust for your sake that
they won't, lad."

Maurice's heart was heavy as he trudged with
his companions through the jungle. He know that
he was not in the least to blame for the disasters
that had happened — that he had stuck to his duty
even beyond the limits of discretion ; but nevertheless
he looked forward with dread and dismay to the
news that he must break to Tearle and Carruthers.

These feelings wore off after a time. There was
too much else to be thought of, for the fugitives were
by no means out of danger yet. With weapons
ready for use, clinging to one another for fear of
becoming separated in the darkness, they crept along
in single file, with Gunput at their head. It was not
an easy task to pick a course through the fastnesses
of the jungle by night. The Hindoo made frequent
halts, in spite of his boasted assurance, and twice
he branched off in the wrong direction, being recalled
to the right path by catching a glimpse of the stars
between the matted foliage.

Thus precious minutes were lost, and the flight had
lasted for an hour and a half, at the least, when finally
the gloomy coverts dropped away and the misty river
was seen swirling towards the sea. The little group
stopped in perplexity at the water's edge.

" I don't recognize the spot," declared Campbell.
" This is surely not where Captain Rogers brought
us across."

" The ford is a quarter of a mile farther up stream,"
replied Gunput, pointing to the north. " Come,
Sahibs, I will take you to it."

152 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Hold on," said the sergeant. " It is just as
well, perhaps, that we've struck the river here. We
had better not venture above, for as likely as not
our wily foes have reached the fording and are watch-
ing it."

" But the water is deeper here," protested Maurice.
" We shall have to swim in places."

" And there are crocodiles," added Sher Singh.

" I'm not afraid of your old muggers," vowed
Campbell. " Besides, we stand a better chance of
keeping them off by swimming. We can splash and
kick with our feet, and scare them. If we wade,
that is impossible."

" The Sahib speaks wisely," said Gunput. " And
look ! yonder log will serve to support our arms while
we swim."

He pointed to the bare and whitened trunk of a
tree, about eight feet in length, that lay near the
edge of the shore.

" Right you are," approved the sergeant. " That
will be a considerable help to us in crossing. Once
on the other side, and we'll be safe. Daylight can't
be far off now."

He was dragging the log to the water, with Gunput's
assistance, when Maurice uttered a hasty exclamation.

" Wait ; I have just thought of something," he
cried. " There should be a boat concealed in the
bushes about twenty yards above the ford. Tearle
bought it from some natives for the use of Chandar
and Gunput, when they wished to cross the river."

" It should still be there, Sahib," Gunput re-
luctantly admitted. " I had forgotten it."

Evidently from his manner, the Hindoo was not
anxious to remember.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 153

" A boat ? " exclaimed Campbell. " That alters
the situation. No use to run the risk of muggers
when we can cross in safety. And there is a risk,
I suppose ? "

" A grave one, Sahib," replied Slier Singh. " At
times the crocodiles are very hungry and bold."

There was a brief interval of hesitation and un-
certainty. The danger of falling into an ambuscade
was not imaginary, for there was sound reason to
fear that Silva and his bloodthirsty allies might be
hiding by the ford. Gunput flatly refused to stir,
and urged the others to swim over by means of the log.

" I will fetch the boat," Maurice finally declared.
" It will be easy to sh'p up-stream without making
any noise, and when I get near the ford I will make
a detour around it."

"I will go with you, Sahib," said Sher Singh, in a
tone of quiet determination.

Campbell gave a dubious assent to the plan.

" I don't like it," he said. " I am as clumsy as
an elephant, or I would go with you myself. But
the savages would hear me fifty yards away. How-
ever, be off with you. Gunput and I will wait here."

" We shan't be long," promised Maurice. " We
will paddle out into the stream, and then lie flat
in the bottom while the boat drifts down. In the
darkness it will look like a log. It is only a clumsy
dug-out, anyway."

Without further delay the two intrepid volunteers
slipped noiselessly up the shore, keeping under cover
of the reeds and bushes. They made good use of
eyes and ears, and were prepared to fire at the first
sign of an enemy. Maurice knew the exact spot
where the boat was moored by a tree.

154 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

The jungle back of the river was intensely quiet, and
there was no sound of bird or beast, which to Sher
Singh's experienced mind were ominous auguries. AD
went well until the fording-place was about twenty
yards distant, when Maurice veered off at right angles.

" We must cut around now," he whispered. " I
don't believe there is any danger, though."

" But it is not certain, Sahib," replied the shikaree.
" Let us make no noise."

Side by side they crept through the strip of grass
reeds, and scrub that extended half a dozen yards from
the water's edge, and next came an upward slope of
fairly open ground, on top of which began the jungle.
Maurice was the first to mount the rise, and just as
he planted his feet on the level above, a dusky figure
started up in front of him, not three yards away.

Frightened out of his self-possession — thereby his
life was probably saved — the lad lost his balance, and
slipping backward rolled down the slope ; while at the
same tune, colliding with Sher Singh, he bowled that
individual clean over. In hot pursuit sprang the savage,
brandishing a long spear. He bounded past the pros-
trate Hindoo, and sped after Maurice, who had promptly
leapt to his feet on reaching the bottom of the incline.
As he had dropped his rifle, and dared not pause to
look for it, he dashed straight towards the river.

At this critical moment, when the savage was about
to cast his spear with unerring aim at the lad, a shadowy
thing flitted out of a patch of reeds and was as quickly
launched against his naked chest. Maurice, hearing at
his ears the cry of terror and the deeper sound that
blended with it, stopped and looked back. The man was
down, feebly kicking underneath a huge, tawny animal
that snarled ferociously as he bit and mauled his victim.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 155

" A panther ! " hoarsely exclaimed the lad, who
was standing knee-deep in the river. " He'll be
turning his attention to me next."

Meanwhile, Sher Singh having risen to his feet, —
only a few seconds had elapsed — he was confronted
by a crisis that gave him no opportunity to think of
his companion ; for two more savages had suddenly
appeared at the top of the slope, and were in the act of
plunging down upon him. The Hindoo's rifle cracked,
and he had one foe less to deal with. At such close
quarters it was impossible to fire again, so, with a
lightning-like movement, he timely knocked up the
second man's spear, and then let him have it with the
butt of the firearm. The wretch dropped with a
shattered skull, and lay quivering at the shikaree's feet.

His foes thus disposed of, and no others being in
sight, Sher Singh hastened towards Maurice just as
the panther bounded away and vanished, leaving
the savage to all appearance dead, for he neither
moved nor made any sound. At the same instant,
a few yards to the left, loomed indistinctly a boyish
shape that Maurice immediately recognized.

" Bobbili ! " he cried.

There was an incoherent response, and then the
slight figure ran off and was lost to sight.

" Did you see him, Sher Singh ? " exclaimed
Maurice.

" I saw nothing, Sahib — only the beast."

" It was Bobbili's panther, and I saw the jungle-
child plainly. This makes the third time he has
come to warn or to aid me."

" You are greatly in his debt, Sahib," said the
Hindoo. " He must have followed us from the camp.
But it is unwise to linger here, in such a dangerous

156 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

spot," he added. " I have slain two savages," pointing
towards the slope, " and others must be near at hand."

The words recalled Maurice to a sense of peril, and
Bobilli and the panther were for the present forgotten.
He ventured forward to recover his rifle, and for a
moment the two stood watching and listening alertly.
At first they heard nothing, and concluded that the
three dead men had been posted as sentries, occupying
an isolated position. It quickly became evident, how-
ever, that many more of the tribesmen were lurking
in the vicinity of the ford, and that the report of the
rifle had roused them. The night rang with blood-
thirsty shouts and yells that rapidly approached.

" Run, Sahib," urged Sher Singh. " The boat is
lost to us. We must hasten back to our comrades
and swim across the river."

With that they sped along the shore, leaping like deer
over grass and scrub. The tumult behind seemed to
keep pace with them, telling of a dogged pursuit.
When more than half the distance had been covered the
fugitives were met by Gunput and the sergeant, who
had pluckily started to the rescue. Brief explanations
were given while the four hurried on to the former
rendezvous, where they delayed no longer than was
necessary to discard their heavier articles of clothing.

" Ready ? " said Campbell. " Here we go."

They waded eagerly into the water, pushing the
log in front of them. Its top was partly flat, and
afforded a doubtful resting-place for their rifles. Soon
they were swimming diagonally across the current,
clinging with both hands to the half-sunken mass of
wood, and kicking vigorously with then' legs to
frighten off the crocodiles.

The next instant, with fierce cries, a number of

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 157

savages swarmed down to the shore. Afraid to
venture into the water, they sought vent for their
rage by hurling spears and discharging matchlocks.

The fugitives swam on unharmed, growing more con-
fident of safety and escape with each second, until they
were close to mid-channel. Then, pointing suddenly
up-stream, Gunput uttered a shrill exclamation.

" Look, Sahibs ! " he cried.

Though the night was dark and moonless, the
gloom that rested on the river was not so opaque but
that Maurice and his companions could pierce it for
a considerable radius. All turned their eyes in the
direction indicated by the Hindoo, and above them, at
a distance of perhaps a quarter of a mile, they vaguely
distinguished a bulky, black object on the water.

" Driftwood ; that's about all it is," vowed
Sergeant Campbell. " There was no occasion to give
us a fright, Gunput."

" It is more than driftwood, Sahibs," calmly
asserted Sher Singh. "It is the boat that we failed
to reach. The savages have discovered it — they
must have done so while we were in the vicinity of
the ford — and now warned by the noise of our
escape, they are paddling in search of us."

" I won't believe it," said Maurice.

Yet as he spoke a chill of terror struck to his heart,
and Gunput and the sergeant lost their doubts as
quickly, for just then was had absolute proof that
Sher Singh was right. A burst of cries from the
savages on shore was lustily and promptly answered
by their comrades on the water. The boat was seen
to increase its speed, and the dip and splash of paddles
could be faintly heard.

" Courage," exhorted Campbell. " It's a bad

158 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

scrape, but we needn't despair of. outwitting these
scoundrels again, as we have done before. Don't
stop splashing, though, or the muggers may grow
bolder and make short work of us."

" The sound will bring the foe straight upon us,"
protested Gunput.

*' I'm sure they have seen us already," replied
Maurice. " We can't expect to remain invisible.
Our only hope is in speed."

The fugitives swam on and on with the log,
kicking and splashing more vigorously than ever ;
but unfortunately, owing to the strong current, they
drifted four or five yards down stream for every
one that they gained in the direction of the opposite
shore. They were now beyond the middle of the
river, and consequently safe from the tribesmen
on the rear bank. These, however, ran along at a
pace that held them parallel with the log, and con-
tinued to yell fiercely, to throw spears and to fire
then- clumsy matchlocks.

By this time the boat was straight up-stream from
the fugitives, and was drawing steadily nearer through
the murky gloom. The hoarse, bloodthirsty cries
of its occupants told that they had sighted their
intended victims and were ravenous for slaughter.

" They are bound to overtake us very soon,"
exclaimed Maurice. " I don't see any hope."

" Shall we abandon the log and swim, Sahib ? "
suggested Sher Singh.

" No use," replied Maurice, with a despairing
glance at the yet distant shore. " The current is
so swift that we wouldn't make any better headway
than we are doing now. The wretches probably
have no weapons except spears," he added, " unless
Silva is with them."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 159

" And we have four good rifles between us,"
exclaimed Campbell, divining the lad's thoughts.
" Lucky we kept them dry. Suppose you and 1
climb out on this clumsy float and straddle it, and
open a lively fire on the rascals before they can get
near enough to use their spears. I'll warrant you
they will sheer off in a hurry — as many as we don't
«end to the bottom."

The sergeant's timely suggestion revived hope
and courage.

" Will the log bear us in that position ? " Maurice
inquired anxiously.

" Yes, the two of us," assured Campbell. " Sher
Singh and Gunput will swim alongside and support
it, so that it can't turn over with our weight."

The plan was feasible enough, but, as ill-luck would
have it, it was destined to be shattered by an unfore-
seen disaster. A crocodile suddenly thrust its ugly
snout above the surface of the water, twenty feet
distant, and Gunput pointed to it with a shrill cry of
fright.

" A mugger ! " shouted the sergeant. " Splash !
Splash for your lives ! "

In the wild panic and kicking that ensued, the
stream becoming violently agitated, too much one-
sided weight was put upon the log ; and all of a sudden,
without warning, it rolled entirely over. The four
were compelled to let go, and the next instant, when
they had regained their holds and were splashing
furiously again, the ominous result of the catastrophe
dawned upon them.

" We have lost our rifles," Maurice cried bitterly.
" They have gone to the bottom — every one. And
now we are at the mercy of the savages."

CHAPTER XXL

A FRIGHTFUL RETRIBUTION".;

THE lad's despairing words were only too true —
the last ray of hope had been destroyed. Dazed
and struck dumb by their loss, forgetting
their fear of the crocodile — which did not again
appear — the fugitives drifted on for a dozen yards,
their efforts relaxed.

"The boat is coming, Sahibs," said Sher Singh.
" It is gaining on us fast."

As he spoke triumphant yells floated over the water,
and were caught up exultantly by the savages who
were still racing along the shore ; the vengeance they
thirsted for was nearly within their grasp.

" Hark to them," muttered Campbell. " They know
it's all up with us — that we are tight in the toils.
It's bitterly hard to be butchered like helpless dogs,
unable to strike a blow in defence."

" It is fate, Sahib," Sher Singh told him, with the
quiet resignation of the Oriental. " There is no
chance of reaching the shore, since we are less than
two-thirds of the way across. We must speedily
face the end."

Gunput's fortitude deserted him, and he uttered
howls of terror as he clung frantically to the log.
For a moment or two none spoke. They continued
to kick and splash — they could not have told why —
as they swam slowly on towards the shore that they
would never reach.

The fiendish yells rang louder on the night air, and

160

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 161

the pursuing boat was now within thirty yards. It
was long and narrow, and rudely constructed. Its
gunwales rested low on the water, and little wonder
that they should, for the craft held eight half-naked
savages. Three were paddling from the stern and
the others crouched well forward towards the bow,
armed both with spears and matchlocks.

The intervening distance lessened to twenty-five
yards — to twenty. The doomed four still kept on
swimming, and in the presence of this greater peril,
giving no thought to the crocodiles, they used their
legs for powerful understrokes instead of splashing.

" They will be opening fire on us directly," said
Campbell. " They are surely within range already.
Another five minutes and we could reach the shore
yonder."

" What wouldn't I give for a rifle, and a chance to
use it," groaned Maurice.

An instant later, from the excited and watchful
group on the rear bank of the stream, came a shout
and a loud command ;

" Kill all but the lad. A hundred rupees if you
take him alive and unhurt. Spare none of the rest."

The fugitives recognized Silva's voice, and it stung
them to impotent fury to learn that he had not
perished at the camp, as they had hoped.

A reply was speedily sent over the water ;

" It shall be done as you wish, Sahib. The dogs
are in our power, and we will slay all but the lad."

This speaker was also identified. The voice wa«
that of the treacherous native Ramput, and he could
be dimly seen crouched in the bow of the boat.

" Heaven help us ! " said Campbell.

There was a brief interval of silence. The log

L

162 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

drifted on with its human freight, and from over-
head the stars shone coldly and pitilessly down on
the scene. A look of grim determination, of des-
perate and fixed resolve, suddenly appeared on
Maurice's face. His eyes flashed and he clenched his
teeth. His companions did not observe the change
in the lad, for it was too dark to read his features.

The boat, driven by the swiftly-beating paddles,
swung within ten yards of its prey. It slipped nearer
and nearer, a vague, shapeless monster in the gloom.
Gunput, whimpering with fear, splashed to the
farthest end of the log.

" Why, what blind fools we are," Sergeant Camp-
bell cried eagerly, at this critical moment. " We
have a chance, comrades — more than a chance —
and I wonder we didn't think of it before. Quick !
let us abandon the log and swim each of us in a different
direction. The boat can pursue but one at a time,
and three of us will probably escape."

" They are wise words, Sahibs," exclaimed Sher
Singh. " I will draw the savages after me — thus ; "
and he snatched off Maurice's cap and put it on his
own head. " They will believe that I am the young
Sahib," he added. " I will swim down-stream while
you-"

" Stop ! " interrupted Maurice. " I won't allow
you to sacrifice yourself for me, Sher Singh. It is
my fault that we are all in such sore peril. Had I
listened to Sergeant Campbell's advice it might have
been different. I have an idea in my head, and if
I perish in trying to carry it out, that is no more than
just. But if possible I will save your lives."

As he spoke, before the Hindoo or the others could
realize what he meant to do, Maurice had let go of

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 163

the log and dived under water. It was so deftly
and quickly done that the foe perceived nothing
of it. The sergeant and his companions, half-per-
suaded that the lad had committed suicide, stared in
mute horror at the spot where he had been only a
second before. Sher Singh uttered a cry of grief,
and would have slipped from the log had not Camp-
bell seized hold of him.

In the meantime Maurice — nothing was farther
from his purpose than self-destruction — was swimming
straight up-stream at a depth of two or three feet
beneath the surface. It was an accomplishment in
which he excelled, being long-winded. When his
breath was nearly spent he struck lightly upward
until his eyes and nose were out of the water. To his
surprise and chagrin the boat was not visible, and
turning partly round he saw it several yards below
him. He instantly dived again, and swam hard
with the current.

When next he came to the top the stern of the boat
was directly over his head. He reached with one
hand for an upper hold, and with the other he gripped
the low-lying gunwale. Now, setting his teeth, the
daring lad threw all his power into a swift, strenuous
jerk.

The heavily-laden craft lunged and dipped, letting
in a rush of water. Then, without warning, it
completely capsized, and the surface of the river was
strewn with frightened, howling, splashing savages.
Maurice had already dived, quick as a flash, and he
swam some distance to the left before he ventured
to rise, when, with lusty hand-over-hand strokes,
he glided down the current and gained the log, to
which his companions were still holding. What a

164 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

welcome he received ! Sher Singh and Gunput
lavishly poured out their praise and gratitude, and
Campbell gave him a hearty clap on the back as he
hauled him to a place of safety.

" It was a brave deed, lad," he cried. " I don't
know that I've ever seen a braver. You ought to
be in the service."

" It was nothing," modestly vowed Maurice. " I am
a good diver and swimmer — and the rest was easy."

But all the danger was not yet over. At a distance
of no more than twenty feet the savages were
floundering about the capsized boat, which was so
heavy that it barely showed above the surface. All
were able to swim, apparently, and they were trying
hard to turn the craft right side up. Few, if any,
had succeeded in retaining their weapons. Those
on shore were of course aware of the disaster by this
time, though they were ignorant of its cause. Above
the frenzied tumult Silva's voice rang in shrill and
unintelligible commands.

For the better part of a minute, while Maurice
recovered breath after his exhausting effort, the
fugitives drifted on at an even distance from their
enemies. Then the latter abandoned their futile
attempt to right the boat, and while three clung
to it the other five started to swim in pursuit of
the log. They progressed with slow, determined
strokes, uttering bloodthirsty threats. The traitorous
Ramput was a yard in the lead, bent on earning the
hundred rupees offered by Silva. His greedy eyes
sparkled, and between his teeth was a long-bladed
knife. Three of his companions carried spears in
one hand as they swam, and the fourth was provided
with a paddle.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 165

It was a critical moment for the fugitives, and with
undisguised alarm they watched the stealthy advance
of the five savages.

" Are you all right, lad ? " Campbell anxiously
inquired. " Fit for another swim ? "

" Quite fit — as far as you like," Maurice declared.

" Then we'll abandon the log and strike for the shore,'
said the sergeant. " That offers the only chance of
outwitting these wretches. Quick ! they are nearly
upon us."

But just then a terrible thing happened. Ramput,
now within ten feet of the log, uttered an agonizing
scream and for a second or two fought desperately,
his arms threshing the air. Then he swiftly vanished
from sight, and the spot where he had been struggling
was slapped into bloody foam and waves by the tail
of a monstrous crocodile.

Maurice and his companions were horrified by the
well-deserved fate of the traitor — and not a little
alarmed for themselves as well — while the four
swimming savages who were left naturally fell into
a panic. Fearful of meeting the same end as Ramput,
they turned about and struck with might and main
towards the furthermost shore, where their friends
were gathered. The three clinging to the drifting
boat released their hold and swam in the same
direction.

However, the band of would-be assassins were not
to escape so easily ; for other crocodiles were hovering
in the vicinity, and the scaly monsters, made ferocious
and bold by the taste and smell of blood, promptly
seized the opportunity of gorging themselves.

Here and there among the swimming men a pointed
snout broke the surface or a sharp-toothed jaw opened

166 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

wide. Two victims were seized at once, their death
cries ringing on the air, and the next instant a third
was dragged under and mangled. Truly a ghastly
retribution had descended upon the blood-thirsty
wretches.

Meanwhile the fugitives had wisely abandoned the
log — which only retarded their speed — and were taking
long, fast strokes towards the near-looming and
friendly shore.

"We'll soon reach it," cried Sergeant Campbell.
" Don't lose heart, comrades. And keep on splashing
for all you're worth — it will scare the muggers off."

" They like the taste of dark meat better, Sahib,"
said Sher Singh. " They won't touch a white man
when they can have a native."

" That's jolly lucky for us — if it's true," exclaimed
Maurice.

Side by side the four swam on with desperate energy,
Gunput assisted by the others, and behind them rang
the piercing screams of the surviving savages who
were still battling for life with the swift river and the
hungry crocodiles. Presently, hi spite of Sher Singh's
assurance, Maurice glanced over his shoulder to see
two ominous black objects within a dozen feet of
him. His lusty shout warned the rest of the
danger.

Campbell immediately altered his course and swam
down the stream with the current. Sher Singh and
Maurice followed him, but Gunput, losing his presence
of mind, fell behind his companions and kept to his
original course. One of the two crocodiles turned
clumsily and struck after the sergeant and those with
him, while the second reptile headed straight for the
Hindoo.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE CAMP BY THE NULLAH.

THERE was no hope for Gunput. The poor fellow's
time had come, and well he knew it as he looked
back at his hideous pursuer. He was f airly para-
lyzed with fright. Yell after yell burst from his lips,
and in his struggles to escape he churned the water
into a white froth. Then, with a last gurgling scream
the crocodile seized him, he disappeared for ever,
and as quickly the white froth was crimsoned.

The awful sounds were not to be mistaken, and the
end of the luckless Hindoo presented itself as vividly
to the eyes of Maurice and his companions as if they
had actually witnessed the disaster. The same fate
strongly threatened them, for the second mugger was
giving them hot chase.

" Gunput is under," the lad said huskily, in the com-
parative silence that followed the stifled death cry.

" Don't waste — your breath," panted Campbell.
" You'll need it, my boy."

The survivors — they were reduced to three now —
ceased to take advantage of the current. Turning a
little, they headed diagonally for the shore and swam
with hard, overhand strokes. Faster and faster
approached the hungry reptile, his jaws rippling the
surface of the river. He drew steadily, relentlessly
nearer until, when the shore was yet thirty feet off ,he
was less then half that distance from his prey. A few
more seconds would decide the issue. Would it be
life or death ?

167

168 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Thank Heaven ! " Maurice exclaimed fervently.

" Hurra ! we'll do it," shouted the sergeant.

The three had, at the same instant, found footing
on the firm, sandy bottom. By a last effort, hope
lending them strength, they splashed forward sub-
merged to the waist. The stream shallowed at every
step — hip-deep, knee-deep, ankle-deep. Then, panting
and exhausted, scarcely comprehending that they were
indeed saved, they staggered out upon the reedy
bank, and wheeling round, they saw the baffled mugger
retreating in sullen rage to deep waters.

With thankful hearts the fugitives crept farther
up the shore, and threw their trembling limbs down
by the edge of the jungle. They were nervous and
unstrung, overcome by the memory of the horrors
that had been crowded into brief space since the
previous evening's sunset, and for a time speech was
unthought of and impossible. It was the darkest hour
of the night that always precedes the dawn, and not a
sound could be heard on the river or from the opposite
bank. It was very doubtful if a single one of the boat's
crew had escaped, and as for the Portuguese and his
murderous allies, it was certain in any event that Silva
must believe that those whom he wished to slay had
perished by drowning or by the jaws of the crocodiles.

The interval of silence was broken by Sergeant
Campbell.

" We are perfectly safe here," said he, reading what
was in the minds of his companions, " and can rest as
long as we like. To try to cross the river is the last
thing those wretches will think of doing, after what has
happened. You may be sure they arc on the move
already, bent on getting out of reach of the cavalry
they know will be sent in pursuit of them."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 169

"I shouldn't so much mind the rest escaping, if
only Silva is oaught," replied Maurice. " I wonder
what he will do."

" He will probably take refuge with the tribesmen,
Sahib," suggested Sher Singh ; " in one of their rock
villages, high up among the crags."

" Not a bit of it," disagreed Campbell. " To my
way of thinking, the Portuguese will disguise himself
and hide in one of the big towns, Bombay or Calcutta
for choice. That is, if he gets the chance to do so ;
which I hope he won't."

" Well, in any event, his capture will be only a
question of time," said Maurice. " What a night this
has been ! " he added. " I can't realize it all. It
seems like a hideous, bloody dream. To think that
you and I, Sher Singh, are the sole survivors. I mean
of those who were in the employ of Tearle and Car-
ruthers."

" Sahib, it is truly sad," replied the shikaree. " And,
may I be forgiven if I am unjust, it is entirely the
fault of the cavalry officer, Rogers Sahib. He
laughed at Tearle Sahib's tale of danger, and refused
to leave a force of sowars to guard the camp."

" Yes, I know that," assented Maurice. " The
blame is his."

" You're drawing it a bit strong, you two," Campbell
protested mildly, as in duty bound, " though I admit
that you've got ground for complaint. But just wait.
I'll warrant Captain Rogers wipes out the score when
he gets on the trail of the murderers."

" Will that bring the dead to life ? " Maurice cried
bitterly, " or compensate Tearle for the loss of all his
property ? Poor Gunput ! it is hard that he had to
die when he was so near to safety."

170 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Ay, bitterly hard," assented the sergeant. " Mark
you, though, the dead shall be avenged, lad. Why,
I would gladly part with an arm to see that yellow
fiend of a Portuguese blown to fragments from the
muzzle of a cannon — as our fellows properly served
the Sepoys in the Great Mutiny."

" Then let us be off, Campbell Sahib," chimed in
Sher Singh, " so that we can start the work of venge-
ance without delay. Be assured that the tribesmen
will lose no time in hastening back to their mountain
fastnesses,"

" And Seranghur is some miles distant," added
Maurice. " We must travel rapidly."

The sergeant was hi hearty accord with the proposal
— all felt the better for the interval of rest — and a few
moments later found them pushing at a brisk pace
through the jungle. They had landed a mile or so
below the ford, and thus had no alternative, unless
they were willing to waste more time, but to guess at
the proper direction. It was a dismal, trying journey
for the three. They were unarmed and in wet clothing,
suffering from hunger and exhaustion and mental
strain, while they were hi no slight peril from wild
animals. One thing was never absent from their
minds, was a constant spur to their weary limbs — the
thought that with every minute Antonio Silva and his
band of hired allies were speeding farther on the way
to safety.

Fortunately the little party were not long hampered
by the cloak of darkness, for soon after they had left
the river the eastern sky began to brighten, and the
Indian dawn gradually broke in a wealth of saffron and
primrose colouring. The sun crept higher and higher,
serving as a guide, until its fierce rays streamed through

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 171

the matted foliage and made themselves uncomfortably
felt.

" What a wild place this is," said Maurice. " We
seem to be going farther from civilization."

" We're not, lad, though one might think so,"
replied Sergeant Campbell. " We are now in the
great forest of Soonput, as it is called, and it is a part
of the Raja of Seranghur's dominions. The cultivated
territory lies half a dozen miles beyond."

It was truly a wonderful and fascinating place, the
forest of Soonput, and the beauties around them con-
tinually stirred the travellers, heartsick and tirecfr as
they were, to interest and admiration. The air was
scented with the rich fragrance of tube-roses, and
orange-blossoms and many another gorgeous flower.
From branch to branch, with noisy chattering and
murmurous cooing, flitted blue-jays, doves and parra-
keets. Here were mango-topes and dense plantations
of bamboo, there groves of oleander trees, lemon and
citron, while far above towered wide-girthed giants
that formed a vault of greenish-blue shade.

" Sure you're taking us all right ? " Campbell
presently inquired of Sher Singh, who was acting as
guide and had been given the correct course by the
sergeant.

" As well as I can, Sahib," the shikaree replied.
" But I must depend on the sun alone, since I have
never before been in this part of the country."

" Ay, that handicaps you, of course," assented
Campbell. " I'm not much better posted myself, but
I asked the question because, if we were travelling
in the right direction, we should long ago have struck
the path by which Captain Rogers and the sowars
rode several days back."

172 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Was it a very plain one ? " inquired Maurice.
" No, I can't say that it was, lad."
" Then we may have crossed it already."
" I don't believe we have," vowed Campbell, " for
I have been keeping a sharp lookout. Why, what
he added in surprise.

The exclamation was checked on his lips by a
warning gesture — made without looking back — from
Sher Singh, who had, unperceived, already pushed
several yards in advance. He crept en carefully, with
the stealth of a cat, and mounting to the crest of some
rising ground, he paused by a thicket of oleanders.

" I wonder what's wrong," muttered the sergoant,
stopping short. " What does the fellow see ? If it
was a wild beast he would hardly "

" I'm certain I can smell wood-smoke," interrupted
Maurice. " Who can be near us ? "

The question was speedily answered, for just then
the shikaree turned and beckoned to his companions.
They at once joined him, and the three, gazing between
the parted foliage, looked down upon a welcome and
pleasing sight — a camp of harmless hunters. There
was a nullah beyond the high ground, and on the
farther side of it two little white tents were staked,
close to a water-pool. In front of them, seated on
camp chairs, three Englishmen in linen shooting suits
and sola-topees, were smoking and chatting. Two
shikarees were overhauling the guns for the day's
sport, and several native servants were preparing
breakfast over a fire, from which arose most appetizing
odours. The carcass of a spotted deer hanging from
the limb of a tree, and a splendid tiger skin stretched
over a rock, completed the picture.

" Those chaps are all right," whispered Sergeant

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 173

Campbell. " I have seen them before — an English
baronet and his friends. They're doing India, and
recently they were the guests of the Raja of Seranghur.
He gave them permission to kill what they liked in
the forest of Soonput, which is his private shooting-
ground. Come along, we're just in time for breakfast."

With that the sergeant advanced into view, and
began to descend the slope of the nullah, followed
by Maurice and Sher Singh. The weary and bedraggled
three, bearing plain evidence of the hardships they
had undergone, roused no little curiosity as they
limped into the camp. As much of their story as
they cared to tell — they did not wish to be detained
by lengthy explanations and questioning — won them
a warm welcome, and they were promptly supplied
with food and drink by the sympathetic sportsmen.

" You look ready to drop over," said Sir James
Duckworth, as his guests were breakfasting. " You
can't go on till you've slept, that's certain. Yonder
tent is at your service, and I'll see that you are
wakened in a couple of hours."

" You are very kind, sir, but we must reach
Seranghur without delay," Campbell answered firmly.

" I might send one of my servants with a message."

" That wouldn't do, sir, thanking you all the same."

" Very well, you know best," said the baronet,
yielding the point. " Since you are determined to
push on, I'll not try to keep you against your will.
But I must tell you that you have lost your bearings,
though not to any serious extent. I shall be glad
to put you right, and will lend you a guide as far
as the nearest jungle road, which will take you straight
to Seranghur."

The offer was gratefully accepted, and a few minutes

174 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

later, after a stay of less than half an hour in the
hunters' camp, Maurice and his companions were
traversing a mere elephant track through the forest.
Gurga Nath, the guide, marched confidently at their
head, and they had gone a quarter of a mile when
the report of a gun was heard close by.

" Hullo ! what does that mean ? " exclaimed
Campbell.

" One of my party, Sahibs," replied Gurga Nath.
" He rose early in order to shoot before breakfast."

The next instant, from the thicket a few yards
ahead, the sportsman stepped into view. He was a
tall, middle-aged Englishman of handsome but rather
sinister appearance, with a black moustache and close-
cropped beard. His shooting attire was of the most
expensive kind, and his sola-topee was wreathed with
blue silk. He carried his gun in one hand, and a
brace of jungle fowl in the other,

CHAPTER XXIIL

A JUNGLE MYSTERY.

THE bearded stranger, on catching sight of the
approaching little group, stood to one side of the
path to let them go by ; and as Maurice, in
passing, looked straight up into the Englishman's
face, he stopped open-mouthed — so abruptly that
Sher Singh jostled against him.

'* What is the matter, Sahib ? " anxiously inquired
the Hindoo. " Are you ill ? "

The lad made no reply. His lips tightened — he had
been about to speak — and he stumbled on his way
with such a bewildered expression that Sergeant
Campbell, who had observed the incident, glanced at
him in amazement.

The Englishman had also been on the point of
speaking, but when he encountered Maurice's keen,
penetrating gaze his own features flushed and then
turned pallid beneath the bronzed skin. He bit his
lip nervously, and a sinister light crept into his eyes.
As motionless and rigid as a graven image, he watched
the travellers intently until they had vanished between
the green walls of the jungle.

" Incredible ! " he muttered. " I can hardly believe
it. But I am not mistaken. It was the lad himself,
alive and in the flesh. I have been deceived by a
greedy, blackmailing scoundrel. To think that we
should meet under such circumstances ! And worst
of all, he remembered me after all these years, or else
I was — no, he knew me right enough. I wish I had

175

176 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

kept away from India. Exposure is quite on the
cards now — when least expected the blow threatens
to fall — and I shall have to take prompt measures to
secure myself. Yes, safety at any price."

With an oath he swung round, and walked slowly
and thoughtfully towards the camp of his friends.

" It shall go hard with that double-tongued traitor,"
he said to himself, " the first time I've the luck to
run across him."

Meanwhile, having recovered his self-possession,
Maurice was marching on with steady stride and an
impassive face. He led his companions to believe
that he had felt a sudden faintness, due to fatigue or
the heat of the sun, but such was not the case. His
brain was in a whirl of strange emotions, for he had
indeed recognized the bearded stranger — or at least
was pretty nearly convinced to that effect. The eyes
and features — remembered after long years — were
those of the dark man who had been his escort on the
fateful railway journey to London ; the man who
had presumably shipped him on board Captain
Bonnick's vessel — who must then have known, and
must know now, the secret of his birth and early life.

It is little wonder that Maurice was both puzzled
and alarmed by the discovery, not to speak of the
possibilities that it suggested. He had not noticed
the Engb'shman's agitation, however, and the more
he pondered over the matter the less certain he became
that he was right. Before he had gone a half-mile
he was inclined to think that he had made a mistake.

" It may have been only an accidental resemblance,"
he reflected. " The face was the same, and yet not
the same. And what could that man be doing here,
in an Indian jungle ? "

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS 177

*' How do you feel ? " asked Campbell, breaking
into the lad's musings. " Want to rest a bit ? "

" No, we'll push on," was the reply. " I'm as fit
as ever."

When the road was reached, a little later, the guide
turned back with a word or two ; and as Maurice
continued the journey towards Seranghur with liis
companions, he dismissed the problem of identity from
his mind and thought only of the punitive expedition
that he was anxious to see despatched against Silva
and his evil crew.

About the middle of the morning the great forest
of Soonput, which had been growing thinner and
thinner, fell away to right and left, and in front was
seen a stretch of cultivated fields and isolated groups
of trees. Here and there, at short intervals, they
passed villages, each larger than the last, where fat,
prosperous zemindars lounged in the shade of their
fruit trees while their ryots toiled amid the grain ;
and as they drew nearer to the capital of the Raja's
dominions they began to meet people on the road,
which was growing broader and whiter — Parsee mer-
chants, laden with shawls and silks, sellers of bang
and sherbet, matchlock men, bartering Afghans,
wealthy Hindoos mounted on gorgeously-caparisoned
horses and elephants, half-naked fakirs smeared with
red ochre, smart soubahdurs and havildars of the
guard, natives leading tame cheetahs in leash, and
many other picturesque types of the East.

By this time, as may be guessed, the travelers
were threading the outer suburbs of the city, whose
stately domes and minarets ro.se before them, etched
in rose and pearl against the burning, steel-blue sky.
Regarded inquisitively by all, but accosted by none,

M

178 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS

the dusty, weary-limbed three pressed on their way ;
and just as a sentry was striking the hour of noon on a
brazen ghurry at the main gate of Seranghur, a couple
of hundred yards ahead, they slackened their pace at
the entrance to the white-washed barracks, over which
floated the British flag and the standard of the Raja.

An officer hi spotless linen, who was riding out on
a Cabul pony with a detachment of sowars, drew rein
to stare at the group with quick and surprised
recognition.

" Campbell ! " he cried sternly. " Why, what does
this mean ? "

" It means the worst, sir," was the sergeant's grim
reply. " We've a black and bloody story for your
ears — and a long one."

" And the sooner it is told the better," put in
Maurice.

Captain Rogers, for it was he, at once dismounted
and dismissed his escort. Two minutes later, in the
seclusion of one of the guard-rooms, he was listening
to the tale of disaster that the three intrepid messengers
had brought so many miles. It was related mainly
by Maurice, who claimed the right of spokesman, and
corroborated at every point by Campbell and Sher
Singh. The whole, terrible truth was disclosed at last,
and for a moment the officer was fairly speechless,
overcome by rage and consternation — and perhaps
self-reproach as well.

" It is monstrous, incredible, that such outrages
should be perpetrated in this part of India," he
said, with forced control. " I will act at once, and
nothing shall be left undone to punish the bloodthirsty
scoundrels and capture the Portuguese, who is rc-
eponsible for it all."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 1?9

*' It need not have happened," Maurice began in-
dignantly, " had you believed the warnings "

" Be careful what you say," Captain Rogers inter-
rupted sharply. " I acted under strict orders, and
merely did my duty. I could not have done other-
wise even had I been convinced that the danger your
employers spoke of was more real than imaginary.
The blame for the sad affair cannot be laid at any
one's door — unless it is Silva's."

" The captain is right, lad," whispered Sergeant
Campbell.

" Do you mean that no one is liable for compensa-
tion," persisted Maurice.

" I have nothing to do with such issues," replied
the officer. " Come, all of you. It is important that
we lose no time. His Highness must hear your story,
so that he may give the necessary orders."

" Will you tell me, sir, what news there is about
my friends ? " Maurice inquired, as he and his com-
panions left the guard-room.

" They were promptly sent down to Calcutta," was
the answer, " and they can hardly be released before
the day after to-morrow, when they will be brought
up for a hearing. But you may be sure that a full
report of the matter will be forwarded to tho
authorities by post to-day." '

: With this statement Maurice had to be content.
Captain Rogers hurried the three from the barracks
to the neighbouring British Residency, and then,
accompanied by the Resident himself, they entered
the inner town of Seranghur, climbed the hilly street,
and were shortly admitted to an audience within
the palace, amid luxury and magnificence as only an
Eastern potentate can boast. His Highness Gopal

180 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Mirza listened to the tale with Oriental stolidity. He
asked a question or two, approved the Resident's
suggestions, and without delay dictated to his secretary
a brief order on parchment, which was put in the hands
of Captain Rogers. This terminated the interview,
and the party returned to the barracks, where the
exhausted travellers sat down to food and drink.

The afternoon was yet young when three troops of
sowars, commanded by Captain Rogers and several
other English officers in the Raja's service, rode away
from Seranghur in the direction of the forest of
Soonput, bound on a punitive errand. Maurice and
his two companions were not able, as may be supposed,
to accompany the expedition, much as they wished
to do so. In fact, now that the strain was over, all
three partly broke down, and were ordered into
hospital by the military surgeon at the cantonments.
On the third morning they were up and about, quite
restored by two days of sleep and rest, and the same
evening a bugle announced the jeturn of the troopers,
who clanked into the barrack compound with a
dejected air that told of bad news. And bad news it
was. They had found and taken up the trail of the
savages, it appeared, and followed them as far as
the foothills.

" There the wretches scattered in every direction,"
said Captain Rogers, in telling the tale, " and it would
have been worse than useless to pursue them further.
We came back by way of the camp, and discovered
only a circle of ashes. The cagos and all other
property had been destroyed. As for the animals, if
any survived they were likely set at liberty."

" And Silva ? " Maurice eagerly inquired.

" There was nothing to show," declared the officer,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 181

" whether he shared the flight of his murderous allies
or took off by himself. However, his apprehension
is only a question of time. The police will be in-
structed to keep a look out for him in every town and
village in India."

Sorely distressed by the ill-tidings, Maurice resolved
to hasten to Calcutta, which plan was frustrated by
the unexpected arrival at Seranghur of Tearle and
Carruthers, who had been discharged through the
non-appearance of prosecutors and witnesses. Their
worst fears were realized when they learned what had
happened during their absence, but instead of being
inclined to blame the lad, they were unstinted with
their praise and gratitude, which was extended also
to Sher Singh and Sergeant Campbell.

" I'm only too glad to find you alive, my boy,"
said Tearle, with a ring of emotion in his voice. " It
was the pluckiest, the most daring thing I've ever
heard of. You did your best, and that was as much
as Carruthers and I could have done. So don't worry.
And let me tell you that Hamrach and Company shall
know of your faithfulness and heroism."

Nor, on reflection, did the deeply injured men decide
to press any charge against Captain Rogers, whose
seemingly harsh action had been simply in accord with
his duty. Moreover, the officer was sincerely dis-
tressed, and promised to urge upon the Government
authorities the necessity of capturing Antonio Silva,
and despatching a large military force to punish the
turbulent hillmen,

CHAPTER XXIV.

ORDERS FOR ASSAM.

WITH no little regret Sergeant Campbell parted
from Maurice and Slier Singh, who, with Tearle
and Carruthers, rode away from Serangliur
early one morning, bound for the nearest railway
station, whence they travelled tediously down to
Calcutta, and on arriving there at once cabled full
tidings of the great disaster to Hamrach and Company's
head office in London.

Karl Hamrach was a man of energy and ambition,
prompt to recognize true merit, and his peculiar line
of business had trained him years ago to regard with
equanimity either large gains or heavy losses. His
answer, speedily cabled back in cipher, was terse and
to the point. Having the utmost faith and confidence
in Tearle and Carruthers, he entirely exonerated them
from blame. He instructed them to keep Maurice on
at an increased salary, to purchase new outfits, and
to start as soon as possible for the rugged and distant
province of Assam. Here, they were to trap a certain
number of wild animals of various kinds, regardless
of expense, and bring the convoy personally to
England.

f The agents were delighted, and Maurice to a con-
siderable extent shared their feelings, though it was
some disappointment to him not to be able to return
as soon as he had expected to his native country
and seek out the mystery of his parentage. He

183

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 183

easily consoled, however, by the thought that the
delay would be only for a few months.

A week or ten days sufficed for such preparations
as could be made in Calcutta, and so far no clue had
been found to Antonio Silva's whereabouts, though
the authorities were zealously on the watch for him
at Madras and elsewhere ; he was supposed to have
taken refuge with the fanatical tribesmen of the
northern hills. Meanwhile, a day or so after the party
had settled down to humdrum life at their quarters
in the suburb of Kidderpore, Maurice had told his
friends of his strange encounter in the forest of Soonput,
concerning which, having reflected often and long, he
was beginning to veer round to his former opinion.
He also gave an account of his meeting and subsequent
experience with Bobilli, but that tale was superseded
in interest — and perhaps belief — by the other. In
fact, Carruthers hinted none too delicately that he
had his doubts.

" Might not the fellow have been just an ordinary
wandering native," he suggested, " with a young
panther that he had tamed ? "

" And are you certain," put in Tearle, " that you
saw the same person and the same animal on those
different occasions ? "

" It all happened exactly as I have described it to
you," vowed Maurice, who was a little nettled.

" Then we ought to be convinced," said Tearle.
"It is most extraordinary, though. As for your
power of subduing wild beasts with the eye, which
you claim to have discovered, perhaps we'll be able
to test that when we are back in the jungles again.
But about this Englishman who was in camp near
Seranghur — I would rather talk of him. It is easy

184 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

to make a mistake in such cases, lad. There are
plenty of people in the world who look alike. Every
one has his double, you know."

" Yes, I know that," assented Maurice. " I thought
I was mistaken, afterwards."

" And now you believe him to have been the man
of your childhood days, of your earliest memories ? "
asked Carruthers.

The lad nodded. "The more I think of it," he
replied, " the more certain I am that he is the same
dark man who took me to London and put me on
board Captain Bonnick's vessel."

" It's a queer business," said Tearle. " I wish you
had told me all this before we left Seranghur. You
are sure the man was with the camping party ? "

"Oh, yes ; the guide told us so."

" Well, that settles it. I know Sir James Duckworth
by repute. He is wealthy and popular, and a mighty
Nimrod of a hunter. Look here, lad, I shall write to
the British Resident at Seranghur, and ask for the
names of those four sportsmen. That will be a sound
clue to start with, and we'll proceed to work it here
directly we've returned from Assam, and pursue it
further in England. Give me a couple of months
free-handed, and I'll warrant I clear up the mystery
of your birth."

" What a pity," said Carruthers, " that poor Tom
Dayleford didn't speak before he died."

" He meant to," replied Maurice, whose loyalty to
his dead protector was not to be shaken.

The next morning, true to his word, Tearle wrote
to the British Resident at the Court of Seranghur ;
but no answer had been received up to the day when
the wild animal trappers left Calcutta OR the first

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 185

stage of their journey. As yet no additions had been
made to the party, which consisted of Maurice, Sher
Singh, and the two agents. They travelled by rail
as far as Rangamati, on the western border of Assam,
and from that point steamed fifty miles up the great
Bramahputra River to Goalpara. Here native car-
penters were set to work building cages, and when
these were finished, and Tearle had hired a dozen
skilled natives, a camp was located among the rugged
hills and jungles to the south of the village.

Wild creatures of all kinds were fairly numerous}
and day by day the quest for them was steadily and
successfully pursued. At the end of the first fortnight,
when Saturday evening came, the total yield was a
rhinoceros, two leopards, a panther, a box of serpents,
and a number of rare birds of gorgeous plumage.
Sunday was observed as a day of rest, most welcome
to all, and Monday morning found the hunters hard
at work again. That day — its close was to be marked
by a dual adventure of a thrilling and mysterious
character — passed by uneventfully until the middle
of the afternoon, when Maurice and several natives,
who had been digging a pitfall to the eastward, re-
turned to camp. Tearle was not visible, but Carruthers,
with a pipe in his mouth and a tall glass in one hand,
was lounging before the tent.

" What luck ? " inquired Maurice, referring to an
expedition on which his employers had set forth after
breakfast.

" We went half a dozen miles into the great forest
that stretches to the south west," replied Carruthers,
" and found a couple of likely places for traps. I
left Dermot about three miles back — he saw signs of
spotted deer, and vowed that we should have yenisoi)

186 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

steaks for supper. I came on alone, for the heat was
intense, and I was beginning to feel a bit knocked
out. I am easily fatigued since that last attack of
fever. You needn't worry about Dermot," he added.
" This is his third or fourth trip to Assam, and
he knows the country like a book, especially
hereabouts." " How soon do you expect him ? "
asked Maurice.

" Well, inside of an hour, I should say," was the
response. " The deer tracks were fresh, and wouldn't
have taken him far."

But when two hours had gone by without bringing
the absent man, and the day was very near its
close, Maurice and Carruthcrs could no longer conceal
from each other their growing apprehensions. Openly
anxious both were, though deeper than anxiety was
the fear — neither was willing to put it into words — that
some evil had befallen Tearle.

" We might set out to meet him," proposed the lad.

" Yes, that would be better than hanging about
the camp," assented Carruthers. " I suppose he killed
a deer, and has stopped to cut it up. Or he may
have wandered farther than he meant to ; he is
thoughtless when on the chase."

With a few assuring words to Sher Singh — who did
not relish the idea of being left behind — Maurice and
Carruthers started off towards the south west, their
rules on their shoulders. With the help of the slanting
rays of the sun, which was low on the horizon, they
were able to keep to the path — if a clump of high
grass recently disturbed or a remembered tree or
stone can be called a path — by which Carruthers had
gone and come earlier in the day.

" Will Tearje hold this course in returning ? "

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 187

Maurice inquired, when the camp was nearly a mile
to the rear.

" He is pretty certain to," said Carruthers. " It
is the most open part of the jungle — though that's
not saying much. And just ahead, within a half mile
or so, is a stream bridged by a fallen tree. We
crossed it this morning, and Dermot is sure to make
for it on his way back. He knows that the channel is
deep and swift, and not easily forded."

" He may be within ear-shot now," suggested the
lad.

" Shall we have a try ? " replied Carruthers.

At the moment they were traversing an extremely
wild and tangled locality, and having pushed on for
a dozen yards, treading lightly and noiselessly with
their habitual care, they stopped with one accord and
shouted as loudly as they could. They paused to
listen, and as quickly, to their amazement, a pair of
monstrous grey ears flapped into view from the dense
foliage thirty feet in front, and was followed by a
tapering trunk that sniffed, the air as it was reared
high. Then, showing its bulk for a brief second, a
huge bull elephant wheeled round and fled with shrill
trumpeting.

" What a thumping big fellow ! " exclaimed Maurice,
when he had recovered from his surprise. " We were
to windward of him, or he would never have kept
on feeding so long."

" I must get a shot at him, if possible," cried Car-
ruthers. " What do you say, lad ? "

Maurice was more than willing, and at once, tem-
porarily forgetting Tearle, the two hastened in pursuit
of the great quadruped, whose flight was in a
southerly direction. £ut they had acted on the sudcjeii

188 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

impulse of the moment, with scant forethought, and
before they had gone a half mile they were of one
mind to abandon the chase, which they reluctantly
did. The undergrowth was so thickset that they
could scarcely part it ; and, moreover — since but the
single spoor had been seen and there was nothing to
indicate the presence of a herd in the vicinity — there
was a strong likelihood that the elephant might be
a solitary, or " rogue ; " which means an elephant
that for some reason is shunned by his kind.

" If that is the case," said Carruthers, " we are in a
position of danger. The old rascal, instead of going
far, would he in wait somewhere to rush out upon
us."

" We had better turn back," Maurice replied un-
easily. " Can you find the way ? "

" That won't be difficult," vowed Carruthers, with
a glance that sought vainly for a guiding glimmer of
sunlight. " We'll strike a course for that bridge I
spoke of. Come along."

As he spoke, startled by the snapping of a twig
he turned to look suspiciously behind him. At the
same instant, at a spot no more than fifty feet away,
the leafy screen of the forest was violently agitated,
as quickly cleft asunder by a monstrous shape, and
forthwith appeared the rogue elephant. Trumpeting
with rage, his wicked eyes flashing and his tusks
uplifted, he bore thunderously down upon the two
puny beings who had defied him and whom he meant
to pound to a jelly.

CHAPTER XXV.

A CHAIN OF ADVENTURE.

IN that desperate moment of peril, as Maurice and
Carruthers stood with blanched faces and tremb-
ling limbs directly in the track of the great,
galloping quadruped, it seemed that they were surely
lost, and they themselves believed that their time
had come. That they averted the danger and lived to
tell the tale, was due as much to the courage and
nerve that instantly succeeded the first paralyzing
shock, as it was to the fact that they carried large-bore
weapons with charges to match. These might have
been heavier — they were not elephant-guns — but they
served the purpose nevertheless.

" Don't run, lad," shouted Carruthers, in a voice
that was audible above the trumpeting notes of
wrath. " Let drive ! Give it to him true — aim be-
tween the eyes ! Quick ! or we are dead men."

Maurice, though horribly frightened, held his ground
unflinchingly, and lifted and steadied his rifle. A
couple of seconds, perhaps three — they seemed each
like a minute — and then both firearms crashed simul-
taneously, with flame and smoke, waking a thousand
echoes in the depths of the jungle.

" Back ! " yelled Carruthers. " Out of the way,
for your life ! "

Back they sprang to one side, barely in time to
escape the monstrous form that thundered by them
with a tread that shook the earth. Had they inflicted
mortal injury, or was a dreadful death imminent ?

189

190 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

As soon as possible, the elephant, baffled and still
trumpeting with passion, turned his unwieldy bulk
in a half-circle and sought for his intended victims.
But he had been hit in the right spot, for a thin stream
of blood was trickling down his bony forehead. Ah !
and now he staggered, his knees tottered and swayed.
Yet there was plenty of life left in him, plenty of
gigantic strength, as he spied the crouching figures
and came pounding towards them with trunk sniffing
the wind and tusks in air.

" Again, lad ! " cried Carruthers.

" I'm ready," Maurice shouted.

They stood up, fearlessly erect, and the two shots
rang as one as they pulled trigger. Through the
powder-smoke they saw the mouse-coloured body
towering over them, they felt a rush of fleet air, and
then, as they dived headlong into a clump of low
bushes, there was a terrific crash that jarred the very
ground.

" Hurra ! we've done it," exclaimed Carruthers, as
he looked back.

Timidly, wet with perspiration, they retraced the
half-dozen steps they had made. But there was
nothing to be afraid of. The mighty elephant was
down, lying on his left side ; he was quite still except
for a barely perceptible twitching of his trunk and
fore-limbs. A couple of leaden pellets, sent to the
right spot, had indeed slain the herculean monarch
of the forest.

" Is he dead ? " asked Maurice.

" Ay, the breath is out of him," Carruthers replied.
" Three balls of the four must have penetrated the
brain. He was a determined rogue, and died hard.
I wouldn't want to go through with that again, lad."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 191

" Nor I," assented Maurice, with a shudder. " It
was a near thing for both of us — I thought we would
surely be under the brute's feet before our shots
could disable him. What a fine, big fellow he is !
And look at the tusks."

" We'll have them cut out in the morning," said
Carruthers. " It's worth a tidy sum, that ivory. But
what we've got to do at present is to go ahead and
search for Tearle, in case he has landed himself in
trouble of some sort. As likely as not he has returned
to camp by this time, but we'll push on as far as the
tree-bridge I spoke of, anyway."

" Can you find your way back to the path ? "
Maurice inquired uneasily.

" I think so," Carruthers answered, with a glance
that sought vainly for a guiding glimmer of sunlight.

The words had no more than left his lips when a
rifle-shot was heard at no great distance to the right,
and immediately afterwards a single shout, loud and
shrill, echoed through the jungle.

" That's Tearle," vowed Maurice, " and he's in
danger."

" Not a doubt of it, lad," cried Carruthers. " Come
along."

The slain elephant was forgotten, and away they
dashed at a rapid pace, in the direction of the alarm.
Carruthers led, and not a hundred yards from the start,
as he plunged into a patch of high reeds and bushes, he
suddenly disappeared with a splash. Maurice, unable
to check himself in time, had no sooner felt the ground
yielding beneath his feet than he followed his com-
panion, and was soused over head and ears in water.
They came to the surface, gasping and spluttering,
and at once renlized that thev had fallen into the

192 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

stream, which at this point was well screened from
view and was deep and sluggish.

" Strike out, lad," exclaimed Carruthers. " On
with you. It's no use to turn back, for Tearle is
somewhere yonder."

With*that he shouted twice, and the hail quickly
brought a response. It came from startlingly near
at hand, and was a plain appeal for help, the desperate
need of which was emphasized, the next instant, by
a savage, bloodcurdling roar.

" Is that a tiger ? " gasped the lad.
" I'm afraid so ; poor Dermot must be in sore
straits," replied Carruthers. " Hold on, we're coming,"
he called lustily.

" Help ! help ! " entreated Tearle's voice ; and again
the beast uttered an angry roar.

Fortunately the stream was narrow, and the two
swimmers, eager to get to the rescue, were not long
in ploughing across the stagnant water ; they managed
to keep the barrels of their rifles above the surface,
forgetting at the time that the weapons had already
been entirely submerged. They waded the last couple
of yards, and scrambling out on the opposite shore,
they literally hurled themselves through a fringe of
reeds and high grass.

They were prepared for a scene of deadly peril,
and such immediately confronted them. .From the
thickets that bordered the stream to the farther edge
of the jungle was a strip of open soil, a hundred feet
wide, sparsely dotted with scrub and stones. In the
middle of this stood a tree of slender girth, and here
Dermot Tearle had taken refuge. His weight was
dragging the bushy top slowly but surely towards the
ground, and he seemed to be on the point of falling

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 193

into the clutches of a huge tiger, who was waiting
beneath him with open jaws.

" Look ! " said Carruthers in a low voice. " Don't
miss, lad, else it's all up with him."

Heedless of their own danger, the rescuers advanced
several paces, then paused to take swift and steady
aim. The hammers fell on the cartridges, and two
sharp clicks followed, instead of the expected reports
with their death-dealing lead.

" Both rifles are wet and useless," Maurice whispered
bitterly. " I forgot they had been under water."

At this critical instant the tiger, alarmed by the
slight noise, looked round and saw his discomfited
enemies. With a furious roar he sprang ten feet
towards them, and as he did so one of the boughs
to which Tearle was clinging snapped off short, and
the luckless man dropped heavily to the ground.

Carruthers uttered a cry of horror, for the tiger
promptly turned half round, as if to leap back and
pounce upon Tearle. But in the nick of time Maurice
shouted fiercely, with all the strength of his lungs,
and so surprised was the tawny brute that he
abandoned his intention and remained where he was,
in a crouching attitude, facing the intrepid youth.

For a few seconds there was a breathless, terrible
silence — a little eternity it seemed to the three who
were at the mercy of a ravenous foe. Maurice held
his ground, and Tearle lay as he had fallen, apparently
stunned and bruised, though he was keenly alive to
what was going on. Carruthers had edged back
towards the stream, and for the moment he was almost
bereft of his courage and presence of mind.

" Slip away if you get the chance, Dermot," he cried
hoarsely. " Lad, you had better make a run for it,

K

194 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

or the beast will spring. Are you mad ? What do
you mean to do ? "

Until now — he had acted on a swift impulse to save
Tearle — Maurice had no idea what he was going to do ;
he could not have answered that question. But as the
words fell on his ear, and he remembered a previous
adventure similar to the present one, an inspiration
flashed to his brain and he was quick to act upon it.

" If I was able to subdue a panther, why should I fear
to test my powers again ? " he thought. " Don't move
or speak, either of you," he added aloud, in a low voice.

With that, letting his useless rifle slip to the ground,
he went boldly forward, up the sandy slope, until he
was within fifteen feet of the crouching animal, into
whose fiery eyeballs he stared fixedly and menacingly.
He was by no means as calm and courageous as his
actions suggested, for he had grave doubts as to whether
he would succeed or not. Fortunately, though the sun
had sunk below the horizon and the opalescent glow that
precedes the twilight was in the air, enough light still
remained to give the experiment a fair chance.

Silence at first, except for tjie lad's deep, rapid breath-
ing. A throaty snarl mingled with it, rising to a higher
and angrier pitch. The tiger, flattened to the earth,
with body quivering and tail lashing to and fro, seemed
twice to be on the point of springing and twice thought
better of it. The creature was evidently ill at ease
and timid, unable to conquer its dread of the human
eye, the magic of which it had never known before.

With a fast-beating heart — it felt as if it was up in his
throat — the lad made two steps nearer, without ceasing
to stare into the tiger's blazing orbs. The great beast
whimpered and whined, began to crawl backward inch
ly inch ; and then, turning tail as the lad advanced

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 195

still closer, it glided swiftly across the open, bounded
into the dense cover of the jungle, and was lost to sight.

" I thought I should do it," gasped Maurice.

His face grew suddenly white as his tense nerves
relaxed, but he required no assistance from Car-
ruthers, who sprang at once to his side and produced
-a small flask of brandy.

" Put this to your lips, lad," he urged.

" No, Tearle needs it more than I do," protested
Maurice. " I'm all right now, though I felt a bit
staggery for a couple of seconds."

" No wonder, after such a strain," said Carruthers.
"" It was amazing what you did. I never saw any-
thing like it before. I shouldn't have believed it
possible, if any one had told me that "

" Well, since you've seen this with your own eyes,"
Maurice interrupted, good-naturedly, " perhaps you no
longer doubt my story of the panther and the jungle
child."

With that he hastened over to Tearle, who was
sitting upright with his hands pressed to his forehead,
and staring about him in a dazed manner. Car-
ruthers followed slowly, with a crestfallen air.

" I hope you're not hurt, Dermot," he said anxiously.
" Can you get on your feet, do you think ? Here, put
some brandy down your throat as quickly as possible."

" Ah ! that's better," vowed Tearle, as, with
returning colour and a steadier hand, he gave the flask
back. "I can feel the strength ebbing into my veins.
I'll be able to walk presently, when this dizziness passes
off. There are no bones broken, though there might
have been. The tumble from that tree pretty nearly
shook me to pieces. Keep your eyes open for the
liger," he added, glancing apprehensively around.

196 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS

" He won't trouble us again," replied Carruthera,
" Did you see how our young hero tamed him and
sent him flying to cover ? "

" I was watching all the time," said Tearle. " It
was a fascinating sight, and I couldn't have moved
or spoken if I had wanted to. Directly the brute
turned tail there was a mist in front of my eyes, and
I felt like keeling over. My boy, I trust you'll forgive
me for being a little incredulous about what you told us
before. I spoke half jokingly of putting your powers to
the test when we got to Assam, never dreaming that
the chance would come, and in such a manner."

" I, too, owe you an apology," said Carruthers.
"I was as bad as Tearle, if not worse. That's a.
marvellous gift you possess, and worth knowing."

" I wish I had it," declared Tearle. " It could be
used to the greatest advantage in such a profession
as ours. I advise you to cultivate it at every oppor-.
tunity, lad. See what it has done for you at one
stroke. You saved not only your own life, but mine
and Carruthers' as well."

" I shouldn't want to try that sort of thing very
often," Maurice answered modestly. " I was badly
frightened while I stood looking into the tiger's eyesr
and the result would have been different had I shown,
that I was afraid."

Content to have vindicated himself, and embarrassed
by the praise of his companions, he slipped away tx>
the stream and returned with his pith helmet half full
of water. Tearle bathed his face with a wet handker-
chief and then bound it across his temples, after which,
he felt much better, though he was content to sit still
until the effects of his shaking had further passed off.

" It was lucky for me that you were in the neigh-

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 197

bourhood," he said, when he had listened to the
account Maurice and Carruthers gave him of their
adventure with the rogue elephant and their subse-
quent dash to the rescue. " I couldn't come up with
those spotted deer, though I followed them for a
mile or more, and in trying to hold a straight course
for camp — I was aiming for that tree bridge — I
naturally blundered a little out of the way. I finally
reached the stream, and was standing down by that
rock, in half a mind to swim across, when up jumped
the tiger from the rushes, not twenty feet distant.
As ill-luck would have it, there was only one cartridge
in my rifle at the time. I let drive at the brute,
but clean missed him in my flurry and excitement.
Then I did a spruit for the tree, and you'll believe I
wasn't a second too soon in climbing into the branches.
The tiger leapt at me twice, and I had to go higher
up, until the top began to bend with my weight.
The rifle had stuck fast in a forked limb, and I couldn't
have used it anyway. That is my story, and if you
had arrived a minute later I shouldn't be telling it
to you now."

" It has a moral to it," said Carruthers, " which is
that a man ought never to wander about the jungle
by himself. However, all's well that ends well.
Suppose we make a start for supper. Do you feel
up to it, Dermot ? "

" Yes, I'll be able to manage," Tearle replied.

He was helped to his feet, and without assistance
— Maurice offered him an arm — he walked several
yards.

" We won't need torches to return by," said the lad.

He was right, for although the brief period of
•twilight had already passed, the full disc of the moon

198 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

was creeping above the horizon, and the open glade-
was swimming in the pale, silvery glow.

" Hold on : I must have my rifle," said Tearle.

" I'll get it for you," replied Carruthers, as he pulled
himself into the lower branches of the tree.

He easily found the weapon, and just as he dropped
to the ground with it there was a rustling noise near
by, at the edge of the jungle.

" The tiger ! " exclaimed Maurice. " Watch sharp."

As he spoke a dusky creature leapt into view, and
crouched down motionless about ten yards from the
startled little group.

" That's too big and too black for a tiger," vowed
Carruthers.

He thrust a cartridge into the empty rule, and
quickly aimed and fired. A shrill, peculiar sound
somewhat like a whistle, preceded the loud report ;
and the unknown animal, hit in the act of turning
round as if to retreat, uttered a yelping snarl and
bounded into the thicket.

" I believe it was a panther," said Maurice. " But
did you hear that "

" Hark ! " interrupted Tearle.

A wailing, high-pitched noise rose on the air, and
the next instant, in the patch of moonlight where th&
animal had crouched, appeared a shadowy figure.
It was either a native man or boy, with naked limbs
and a mop of streaming hair. For a moment he was
visible, waving his arms and crying loudly in tones
of grief and rage, and then he vanished as suddenly
as he had come, leaving the spectators almost persuaded
that what they had seen was but an apparition.

" This is a most uncanny spot," said Carruthersr
wiping a drop of cold perspiration from his forehead^

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 199

" It was the forest child we saw," exclaimed Maurice.
" Bobbili and his tame panther. He is angry because
we have shot the beast."

He twisted a bunch of dried grass into a torch and
put a match to it, and with some difficulty prevailed
upon his companions to follow him to the upper
edge of the glade, when they discovered a few drops
of blood. But the jungle was dark and silent, and
though Maurice shouted several times, and called
Bobbili by name, no response came back.

" I'm off," said Carruthers.

"So am I," muttered Tearle. "There are queer
things abroad to-night."

" It was Bobbili," persisted the lad. " I am
certain of it. You both saw him as plainly as I did."

" Yes, that's right enough," assented Carruthers.

Silently, at a steady pace, the three pushed along
the verge of the stream, crossed it by the fallen tree,
and soon reached the camp, much to the delight of
Sher Singh and the others. After supper, in the
cheerful glow of the fire, the mystery was the sole topic
of conversation. Tearle and Carruthers, though not
openly sceptical, were loth to believe what Maurice in-
sisted upon — that the jungle child, having by some un-
accountable means learned of his whereabouts and desir-
ing to be near him, had traversed the vast tract of country
that separates Assam from the Seranghur district.

" He will go back to his old haunts now," the lad
thought regretfully. " He is offended because we
have wounded his panther. I am sorry Carruthers
fired that shot."

Twice, in the middle of the night, Maurice woke
with a sad, mournful cry ringing in his ears from a
distance. But that was the last of Bobbili. He
was never seen or heard of again.

CHAPTER XXVI.

AMBUSHED BY NAGAS.

TIME passes swiftly, and nearly a month has gone
by since the string of adventures, crowded into so
brief a space, that began with the death of the rogue
elephant and ended with the strange apparition in
the forest glade. The dawn was breaking one morning
over the dense jungles and mountains of Assam, and
as the sun climbed above the horizon and began to
stream through the matted foliage, the creaking of
wheels and the murmur of men's voices mingled with
the chattering of curious monkeys and parrots. Early
as was the hour, the camp of the animal hunters
presented a dilapidated and ruined appearance. The
tents and huts were down, and canvas, poles, chests
and boxes lay scattered about in confusion.

The expedition had been in every way a success,
for even more than the required number and variety
of wild beasts had been secured. Dermot Tearle and
his companions were in the best of spirits, and within
forty-eight hours they hoped to be travelling down
the mighty Brahmaputra, en route for the far-distant
Bay of Bengal, in the big barge that they had previously
hired at Goalpara from the Assam Navigation Com-
pany. Steam power would not be needed until the
mouth of the river was reached, since the barge was
fitted with great stern-oars or sweeps, by means of
which it could be easily steered through the vast
depth and breadth of water.

Seven cages had been sent down to Goalpara the

200

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 201

•day before, and seven others, hitched to spans of
bullocks, were now ready to start. One by one they
wheeled into the rugged jungle road, the native drivers
walking alongside, goad in hand. Amid creaking
and shouting they slowly vanished from sight. With
the last three went Carruthers and Tearle, and the
latter lingered behind for a moment to give Maurice
some final instructions.

" You should be ready to follow us in an hour or
less," he said. " Don't lose the way, lad. You
ought to overtake us before long, for these heavy
oages crawl at a snail's pace.

Tearle's departure left only Maurice and Sher Singh at
the camp. Their duty was to load the remaining
luggage in a cart, and push after the convoy as quickly
as possible. The vehicle was a rude concern, with eolid
wooden wheels, and drawn by two fat bullocks.

The Hindoo and the lad toiled with rapid and busy
fingers. They were glad to see the last of the camp,
though their stay there had been, on the whole, a
pleasant and enjoyable one, unmarred by losses or
disaster. Both looked forward to the future with
happy anticipations ; Maurice, because he was going
shortly to England, and Sher Singh because he was
to accompany the lad to that strange and distant
land. The Hindoo's devotion was like that of a
faithful hound, unselfish and disinterested.
' In rather less than an hour the work was finished,
and a circle of trampled grass, strewn with wood
ashes, was all that marked the site of the camp. The
two climbed upon the fore-end of the cart, and Sher
Singh pricked the oxen with a long goad. The sturdy
animals lumbered into the narrow path, and the luxuri-
ant undergrowth, swinging shut behind the vehicle

202 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and its occupants, soon hid the spot they were-
leaving.

For a mile the way led through dense and level
jungle, and then mounted gradually up the side of a,
steep hill, on the summit of which Maurice urged that
the bullocks be halted for a brief rest. Here the view
was magnificent, beyond the power of words to describe.
But for a haziness in the atmosphere Goalpara could
have been seen, miles away. The great mountains
on the farther shore of the Brahmaputra were dis-
tinctly visible, their tall peaks glistening in the sun.
The Hindoo applied the goad, and the cart rumbled
and jolted down the hill. It reached the bottom, nar-
rowly escaping mishap, and crept into a jungle where
the gloom was like that of eventide. Broken rocks and
serried walls of foliage rose from both sides of the path.
" This is about the gloomiest place I've ever seen,'r
said Maurice. " I wish we were well out of it. It
gives me the cold shivers — and yet I don't know why
it should. We are as safe as if we were in Goalpara.'*
" There is indeed nothing to fear, Sahib," replied
Slier Singh, " unless it be a prowling tiger or some-
other beast. The Naga tribesmen, who dwell in the
fastnesses of the hills far to the south, have been
quiet and peaceable since a column of British soldiers
fought them and burnt their villages five years ago.
Before that they made many murderous raids, and
more than one English planter — "

The sentence was cut short on the Hindoo's lips, and
turned to a cry of alarm, by the sudden appearance-
of a half-score of brawny, half-naked savages, who
sprang up, as if by magic, to right and left of the trail.
They were armed with spears and knotted clubs, and
their attack was as swift and silent as their approach.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

The lad and his companion had no chance to defend
themselves — no time even to snatch their rifles. The
cart was seized and overturned, and the bullocks,
breaking loose from the shaft, fled in mad panic. A
blow from a cudgel stretched Sher Singh senseless on
the sprawling heap of luggage, and Maurice, as he
attempted to rise, was gripped by three pairs of
muscular hands.

The Nagas — for to those wild people of Assam the
attacking party clearly belonged — were careful ta
make no more noise than was necessary. With th&
exception of a guttural word or two not a sound
passed their lips. Maurice, in the first moment of
surprise, was less frightened than wrathful and indig-
nant. He struggled desperately to escape, kicking
and striking, and managed to utter one loud shout,
when he was immediately choked with such violence
that he partially lost consciousness.

His mind was a blank for a certain interval — he
did not know how long — and when next he was able to
observe anything the path and the cart had disappeared
and he was being hurried at a rapid pace through
thick jungle. Two of the savages were supporting
him, one on each side, while the others marched in
front and behind. There was no sign of a path.
Captors and captive wound amid the tangled vegetation
with the sinuous and noiseless ease of a great serpent.

The leader of the party was a stalwart fellow,
smeared with blue woad, and wearing a leopard skin
girdle and a necklace of tigers' teeth. Seeing that
Maurice had recovered from his stupor, he wheeled
about and intimated to him by gestures that he would
kill him if he made any sound.

The lad had no intention of disobeying the command,.

204 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

for his rash temper had by this time cooled off, and
his brain was actively at work, seeking a plan by which
he might outwit the savages. He feigned weakness
as much as possible, hi order to delay the march,
though he had little hope of being rescued. He knew
that the rearmost of the cages must have been a
mile or so ahead at the moment of the attack, and that
the whole convoy was doubtless pressing on to Goal-
para in serene ignorance of what had happened behind.

He was in the blackest of spirits, oppressed by sad
and bitter thoughts, as he was forced still deeper
into the jungle solitudes. He naturally feared that
Sher Singh had been killed by the cruel blow, and
his heart ached for the faithful Hindoo to whom he
owed so much. He was at a loss to know why he
had been ambushed and carried off, but finally, after
reviewing the circumstances, he concluded that he
was to be held for the purpose of ransom, which the
savages meant to demand from the local authorities
of the province. Had he been better acquainted
with the Nagas, however, he would have recognized
the folly of such a theory.

"'My life is safe, anyway," he reflected. " Every-
thing points to that. And there is just a chance —
not a very bright one, I admit — that Tearle and
Carruthers, when they learn of the disaster, will be
able to collect a party and overtake these wretches
before they can reach their almost inaccessible villages
in the hills."

f It was poor consolation for Maurice, but it had the
effect of slightly raising his spirits. For another hour
the Nagas pursued their course steadily, and then,
emerging suddenly from the forest, the lad beheld a
eight that made his head swim with dizziness.

CHAPTER XXVII.

THE SKIPPER OF THE "MARY SHANNON."

WE will take the present opportunity, with the-
reader's permission, to go back both in time
and distance, in order to pick up several
threads that have an important bearing on the future.
Late one afternoon, during the week in which Dermot
Tearle and his companions had come down country
from Seranghur, a tall, dark-bearded Englishman in.
shooting attire arrived at Calcutta — the identical
stranger, in fact, belonging to Sir James Duckworth'*
party, whom Maurice had encountered in the forest
of Soonput.

From the station of the Bengal Railway he went
straight to a native barber-shop, from which he present-
ly reappeared minus his beard and with his hair and
moustache closely trimmed. In a neighbouring street
he purchased a pair of blue spectacles, such as are
worn for protection against the fierce rays of the
Indian sun, and when he had adjusted these his features
were so altered that his late fellow-sportsmen assuredly
would not have recognized him. Satisfied with the
result of his shrewd precautions, he now made his way
to the Great Eastern Hotel, requested the clerk to send
to the railway station for his luggage, and registered
under a name that he had never borne before, that of
Miles Hamilton.

To all outward appearance it might have been,
supposed that Mr. Miles Hamilton was in Calcutta
merely for the sake of pleasure and sight-seeing,

205

206 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

like numerous other travellers who were quartered in
the same big hotel. He spent money freely, enjoyed
a drive each evening, and strolled among the bazaars
and in the principal thoroughfares, dressed in the
height of fashion. More than once, with a boldness
that was justified by his disguise, he calmly rubbed
shoulders with some former friend or acquaintance. But
his seeming idleness was a cloak for a deeper purpose,
and hi a quiet way, as if the matter was of no personal
importance to him, he was making inquiries concerning
the tragic death of Tom Dayleford, the trapper of
wild animals. He had read an account of the riot
at the time it occurred, and a faint recollection of it,
flashing upon his mind soon after the meeting with
Maurice in the forest of Soonput, had, in conjunction
with another and older memory, given him the present
clue.

Mr. Hamilton's investigations offered little or no
difficulty. He readily learned what had become of
Dayleford's adopted son after the former's death,
and he was informed of the lad's presence in the city
by the Calcutta papers, which devoted columns to the
thrilling story of Antonio Silva's crimes. He did
not encounter Maurice during his wanderings, nor,
at this stage of affairs, did he have any inclination to
run across him. He was anxiously waiting events,
fearing the future and as yet unable to decide Avhat he
ehould do in case the threatened blow were to fall.
Each day added to his apprehensions and unrest,
for he could not rid himself of the conviction that
the lad had recognized him in the jungle and that he
possessed a dangerous knowledge of the past.

This belief, haunting the man hourly, by degrees
sapped his scruoles and conscience and gave birth to

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 207

an impulse from which he at first recoiled with horror,
but which nevertheless grew upon him. He began
to regard the thought with less aversion, to wonder
liow the evil plan could best be carried out. All
that made life worth living to him was at stake, and
at any cost, he told himself, he must not lose.

The days slipped by, and one night, long after dark,
Hamilton was strolling by the bank of the Hooghly
River, where of late he had been spending much time
in the evenings. He was prudently attired in rough
clothing, and was without his glasses. He was in a
desperate and wicked frame of mind, since for several
hours he had been prowling fruitlessly about Hamrach
and Company's warehouse, at the adjacent suburb
of Kidderpore. He had seen nothing of Maurice,
nor was he aware of the fact that the lad and his
companions had left Calcutta for Assam that same
morning.

He had come forth with another purpose as well,
however, on this particular night, and his eyes were
very active as he sauntered along. The locality was
by no means a safe one, and he carried a loaded revolver
in his pocket.

" It looks as if I should have to make inquiries,
which I don't want to do," he muttered, as he quick-
ened his pace. " I might as easily find a needle in
a hay-rick."

To the right were rows of factories, warehouses,
and rope-walks, gloomy and deserted, with here and
there a dim light burning. Close to the left flowed
the great river, dotted in mid-stream by anchored
vessels, while along the shore were the interminable
•docks, marked against the sky by a tangled forest
of spars and rigging.

208 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

Suddenly the figure of a man loomed out of the dark-
ness, and drawing near with a staggering, swaying
gait, he pulled up directly in front of Hamilton. His-
age was perhaps fifty, and his nautical garb proclaimed
him to be a sailor. A lamp-post stood not far off,
and the light from it revealed his purplish, bloated
face.

" Hello, stranger," he cried, thickly and unsteadily.
" Hanged if I haven't lost my bearings in this beastly-
place. I'll be obliged to you if you can tell me where
to find the ship ' Mary Shannon.* She's lying at
Government dock number ten."

Hamilton bent forward and scrutinized the man
keenly.

" I thought I knew the voice," he exclaimed, with
a short, unpleasant laugh. "As for the features,
they are so saturated with rum that they might
belong to any drunken sot, though they still bear
a faint likeness to Captain Bonnick — "

" That's me — Captain Bonnick," interrupted th&
man. " But you'd better be careful of your talk.
A drunken sot, am I ? By the blue peter ! I've-
killcd a man for less. Who in thunder are you,
anyway ? "

" I'll tell you," replied Hamilton ; and he whispered
two words in the other's ear.

" John Ravenhurst ?" gasped the sailor, with an
oath.

" Be quiet, you fool," Hamilton fiercely bade him.
" Not that name aloud — you know better."

Captain Bonnick stared silently for an instant j
comprehension was dawning on his fuddled brain.

" What are you doing in Calcutta ? " he asked
hoarsely, as if he dreaded to put the question.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 209

" Looking for you, for one thing," was the curt
answer. " I saw by the papers that the ' Mary
Shannon* had been sighted in the bay. When did
you come up the river ? "

" I've been in port twenty-four hours," the sailor
replied, "and I've had wretched luck in that
short time. I'm dead broke to-night. I've been
drinking and gambling — I don't deny it — and a
couple of those yellow niggers ashore robbed me of
eighty pounds."

"It serves you right, you drunken idiot." said
Hamilton. " Look here, Bonnick, I've got an account
to settle with you. You are a scoundrel and a black-
mailer, and I was a fool to have had anything to do
with you. You promised to keep me posted about
the lad, and when you swore that he was dead, that
he had been drowned at sea, I believed you, I gave
you the sum of money that you demanded. But it
was all a dastardly lie — "

" Easy, go easy," warned the sailor. " I'm not
in a mood for hard words."

" But I am, and you'll listen to what I want
to say," cried Hamilton. "You have put me in a
hole by your treachery. The boy is not dead
— I've seen him with my own eyes. You turned him
over to an acquaintance of yours in Calcutta and he
found new friends after the man Dayleford died."

" Is Tom Dayleford dead ? "

"Yes, murdered by Hindoos. And the boy "

" He's nothing to me now," interrupted Captain
Bonnick, whos»4 usual prudence was steeped in

drink. I did what I promised to do more than

your dirty money was worth. The score is on
the other side, my fine gentleman, and I want

o

210 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

a hundred pounds down on the nail. Be quick about
it. Fork over."

Hamilton's face turned livid with rage.

" You ruffian," he cried, " I warn you not to try any
of your blackmailing games. I've given you too much
money as it is. Not another penny will you get."

" Won't I ? " sneered the angry sailor. " I'll bet
you the ' Mary Shannon ' I do. It's two hundred
pounds I want now — not a hundred. Unless you give
it to me I'll blow the whole thing. I'll lift anchor to-
morrow and sail for London. Once there I'll soon
find the lad's friends, and then — "

" Hush ! " cautioned Hamilton, in a whisper.
" You fool, don't you see that some one is listening ? "

Hamilton was right. He had that instant dis-
covered a figure leaning against a post within five
yards of the spot — a native in turban and white linen.
The fellow must have heard every word of the alter-
cation.

" One of those dirty yellow niggers," muttered
Captain Bonnick, with a careless glance. " Hand
over the money," he added, loudly and wrathfully.
" Quick ! or I swear I'll blow on you, John Raven — "

There was the sound of a blow as Hamilton,
maddened to desperation, struck the sailor between
the eyes. Bonnick reeled, recovered his balance.
With an oath he whipped his revolver from his
pocket, aimed and fired.

CHAPTER XXVIIL

DEEDS OP DARKNESS.

IT is ten to one that an intoxicated man will aim
too high when shooting. Captain Bonnick did so,
fortunately for Hamilton, and the bullet whistled
by the latter's head. He made a rush for his assailant,
but the projecting edge of a cobble-stone tripped him
up and he measured his length on the quay.

Meanwhile the sailor had staggered backward
several yards, almost to the water's edge. He was
half-insane with rage and liquor, and cocking the
weapon a second time, he aimed as steadily as he
could at Hamilton's prostrate body.

In all likelihood, the shot would have proved fatal
but for the prompt intervention of the native who was
leaning in such a careless attitude against the post.
With a rapid movement, with a stealthy whipping
of his hand to his waist, he threw himself in front of
the sailor. There was the flash and gleam of steel,
the report of a pistol exploding on the ground. Then,
with a husky cry that ended in a gurgle, Captain
Bonnick tumbled heavily over the raised embankment
of the river, and disappeared with a resounding splash.

Hamilton, before whose eyes the tragedy had swiftly
passed, rose slowly to his feet, trembling in every limb.
He glanced fearfully at the blood-stained knife — a
ray of light shone on it from the lamp post — which
the native held in his hand.

" Assassin ! " he exclaimed, in tones of horror.
" What have you done ? "

211

212 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Is this your gratitude ? " was the calm reply.
" Sahib, I have saved your life at the risk of my own.
There was not an instant to lose. But for me you
would be lying yonder, bleeding from your death-
wound. The other Sahib meant to kill you, surely."

" He did," Hamilton admitted, hoarsely. " He
was a bad man. It is true, as you say, that I owe you
my life. And yet — and yet bloodshed might have
been averted. It is a pity."

He walked to the edge of the river and stared down
at the black, sluggish waters. Scarcely a ripple
was visible on their smooth, unbroken surface. He
shuddered violently as he turned away.

" The body has gone to the bottom," said the native.
Picking up the sailor's revolver he flung it far out
into the stream, and threw the knife after it.

" Yes, it has sunk," murmured Hamilton, with an
effort. He wiped cold beads of perspiration from
his forehead, and glanced keenly and uneasily at his
strange companion. From a distance the bustle of
the great city echoed faintly on the night air, and it
seemed at first that no one could have heard the pistol
shots. But a moment later, as the two stood in
awkward silence, voices and footsteps became audible
to the left. Several persons were approaching,
drawn thither by the alarm.

"We must not be found here, Sahib," said the
native.

" We have waited too long as it is," replied Hamil-
ton. " Come ; follow me. Make no noise."

They glided quickly and silently away from the
fatal spot, the lean native dogging the Englishman's
heels like a shadow. The noise they had heard soon
faded behind them, but they pushed on for a quarter

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 213

of a mile, straight up the river, until they reached
Hamrach and Company's warehouse. Hamilton
paused at an angle of the big, gloomy building, and
listened intently for a minute.

" We are safe here," he said. " There is no outcry
yonder. Even if they have found the right place,
they would hardly discover the blood-stains — if
there are any — without a lantern."

" There is no blood," declared the native. " The
sailor-sahib went into the river too swiftly for that.
We need fear nothing."

The Englishman drew a deep breath of relief.

" You are not a Hindoo ? " he said abruptly to his
companion.

" The Sahib has no reason to think so," was the
calm reply.

" You do not speak like one," said Hamilton.
" However, that is no concern of mine. This is a bad
business," he added, " and it might cause serious
trouble for both of us. But it won't do any good to
talk about it. I am not ungrateful for your aid, I
assure you, and if you will come with me I will see
that you are suitably rewarded."

" I wish for no reward, Sahib," replied the native
in a scornful tone, " I do not befriend people for
gold. It is possible, indeed, that I can be of assistance
to you in yet another way. That I heard your con-
versation with the sailor was not my fault. I
listened to it with more than ordinary interest because
it related to a former acquaintance of mine — an
English lad named Maurice, who used to live with a
wild animal dealer in Calcutta."

Hamilton turned pale, and for an instant, as sus-
picion flashed into his mind, he lost his self-possession.

214 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

'* How much do — do you know ? " he asked, in
a frightened tone.

The man laughed softly.

"Nothing, Sahib, so far as you are concerned,"
he replied. " Merely that you are interested, for
personal reasons, in this lad. I saw you lurking
about Hamrach and Company's warehouse, where we
are now, at twilight this evening. But the English
boy is not here. He left the city this morning."

The last words were uttered with a hissing sound
that denoted suppressed rage.

" He has left Calcutta ? " exclaimed Hamilton,
who felt compelled to speak in spite of the growing
realization of his peril. " Where has he gone ? "

" Far to the north east — to the wild and distant
province of Assam," the native answered. " He is
with Hamrach and Company's agents, who have
orders to trap a number of wild beasts. But he
will come down country in a month or so, when the
work is finished, and then he means to sail for England."

" For England ? " echoed Hamilton, and his lips
and throat were dry as he spoke.

" Yes, for the port of London. These friends of
his, it seems, intend to help him find his parents, from
whom he was separated many years ago."

Hamilton stifled an oath. It was too dark to see
the stormy expression of his face.

" There are often slips in the affairs of men, Sahib,"
the native continued craftily. " Who knows ? The
lad may never return from the jungles of Assam.
There are numerous perils to be encountered."

A sudden light dawned on Hamilton's compre-
hension as he detected, or fancied he detected, the
native's subtle meaning as well as the note of bitter-

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 215

ness in his speech. Several other things struck him
at the same instant, and then, in a flash, he was con-
vinced that he had made a real and thrilling discovery.

" I think you and I will understand each other,"
he said, in a complacent tone. " But wait — I wish
to tell you something first. Listen, my friend. I
am a man of the world, I have travelled extensively,
I have resided in Portugal — in Lisbon. And I have
closely read the Calcutta papers of the past few
days."

He paused to look straight at his companion, who
calmly returned the glance.

" Go on, Sahib," said the native. " I am listening."

" It is perfectly clear to me," resumed Hamilton,
" that you are a Portuguese cunningly disguised as
a Hindoo. I cannot mistake the features and the
accent. I am satisfied, also, that you bitterly hate
this English lad Maurice. These two things are
easily explained — if perchance you are the Senor
Antonia Silva."

The unmasked native bowed with a courtly grace.
There was a mocking gleam in his eyes, but no trace
of fear or anger.

" Sir, I admire your penetration," he replied boldly.
" Suppose I admit the truth of your statements ?
1 am not in the least afraid of you. If I have a secret
to preserve, you, too, have one. In a bitter tone he
added ; "I am a poor and hunted man, senor. I
have lost my all. I need money badly, that I may
escape from this accursed country. If the lad stands
in your way, and your purse is a long one — "

" Hush ! " Hamilton interrupted sharply. " This
is no place to talk. We have lingered here far longer
than was wise. Elsewhere I may have something

216 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

to say that will prove to the advantage of both of
us. I can trust you ? "

" Absolutely ; I swear it," vowed the disguised
Portuguese.

" You are a magnificent villain," said the English
man, " if all accounts of you are true."

Side by side they hastened away from the vicinity
of the warehouse, and the darkness, which is ever
ready to cloak evil, quickly swallowed the two birds
of prey from sight.

It may be said, in dismissing the incident, that the
body of Captain Bonnick was not found. In fact,
the papers merely recorded him as missing, and after
a vain search of more than three weeks, the ship
"Mary Shannon" lifted anchor and sailed down the
Hooghly under the command of her first mate.

CHAPTER XXIXj

THE BRIDGE OF VINES.

HAVING thrown some light on the nefarious
compact between Miles Hamilton and Antonio
Silva, and the circumstances that gave rise
to the same, it is time to return to Maurice. Little
wonder that the lad was dismayed when his captors
dragged him from the gloom of the forest into a strip
of open ground, for just in front of him yawned a
dizzy, forbidding-looking chasm — a ravine that was
at least a hundred feet in width and nearly twice that
in depth. At first, failing to observe that there was
any means of crossing, he believed that he had been
brought to the spot to be put to a horrible death.

But the next instant, to his relief, he saw other-
wise. The rocky banks dropped sheer down, with an
occasional ledge to which stunted trees and bushes
were clinging, and across the gulf ran a bridge of thick
lianas, or vines, that trembled in the morning breeze
and were secured to great boulders on either side.
A dozen of these cable-like strands, twisted together
formed a footway, and a little higher up were two
more woven ropes that served for hand-rails. Far,
far below, at the bottom of the chasm, a mountain
stream roared and thundered.

" I would rather fight all these scoundrels single-
handed, than trust myself to a thing like that,"
thought Maurice, with an inward shiver. " But I
suppose there's no help for it."

There was none indeed. The ravine had to be

217

218 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

crossed — the band seemed feverishly anxious to put
it in their rear — and without delay two of the Nagas
began the perilous venture. The lad was compelled
to follow immediately after them, and two others
came close behind him.

Each one had all that he could do to look after
his own safety, and Maurice, knowing that no assist-
ance could be given to him and that he must take
care of himself, gripped a supporting-cable hi each
hand, and trusted to luck to plant his feet accurately
on the narrow pathway. It was a terrible ordeal
and more than once he despaired of coming through
it alive. The frail structure rocked and swayed in
the most alarming manner, repeatedly threatening
to pitch him in mid-air. Time and again he believed
that he must drop into the seething waters below
and be dashed to pieces on the sharp-pointed rocks
that split the current. But his stout courage sus-
tained him. Inch by inch, foot by foot, he crept on,
until at last he gained the opposite bank.

" I wouldn't go back again for a hundred pounds,"
he vowed, little dreaming what worse things the future
held in store for him.

The rest of the party crossed without mishap, and
then the Nagas hacked at the main cable until it was
severed, when it swung against the opposite wall of
the ravine. They did not molest the hand-rests,
evidently dreaming that to be an unnecessary
precaution.

From now on the savages proceeded at a more
leisurely pace through the jungle, and Maurice was
half-dragged, half-carried, by a couple of stalwart
fellows who were apparently deceived by his well-
simulated feebleness, though they had witnessed his

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 219

activity on the bridge. The march continued for
nearly a mile, and then a halt was made by a slab-
shaped rock that towered high in the air. Here, it
seemed, the Nagas expected to meet someone. The
leader of the band placed his hand to his mouth and
uttered a shrill, peculiar cry, which he twice repeated.

Meanwhile, the lad's two guards had put him down
against the base of a tree, where he sat huddled limply
with drooping head and half-closed eyes, still feigning
weakness. It was so well done, indeed, that he looked
to be in a state of extreme exhaustion. But his
brain was working actively, and his supple strength
had never been more ready to serve him. Anxiously
he watched and waited.

" I'll show them something," he vowed desperately,
" if they will only give me a chance."

Several minutes slipped by without bringing the
wished-for opportunity, and then a response to the
leader's signal came from a distance. It rang nearer
at hand, and again nearer, until a crashing noise was
heard close by, when at once every man of the party
turned his gaze in the direction of the approaching sound.

Maurice was curious to learn who was coming,
but he dared not delay for an instant. He sprang
to his feet, catching a brief glimpse of a pith helmet
beyond the towering rock, and as quickly he had
wheeled round and plunged into the dense undergrowth
back towards the ravine.

" Now for a race — a race for life," he muttered.

He sped on blindly and swiftly, urged by the clamour
of pursuit, by the fierce bloodthirsty cries, that were
already ringing behind him on the still air. At first,
remembering the broken bridge, he steered a little to
the left, hoping to strike the chasm at a spot where

220 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the banks would be less precipitous and might possibly
be scaled. But on second thoughts, the very thought
that a bridge existed warning him that his expectation
was vain, he reverted to his original course.

It was a stern, relentless chase, and the odds were
heavily against the brave lad from the first. He was
far from confident of being able to escape, but never-
theless he was hopeful, and he meant to spare no efforts
or risk. Fortunately he was a splendid runner, even
by comparison with the wiry and fleet-footed Nagas,
and it was somewhat to the disadvantage of the latter,
perhaps, that they could not be absolutely sure what
direction the fugitive would take unless they followed
his trail.

Under such circumstances, when death is dogging
one's heels, a mile is a long distance. It seemed doubly
long to Maurice as he dashed on and on, keeping his
bearings as well as he could, and trying to husband
breath and strength for what final ordeal he might
have to meet. Yet speed was an important factor
from the beginning, and he dared not run too slowly.
As agile as a deer, he leapt over fallen trees and stones,
tore headlong through coppice and spear-grass, and
doubled round the impenetrable jungle-hooks that
cropped up in his path, while ever behind him rang
the vengeful yelling and shouting of the savages, who
were scattered to right and left. And twice he was
surprised to hear a deeper and more ominous voice,
like that of a European, calling angry commands.

"I believe I shall do it," he told himself. "I
must be half-way now."

He sped on, not relaxing his efforts, and he was
further comforted and cheered by the discovery that
the noise of pursuit, though it kept even pace with him,

With swimming brain ... he worked his way alonj
hand over hand."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 221

apparently did not draw any nearer. These favourable
conditions continued, and there was an actual gain to his
credit — the Nagas must have paused in hesitation
more than once — when he finally staggered out of
the forest and found himself on the brink of the ravine.
He had blundered a little to the left. In that direction
was a sheer-dropping precipice as far as the eye could
reach, and in the other direction, at a distance of
fifty yards, he saw what remained of the severed
bridge of vines.

There was not an instant to lose. He had but a
single chance, and that such a slim and desperate one}
so frightfully perilous, that his heart quailed at the
thought of it, though he had known all along that he
would have to face it.

" It is life or death," he reflected, as he turned and
sped to the right. " After what I've seen and heard,
it is pretty clear why those fiends want to get hold of
me again, though it's a hard thing to believe. I might
as well be smashed on the rocks as killed by slow
torture. But I'm not dead yet. Heaven help me to
get safely across."

He ran fleetly along the narrow edge of the ravine,
which was closely bordered by trees and vegetation,
and when he reached the end of the ruined bridge,
panting and exhausted, the jungle behind him was
ringing with savage cries. He was faint for a moment,
and had to pause for breath and strength. Then the
weakness passed, and he felt ready for the ordeal.

He chose the thickest of the two cables that re-
mained, and taking a firm grip of it he launched him-
self boldly into space. With swimming brain, with
a prayer on his lips, he worked his way along, hand
over hand. He did not trust himself to look down

222 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

into the dizzy gulf, whence rose the ceaseless thunder
of the torrent. At first it was comparatively easy,
for the cable sagged with his weight, and he slipped
rapidly along, with increasing confidence, until he
had reached the middle of the chasm and a little more
than that.

" It's half over," he thought. " Will they give me
a chance to finish ? "

But now, where the twisted rope of vines began to
incline upward and to resist his progress, was the
hardest and most trying part. He fought on, a few
inches at a time, mounting gradually higher towards
the opposite bank, on the crest of which he fixed his
eyes. The strain on the muscles was agonizing,
and he wondered if he would be able to endure it.
To and fro he swayed in his slow advance, like the
pendulum of a clock, and more than once he must have
lost his hold and fallen but for the other cable, over
which he managed to throw one knee, and thus
obtained a slight and welcome relief.

Maurice had undertaken a quite impossible task —
impossible even to a man of herculean strength — but
he fortunately did not know this. Each second was
like a minute, and it seemed a quarter of an hour to
him — it was really a very brief interval — until the
danger that he had forgotten to reckon with burst
upon him from the rear. The slide down to the lowest
point of the cable had been swift, but he had gained
no more than three yards on the upward journey,
and had still a disheartening distance to climb, when
he heard a shrill clamour behind him, and venturing
a backward glance he was alarmed by the sight of a
half-dozen Nagas grouped on the spot from which he
had started.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 223

" They have no firearms," he thought, hopeful as yet.

Whirr ! came a spear. Another and another.
But the incessant swaying of the vines saved Maurice,
and the weapons, leaving him unscathed, struck the
rocks and fell clattering below. He struggled on,
hauling himself slowly up the oscillating strands, until
a greater peril than the whizzing spears sent a throb
of despair to his heart. The Nagas, as the devilish
impulse occurred to them, had begun an attack with
their weapons on the two cables, at the point where
they were coiled around the boulder. The frailer one
parted, and sliding from under the lad's knee it flut-
tered down to the water, leaving him suspended in a
perpendicular position over the abyss.

He gave himself up for lost, as well he might, for
he knew that the second rope must soon follow the
first. The instinct of life, however, urged him to
continue his plucky flight. He flung one knee over
the cable, struggled along for a few inches his teeth
set hard. But he had ten yards yet to climb —
an impossible distance. He paused, breath and
strength almost at their last ebb. Behind him he
could hear the hacking noise made by the spears and
clubs.

" I've got to drop," he told himself. " I wonder
if I shall fall on the rocks or in the water."

The thought stimulated him to another effort.
His head swam as he stretched his aching arms and
gained a paltry half-foot. He glanced back, to see
what the savages were doing, and just at that instant
came the sharp, angry bark of firearms. One of the
Nagas spun round and toppled into the gorge, and
another dropped among his companions, squirming
in the agonies of death.

224 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Hold tight, my boy," cried a lusty voice. " Don't
despair — we'll save you."

Never had words sounded sweeter to Maurice. He
recognized the voice, and lifting his eyes to the nearer
bank of the ravine, he saw a little group gathered
there — Tearle, Carruthers, and four of their native
servants. They were kneeling by the brink, and
firing in rapid succession.

" Faster, lad ! " shouted Carruthers.

Maurice attempted to reply, but a husky whisper
was the only result. The rifles continued to splutter
while he dragged himself an inch — two inches — higher.
Then, as he realised that further progress was im-
possible, he felt a quivering, relaxing motion of the
taut cable. He instantly divined what was coming,
and with a cry of despair he tightened his grip on the
frail support that was about to fail him and drop him
to certain death — as he believed.

As quickly the strand parted from the rear bank,
and down the lad shot at dizzy speed, swinging across
the intervening stretch of the chasm. It seemed a
long interval, though it was really little more than a
second, until he was dashed violently against — not
the hard and cruel wall of granite — but a clump of
bushes that grew out from the face of the cliff, nearly
thirty feet below the brink. There he dangled in
space, fault and giddy, but quite unhurt, listening
to the bloodthirsty yells of the savages and the crack-
ing of firearms. A projecting knob of stone gave him
a support for one foot, and this relieved the strain on
his wrists.

" All right, lad ? " came a voice from above,

" Yes," he replied hoarsely.

" Ready, then. Hold fast."

CHAPTER XXXj

ALARMING SUSPICIONS.

IT was Tearle who spoke last, and of what happened
immediately afterwards, of the brief ascent
through the air while he clung with a grip of
death to the swaying cable, Maurice retained but a
vague recollection. He was unable to stand when
his friends hauled him over the brink of the abyss,
and he would have gone off in a swoon, so fearful
was the strain he had endured, but for the prompt
application of a brandy flask to his lips. The
stimulant, however, soon pulled him round and brought
a touch of colour to his cheeks. He looked up grate-
fully at Tearle and Carruthers, and then glanced across
the ravine. The Nagas had disappeared, leaving
four dead bodies behind.

" Our fire was too hot for them," said Carruthers.
" They made off directly their devilish plan failed.
I never saw such a chap as you are for having narrow
escapes," he added. " And this was the worst —
it was a nervy thing to do. You wouldn't have
had a chance, though, but for our timely arrival."

" And none then — not the slightest," declared
Tearle, " but for the happy fact that the Nagas
succeeded in cutting the cable. Otherwise, my boy,
you must have swung to and fro in mid-air until you
dropped, for you could not have dragged yourself a
foot nearer to us."

" Not an inch," Maurice assented with a shudder,
" That's right. I was completely fagged out. And

225 P

226 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

of course you couldn't have pulled me up, or given
any help as long as the cable was fast on the other
side. If the Nagas know that they saved my life,
they must be feeling pretty sore about it."

" They have something else to be sore about,"
said Carruthers. " We taught them a lesson they
won't forget in a hurry. You're none the worse for
your terrible experience, my lad ? "

" Not a bit, except for a sort of shaky feeling all
over," Maurice assured him. "It is passing off,
though, and I'll be all right presently. But tell me —
what of Sher Singh ? Is— is he dead ? "

" Dead ? " exclaimed Carruthers. " No fear. Don't
worry about your devoted shikaree. He got an ugly
rap on the skull, but barring a headache for a couple
of days, he won't suffer any inconvenience from it.
He insisted on coming along with us, but we made him
stop behind, at the spot where the disaster occurred."

" It was by sheer luck that we reached here in time
to save you," said Tearle. " Bad luck we were in-
clined to call it, when the rear cage broke down,
owing to a defective axle. Carruthers and these trusty
fellows came back from the front to help me, and we
had barely started repairs when your runaway span
of bullocks came tearing by like mad. I jumped out
and caught them, and then — "

" Then we hurried up the road," broke in Carruthers.
" and found the cart upset, yourself missing, and Sher
Singh just coming to his senses. Our Hindoos tumbled
to the trail of the savages, and away we went like a
pack of hounds on the scent."

" It was a fortunate break-down for me," said
Maurice, with a reminiscent glance at the gorge. " I'm
all right now," he added. " Shall we be off ? "

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 227

" Without delay, if you are fit to march," replied
Tearle. " I want to hear an account of your ad-
ventures, but that will keep until a better oppor-
tunity. I am in a hurry to get back to the convoy,
which is scattered along the Goalpara road, almost
unprotected."

" I don't believe it is in any danger," declared Car-
ruthers. " There are no Nagas in that direction."

" Was anybody else with the savages — I mean
with the party that cut the bridge ? " Maurice asked,
in a hesitating voice.

" Anybody else ? " muttered Tearle. " Not that
I saw. Why do you inquire, lad ? "

Maurice returned an evasive answer, and Carruthers
just then calling attention to a strange bird, the
question was not repeated. A few moments later
the little party were retracing their steps through
the tangled forest, and in less than an hour they reached
the road, when an affecting and joyous meeting took
place between the lad and Sher Singh. The runaway
bullocks had been brought to the spot by one of the
servants, and the cart was speedily righted and re-
filled. It was driven ahead to where the string of
cages were waiting, and after a brief delay here the
convoy proceeded towards Goalpara. Three armed
natives formed a rear-guard, and Tearle and Car-
ruthers walked alongside of the cart, in which rode
Maurice and Sher Singh.

" * Now, my lad," said Tearle, as the vehicle rumbled
slowly on its way, " suppose you spin us the yarn.
I'm anxious to hear it."

Maurice was less ready, for the simple reason that he
had not yet decided how much he intended to tell,
though he had been considering that point since he

228 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

left the ravine. It was a question with him whether
his imagination might have carried him astray. Had
his eyes and ears deceived him, he wondered, by in-
venting things that had no existence ? He plunged
into the narrative, however, and described his abduc-
tion, and his subsequent adventures, in a graphic
style. His companions were deeply interested, and
for a short time they discussed the mystery from
every conceivable standpoint, but without arriving
at a satisfactory solution.

" Well, I give it up," exclaimed Carruthers, finally,
" It's a queer business. I never knew the Nagas to
carry any one off for ransom. They always kill, and
jolly quick, too."

"Ye3, that's right," said Tearle. "If this had
happened in any other part of the country, lad, I
should think there was a personal enemy at the
bottom of it. But up here in the wilds of Assam,
hundreds of miles from Calcutta — "

The sentence ended in a low, expressive whistle,
and Tearle shook his head. A moment later he was
listening with a grave countenance, in speechless
astonishment ; for Maurice, at the suggestion of a
personal foe, had reluctantly started to tell what he
had hitherto concealed from his friends.

" Lad, are you certain of this ? " demanded Tearle.

" No, I'm not certain," Maurice replied. " That's
just it. I fancied I saw a helmet moving between
the leaves, but I may easily have been mistaken.
And the same with the voice, afterwards, when I was
running for my life.. I couldn't be sure that I heard it,
because the Nagas were yelling like fiends behind me."

" But whose voice do you think it was ? " asked
Carruthers.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 229

" It sounded like Antonio Silva's," Maurice ad-
mitted ; and his face changed colour as he spoke.

Tearle and Carruthers expected this answer. They
both laughed, a little uneasily.

"You are on the wrong track, my boy," declared
the former. " I am satisfied that Silva has left India
— he would be a fool to stop in the country any longer
than he could help. That he could have followed you
up to Assam, and trusted himself among these blood-
thirsty Nagas, and bribed them to carry you off to
serve his own evil ends — why, it is too incredible for
belief."

" Preposterous, indeed," assented Carruthers.

" To gratify a thirst for vengeance, Sahibs, a man
will stop at nothing — he will go as the devil drives,"
gloomily remarked Sher Singh ; which was his sole
contribution, then or afterwards, to the discussion.

" Tearle is right, my lad — the Portuguese can't
be in these parts," repeated Carruthers. " As for the
motive of the Nagas, perhaps they wanted an English
hostage to hold. Come to think of it, I remember
they carried off an English magistrate once, just
before they raided the tea plantations, and on the
strength of their captive they got easy terms from the
Government."

- " It may have been the same in this case," said
Tearle, though he spoke doubtfully. " However, if
Silva is in the neighbourhood, he certainly won't
venture near Goalpara. We will inform the authori-
ties this evening, and they will probably set their
native intelligence department in motion at once,
if they think there is any likelihood of trouble with
the Nagas. Have you got a match about you, lad ? "
he added carelessly. " I want to light my pipe."

230 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

The conversation flagged, and the subject of Antonia
Silva seemed by tacit consent to be avoided. But
it was not forgotten — at least for the remainder of
the day ; though what Tearle, or Carruthers, or
Maurice himself, really believed, whether or not they
gave the Portuguese credit for having had a hand in
the mysterious business, were questions which not one
of the three could have answered. As for Sher Singh,
he was either wrapt in sober reflections, or was de-
pressed by the headache consequent on his cracked
skull.

Slowly the line of cages jolted along, threading
the jungle fastnesses, climbing hills and wading across
streams, and late in the afternoon the valuable convoy
entered Goalpara. Here was a pleasing taste of
civilization of a kind, welcome as a change — this little
town in the Brahmaputra valley, with its native
houses and temples and European dwellings, its
warehouses, shops, and cantonment, shipping and
landing-wharf, and motley types of people, from
English to Afghan.

The cages were stored in a great covered shed be-
longing to Hamrach and Company, and the agent of
the firm promptly appeared and offered the hos-
pitality of his roof to the two Englishmen and the
lad. He was a German named Scholl, who traded in
tobacco and bottled ales, and incidentally purchased
any wild animals or reptiles that were brought into
Goalpara.

" Is everything in readiness ? " Tearle inquired
of him.

" Very nearly," the man replied. " The Navigation
Company sent the barge here a week ago, but it required
some repairs and special fittings, which are nearly

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 231

completed. The stores are on board, and you can
load your cargo by to-morrow afternoon."

" And the pilot ? "

" I have one engaged for you, Mr. Tearle— a trusty
Hindoo who has spent his life on the Brahmaputra.
He is somewhere in the town now, no doubt, for I saw
him this morning."

Tearle expressed his satisfaction, and later in the
evening, accompanied by Maurice, he called upon the
local administrator and informed him of the outrage com-
mitted by the Nagas. The official promised an myesti
gation, but scouted the idea of impending trouble with
the predatory hillmen. No mention was made to him
of Antonio Silva, or of the lad's suspicions, and he would
have laughed the suggestion to scorn, as Tearle knew.

Whether or not the administrator kept his promise,
or concerned himself further in the matter, Tearle
and his companions did not learn, nor did they very
much care ; for on the morrow they discovered two
vexatious things that for the time being threatened
to interfere with their plans for departure. In the
first place it was found that the barge, the " Star of
Assam," required more repairs and fittings than Scholl
had stated, and that the work could not be finished
for another day and a half, at least. In the second
place — this was a more serious hitch — the pilot engaged
by the agent had mysteriously disappeared. No one
remembered seeing him since the previous morning.
All parts of the little town and the outlying suburbs,
as well as the vessels in port, were thoroughly but
vainly searched for him. In short — barring the
remote possibility of foul play — the fellow had clearly
repented of his bargain and left the neighbourhood,
though for what reason none could surmise.

232 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

It was doubtful if a substitute could be obtained
at such short notice, and the quest for one had proved
fruitless up to that same evening, when, towards
sunset, Tearle came ashore from the barge with Maurice
and Sher Singh, leaving Carruthers to give some in-
structions to the workmen.

They met Scholl on the bank, and as they stopped
to talk to him, in the vicinity of an idle throng of
natives and planters, merchants and soldiers, a man
approached the little group and made a low, cringing
bow. His attire was half-Hindoo, half-European.
He wore cast-off cavalry trousers, a greasy kummer-
bund and tunic of blue cloth, and a dingy turban.
His head and coppery face were covered with a mattsd
growth of coarse black hair.

" Salaam, Sahib," he began. " You are going down
the river in yonder big boat ? "

" Yes ; what of it ? " said Tearle.

" Perhaps you want a pilot ? " was the reply.

" Sahib, do not trust this fellow," Sher Singh
whispered quickly, as he touched Tearle on the arm.

CHAPTER XXXI.

GUNGA EA THE PILOT.

THE warning nudge, and the low words that accom-
panied it, were not lost on Tearle, though for
the time being he gave no sign that he under-
stood or that he would be guided accordingly.

" Yes, I do need a pilot, as it happens," he replied,
with a keen glance at the applicant, whose appear-
ance was certainly against him, " but it is doubtful
if you will suit me."

" I am at the Sahib's service," said the Hindoo,
" and to be hired cheap. You will not repent of your
bargain. I know every mile of the river from here
to the sea."

" The boatmen that I have previously engaged
have always told me the same thing," Tearle answered,
reflectively, " but their statements usually proved
false. You tell me you are a trained pilot. What is
your name, and how often have you been down the
Brahmaputra1 ? "

",Many more times than I can count, Sahib,"
declared the fellow, holding up his hands and opening
and shutting them rapidly, " on budgerows, dinghees,
steamers, and tea-barges, and I have never been
wrecked. As for my name, I am called Gunga Ra."

" And your papers ? Of course those are indis-
pensable."

r " I have them, Sahib ; " and with a quiet smile the
Hindoo produced from the folds of his kummerbund
a small, flat parcel tied with green muslin.

233

234 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

"I will look into them," said Tearle, "and will
confer with my companions. Meanwhile do you
remain here."

With that he drew Maurice and Sher Singh a few
paces to one side, and at the same instant the three
were joined by Carruthers. Scholl, who had been
called away by an acquaintance in the passing crowd
also came up to the group.

" What did that queer-looking chap want ? " asked
Carruthers. " I saw him palavering with you just now."

" He wants a berth as pilot," said Tearle, " and he
seems to be all right, but Sher Singh is of the opinion
that he is not to be trusted."

" Then you know something to his discredit ? "
Carruthers inquired of the shikaree.

"I know nothing, Sahib," Sher Singh replied. "I
never saw him before. Yet a tiny voice here," he
patted his breast, " tells me that you will be wise to
refuse this offer. A pilot he may be, but he has the
face of a rogue and a budmash."

" And you suspect him on that account ? " exclaimed
Tearle, contemptuously. "A man is not always to
be judged by his looks."

" And we must have a pilot," put in Maurice.

" The fellow is fair-spoken," Tearle went on. " But
he has given me his papers — they ought to settle
the question."

He opened the packet, and having examined the
half dozen or so of credentials that it contained, he
handed them to Carruthers.

" Nothing wrong with these," said the latter, after
a brief inspection. " They are all in good order — I
know a couple of the signatures — and they are written
in terms of the highest praise."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 235

Scholl passed a similar opinion, and declared,
moreover, that he remembered having seen the Hindoo
come ashore from several vessels that touched at Goal-
para, though not very recently.

" 1 have no doubt." he added, " that the man is
what he professes to be."

" Then we will take him," promptly decided Tearle.
" It would be foolish to reject such a chance." He
stepped over to the Hindoo. " Here are your papers,"
he said. " We have found no fault with them. Be
on hand early to-morrow morning to help us load,
I will pay you a rupee a day. Is that sufficient ? "

" The Sahib is generous," replied Gunga Ra ; and
with a servile bow he took himself off.

" He is a rascally-looking fellow, that's a fact,"
said Maurice.

" I don't care a hang for his looks, as long as he
proves a good pilot," laughed Tearle, " and I fancy
he will. It's a relief to get that difficulty off my
mind."

Sher Singh said nothing, nor was he aggrieved by
the rejection of his unfounded advice ; but his face
was grave and troubled, and his eyes mistrustfully
followed Gunga Ra's figure until it was lost to sight.

" May Brahma decree," he said to himself, " that
these Sahibs do not repent of their confidence ! The
aecret voice within me is not to be stilled."

By daybreak the next morning — the workmen had
been persuaded to continue their labours through
the greater part of the night — the repairs were so nearly
finished that the loading of the barge was commenced.
Gunga Ra turned up on time, and worked with a zeal
that placed him high in the estimation of all, excepting,
perhaps, Sher Singh. By noon everything was on

236 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

board and in its place — cages, bullocks for the carni-
vorous animals to be fed upon, bales of hay, luggage,
and various supplies for man and beast. Tearle
paid off some of his helpers, and settled accounts with
the native merchants to whom he was indebted.

Mid-afternoon saw the rnooring-ropes cast loose,
and the ''Star of Assam" started on its momentous
journey, drifting slowly out to. the buoyed channel and
down stream, while the thatched houses and white-
walled cantonments of Goalpara faded in the distance,
and Scholl, conspicuous amid a group of onlookers,
waved his hand from the bank.

The barge, on account of its length and breadth,
had the appearance of being lower in the water than
it really was. Its general outlines resembled the great
ferry-boats that ply on some of the American and
English rivers. In the middle of the deck, running
fore and aft, were the movable hatches that covered
the deep and spacious hold, where the wild beasts and
cattle — the latter partitioned off by themselves —
were snugly quartered. From the fore-deck rose an
airy little cabin, occupied by Maurice, Sher Singh, and
their employers.

Near by a ladder descended to the store-room,
and here, among other supplies, were cases of am-
munition and a fifty-pound cask of powder, which
had been brought up from Calcutta for bartering
purposes with the natives, but had proved not to be
needed. A large portion of the deck was roofed over
with sheets of rice matting. On one side of the hatches
were the sleeping-quarters of the crew, and the other
side was used for cooking and eating.

The barge was guided from the stern by two mon-
jstrous sweeps, like the oar-blades of a raft. Two men

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 237

were required to each sweep, and there were two
relays — eight men in all. The cook, the pilot, and
six natives whom Tearle had retained to look after the
animals, swelled the number of Hindoos on board to
sixteen, exclusive of Sher Singh.

Across the deck and a little forward, high above
hatches and awnings, was the bridge where sat Gunga
Ra, with his earthen water-bowl beside him swathed hi a
damp cloth. He commanded a clear view of the river
ahead, and could, at the same time, give instructions
to the men at the sweeps by word and signal.

The current of the Brahmaputra was rather sluggish
and even at this great distance from the sea the channel
was from one to two miles broad. There were no snags
or shoals, apparently, and this fact caused Tearle to
wonder if a pilot was a necessity. Gunga Ra had little
or nothing to do, though he showed his authority by
issuing an occasional order.

Through the sultry hours of the afternoon the " Star
of Assam " swung leisurely down the murky waterway
keeping well to mid-stream. To right and left were
low, jungle-covered shores, the haunts of innumerable
wild beasts and reptiles. Here and there, on a cleared
hillside, stood the bungalow and factories of a tea or
indigo planter. To the north the blue spurs of the
Himalayas could be faintly seen, sixty miles distant.
A few craft were encountered bound upwards to Goal-
para — a native trader's boat, a steam launch flying
the French flag, a passenger barge, and a troop-steamer
crowded to the rail with helmetted British soldiers.

At sunset the barge was guided to the left bank of
the river, and moored fast to trees ; for Tearle was
not inclined to run the risk of navigating in the dark.
Guards were posted at different parts of the deck, and the

238 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

night passed without alarm, though one incident occurred
to which a special significance afterwards attached.

About two o'clock in the morning, while lying half-
asleep and half-awake in his bunk, Maurice imagined
that he heard a creaking of the ladder which led down
to the store-room ; he rose and looked out of the cabin
but seeing one of the sentries pacing by he returned
to bed. In the morning he spoke lightly of the matter
to Tearle, who, on descending to the store-room with
a lantern, found evidence that a box of biscuits had
been tampered with.

" It must have been that sentry," he said. " I sup-
pose he got hungry in the night. I shan't say anything
about it this time, but I don't want it to happen again.
Goodness knows, I give these fellows plenty to eat."

" They are a greedy lot," replied the lad ; and ceased
to think of the affair.

The second day's journey was uneventful, except
that the town of Rangamati was passed. The " Star
of Assam" floated on for mile after mile, under the
burning Indian sun, and amid scenery of the most
gorgeous description. Frequently Maurice, while
walking the deck, glanced up at the bridge to find
Gunga Ra's piercing black eyes fixed upon him with
what he fancied was a fierce and malevolent stare.
Each time the Hindoo turned quickly away. The
lad could not shake off the delusion, though he was
convinced that it was nothing more than that. It
gave him a vague feeling of uneasiness.

Others on board, notably Tearle and Sher Singh,
were, unknown to themselves, regarded with that same
evil scrutiny. Meanwhile the pilot had fallen under
suspicion with the men at the sweeps, who considered
his post to be a mere sinecure", and found fault with

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 239

his Hindustani. They agreed among themselves that
he was not what he claimed to be — that his knowledge
of the river was limited, and that he did not hail from
Assam. No whisper of this reached Tearle and his
companions, else the course of events might have
been decidedly changed.

The third day of the journey dawned. Noon came
and went, and the sun dropped slowly towards the
west. An hour before twilight Gunga Ra hopped
nimbly down from the bridge, and came forward to
where Tearle was sitting with Carruthers and Maurice.

" If it is the Sahib's pleasure," he said, " the barge
can float through the night with safety ; we are
thirty miles below Rangamati, and from here on, for
a long distance, the channel is free from obstructions
and shoals, deep from bank to bank."

Tearle at first shook his head. "No," he replied,
" we will tie up as usual."

" I am the Sahib's willing servant," persisted Gunga
Ra, " but we will surely save much time. I am
accustomed to go without sleep for many hours, and
will keep watch on the bridge until daylight."

Tearle hesitated. Any device that would shorten
the journey was worthy of consideration.

" It sounds fan*," said Carruthers. " We can't
come to any harm if we stick to mid-channel. Of
course I don't advise it as a regular thing. But in
this case, if the part of the river we are on is known
to be unobstructed — "

" It is," broke in Maurice. " Don't you remember,
when we came up from Calcutta, and were travelling
by steamer, what the captain told us one evening.
He said that for sixty miles below Rangamati it was
safe running by day or by night."

240 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" True ; I had forgotten that for the moment,"
exclaimed Tearle. " Well, we'll risk it for once. Go
back to your post, my good fellow," he added to the
pilot. " You shall have an extra rupee to make up
for the loss of sleep."

A little later Gunga Ra was perched on the bridge,
peering alertly ahead. The night fell swiftly, and when
semi-darkness shrouded the river, great lanterns were
lighted and hung at bow and stern, and the second
relay of men went to the sweeps. While the barge
glided down mid-stream between the faintly-visible
shores, supper was eaten, and pipes were smoked,
and the bullocks and wild animals were made snug
for the night.

At one o'clock in the morning all v/ere asleep except
those on whom devolved the safe guidance of the
" Star of Assam." Not a sound was to be heard but
the monotonous splash and creak of the oar-blades as
the men shuffled their naked feet to and fro over the
rear-deck, or an occasional grunt or whine from the
hold. Blind and unquestioning obedience to the
commands of the pilot was imperative, for the glare
of the lanterns prevented the sweepmen from seeing
much farther than the rail.

Gunga Ra, perched aloft, had the barge at his mercy.
He alone knew whither it was drifting. From time to
tune he shouted a curt word of instruction.

An hour slipped by, and shortly after two o'clock
there was a tremendous crash — a grinding, quivering
jar that sent a shudder through the stout framework
of the " Star of Assam," that pitched the occupants of
the cabin out of their bunks and sprawled them in a
tangled heap upon the floor.

CHAPTER XXXII.

A CRASH IN THE NIGHT.

MAURICE was the first to regain his feet, and a3
he darted from the cabin he was followed by
his faithful shadow, Sher Singh. They stood
on deck for a few seconds, too dazed and startled
to understand what had happened. All was hi darkness
round about them, for the forward lanterns had been
immediately extinguished by the crash. It was the
same towards the stern, and out of the murky gloom
came a babel of yells and screams from human throats,
the bawling and pounding of bullocks, and the frightened
roaring and snarling of the wild beasts. The clamour
increased, though apparently no cause existed for fear
and panic. There had been no repetition of the first
stunning crash. The barge was perfectly level, and,
if it was in motion at all, was drifting along serenely.

" Sahib, we must be sinking," exclaimed Sher
Singh, when he could find his voice.

" It is possible, though I don't believe it," Maurice
replied. " But we have had an awful collision with
something or other."

As he spoke Tearle and Carruthers, who had wisely
delayed to light a lantern, joined the other two on the
fore-deck.

" We are not sinking, lad," vowed Tearle. " I am
sure of that. I know the feel of it too well, having
been twice wrecked at sea."

" Then the bow is fast aground, and we are swinging
round broadside," declared Maurice, as he stepped
to the rail and looked over.

241 Q

242 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

He had no sooner spoken than the statement was
confirmed. There was a scraping noise, followed by
succession of quivering jars and jerks. With that the
barge held tight, and the only perceptible motion was
a gentle swayine to and fro.

Tearle ran to the opposite side of the deck and
stared across the water, shading his eyes with his hands.

" Yes, we've swung clear round," he shouted. " The
barge is tight on a shoal, with the bow pointing up
stream. But that's not the worst of it. Look yonder.
What do you make of that ? "

Now, for the first time, all eyes discerned the out-
line of the shore within a distance of fifty yards. Its
murky reflection stained the river almost as far as the
side of the barge.

" We're aground on the shallows," cried Carruthers.
" Is this devilry or accident ? "

" Gunga Ra can tell you that," replied Maurice.
" Either he ran us purposely ashore, or he fell asleep
at his post of duty."

" I'll wring the scoundrel's neck when I get hold of
him," muttered Tearle, with an oath.

He snatched the lantern from Carruthers and started
along the deck, his companions at his heels.

" I warned the Sahibs," declared Sher Singh, excit-
edly. " I knew that the budmash of a pilot was not
to be trusted. He has betrayed us."

" If that's true he dies for it," swore Carruthers.

Though a very brief time had elapsed since the
crash, the tumult was now subsiding. Here and
there a lantern, ignited by some ready witted fellow,
was flaming towards the stern and shedding light on
a motley scene. The natives were running to and
fro, talking hoarsely and confusedly, and an occasional
roar floated up from the hold.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 243

Tearle swung his lantern high, and searched the
bridge. It was empty. He glanced round in vain
for the missing pilot.

" Where is Gunga Ra ? " he demanded angrily.
41 Who has seen him ? "

There was a jabbering of voices in reply, but none
could answer the questions. The men who had been
at the sweeps were promptly examined, but they easity
exonerated themselves from blame. They had merely
obeyed orders, they declared, and the glare of the
lights had prevented them from seeing any distance
beyond the rail. Their evidence, however, brought
out one important and damaging fact. Gunga Ra
had not been sleeping at his post, for up to the very
moment of the disaster he had issued instructions.

" That settles it," Tearle cried in a passion. " There
is some devilry brewing. The barge was grounded
by design. Find the scoundrel, men. He must be
still on board. He can't escape us."

Just then a dusky and bleeding figure emerged
from the depths of the hold and crawled painfully and
slowly over the hatch-combing. It was the shikaree
Jafar, who had been acting as night-watch over the
animals. He stood to his feet with difficulty, and
his breath came in short, quick gasps.

" Hello ! what's wrong here ? " demanded Tearle.
" Are you hurt ? "

" Truly I am, Sahib," was the reply. " That pig
of a Gunga Ra, that son of a burnt grandfather —
when the bump came — he fell down — he fell down
through the awning and into the hold — he fell upon
me with much heaviness. See — I am hurt here — and
here ; " and he patted his ribs and nose.

Tearle grimly repressed an inclination to laugh.

244 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Where is the rascal now ? " he exclaimed. " Did
he climb back upon the deck ? "

" He rolled away in the darkness, over and overr
Sahib," replied Jafar, pointing to the hold. " He
must be still in hiding down there."

" Then we've got him all right, eh ? " cried Carruthers.
" Search for him and bring him up. I want to hear
what he has to say for himself."

" No, no, Sahib — wait," Jafar interposed. " I forgot
to tell you — the cage with the big rhinoceros has
upset. It will be dangerous to venture down below.
The beast may break loose at any moment. Hark !
do you hear him pounding his horn against the planks ?

" I hear him plainly enough, if that's what it is,"
said Tearle. " Gunga Ra will keep for the present.
The rhinoceros must be attended to, and at once.
Come along, all hands are needed for this business."

" We had better look for the pilot at the same
time," suggested Maurice, "or he will give us the
slip. It's an easy swim to shore."

" I'll see that the fellow don't escape," vowed
Carruthers, as he stuffed the chambers of a revolver
with cartridges.

A stout gate barred the entrance to the hold, which
was a sloping gangway, eight or nine feet wide, that
opened on to one of the side decks of the barge. Tearle
swung the gate on its hinges, and then, a sudden
thought occurring to him, he stopped. Selecting four
of the natives, he bade them stand aside.

" Put these fellows on guard at the hatches," he
said to Maurice. " They won't need any weapons.
And you had better stay up here with them yourself.
There's a chance that the scoundrel may slip out of
the hold ; or perhaps he is already out, and lurking

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 245

somewhere on deck. I wouldn't lose him for a good
bit."

" Right you are," Maurice assented. " I'll keep a
sharp look out."

" Lively now, men," exclaimed Tearle ; and holding
the lantern high he led the party through the gate and
down into the hold, where the ill-tempered rhinoceros
was still jabbing and prodding, to the accompaniment
of snarls and whimpers from the other animals. Sher
Singh lingered for an instant, wavering between duty
and inclination, then reluctantly vanished below.

Maurice lost not a minute in disposing his four men
where he thought they were most needed. He left
the fore-deck unguarded, since the hatch at this end
of the hold was tightly battened down. It was the
natural and proper course to take, under the circum-
stances, yet the lad was shortly to wish that he had
posted at least one of the natives in the vicinity.

" And now," he told himself, when he had completed
his arrangements, " I mean to search the whole deck
for Mr. Gunga Ra. I have an idea that he climbed
out of the hold some time before Jaf ar did. I only hope
he hasn't dropped over the rail and swum ashore."

As he sauntered forward, peering right and left into
the gloom, he recalled with a feeling of uneasiness the
malevolent glances which he had so often received
from the pilot.

" I shouldn't care to meet the fellow empty-handed,"
he reflected. " I had better arm myself."

He hastened to the cabin and took his rifle from
the hooks — a light-weight weapon to which he was
much attached. But his cartridge-belt was empty
and he remembered that the cartridges of the required
size were all in the store-room.

246 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" It's no fun lugging one of those weapons around,"
he muttered, glancing at the heavier rifles of Tearle
and Carruthers. " I can put my hand on the box
in the dark and it won't take a minute."

He returned to the deck and paused for a few seconds
in the glare of the big lantern — it had been relit — that
was swinging above him. From the hold came
various discordant sounds mingled with the excited
jabbering of voices.

He stepped to the ladder and began to descend.
When he was half-way down the rungs he fancied he
saw a flash of yellow light below him. He rubbed his
eyes and looked again. The bright streak had dis-
appeared, and all was dark.

" It was a reflection from the deck," he assured
himself.

Maurice reached the bottom. The door opened
inwards, and he pushed it slowly back on its hinges.
He still felt a little anxious about the visionary light,
so he took a match from his pocket, and scraped it
on the wall as he strode from the narrow passage into
the store-room.

For a brief instant, while the vesta flamed between
his fingers, he stood trembling and speechless — petrified
by the discovery that was revealed to him. Many of
the cases and boxes had been moved away from the
middle of the floor, and that space was now occupied
by the fifty-pound cask of gunpowder. From the
hole in the top — it had been unscrewed — dangled a
fuse two feet in length, the end of it charred and
burnt. Several partly-consumed matches lay near,
and a couple of yards off was a dark-lantern with
the shade drawn.

All this the lad saw at a quick, sweeping glance

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 247

and then, almost before he could grasp the terrible
meaning of the preparations, or realize his own
imminent danger, a pair of bony hands fastened on his
throat from behind. There was no opportunity to
cry out — no chance for a struggle on anything like
equal terms. The rifle and the match dropped, and
Maurice was flung heavily down on top of them, thus
plunging the store-room in total darkness.

In the fall his head struck the floor, and the stunning
pain helped to disable him. He fought desperately
to rid himself of his unseen foe, but his struggles were
in vain. The muscular fingers only clutched him the
tighter. He grew rapidly weaker, and throes of
suffocation began to torture him. His brain seemed
to be splitting in two ; he was on the verge of
unconsciousness.

But suddenly, when his strength was quite gone,
and his senses nearly so, the grip on his throat was
relaxed. He lay still, breathing in painful gasps, and
unable to utter a sound. As he revived a little he
found, with impotent rage and fear, that his captor
was binding his ankles together, and tying his wrists
behind his back. He could feel the ruffian's hot breath
on his neck.

When it came to the gagging process the lad again
offered, or attempted to offer, resistance ; but a wad
of cloth was quickly and easily forced into his mouth.
Then the man's kneeling weight was lifted from his
body, and he lay there prone, as helpless as a log of
wood. He heard the door of the store room close
softly — heard muffled foot-steps crossing the floor,
and then a creaking, sliding noise. With that a strong
beam of light from the partly-opened shutter of the
dark lantern shone full upon him.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE MAN WITH THE YELLOW FACE.

AT first, his eyes being dazzled by the strong and
sudden glare, Maurice could see almost nothing.
But when the man had opened the lantern wide
and held it up a little so that it shone on both, the
lad made a discovery that for the moment caused him
to forget all else save curiosity and amazement. He
had fully believed that his assailant was Gunga Ra
and with good reason. He was wrong, however.
Instead of the Hindoo pilot, he saw a lean, wiry figure,
clad in worn and dirty khaki, and surmounted by a
yellow, parchment-like face that had recently been
clean-shaven, but testified, by a starting crop of black
bristles, to the absence of a razor for at least a week.

Scowling and venomous, full of triumphant hatred,
was the ruffian's countenance, which was as yet
unfamiliar to Maurice. He shuddered with terror
and, maddened by the thought of his helplessness he
strained at his fetters.

" It must be Gunga Ra," he told himself. " He was
disguised before."

The man stepped nearer, and looked down upon
the lad as a tigress might glare at the slayer of her cubs.

" Ah ! I could have wished for no better fortune,"
he muttered. " You are as good as dead, so I
need not fear to unmask. How cleverly I deceived
you all, with the help of my good friend Gunga Ra !
What ! You do not know me ! But how could you,
with this stubbly growth of beard — in these rags?
Listen ! I am Antonio Silva."

Maurice started, and turned pale. He recognized

248

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 249

the voice — knew the cast of the features. The re-
velation brought a hopeless, frightened look to his eyes.

" Time is precious, but I can spare a minute for
you," the Portuguese went on. " The game is in my
hands, and at one stroke I shall have a complete and
glorious revenge — not only on you, but on those others
as well who have wronged me. You baffled me in
the jungles of Seranghur ; escape now if you can.
Ha ! ha ! how easily the dogs of Englishmen were
deceived ! I have been hidden in yonder corner, among
the cases and boxes, since you started down the river.
Gunga Ra smuggled me aboard at Goalpara. He hates
you and the others even as I do, lad, because you
killed his brother during the fight at the camp. It
was Gunga Ra, my cunning servant, who bribed the
Naga hillmen to carry you off ; who decoyed into the
jungle, and there slew, the native pilot who was to
have taken his place. The rest was easy. As for
Gunga Ra's papers, I forged them before I came to
Assam. From the first, whether the Naga plot failed
or succeeded, I swore that the Englishmen's barge
should never reach the Bay of Bengal."

Maurice forced a groan from his parched and swollen
lips, as he writhed impotently. Silva bent over the
lad, lifted him by the shoulders, and propped him in
an upright position against a box.

" Gunga Ra should be here with me," he resumed.
" I trust that he has escaped to the shore, where I
shall speedily join him. He made a little mistake to-
night, and ran the boat aground before I was ready.
But it is an easy matter to drop into the river. I am
a good swimmer, and a better diver. And your friends
— they will not miss you until it is too late. Hark !
they are still busy in the hold."

250 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

He listened for a few seconds to the dull, muffled noise
that came through the wooden walls, and then scraped a
match, which he held for a moment between his fingers.

" Your fate is certain," he said smilingly. " You
can expect no help from your companions. Do you
see that fuse ? You shall sit here and watch it burning
its way to the top of the cask. Directly the spark
touches the powder the barge and all on board will
be blown to fragments. Dead men tell no tales, and
none will ever know that Antonio Silva and Gunga Ra
thus wiped out a debt of vengeance. I will leave the
lantern," he added, " so that you may measure your
remaining span of life. I wish you pleasant thoughts
during the next two minutes. After that — oblivion.
Farewell, my young friend Maurice."

With a truly satanic grin Silva put the match to
the fuse, which began to spit fire. He quietly left
the store-room, closing the door behind him. The
rungs of the ladder creaked, and all was still. Maurice,
helplessly bound and gagged, was abandoned to such
mental torments as only a fiend could have devised.

Let us, for a brief interval — it must be very brief
indeed while that deadly fuse is burning below — follow
the Portuguese. Coolly and cautiously he climbed to
the fore-deck, and a swift glance showed him that the
coast was clear, that there was no danger of any person
either preventing his escape or frustrating his devilish
designs. He crept to the rail and swung over. By
the aid of a dangling rope he let himself farther down,
then dropped into the water with scarcely a splash
and swam noiselessly towards the near by shore.

At that very moment, as it happened, a diversion
occurred in the hold. While Tearle and a number of
others were working hard to right the overturned cage

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 251

that held the rhinoceros, Carruthers and several
natives were searching zealously for the missing pilot,
whom they believed to be hidden close by. They had
entered the space that was walled off for the bullocks, and
Carruthers was flashing a lantern here and there, when
what appeared to be a bundle of straw, suddenly endowed
with Ufe, rose from the gloom of the farthest corner.

Down went the straw, revealing the half-naked
figure of Gunga Ra. As quickly he sprang to the top
of the partition — even before Carruthers could fire —
and a second leap landed him on the sloping gangway.
He darted forward, struck down a native who tried
to stop him, and the next instant had gained the side
of the barge and vaulted into the river.

" Shoot him ! shoot him ! " yelled frantic voices.

There was a lusty hue and cry as Tearle and Car-
ruthers, followed by every man that was below, rushed
to the deck. They crowded along the rail, gazing
anxiously shore wards, but as the fugitive pilot had
immediately dived, he was of course invisible. For
the same reason, and also because he was much nearer
to the bank, nothing was seen of Silva.

" Look, Sahibs ! " shouted Sher Singh, when a few
seconds had elapsed.

A head rose to the surface, to vanish as quickly.
Rifles and pistols cracked, and a shower of lead rained
about the spot where Gunga Ra had so briefly appeared.
Beyond were shadows too deep for the watchful eyes
to penetrate ; a black, sluggish current that rippled
inland to the overhanging trees and vegetation.

" We couldn't have hit him," exclaimed Carruthers.
" He was too quick. He can swim and dive like a duck."

" I'll give fifty rupees for the scoundrel, dead or
alive," cried Tearle. He scanned the murky waters,

252 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

then lowered his rifle in despair. " It's no use," he
muttered.

" Sahib, let me go after him," spoke up Jafar, the
shikaree. " I'll take a boat — paddle hard !

" You can try it," Tearle assented, indifferently,
" but you will come back empty-handed. The fellow
is too cunning to be caught."

However, the boat was lowered — a couple of light
craft were swung over the rear-deck — and it swiftly
receded in the gloom, propelled by Jafar and four other
natives. Tearle and Carruthers stood looking towards
the shore, and listening to the faint dip and splash of
the paddles, though they well knew that the quest
would be a fruitless one. It had occurred to neither
of them, as yet, that they had seen nothing of Maurice
since they left the hold.

To return to the store-room. What Maurice felt
when the door softly closed, and Silva's footsteps
died away up the ladder, no tongue or pen can describe.
His head seemed to be on fire with seething agony.
He strained every nerve and muscle to break his
bonds, to eject the gag from his mouth ; but his efforts
were vain, and weakness speedily compelled him to
desist. He sat still, propped against the box, in a
fever of suffering, with his eyes fixed on the cask of
powder and the speck of hissing, spitting fire that was
creeping closer and closer.

With incredible rapidity one mental picture after
another glided through his mind. He saw in imagi-
nation the natives standing about the deck, his friends
working away in the hold, all indifferently ignorant of
his whereabouts. Then — frightful scene ! — he saw
the barge burst to fragments with an awful explosion,
And strew the river with charred wood and mangled

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 253

bodies. He saw Silva's evil face, lit with intense
joy, peering from the shelter of the jungle.

Again the lad struggled desperately, with purpling
cheeks, to free his arms and tongue. If he could only
cry out ! The fuse was now half -consumed, and was
burning up the side of the cask.

Suddenly his attention was distracted by hoarse
shouts overhead. He heard a rush of footsteps across
the deck, then angry voices and the sharp crack of
rifles. He knew what this meant.

" Silva has been discovered while leaping overboard,"
he thought. ".Oh, I hope they will shoot him — I
hope they will ! "

The tumult and firing continued, but no one came
near the store-room. The brief hope that had cheered
Maurice died away. He looked at the spitting fuse,
and the sight maddened him. Persistently he strained
his aching muscles, but it was useless to try to break
the cords that bound him. At last, attacking the
gag with teeth and tongue, it flew out of his mouth.

For an instant he was faint with joy. When he
tried to shout, however, he was dismayed to find that
he could utter only a wheezing sound. The noise
still continued, and he realized the hopelessness of
making himself heard.

Death was very near — the explosion must soon take
place. Already the end of the fuse was six inches
off the floor. The fire was steadily, relentlessly,
devouring its way up the side of the cask to the open
tap-hole. A few seconds passed, fraught with unspeak-
able agony to the doomed lad. A quivering moan
escaped his lips, and he shuddered in every limb.

" To die like this — it is too horrible ! " he whispered.
" God help me ! "

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE RAMPAGIOUS RHINOCEROS.

GOD help me ! "
As Maurice repeated the fervent prayer there
flashed into his mind, as if in answer, a slim
ray of hope — a desperate opportunity of saving his
life. As quickly he regained his self-control, was
calm and clear-headed. He was utterly weak, but
strength came to him with the need of it.

Throwing himself over on his side, he began to
roll across the floor, and by tacking several times he
gained the position that he wanted. His head rested
against the powder-cask, and the burning end of the
fuse was just above him. The sparks dropped upon
his face, hi a little shower.

Would it be success or failure ? He answered the
question by a straining, muscular effort that raised
his head from the floor. He opened his mouth, and
literally snapped at the spot of fire. He caught it,
and closed his lips tightly, regardless of the burning
pain. Then his head sank back, and he lost con-
sciousness.

The lad knew nothing more until he opened his
eyes to find himself in his own berth in the cabin,
with friendly faces about him. Sher Singh was rubbing
his burnt lips and tongue with some healing ointment.

" Lie still, my brave fellow," said Tearle. " You
are not able to rise yet."

" Yes, I am," vowed Maurice, sitting up as he spoke.
" Did I put it out ? " he asked eagerly. " Oh, how it

254

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 255

stung ! Are you all safe ? Where is the Portuguese ? It
was Antonio Silva who did it. Have you shot him ? "

" The boy's mind is wandering," said Carruthers
in an undertone. " Yes, you put the fuse out," he
added. " The charred end was still clenched between
your teeth when we found you in the store-room ten
minutes ago. Your lips and tongue are scorched, but
the pain won't last very long."

" We all owe our lives to you, my young hero,"
said Tearle. " Your wits and courage saved the
barge from destruction. But Gunga Ra has escaped
us, worse luck. He leapt out of the hold and over
the rail, almost before we could give the alarm. We
fired at the scoundrel, but it was no use, for he dived
like an otter. Jafar and four others have gone after
him in a small boat "

" What I can't understand, lad," broke in Carruthers.
" is why Gunga Ra should have crept back to hide in
the hold, after he had trussed you up in the storeroom
like a helpless fowl and fired the mine that was to
have blown us to bits."

" Gunga Ra ? " exclaimed Maurice. " Why, he
wasn't near the store-room — I know nothing of him.
It was Antonio Silva who knocked me down and
bound me, and put the fuse to the powder. Do you
mean to say you've let him escape ? "

" The Portuguese here ? " Tearle and Carruthers
cried incredulously, hi one breath.

" Yes, here in disguise. He has been on board all
the time, since we left Goalpara."

When the excitement caused by his revelation had
subsided a little, the lad went on to tell the whole
story, briefly and rapidly. The consternation and
amazement of his hearers were beyond words. Tearle

256 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

grew purple with rage, was speechless for a
moment.

" I would give every penny I own to get my hand
on the yellow wretch," he blurted out, with a string
of oaths. " I would tear him limb from limb.
Only to think that Silva was actually among us ! "

" He must be a tremendous hater," said Carruthers,
" to judge from the trouble he took, following the
lad up here into Assam, and hiring the Nagas to carry
him off. And then, when that plan failed, to take
us in with a false pilot and smuggle himself aboard
the barge ! He is a fiend in human guise."

Sher Singh said nothing, but the flash of his dark
eyes showed that he shared his companions' wrath and
indignation.

At this point the splash of paddles was heard, and
a half-minute later, as the four left the cabin, the
boat swung alongside the barge. Its occupants climbed
silently to the deck and hauled the light craft after
them.

" I thought so," growled Tearle. " No luck, eh ?"

" None, Tearle Sahib," replied Jafar. " The rogue
is safe within the thick jungle, where there is scarcely
a trail even for beasts."

" We are well rid of both of them, if you ask me,"
declared Carruthers. " I don't believe they will
trouble us again in a hurry ; they will probably cut
up to Rangamati, and leave this part of the country
by rail."

" Very likely," assented Tearle. " But I sincerely
hope Silva will cross our path again before we depart
from India. And now to get the barge off the shoals.
There is but one way, I fear — to fly a signal of distress
and wait till some steamer comes along.'

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 257

"Which won't be until daylight, at least, ' said
Carruthers. " It is no more than two o'clock now.
Shall we turn in for a few hours of sleep ? "

" The Sahibs surely forget the rhinoceros," inter-
posed Sher Singh. "We left the hold in great
haste."

"So we did ! " cried Tearle. " We got the cage
right side up, but it is too much strained for
safety."

" It was ready to fall apart," added Carruthers.
" It must be strengthened at once — better lose no
time about it. I can hear the beast prodding at
the planks. He has been in an awful temper for
the past two days."

" Come along, then," said Tearle, as he picked up
the lantern. " Jafar, go to the rear-deck and fetch
some of that teakwood planking."

The Hindoo set off on his errand, but had taken
only a dozen strides when there was a ripping, crashing
noise from the depths of the barge, mingled with angry
snorting and grunting.

"Too late!" cried Tearle. "There! he's done
it. Old Terrible is loose. Nets and ropes,
quick ! "

Old Terrible, it may be explained, was the name
that had been given to the rhinoceros at the time of
his capture, on account of his fierce and surly disposition,
and his present performance showed that he meant
to deserve his title.

A few seconds after the first alarm there was a
repetition of the crashing, rending sounds, followed by
a pandemonium of grunts and squeals, roaring and
yowling. The commotion rose to a high and deafening
pitch, and all the beasts and bullocks joined in lustily

B

258 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

till you would have thought they were engaging in a
pitched battle.

There was hurried running to and fro on the deck,
as Tearle rapidly shouted his orders. Maurice was
as active as the rest, his burns forgotten in the excite-
ment.

" Lively, men," urged Carruthers. " Old Terrible
seems to be smashing the other cages out of sheer
spite. But he is not to be harmed, remember, unless
it becomes absolutely necessary. You can try your
magic power on the brute, lad," he added with a grin.

"I'll think about that," Maurice told him. "It
is doubtful if I could do anything with a rhinoceros."

" I was only jesting," said Carruthers, " Keep
out of danger."

Brown bodies tumbled over one another in the
scramble for guns, nets, and ropes, most of which
supplies had been stacked within convenient reach.
There were no cowards aboard the barge, and every
man was at Tearle's heels as he led the way forward.
They might well have quailed, however, at the awful
babel of sound rising from below.

Tearle and two shikarees were carrying a large,
thick-meshed net, and as they drew near to the entrance
of the hold two spotted tigercats, with eyes aflame
leapt out of the black space,

"Grab them," cried Tearle.

The shikarees flung the net, but it fell short of the
little animals, who turned tail, shrieking hideously,
and fled towards the rear-deck.

" Let them go," exclaimed Carruthers. " No time
to waste now."

The delay, brief though it was, proved most unfortu-
nate. The next instant, before the attacking party

Away they went with shrill clamour . . . hotly pursued
by the ill-tempered beast."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 259

could recover from their temporary confusion, the
situation had changed and the initiative was taken
out of their hands.

Old Terrible, scenting mischief, came snorting and
pounding up the gangway leading from the hold. He
struck the closed gate at the top like a ton of stones
from a catapult, shivered it to fragments, and plunged
on with the impetus. He narrowly missed striking
the rail and going into the river, but wheeled about
in time, and charged full- tilt at the men.

None stopped to toy with rope or net. Away they
went with shrill clamour, in the direction of the fore-
deck, hotly pursued by the ill-tempered beast. Maurice
dashed into the cabin, followed by Carruthers and
Sher Singh. Tearle and the shikarees tumbled down
the ladder to the store-room, while the rest of the
party circled round the hatch and fled towards the
rear-deck.

Old Terrible naturally pursued the bent of his
lowered horn, which brought him in violent contact
with the side wall of the cabin. Crash ! his head and
shoulders went through the frail planking as if it had
been an egg-shell. He stuck fast for an instant, and
then, pressing on, he squeezed his great bulk entirely
into the cabin just as Maurice and his terrified com-
panions bolted by the door.

" Run, Sahibs," cried Sher Singh. " Faster ! He
is after us — he gallops with the speed of a horse."

" Ho — hold on," panted Carruthers, who was out
of breath, " help me — or — or — I'm done for."

Maurice and the Hindoo took hold of him, and
thus they sped along the side of the deck, thoroughly
convinced, by the sounds in their rear, that Old Terrible
was in close pursuit. They were relieved to find

260 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

otherwise when they gained the rear-deck, where
eight or ten of the natives were assembled.

" I believe the brute is trapped in the cabin," sug-
gested Maurice. " Shall we go back and see ? "

" He is kicking up a tremendous row," said
Carruthers, doubtfully. " But where is Tearle ?
Didn't he double round in this direction ? "

" No, Sahib," replied Sher Singh, " he and the
shikarees — "

An angry screech drowned the Hindoo's voice, and
out from the shadow of the hatch combing slid the
pair of tiger-cats. The little animals — they were by
no means tiny — were disposed to show fight. They
crept slowly towards the group of men, snarling and
spitting.

" Wait ; they won't harm us," exclaimed Maurice.
He tried to cow them by a steady glance, but it had
no visible effect, probably because of the poor light,
" The net, quick ! " he cried.

Sher Singh had one under his arm, and the lad helped
him to unroll it. They advanced several steps and
made a rapid cast. One of the animals escaped by
darting out of the way and leaping to the rail, whence
it sprang to the nearest sweep and began to crawl
towards the water. The other, neatly caught by the
descending net, squalled and scratched with fury, and
was speedily entangled in the stout meshes.

Among the sweep-men was a stalwart fellow, with
muscles of iron. He ran forward and fastened both
hands in the scruff of the tiger-cat's neck. Lifting
the animal, net and all, he carried it to the hold and
dropped it down — a feat that was witnessed with
admiration.

CHAPTER XXXV.

A STATE OF SIEGE.

MEANWHILE, to return to the front end of the
barge, the rest of the party were enjoying
equally lively experiences, and attended with
considerably more danger. Tearle and the two
shikarees, having ventured to climb to the top of
the store-room ladder, saw Old Terrible shaking
his horned head at them from the cabin doorway.

"We've got him all right," cried Tearle. "The
rascal has trapped himself. Wait till I noose the
rope and drop it over his neck. Then you and I will
hold him, Jafar, while Pershad slips in by the rear
and throws the net over him."

It was a very simple plan, provided the sanction of
the fourth party was obtained. At first the rhinoceros
offered no objections. Seemingly pleased with his
new quarters, he looked about with his wicked little
eyes and grunted softly. But as the rope dangled
before him, ready for the cast, Old Terrible snorted
with rage and shot forward. Crack ! rattle ! went
the door frame, and in less time than it takes to tell
the brute was outside the cabin.

" Run ! " cried Tearle, as he hastily flung the noose
and missed his aim.

He barely saved his life by an agile spring to one
side, and dashing to the covered hatch, which was
close by and was fortunately of some height, he leapt
upon it. Jafar did the same, but bolted round the
cabin, hotly pursued by the vengeful quadruped,

261

262 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and it was not until the second lap that he succeeded
in joining his companions.

Thus baffled, Old Terrible was now in a worse temper
than ever. He jabbed the side of the hold several
times so that Tearle was able to cast the noose over
his head, then backed away with a jerk that robbed
the three men of the rope before they could get a
tight grip of it. He took a turn or two, and was about
to charge the empty cabin when he suddenly pricked
up his ears and went thundering aft down the barge.

The advent of the pugnacious rhinoceros at the rear
deck was a few seconds after the tiger-cat had been
dropped into the hold. He loomed monstrously
in the light of the stern lanterns, and the sweep-men,
as they were charged, scattered right and left. Five
of them, in fear and desperation, crawled out on the
great oar-blades, three on one and two on the other.
Of course the sweeps dipped low, and at the first touch
of the water the fugitive tiger-cat, which had sought
refuge here, gained the rail by a flying leap over the
heads of the men. The little animal slipped by the
rhinoceros and raced into the gloom.

This diversion afforded Maurice and his companions
a welcome opportunity, and darting round the corner
6f the hold, they fled to the fore-deck, with Old Terrible
grunting after them. Carruthers climbed to the low
roof of the cabin, followed by Sher Singh and the lad,
and of the others some mounted to the hatch and some
swung themselves to the shelter of the bridge.

Old Terrible arrived on the scene a little too late.
Seeing that his enemies were at present beyond reach
he ambled leisurely to the rail and peered down at the
rippling water. He was perhaps thirsty after his
exertions.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS, 263

" Well, this is pleasant, I must say," grumbled
Tearle. " It's a nice mess. We're in a regular state
of siege. I don't know what's to be done."

" Hadn't we better shoot the creature before he
does any more damage ? " Carruthers called across
from the roof. " Now is a good chance."

" Shoot him ? — not a bit of it," declared Tearle,
emphatically. " That rhinoceros is too valuable to
lose. Wait till his temper cools off, and then we'll
try to get a net over him."

"If we had another rope about his neck," suggested
Maurice, ' ' we might all make a rush and pull on him
together from both sides. I have a rope with me,"
he added.

" Wait," replied Tearle. " Have patience."

Of that admirable quality Old Terrible had a full
share, combined with devilish cunning. Several
minutes passed before he turned from the rail. He
plainty understood that he was master of the barge,
and his beady eyes twinkled with malicious enjoyment.
Hearing a sound from the stern, he wheeled about
and trotted in that direction ; and the watchers on
hatch and cabin and bridge could follow his progress
by the glow of the lanterns that were strung about
the barge. They saw the sweep-men, who had mean-
while climbed back to the deck, hurriedly retreat to
the oar-blades again as the brute lunged at them
again.

Old Terrible, still monarch of all he surveyed, now
shuffled leisurely forward. He paused near the cabin
and Maurice hastily cast a rope. The brute escaped
it by swinging his head, and then moved towards the
hatch, when the shikarees enflamed his wrath anew
by flinging a net partly over him. He shook it off

264 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and trampled it under his hoofs, soon rending it
to shreds.

"He is more than a match for the whole of us,"
Tearle vowed angrily.

At this luckless moment the tiger-cat appeared,
slinking round the corner of the hold. The little animal
was uneasy and frightened, bewildered by liberty
under such strange conditions. It whined in a low,
quavering tone, and fixed its fiery gaze on the little
group who occupied the hatch covering.

There was a sudden rush, a chorus of grunts and
squeals, and the tiger-cat lay lifeless on the deck.
Not yet satisfied, Old Terrible trampled the body and
mangled it with his curved horn, and the sight and smell
of blood seemed to rouse him to a pitch of insane fury.

He glared about him, charged full tilt at the hatch
and recoiled from the stout timbers.

He snorted, wheeled round and charged the cabin.
There was a splintering crash that caused the structure
to reel, and down tumbled Maurice fairly upon the
hind-quarters of the rhinoceros.

It was a thrilling and perilous moment, and almost
before the lad had rolled off the animal's back to the
deck, his companions, from cabin-roof and hatch,
were shouting confused instructions to him. Several
rifles were pointed at the brute, but, at a command from
Tearle, none were discharged.

" Speed will save him," he cried. " Don't fire —
yet. This way, lad."

Springing to his feet with a nimbleness that showed
him to be uninjured, Maurice turned and ran. Old
Terrible wheeled as quickly, in a fine rage, and the brief
race that ensued was nip and tuck. The snorting
and trampling behind him magnified the danger to

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 265

the lad's ears, and leaping upon the hatch in such hot
haste that he could not check himself, he tripped over
Jafar's crouching figure, missed Tearle's outstretched
hand, and plunged head first into the yawning depths
of an opening in the hold.

A burst of startled cries greeted the disaster, and
the rhinoceros, somewhat cowed by the noise and not
knowing what to make of it, pulled up short in his
charge. Maurice had happily alighted upon a bale
of hay.

" I'm all right," he promptly called to his com-
panions. " Not hurt a bit."

" Be careful, lad," warned Tearle. " Stop where
you are. It is unsafe to venture out now. Wait
until the brute goes to the rear again."

" We had better end the siege with a volley of rifle-
balls," exclaimed Carruthers. " Things are getting
too serious. Stop ! no, you don't," he added, as
he seized Sher Singh's arm.

The Hindoo desired to creep round to the gangway
and join the lad in the hold, and it was with difficulty
that Carruthers persuaded him to abandon his rash
intention. It would have been simple suicide, indeed,
for Old Terrible was now prancing between hatch and
cabin, alternately prodding at both.

" Are any more of the animals loose down there ? "
asked Tearle.

" I don't think so," Maurice replied uneasily.

Without loss of time he made sure that he was right.
It was a weird and uncanny place, the hold, and he
felt rather nervous as he looked about in the semi-
darkness. The wild beasts in the surrounding cages
were uttering all sorts of blood-curdling cries, and of
the bullocks, which were divided off by themselves,

266 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

some had broken loose and all were bellowing loudly.
A step forward brought Maurice in contact with some-
thing soft, and a ferocious yell made him spring clear
off his feet, badly frightened. Then he laughed as
the little tiger-cat, still tangled in the net, rolled away
from him, snarling and spitting.

" I say, lad," shouted Tearle. " I'm coming down
there. I want to see if we can't block the entrance to
the hold. If Old Terrible gets in again he'll play
ducks and drakes with our cargo."

" That's true ; he might," assented Maurice.
" There are some planks here, and an empty cage we
can make use of."

Having told several of the others to be ready to
follow him if they should be needed, Tearle lowered
himself over the opening, and dropped lightly beside
the lad. Had they started the proposed task at once
they would have been spared some very troublesome
and exciting times, but their attention was drawn
instead to the tiger cat, and by the aid of a strip
of canvas they grabbed the animal at both ends
and dumped it into its cage, which they strengthened
by nailing a couple of strips of wood over it.

Meanwhile Old Terrible had been prowling about
the fore-deck in a sullen humour, which found vent
in occasional assaults on the hatch and the cabin.
Presently, hearing sounds from below, he concluded to
investigate, and off he trotted to the entrance of the
hold. What Tearle had feared might happen was
really imminent.

" Look out ! " shouted Carruthers.

Knowing that his friends were in a position of deadly
peril, he risked a hasty shot. He meant and hoped
to kill, but the bullet merely grazed Old Terrible's

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 267

fore-shoulder, and added fuel to his wrath. The
report of the rifle and the clamour of their comrades
gave Tearle and the lad all too brief a warning of what
was wrong, and the next instant the rhinoceros came
clattering down the gangway into the hold, with
murder gleaming in his eyes.

" Dodge him ! " cried Maurice. " Watch sharp."

" Here you are, quick ! " Tearle yelled.

He climbed upon the empty cage — it was close by —
and helped the lad to mount beside him. Almost
immediately the charging brute struck the refuge with
his horny snout, and the fugitives, reeling from the
shock, lost no time in springing to the top of the ad-
joining cage, which held a very large black panther.
From this vantage, the edge of the hold being fortun-
ately within reach overhead, they managed with a
little dexterity to gain the deck.

" What is the brute doing ? " exclaimed Carruthers,
as he descended from the cabin-roof to join his friends.

" He'll be up to some devilry," replied Tearle.
" Look — he's at it now."

A startling scene was witnessed by the row of
faces that lined the hatch combing. The rhinoceros,
his passion diverted to another channel by the escape
of his intended victims, charged with terrific force
at the cage containing the black panther. There
was a thumping clatter as the big box fell from the
wheeled truck, and for an instant the noise of splitting
timbers and ferocious cries was deafening, a snort of
triumph rising above it all.

CHAPTER XXXVL

A BATTLE ROYAL.

panther is out ! " yeUed Tearle.
" He will be up here directly," shouted
Maurice. " Be careful."

As the warning was uttered the magnificent black
beast, delivered from the ruins of its cage, leapt from
the hold and landed on deck near the gangway, just
as the five sweep-men, who had profited by Old
Terrible's absence to seek better quarters, ran forward
and joined their companions. There was a lively
scramble for safety. Carruthers and Sher Singh had
returned to the cabin roof, and they made room here
for Tearle and Maurice. The sweep-men climbed
hastily upon the already overcrowded hatch.

The situation had thus changed in less time than it
takes to tell, and the next act of the impromptu
drama was destined to be a thrilling one. The black
panther, having stealthily advanced, was now squatting
on deck mid-way between hatch and cabin. It was
in a frightful rage, which meant something considerable
for an animal of such thick, muscular dimensions.
The restless tail thumped the hard boards, and the
flaming malevolent eyes, turned from side to side
as though searching where best to attack.
* " The fun is going to begin," said Tearle. "We are
all right up here, but I don't envy those fellows on the
hatch if the beast takes a notion to leap among them.'

" Which he is pretty certain to do," declared
Carruthers.

Some of the natives were of the same mind, and

268

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 2G9

realising their peril they begged earnestly for help
and for permission to use their firearms. They were
caught in a trap, as it were, and none of them dared
venture off the hatch in order to get to the bridge,
where several of their comrades were perched in
safety. Nor was the cabin roof as sound a refuge
as those on the top of it could have wished.

" I value that beast more than I do the rhinoceros,"
vowed Tearle, " but, upon my word, I'm afraid I
shall have to shoot him. Otherwise there will be
bloodshed."

He reluctantly lifted his rifle, then lowered it slowly.
The panther, apparently awed by the clamour of
the natives, showed no immediate desire to attack,
it crawled in a half-circle, snarling deep in its throat
and glaring furtively on all sides. Without doubt
it would gladly have escaped from the barge had an
opportunity offered.

" It would be a pity to shoot the creature, after
all the trouble we had in trapping him," said Maurice.
" Of course it will have to be done, rather than let
him kill anybody. But there is a net up here.
Suppose we try that first, while we have the chance."

" Do you think we can make a successful cast ? '
asked Tearle, as he measured the distance with his eye.

" I believe it," exclaimed Carruthers. " I'll help
you, Dermot."

He stood to his feet, Tearle doing the same, and
taking the net between them they hurriedly gathered
the ends in their hands.

" Wait," interposed Maurice. " I'll throw a couple of
cartridges at the brute, and that may draw him nearer."

" Right you are," said Tearle. " Be quick."

But just then, before the lad could carry out his inten-

270 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

tion, a short spear was hurled from the hatch by one of
the natives, whom terror had driven to this imprudent
act. The weapon roughly grazed the animal's back,
sped on, and whizzed over the rail into th^ river.

" What fool did that ? " growled Carruthcrs.

Instantly, with a rasping scream of rage, the pan-
ther wheeled round. It crouched flat, with open
jaws and lashing tail, quivering for a spring that would
land it in the midst of the huddled group of natives.

" Here goes — it can't be helped," exclaimed Tearle,
throwing his rifle to his shoulder.

" Stop ! stop ! don't fire yet," cried Maurice, as he
struck the barrel up. " I'll try what I can do first, and if
I fail then you can blaze away and cover my retreat."

" Sahib, be not so mad," appealed Sher Singh.
" You will be slain."

"No folly of that sort now — it is too dark," com-
manded Tearle ; and as he spoke he and Carruthers
clutched at the lad.

But Maurice, eluding them both, as quickly swung
over the edge of the roof and dropped. He ran boldly
forward, empty-handed, uttering a shout that was
probably the salvation of one or more of the Hindoos ;
for the panther, startled by the noise and by the daring
of the intruder, hesitated in the very act of leaping
upon the hatch. It faced about with a blood-curdling
screech, and crawled a little nearer, as if to launch
itself at the defiant, boyish figure.

Ere his rifle went to his shoulder, to be ready if
needed, he made a frantic gesture of silence that was
seen and understood by all. Not a man spoke ;
breathlessly they watched the thrilling, fascinating
scene. A few seconds passed while lad and beast
confronted each other, separated by less than ten feet.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 271

Fortunately for Maurice a lantern swung close over-
head, and threw a broad yellow glare of yellow light
full on his face. His eyes, fixed steadily, intensely
on the panther, reflected the sparkle of the flame. The
savage animal remained flat on the deck, mewling
like an angry cat, its limbs and tail twitching. It
was manifestly ill at ease, yet it gave no sign of
retreating.

Thus, for an interval that was magnified by suspense,
the two held their ground, eye to eye. But what the
outcome would have been, whether the panther would
ultimately have slunk away or have gathered courage
to attack the lad, was fated never to be known. For
of a sudden — a very brief interval had elapsed since the
exit of the one beast and the appearance of the other —
a clattering sound which all understood was heard
from the direction of the hold, where meanwhile, the
rhinoceros had been tramping about restlessly in the
gloom, though for some reason he had done no damage.

" Run, lad ! " Tearle and Carruthers shouted to-
gether.

The panther twisting its head just then in the
direction of the commotion, Maurice turned and
darted back, and swung himself quickly to the cabin
roof to receive the fervent congratulations of his
friends.

" Don't try that again," cried Tearle. " It's too
risky. I was ready with the rifle, but it is doubtful
if I could have saved you."

~ " Better kill the brute, and have done with it,"
urged Carruthers.

Tearle made no reply, and at that instant Old
Terrible swung round the hold and came snorting
and pounding on the scene, ready for any diversion

272 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

that offered, and particularly keen to try conclusions
with the crouching black creature that was watching
him with eyes of fire.

" There is going to be a fight," exclaimed Maurice.

" And one worth seeing," vowed Tearle.

The battle opened without the slightest delay, and
the spectators clinging to the hatch, forgetful of their
exposed position, looked on as raptly as did those on
the cabin roof. The rhinoceros grunted viciously
and charged, and was not a little surprised when he
struck only the rail of the barge ; for the panther,
with a rasping screech, had sprung timely to one side.

In quick succession the larger animal made three
more charges, all equally futile, until its rage waxed
to boiling point. The panther, just as angry and as
hot for the fray, had no intention of yielding. In
cunning and agility it was at least a match for its
foe. Round and round it crept, dodging rush after
rush, and at last it found the opportunity it sought.
The black form flashed through the air, and landed
on Old Terrible's hind-quarters, its sharp claws and
teeth drawing blood from the leathery hide.

The big quadruped plunged and pranced, snorting
with wrath and pain, and finally succeeding in dis-
lodging its assailant, who slipped to the deck and
rolled out of reach. The panther was uninjured, still
undaunted, and for several minutes the drawn game
continued — the one charging and the other as persist-
ently evading. The men watched eagerly and silently
indifferent to all but the excitement of the combat. -

The end was near at hand, however. Old Terrible
by a shrewder and fleeter rush than usual, drove his foe
against the wall of the cabin, and the panther, thus
cornered, narrowly escaped impalement by leaping

THE JUNGLE TRAPPEftS. 273

upon the head and shoulders of the rhinoceros. There
was a moment of frightful squealing and grunting
and struggling, while drops of blood trickled down
on the planks ; and then, by a vigorous, tossing
effort, Old Terrible freed himself of his burden. The
panther struck the deck with a thump, rolled over
twice, and pitched head first into the opening that led
to the store-room. A couple of wailing cries were
followed by silence. Either the creature had been
hurt by falling to the bottom of the ladder, or it had
no inclination to renew the fight.

" That was the finest thing I've ever seen," de-
clared Tearle.

" It was magnificent," said Maurice. " They're
a plucky pair."

" But we are no better off than we were before,"
growled Carruthers. " I don't know what's going
to become of us."

Old Terrible stared about him with blinking eyes,
evidently puzzled by the unexpected disappearance
of his enemy, until it seemed to dawn upon him that
he was the victor. Anxious for another conquest,
and realizing that his human foes were not to be got at,
he shook his clumsy body, spattering the deck with
blood, and moved deliberately towards the entrance
of the hold.

" That will never do," cried Carruthers. " lie
means to smash the cages."

" I believe it," exclaimed Tearle. " I'll have to
shoot the rascal— for sure this time."

But again, as a daring thought occurred to him,
Maurice swiftly interfered to prevent the deed and
the consequent monetary loss.

" Don't fire," he begged. " Perhaps I can save the

S

274 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

rhinoceros for you, and end the siege as well. There
is shallow water all around us, you know. You needn't
be afraid — I'll show you."

Before any one could check him he had lowered
himself from the roof to the deck. He tore loose the
cabin -door, which was hanging by one hinge to tire
shattered frame, and placed it over the ladder way
leading to the store-room, thus securely imprisoning
the panther below. Then, heedless of the entreaties
of his companions that he should return, he darted
after the rhinoceros, who had nearly reached the en-
trance to the hold.

He stopped within a dozen feet, shouted loudly,
and waved his hands. Old Terrible wheeled about,
and changing his mind at the sight of the daring lad,
he charged him with an angry snort. Maurice turned
and sped to the end of the fore-deck, where he paused
within a foot of the rail to confront his prisoner, who
was lunging straight forward.

Simultaneous cries of horror rose from the spectators
on hatch and cabin, and with good reason. But
Maurice had his wits about him and had never been
more cool and collected than now. He had taken a
lesson from the recent fight, and knew just what he
was doing. He waited and watched alertly, and when
the rhinoceros was but five feet distant from him he
jumped nimbly to one side.

The ruse was a splendid success. Old Terrible
could more easily have taken wings and flown than
checked his headlong, impetuous rush at such short
range. With a dismal snort he smashed into the rail,
swept it away as if it had been pasteboard, and went
plunging down to the muddy waters of the Bramah-
putra. The splash that followed fairly shook the barge.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

ON BROAD WATERS.

" IJ URRA ! there you are," cried Maurice, with

1 JL pardonable pride. " I thought I could do it."
His friends dropped off the cabin roof to
the deck, enthusiastic and delighted, and the Hindoos
swarmed noisily to the spot from hatch and bridge.

" Yes, you have ended the siege," declared Tearle,
when he had spoken his gratitude in no mild terms.

" And jolly near put an end to yourself," said
Carruthers. " It was a most perilous thing to attempt."

" I wasn't a bit afraid," replied Maurice. " I re-
membered how the panther dodged. And now for
the rhinoceros. We don't want to lose him."

" By no means," assented Tearle. " You have at
least saved the brute's life, and if we capture him
again, Hamrach and Company shall reward you as
you deserve."

All crowded to the rail and looked over. By the
dim light they could see Old Terrible swimming slowly
and clumsily towards the shore. He was grunting
and splashing, and appeared to be in no wise injured
by his fall. At a distance of some fifteen feet from
the bow of the barge he struck shallow water and
began to wade, his huge body emerging higher and
higher from the surface.

" If we are quick we shall get him," cried Tearle,
" Launch the two boats. Lively, men ; there is no
time to waste."

The boats were hastily lowered, and a crew of six
* 275

276 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

dropped into each. Tearle and Carruthers were in
charge of one, and Maurice and Sher Singh of the
other. Both parties had plenty of ropes, and lanterns
were taken as well. By Tearle's orders the two boats
were soon pulled into position on opposite sides of
the sluggishly-moving rhinoceros, and so near to him
that in a short time he was securely and doubly lassoed.
The cold bath had tamed his spirit, and he submitted
to recapture with sullen indifference.

Three natives from each craft now sprang out intc
the shallow water, and while they kept the ropes
drawn taut the boats were rowed back to the barge.
The entrance to the hold fortunately faced towards
the shore, and the gangway — which was long and
heavy — was hauled across the deck and let down to
the river. Several of the sweep-men walked out upon
it until it dipped deep enough to touch bottom.
Meanwhile, as Carruthers was supervising this work,
Tearle and Maurice speedily repaired the big brute's
cage and wheeled it into the required position.

The next step proved less difficult than was an-
ticipated. The six natives in the river, aided by
others in the boats, headed Old Terrible around and
urged him foot by foot to the barge, when he was
guided into the gangway and thence to the deck.
A few minutes later he was safe behind the bars of
his cage, and munching grass as calmly as if nothing
had happened.

" Well done, that," exclaimed Tearle, in a tone of
great relief. " The worst is over. And now for the
black panther."

He directed irons to be heated and the empty cage
to be made ready, as the animal's former quarters
were too badly smashed for use. The necessary pre-

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 277

parations having been completed, the door was
removed from the opening to the store-room, and the
panther was seen crouching at the foot of the ladder.
It was immediately noosed by Sher Singh, and a
dozen arms hauled it to the deck, where a stout net
was thrown over it. Hot irons were not required, the
panther being too nearly suffocated by the rope to make
much of a struggle as it was dragged into its cage.

No one feeling disposed to go back to bed, the task
of putting the barge into ship-shape condition again
was proceeded with at once. The mangled body of
the tiger-cat was thrown overboard, and a squad of
natives fell to and scrubbed the deck. Maurice and
Sher Singh repaired the broken railing and the gate
leading to the hold, while Tearle and Carruthers
tinkered at the shattered cabin until it showed little
trace of Old Terrible's forcible entry.

Dawn broke shortly after the weary men ceased work
to prepare breakfast. Not a sail was in sight up
or down stream, however, and Tearle, losing his temper
at the prospect of further delay, made use of language
that was anything but complimentary to Antonio
Silva and Gunga Ra.

" There's no telling how long we may be stuck here,"
he declared angrily. " Several days, perhaps. We
can't get ofi without assistance, that's certain."

The outlook was indeed a gloomy one, but, in spite
of Tearle's prophecy, an unexpected stroke of luck
turned vexation to rejoicing. The muddy waters of
the Brahmaputra assumed a deeper yellow tinge, and
it was seen that the current was flowing more swiftly.
Owing to the sudden swelling of the tributary moun-
tain streams — a common occurrence at this season
of the year — the river was on the rise,

278 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" It couldn't have happened at a better time,'*
exclaimed Carruthers. " We shall soon be free."

" Don't be too sure of it," replied Tearle. " The
flood may not rise high enough to lift us clear."

" The Sahibs need not worry," confidently declared
Sher Singh. " I know the signs. This is only the
beginning."

It was even so. The H'ndoo's words came true.
Higher and higher crept the saffron waters, and their
increase could be plainly noted on the sides of the
barge and along the jungle-clad shore — the shore
that had swallowed Antonia Silva and Gunga Ra from
righteous vengeance. An hour after daylight, the
b'g vessel began to creak and quiver, to groan with
distress, and five minutes later it slid off the bottom
with a crunching noise and drifted rapidly down
stream.

Amid the glad confusion and cheering, Tearle's voice
rang distinctly as he shouted words of command.
The sweep-men ran to the oar-blades and worked with
a will, swinging the "Star of Assam" around, and
driving it south by west, until it was well out on the
broad bosom of the Brahmaputra. Then an interval
for breakfast, and when the hungry men were fed
the beasts and bullocks had to be cared for.

" I don't suppose we can pick up a pilot anywhere,''
said Tearle.

" I will serve if the Sahib wishes," volunteered
S'her Singh, to the surprise of his companions.

" You ? " cried Maurice.

" I am not a pilot," the shikaree answered modestly,
" but I know something of these waters, and I will
do my best. I have frequently travelled up and down
with English sportsmen, by whom I was hired,"

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 279

" Well, that's a sort of a qualification," said Tearle.
" I think you'll do. Go ahead."

So Sher Singh proudly assumed his new duties, and
mounted the bridge where Gunga Ra had planned his
diabolical treachery. There was little occasion for
a pilot just now, however, for the river was broad and
deep, and passing vessels were few and far between.

Towards noon the little settlement of Kyniansing
hove in sight, and the barge was run in and moored
off a ricketty wharf. Tearle and Carruthers went
ashore to purchase some supplies, and also to pay a
visit to the local authorities, whom they warned to
be on the look out for Silva and his confederate.
The English inspector promised to do all in his power,
but he was of the opinion — which his visitors shared —
that the fugitives would make their way to Rangamati
and attempt to get down country by rail.

By two o'clock in the afternoon the " Star of Assam"
was again adrift, and before evening it had passed the
right angular bend of the Brahmaputra, and was holding
a southern course on the turbid yellow flood. For
nearly a week — the interval may be dismissed with
brief mention — there was little to break the monotony
of the journey, save the tie-ups at night along shore
and a glimpse of what craft were abroad. Sher Singh
performed his duties well and cleverly, and was at
times relieved by Maurice and Carruthers, who were
quick to " learn the ropes." The wild beasts gave
no trouble, and Old Terrible and the panther were none
the worse for their slight injuries.

This portion of the Brahmaputra was wild and
lonely, and flowed through dense jungle that stretched
as far as the eye could reach. In a space of a hundred
miles there were only one or two squalid settlements

280 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

inhabited by half savage peoples. Meanwhile the
channel had been growing wider and wider, and on the
sixth day the barge entered that lower part of the
mighty river which here assumes a different name
and is called the Megua. Now, the current being
stronger, much better speed was made. Instead of
tying up at night the " Star of Assam " boldly pursued
her course, displaying warning lights fore and aft.

On the ninth day out from Goalpara the barge was
drifting down midstream. The Megua was fully
twenty miles broad, and the shores to right and left,
each ten miles away, were but dimly visible. Here and
there on the waste of waters was the white sail of a
budgerow, or the smoking funnel of a steamer.

The hour was two o'clock of the afternoon, and on
the fore-deck sat Maurice and his three friends. For
the time being there was no pilot on the bridge. A
well thumbed chart was spread on Tearle's knees, and
it was evident that a consultation of a serious nature
had been taking place. A greater or less degree of
perplexity was stamped on every countenance.

" As I understand it, then," said Carruthers, " we
are within forty miles of the Bay of Bengal, and that
forty-mile stretch is attended with a certain amount
of danger."

"Dangerous unless we are taken in tow by a
steamer," suggested Maurice.

" Exactly," replied Tearle. " We should require
the services of a steamer anyway, since there is a
sea voyage before us of nearly two hundred miles,
from the mouth of the Megua to Calcutta. But I
did not think we should need it so soon, I admit."

" You will, Sahibs," declared Sher Singh. " I do
not warn you idly. The river is far more perilous

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 281

below than above. Frightful storms are common, and a
very bad one might wreck the barge upon the shore
or against a shoal, or drive it far out into the Bay,
where the tremendous seas would make an end of it."

" It is difficult to believe in sudden tempests under
such a sky," said Maurice.

" True ; and yet one is coming," replied the Hindoo.
" I can feel it, even as I was able to foretell Gunga Ra's
treachery, though you would not listen. The air
tells of it — this strange, breathless calm. And look,
Sahibs, not a vessel is in sight. The native pilots are
wise, and read the signs."

" Then we will push for the left shore at once,"
answered Tearle, decidedly, " and find a safe harbour
where we can lie in wait for one of the tug steamers
that come up from the bay."

" Yes, we had better," assented Carruthers. " But
it will be a labour of hours to swing across ten miles
of current. Shall we be able to beat the storm ? "

"Who knows, Sahib ? " replied Sher Singh, as he
strode to the rear-deck to issue instructions to the
sweep-men.

A minute later he was perched aloft on the bridge.

CHAPTER XXXVIU

FURIES SET LOOSE.

IT was indeed, as Carruthers had said, a most
laborious task to propel such an unwieldy
craft as the "Star of Assam" diagonally across
ten miles of rapidly flowing water — for the current
of the Megua had greatly increased in strength and
speed during the last few days. For every half-
mile that was gained in the direction of the shore, the
barge slipped a couple of miles downstream. More-
over the river was constantly widening its channel as
it drew nearer to the Bay of Bengal.

Three o'clock found the vast expanse of water still
deserted. There was still the shuddering calm in the
air, and the sun was terribly oppressive — even under
the awnings. An hour later, the distant, low-lying
land was enveloped in a murky, pearl-coloured haze,
and the sky had a strange, weird look, a leaden hue,
that was reflected on the tide. That these signs
meant something ominous could not be doubted.
Down in the hold the cattle were bawling hoarsely
and kicking, and the wild animals were uttering
restless cries. The sweep-men jabbered uncouthly
among themselves as they shuffled to and fro at the
oars. Sher Singh, squatted on the bridge like a
splendid piece of bronze statuary, rarely moved
except to glance up at the sky.

Tearle and his companions anxiously paced the
deck, from bow to stern. There was nothing that
they could do but to watch and wait. They realized

283

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 283

the peril and helplessness of the situation, and were
more troubled than they cared to admit.

" Do you think we shall reach the shore in time ?"
asked Maurice.

"It is doubtful," Tearle replied. "We may, if
the weather holds as it is long enough. If not, then
be ready for the worst."

" After all we have gone through, and wriggled out
of by the skin of our teeth," Carruthers said bitterly,
" it would be hard luck if we foundered out here on this
big, smooth mill-pond."

Another hour passed serenely, giving rise to hopes
that were vain ; for just at sunset the great change
came — so swiftly and so violently as to strike terror to
every heart. A purplish-black darkness blotted out
the shores and the sky, and strode rapidly over the
water like a pall. The gloom of midnight wrapped
the barge, and the very lanterns seemed to shed a
bluish glare. These conditions prevailed for less than
a minute, and next fell a rattling shower of rain,
mingled with flashes of forked lightnings.

" The wind, Sahibs — it is coming," Sher Singh
shouted from the bridge. " Prepare for it."

So Tearle collected all hands, except the men at the
sweeps, and led them down into the hold, where they
hastily lifted the cages off the trucks, and did what was
possible to secure their stability. Returning to the
deck, they fastened all the hatch covers and stretched
oil-skins and canvas over the entrance to the hold.

"Where are we now ? " exclaimed Tearle, as he peered
into the darkness.

" Half a dozen miles from shore, at the least,"
declared Carruthers. " It's no use hoping to reach
land. We must trust to — "

284 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

The finish of his sentence was drowned in an awful
roar, and as quickly the hurricane — for such it was
— struck the barge. At the first blast all who were on
the fore-deck threw themselves flat, else they would
have been blown away. Sher Singh, who had lingered
too long above, leapt from his perch to the hatches
just as the ruins of the bridge fell clattering about his
ears. He gamed the deck, and crawled over to Tearle
and his companions.

"Stick tight, Sahibs," he shouted. "This is a
fearful storm, and it may last for many hours. One
of the sweep-men has been blown overboard. I saw
him go by that flash of lightning."

The news was received with less horror than it
would have been under other circumstances. The
barge was pitching and reeling dizzily, and monstrous
waves were slapping its stout sides. It was a sickening
thing to lie there on the exposed deck, not daring to
move, and listen to the creaking, whistling fury of
the destructive gale. Rip ! rip ! away went the
awnings, whirled aloft like so many huge, flapping
birds. Crash ! jingle ! one by one the lanterns were
hurled into the river or smashed to fragments against
hatch and rail. Not a light was left burning. In the
purple gloom the outlines of the vessel could be faintly
perceived.

The rain still poured, and the lightning flashed an
accompaniment to the shrieking of the hurricane.
There was suddenly a terrific thud and bang, and the
cabin, rent to fragments, vanished from the deck,
carrying a section of the rail with it. The native
cook had foolishly taken refuge within, and his pale,
agonized face was visible for a second in a flash of
lightning, before he disappeared for ever,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 285

Tearle uttered a loud cry, and warned his companions
not to stir. His voice was scarcely heard, for the
roar of the tempest was blended with a terribly
shrill noise from the poor beasts confined hi the hold.

" This surely can't last long," shouted Carruthers.

" It may continue until the morning," Sher Singh
shouted in reply, " though such violent storms often
pass hi an hour. But the worst peril is yet to come,
and we must be prepared for it. The river will be
lashed into mighty waves. They will rise higher and
higher, and possibly they will sweep over the barge."

" That's a pleasant prospect," cried Tearle. " There
are life-preservers in the store-room — I don't know
why I stowed them down there. We ought to have
them, by all means."

He started to crawl forward, but Maurice, who was
nearest the opening, bade him remain where he was.

" I will fetch them," he shouted.

With considerable difficulty the plucky lad wriggled
to the ladder, and the moment he was below deck
and out of the gale, the feeling of relief was like a tonic.
He easily found the life-preservers, and having girded
one about himself he carried three successive loads
to the top of the ladder and tossed them to his com-
panions, then returned to his place beside Sher Singh.

For a few minutes the hurricane perceptibly in-
creased in violence, blowing the two boats away,
but finally it seemed to abate a little. Tearle crept
about the barge, along both decks, and distributed a
number of life-preservers to the scattered crew.

" It looks as if the worst might be really over,"
he told his companions when he came back. We have
lost two men, and the cook. Both sweeps are gone
so we can't do any more steering."

286 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

*' That don't make much difference," said Carril-
thers. " We may be glad that we are out towards
mid-channel, for if we struck bottom we should soon
go to pieces. The main thing now is to weather the
waves."

" I hope we can," replied Tearle ; he still had to
shout to be heard. " I don't want to lose this convoy
of animals, let alone our lives. But the " Star of
Assam" is a staunch craft. I believe we shall pull
through."

" The waves will grow larger, Sahibs," declared
Slier Singh, who was evidently far from confident.

For a time, however, the Hindoo's prophecy came
to naught. During the next hour the force of the
wind slightly abated, while the surging waters at
least did not wax more violent. They were bad enough
as it was, the barge plunging and dipping in every
direction. Tearle and his companions presently
made their way to the hold, and clinging there up-
right they could see at each flash of lightning the
dusky figures of the crew in similiar attitudes along
the hatch combing.

Once a piercing whistle and a puffing noise were
heard close by, telling that some large vessel was in
the vicinity. Nothing could be seen of it through
the inky darkness, no lights were shown, and several
minutes of harrowing suspense were endured. All
listened anxiously, expecting a deadly collision, and
at Tearle's suggestion they shouted half a dozen times.
But the crash did not come, and after a while the
whistle sounded again at a distance.

" She has gone by ! " exclaimed Maurice.

" Yes, fortunately," replied Carruthers. " I wish
i'; had been possible for her to have taken us in tow."

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 287

"We can do without any help," Tearle said
cheerfully.

The chances now looked brighter, it is true, but the
lull proved to be deceptive, and to be the forerunner of
the perils that Slier Singh had predicted. The tempest
suddenly burst afresh, and cyclonic winds shrieked
on all sides, spinning the barge about in half-circles.
The billows mounted higher, and their white crests
broke over the vessel in swirling cascades and pools
of foam. Then furious torrents of rain crashed down,
and forked lightning blazed incessantly across the
black heavens.

Nor had the storm yet reached its limit of power,
for each ravenous wave was larger and stronger than
the last. Piecemeal, with sharp, crackling noises,
the rails were demolished. Water rolled over the
deck, gurgled and poured below, and the wretched
men, clinging fast to hold and hatches, were waist-deep
half the time, at the mercy of showers of spray that
slapped their faces with stinging force.

" We can't stand much more of this," Maurice cried
hoarsely.

" Are you weary, Sahib ? " Slier Singh's voice spoke
at his ear ; and the exhausted lad felt a strong arm
encircle him.

Of a sudden the fore-end of the barge leapt high in
air, and at the same instant a grinding, splashing sound
rose from the stern, accompanied by frightful cries.

" Look ! look ! " yelled Carruthers, as a vivid purple
flash lighted the scene. " A great wave has swept
over the rear-deck and washed some of the poor fellows
away."

"Heaven help us 1 " shouted Tearle. "It will
be our turn next ! "

288 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

He was right. A moment later the position of the
barge was reversed, the bow settling deep in the
trough of the river, and before it could rise again a
veritable mountain of water was seen rolling towards
it.

" Here it comes ! " Carruthers warned shrilly.
" Hold tight for your lives. "

Fearing lest he and Maurice should be torn away, the
devoted Sher Singh, who had one arm about the lad's
waist, tried to get a safer grip with the other.

It was a fatal attempt. The monstrous wave
surged clear across the deck, and when its fury was
spent Tearle and Carruthers found themselves alone.
A cry of despair rose to their ears from out in the
darkness and the storm.

CHAPTER XXXIX,

SHOT AND FLAME.

IN that awful moment when the mountain of water
swept the barge, Maurice and Sher Singh tight-
ened their grip of each other, and were thus
torn loose together and washed off the deck. The
receding wave carried them far, far out, and then,
with a roaring in their ears, they seemed to be going
deep down to the bottom of the river, from which
neither expected to come up alive. But they had
merely been submerged by a second wave following
the first, and when that had spent its fury they found
themselves on the surface of the storm-lashed river,
breathless, chilled with cold, and half-suffocated.

" Don't hang on to me so hard," gasped Maurice.
" I can swim."

" Only so we are not separated, Sahib," replied the
Hindoo, as he shifted his hold to the lad's arm.
" Look ! look ! " he shouted.

As he spoke, by a flash of lightning that rent the
heavens, the bulky mass of the barge was seen at a
distance of several hundred feet. As quickly the
black, impenetrable darkness settled again on the
water.

" Tearle and Carruthers are still there," exclaimed
Maurice. " I saw them clinging to the hold. But
they can do nothing for us."

" Truly nothing," assented Sher Singh. " If we
are to live, Sahib, it must be by our own efforts."

But for the life-preservers that encircled them the

289 T

290 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

two luckless castaways must have succumbed at once,
and for some minutes, indeed, they waged a des-
perate and unequal fight with the angry waves.
Though they shouted occasionally, when they could
spare breath, their voices were weak in comparison
with the howling of the tempest ; they doubted if
they had made themselves heard, for no response
was audible from their friends on the barge.

Meanwhile, still held together by the Hindoo's
grip, they were spun round and round like chips,
now tossed high up on the crest of the billows, now
sucked down into the hollow of a watery trough.
They were soon bruised from head to foot, but after
the first chill they felt the cold less, for the heavy
showers were turning the water warm.

" Have courage, Sahib," Sher Singh said presently.
" The worst is over."

There was reason to believe that he was right. The
shriek of the hurricane had become a mournful wail.
Gradually the fury of the waves abated, though the
difference was scarcely perceptible, and then a thick
choppy rain fell with stinging force.

'* It can't matter much whether the storm increases
or passes off," Maurice said despondently. " We are
out near mid-channel, miles from land, and sooner or
later we must be drowned. I am completely knocked
up already. There is a feeling of numbness creeping
over me."

" Struggle against it, Sahib," urged the Hindoo.
" Trust to me, and I will save you. I will keep tight
hold of you, and support your head, and thus we shall
float until morning, when surely there will be vessels
in sight — perhaps the ' Star of Assam.' '

" Till the morning," Maurice faintly murmured.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 291

" Ah, that is — hours — off yet. It is no use — no
use—"

He paused drowsily, with a groan, and closing his
•eyes he swayed limply on the Hindoo's breast. Sher
Singh threw an arm about him, and thus they drifted
on and on in the darkness, at the sport of the rolling
waves that still pitched them at will and lashed them
savagely. The lightning played at intervals over the
river, but the barge could no longer be seen ; either
it had foundered and taken all hands to the bottom
or the gale had blown it widely apart from the casta-
ways.

The minutes wore on, fraught with weariness and
suspense to the devoted Hindoo, and he had lost all
account of time, and was himself beginning to suffer
from exhaustion, when a purple bolt of lightning
revealed close by an object that was scarcely less
welcome to him than a glimpse of the barge would have
been — a small boat tossing bottom up among the waves.
He waited eagerly for the next flash, which, as it came,
showed him the craft within a dozen feet.

Sher Singh plunged forward, hauling his burden
along while he swam with one hand, and more by
chance than skill he succeeded in clutching the bow of
the boat, where by good fortune he found a ring that
gave him a splendid purchase for his fingers. In
this position he remained for a few moments, re-
cruiting his flagging strength, and from time to time
calling vainly upon Maurice to speak to him.

The boat plainly did not belong to the " Star of
Assam," but had been lost from some other vessel, most
probably the steamer that had threatened to collide
with the barge. It was a long craft, and fairly wide,
with a flat bottom that offered a place of better security

292 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

for Maurice, whose unconscious body Sher Singh
managed to hoist upon it, with the assistance of a
wave that flung both upward.

There was room for the Hindoo as well, but the
heroic fellow did not avail himself of it. He remained
in the water, so that he might more easily steer the
boat through the turbulent billows ; and during the
perilous ride that followed, for the space of at least
two hours, he held the lad fast with one hand and
gripped the iron ring with the other. Meanwhile
the rain had ceased and the wind had dropped to a-
sighing breeze, though the night was still black and
the river still rolling high.

But in spite of these altered conditions the situation
was little less critical, for Sher Singh, who was by no
means made of steel, was very near the end of hia
endurance. He forgot his distress, however — and
a ghastly fear that had begun to haunt him — when
Maurice suddenly sighed, stirred, and raised himself
on one elbow.

" Where am I ? " the lad muttered. " What ha*
happened ? Are you there, Sher Singh ? "

" Yes, Sahib, I am here," the Hindoo joyfully
assured him. " Have no fear. We are safe, and the
storm has passed away."

" And what is this that I am on ? "

" A boat, Sahib. Be careful, lest you slip off. Da
not try to move."

In a few words Sher Singh described the finding
of the craft, and his subsequent proceedings, though
he modestly concealed how much the lad owed to him,
and hid as well the exhaustion to which he knew he
must soon yield.

"It was a streak of luck, your falling in with such

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 293

a, refuge," said Maurice, whose senses were fast re-
viving. " The last thing I remember is a sharp pain
in my forehead while you were supporting me among
the waves, and then everything seemed to whirl
round. No wonder my head ached," he added,
putting his hand to it. " There is a big, swollen bruise
over my left eye."

" You must have struck the rail when we were
washed off the deck," suggested the Hindoo.

" That's about it. I didn't feel the blow until
afterwards, when it made me weak all of a sudden.
But where do you suppose we are ? Near the shore ? "

" We can see nothing for the darkness," Sher Singh
answered. " We may be close to land, or the storm
may have blown us out to mid-channel. When the
dawn breaks — "

" Hello ! what's that ? " Maurice interrupted.

As he spoke the boat lurched forward on the crest
of a great wave, and the next instant it struck with
a grinding, jarring crash, throwing the lad over the
Hindoo's head. Both were submerged, and as quickly
they felt hard bottom underfoot. Rising with diffi
culty, one clinging to the other, they saw a dark blot
within a few yards of them.

" An island ! " cried Maurice.

" An island ! " echoed Sher Singh. " Sahib, we
are saved ! "

Hope infused strength into his feeble limbs. He
hastily dragged the lad ashore and dropped him there,
then sprang back into the shallow water for the boat,
which he hauled far out of the reach of the waves.

" We shall need it again," he said.

The two were numbed and exhausted, and for a time,
with thankful hearts, they lay stretched side by side

294 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

on the wet sands, heedless of the surf that was break-
ing angrily at their feet. Their lassitude presently
passed off, and when they had gone forward, and had
examined their surroundings as well as the gloom
would permit, they discovered that the spot on which
they had providentially run aground was indeed,
as they had surmised, an island lying somewhere out
on the channel of the Megua.

" I knew it couldn't be the mainland," said Maurice*
" I took it for a mere sand-bar, but it is better than
that."

" At least the river cannot sweep over it, Sahib,' *"
replied Sher Singh.

At the normal state of the tide the island was clearly
of considerable extent, for as far as they could see to
right and left were partly submerged trees and bushes,
the tops of which swayed and bent to the wash of the
current. A ridge of some steepness — the crest of
the island — rose well above the surrounding flood,
comprising an oblong space of about a thousand
square yards. It was mostly covered with tangled
undergrowth and loose stones, sprinkled with a few
trees, and in the middle of it towered a mass of
boulders and stunted timber. Here, in between the
nest of rocks, the castaways found to their satisfaction
a triangular crevice, a sort of cavern, that was largfr
enough to give roomy shelter to both.

" This will protect us if the storm breaks again,""
said Sher Singh. "We shall be dry and warm until
morning."

" I don't see how you figure that out," replied
Maurice, " when we are both drenched to the skin.
The place is all right, but it would be a jolly sight more
comfortable with a roaring fire. In India one bakes-

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 295

by day and freezes by night. Even if our clothes were
dry we should suffer from the cold."

" But a fire is impossible, Sahib."

" I hope not. I have some matches, though the
water may have spoilt them."

Maurice took from his pocket a little metal box,
containing a number of wax vestas. He anxiously
scraped one on the lid, and at once it burst into flame,
lighting the cavern from floor to roof, and revealing
against the farther wall a heap of drift wood that had
lodged there in time of former and more severe floods.

" Hurra ! fuel in plenty," cried the lad. " Dry as
tinder, too. Get a lot of it, Sher Singh, before the
match burns out. And give me some of the smaller
twigs to start the fire with."

The Hindoo hastened to obey, and thereby narrowly
escaped a horrible death ; for a spotted snake of a
poisonous variety, uncoiling itself from a cranny of
the rocks, hissed vengefully in his face. He sprang
back, simultaneously with the lad's shout of alarm,
and, picking up a heavy stone, he crushed the reptile
before it could leap forward to strike.

" There may be others about," cried Maurice,
as he lighted a second match.

" We will look, Sahib," Sher Singh calmly replied.

A thorough search was made, but it failed to disclose
any more serpents. Satisfied that none were in the
immediate vicinity, the castaways resumed their
preparations to spend a comfortable night. A spot at
one side, which possessed the advantages of a natural
chimney, was chosen for the fire-place. Sher Singh
gathered an armful of wood and piled it here, and
Maurice, having stuffed a bunch of twigs underneath,
was about to ignite them when three sharp reports

296 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

were heard in rapid succession. They came apparently
from up the river, and died away in dull, lingering
echoes.

Maurice was so startled that he let the match fall,
and the two were plunged in darkness.

" What was that ? " he asked hoarsely.

" Gun-shots, Sahib," declared the Hindoo. " One
two, three — they went off quickly."

" And not far above the island."

" Farther than you would think, Sahib. What
wind there is now blows down-stream, and sound
travels loudly over the water."

" Who can be shooting ? — there is something wrong,"
muttered the lad, as he groped with his companion
to the mouth of the cavern ; and he had no more than
spoken when a jet of lurid red flame shone suddenly
out of the blackness of the night.

CHAPTER XL.

BIRDS OF PREY.

FOB a moment, too startled for words, the'castaways
gazed from their refuge at the flaring pillar
of fire, which grew rapidly before their eyes.
Sher Singh's usual stolidity vanished at the sight, and
he clutched the lad's arm with convulsive grip.

" A ship on fire, Sahib," he cried. " It is three or
four miles up the river, and lies over towards the
left shore."

" I hope it is not the ' Star of Assam,' " Maurice
exclaimed anxiously.

" No, Sahib, that cannot well be. The barge should
be somewhere down yonder, below the island, and no
•doubt our friends are safe."

" You are right about that," assented Maurice.
" The storm would have blown the barge along faster
than it did us. But what puzzles me is the shooting.
That's the queer part of it — the fire is more easily
accounted for."

" Strange and terrible deeds are sometimes done
on the lower reaches of this river," the Hindoo replied
gloomily. " More than one vessel has been captured
and sunk by piratical natives, who hide in the jungle
creeks."

" And do you believe that is what is going on now ? '»

" Who knows, Sahib ? It is possible. But see,
the flames are sinking down."

" They are and rapidly at that." Fainter and fainter
dwindled the ruddy, wavering glow in spite of the

297

298 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

tongues of fire that occasionally shot up as though
loth to abandon their prey. At last the glare died
away to a tiny red dot, and then was snuffed out
altogether, leaving not a trace on the dark curtain of
the night.

" That is the end," said Sher Singh. " The vessel
must have foundered quickly and gone to the bottom."

" Or else they were able to extinguish the fire with
the pumps," Maurice suggested.

" I fear not, Sahib."

" Well, if your view of the matter is the right one,
some of the crew have probably escaped in boats.
If we build a rousing fire it will guide them here."

*' They will find the mainland much nearer, from
the position in which the ship lay," replied Sher Singh.
** As for the fire, we have need of that ourselves.
And it will shine both up and down the river."

" That's true," exclaimed Maurice. " Our friends
will be certain to see it, and in the morning we will
take the boat and paddle after them."

Several minutes later the fire had been lighted, and
was roaring and crackling merrily at the mouth of
the cavern, from which it shone forth to stream redly
across the swift waters. For fear of a further rise
of the tide Slier Singh drew the boat to a higher
position among the bushes, while Maurice gathered a
lot of the driftwood and piled it within reach. Then
they stretched themselves comfortably on the earthen
floor, with their shoulders against the rocky wall,
listening to the splash of the waves on the shore of
the island, and to the moaning and whistling of the
breeze. The hurricane had wreaked its fury and
departed, and here and there the stars were breaking
through the clouds.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 299

" We ought to be thankful for such snug quarters,"
said Maurice. "I would feel betterif I had something to
eat, but there's no use wishing for that. We shall have
a good breakfast — if the ' Star of Assam ' is still afloat."

" Be sure that she is, Sahib," declared the Hindoo.
'* You need have no fear for your friends."

" I'm not worrying much about them," Maurice
replied. " The last glimpse we had of the barge she
was all right, and I saw Tearle and Carruthers plainly.
The worst of the storm was then over — it was at
no time afterwards so bad as when that great wave
swept us off the deck."

For a half-hour they talked of the events of the
night, and gradually, as the warmth of the fire dried
their clothing, a feeling of drowsiness stole upon both.
They fought against it in vain, and Maurice was
the first to succumb. His eyes closed, and his head
dropped to one side ; he was sound asleep. Sher
Singh roused himself to heap wood on the sinking fire,
then crouched beside the lad. A moment later he,
too, was wrapped in slumber.

No premonition of danger disturbed the castaways
as they slept on peacefully ; little did they dream
to what ill-omened voyagers their blazing fire was
proving a beacon of refuge and an incentive to bloody
deeds. From a point a mile or two up the river a
boat was moving steadily towards the ruddy speck
of light — a small, graceful craft painted white, and
bearing in blue letters the name " Mogul Emperor."
Squatted in the bow, with eyes fixed ahead, was the
lean, ill-clad figure of Gunga Ra. And the yellow-
faced, unshaven man who sat in the stern, paddling
alternately from right to left with a single oar, was none
other than Antonio Silva.

300 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

The Portuguese was ragged and half -naked. A
steel bracelet was locked to each wrist, and from each
bracelet dangled several inches of chain. His left eye
was swollen, nearly shut, and down his right cheek
was a raw, bleeding wound which looked as if it had
recently been ploughed by a rifle-ball. He shivered
in his drenched, blood-stained garments — a shiver
that may have meant cold or fear. Probably both,
for often he glanced over his shoulder into the impene-
trable darkness behind him.

" I am nervous, and yet there is nothing to fear,"
he muttered aloud, heedless of his companion. " A
couple of miles of water between us. There is no danger
of pursuit now. I gave them the slip neatly — the fire
drew their attention and kept them busy. But, how
did they manage to put it out so easily ? The water
must have reached the engines, for they dropped
anchor before I was beyond ear-shot. I have well-
earned my freedom, and I had better make the most of
this last chance, for if I am caught again it means — "

He ended with an oath, and turned for another look
behind him.

" Murder ! " he continued in a lower tone, shuddering.
" And an ugly one at that. But there was no help
for it. The fool refused to submit. Bah ! what are
fifty lives to mine ? " He paddled on for a few
minutes keeping in line with the distant goal. " Wake
up — speak — do something, you silent dog," he cried
harshly to his companion. " Don't crouch there like
a mummy. Has the bleeding stopped ? "

" Very nearly, Sahib," replied Gunga Ra, who had
a bullet in the fleshy part of his thigh. " I have
plugged the wound with linen, but it causes me great
pain ; " and he poured out a string of imprecations,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 301

in heathenish language, on those who had thus injured
him.

" Pain ? " laughed Silva. " You'll have to get
used to it, my friend, if you want to escape the gallows.
Will that be the shore yonder ? — the mainland ? "

" I think so, Sahib," was the sullen reply.

" And the light—"

" It comes from a fire. A native hut on the bankr
perhaps."

" Why not a party of English hunters ? Or men
escaped from some craft that perished in the storm ? "

" True, Sahib. Why not ? "

" You take it coolly."

" If there is danger, let us avoid the spot."

" Yes, we can run in below," assented Silva ; and
he fell to paddling with quicker strokes. " Once
ashore," he said to himself, " once safe in the jungle
and I'll defy them to capture me, though I've no food
or firearms, no drink or tobacco. Ay, and I'll have
my revenge yet, come what may, and earn the money
that was bargained for. Then to slip way from this
accursed land. But I'll take good care not to lose
sight of my rich benefactor. He shall be my banker,
and a generous one."

For a quarter of an hour neither of the two spoke,
and by then, the voyagers having approached to
within a hundred yards of the yellow glare, the Portu-
guese could perceive the dark outlines of the half-
immerged trees and bushes, and the flood that stretched
far to the right and left of them.

" An island ! " he muttered with an oath, disap-
pointed by the discovery. " My cursed luck ! And
who can be there ? Shall I stop or go on ?"

" Will the Sahib land ? " whispered Gunga Ra.

302 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" Wait ; and be quiet."

A moment of hesitation, and Silva slightly altered
the boat's course, dipping the oar with noiseless
strokes. Making a prudent detour, he paddled
slowly past and beyond the firelight, and swung in
at the lower end of the island.

" Don't stir from here," he said, as he grounded
the craft between two stones and stepped ashore.

" Be careful, Sahib," urged Gunga Ra.

" Fool ! I know what I'm doing," whispered Silva
and with that he crept off in the direction of the clump
of rocks.

CHAPTER XLI.

VILLAINY TRIUMPHANT.

SHER SINGH, worn out by his heroic struggle
with the storm and the waves, slept the deep
dreamless slumber of utter exhaustion. It was
otherwise with Maurice. He was feverish and fidgety,
and the bruise on his forehead throbbed with pain.
One after another ghastly visions disturbed his rest,
until, damp with perspiration, and with a fast-beating
heart, he suddenly opened his eyes and sat up.

He glanced from the sleeping Hindoo to the fire, and
was about to throw some fresh wood on the still-blazing
embers when he caught a sharp sound outside the
cavern, as if a dry twig had snapped under foot.
He was at once alert and watchful, not a little alarmed ;
and on the first impulse, wishing to discover what the
threatened peril might be, he foolishly resolved not
to awaken Sher Singh for fear the intruder should be
frightened off.

There was a moment of silence, and then a faint
rustling noise came closer and closer, though whether
made by man or beast, it was as yet impossible to
judge. Rising softly to his feet, the lad slipped
behind a projecting rock at the side of the cavern
whence he could command a good view of the opening
without being seen himself. He was barely in time,
for the stealthy, creeping footsteps had drawn very
near, and it was now evident that the unwelcome
visitor was human.

Maurice felt a chill of terror. He and Sher Singh

803

304 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

were absolutely unarmed, with not even a pocket-
knife between them. A stone as large as his two-
fists lay within reach, and stooping swiftly he picked
it up. The next instant a shadow darkened the mouth
of the cavern, and the glow of the blazing wood shone
on the stooping form and evil yellow countenance of the
last person the lad had expected to see — Senor Antonio-
Silva. The blood turned to ice in the watcher's veins,
and for the moment he was powerless to move or act.

As the Portuguese advanced with wary and noiseless
steps, peering keenly into the flame-lit space behind
the fire he slid a long, keen-bladed knife from his
belt. The ruffian had perceived and recognised the
Hindoo, his old enemy, and hatred and murder were
stamped on his ferocious face. He passed the fire,
and bent over the slumbering man. The steel rose
for the deadly stroke, clutched in his right hand, and
another second must have seen it plunged deeply into-
Sher Singh's exposed breast.

But just then, roused from his horrid stupor,
Maurice uttered a loud cry and let drive the stone,
His aim was as sure as his purpose, for the missile
struck the knife and knocked it out of Silva's hand.
Stone and weapon flew against the wall and bounded
back, and with that, startled and unnerved by the
unexpected attack, the Portuguese lost his head and
bolted from the cavern with a yell.

Shouting lustily to Sher Singh, Maurice immediately
dashed in pursuit of the ruffian, not even delaying
long enough — as he should have done — to pick up the
knife. His blood was up, and he was reckless with
anger ; too reckless, indeed, for he had gone no more
than half a dozen yards when he ran almost into the
arms of Silva, who had turned to lie in wait for him.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 305

The knowledge that his foe was unarmed encouraged
the lad, and he offered a sturdy resistance ; but, as
on previous occasions, the wiry Portuguese proved
himself much the stronger of the two. His tactics
were swift and merciless. Having partly throttled
the lad, and beaten him on the face, he seized him
by the collar and began to hurry him over the rough
ground. His intention was to put the one enemy
hors du combat, so that he might be free to encounter
the other, and in this he succeeded admirably.

The boat belonging to the castaways was close by,
and into this Maurice was flung head first, with such
force that he struck his injured temple on the farther
gunwale and split the bruise open. As he tried to rise,
well-nigh helpless with pain and dizziness, he was
pounced upon by Gunga Ra, who had hastened for-
ward from the other boat at the first sound of trouble.
Though he was lame and wounded, and the plug had
come out of the bullet hole, he was yet a formidable
antagonist in a scuffle.

" Keep the fellow there," Silva shouted to his con-
federate, " but for your life don't hurt him."

It had all happened in a very brief space — in less
time than it requires to tell — and Silva had no more
than swung round, expectant of an attack from the
Hindoo shikaree, when that sharply-awakened in-
dividual burst savagely from the cavern. He had
lingered just long enough to light a billet of wood at
the fire, and as he held it above him the streaming
flame showed Maurice and Gunga Ra struggling
beside the boat, out of which they had fallen.

The sight had much the same effect on Sher Singh
as a red rag has when flaunted before the eyes of
a vicious bull. Unfortunately he too had failed to

u

306 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

pick up Silva's knife — lie did not know it was there —
and so he was quite unarmed. He dropped the
torch, and with a hoarse cry rushed at the Portuguese
who, not daring to close with a man so much larger
and stronger than himself, promptly resorted to
cunning, and at the right moment slipped down on
his hands and knees.

It was a risky trick, and one that fails as often as it
succeeds ; but in this instance it worked the mischief
that was intended, for Sher Singh tripped heavily
over the kneeling body, and the impetus sent him
sprawling half a dozen feet away. As quickly the
ruffian was up, and speeding like a deer towards the
cavern. He vanished between the rocks, and emerged
a second or two later with the knife in his grasp and
an evil smile of satisfaction on his face.

By now Sher Singh — he realized that for the present
he must let Maurice look after himself — had also
risen and followed in hot and vengeful chase of his
crafty foe. He saw the knife in Silva's hand, and a
prudent impulse checked the rash attack that he
meditated. Instead, he turned and ran towards
the water, looking vainly about in search of stones,
or of anything else that might serve as a weapon of
defence. The Portuguese followed swiftly and warily.

Maurice, who was still showing fight and resisting
Gunga Ra's efforts to hold him to the ground, called
faintly to the shikaree as he sped past him.

" He means to kill you. Don't give him the -
chance."

Sher Singh threw an anxious glance at the lad, and
ran on. He splashed into the shallows, near the end
of the island, and there his eye caught what he was
seeking for — a stone three or four times as large as his

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 307

head, partly buried in the soil at the water's edge.
It was very heavy, but it was that or nothing, for
there was no time to delay. He quickly stooped,
and forced the stone from its bed ; then, lifting it in
both hands straight above his head, he faced around.
Silva was within eight or ten feet, brandishing his
knife.

" Drop that," he snarled.

" I shall drop it on your skull — nowhere else,"
cried Sher Singh, with a triumphant laugh. " Yield,
assassin, or I will surely crush you."

The Portuguese answered with a yell of rage that
might have come from the throat of a wild beast.
He paused for an instant, uttering threats and curses,
and began to sidle forward slowly and watchfully. He
was determined not to be baulked of his prey by the
Hindoo's missile, which he hoped to draw and elude.

Meanwhile, crippled though he was, Gunga Ra had
overpowered the lad and jammed him into the bow
of the boat, where he held him fast. The torch was
still burning on the ground, and it cast a flickering
light upon Sher Singh and Silva as they confronted
each other at close range, one waiting and one creeping
to the attack. They were only a few yards from
Maurice, who could see them plainly. He was feeble
with pain and dizziness, and his brain was swimming,
but he realized that the issue of the contest would
decide his own fate. Was it to be life or death ?

The suspense was of brief duration. The advantage
was with the Hindoo, but he was destined to lose it,
and thus turn the odds against him, in a sudden and
unexpected manner. He was about to throw the
big stone with a force and aim that would have brained
his enemy, when the heavy weight overbalanced him

308 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and jerked his arms behind his head. He sought vainly
to recover his balance, then reeled backward, and
stone and man came down together with a splash in
the shallow water.

Sher Singh was a little farther out as he rose to
his feet, submerged to the waist, and quickly Silva
was upon him with a bound like a tiger's. There was
a short and desperate struggle in the river ; there were
yells, and curses, and the flash of steel.

" Die — die, you dog," hissed the Portuguese.

The knife rose and fell, finding lodgment in flesh
and bone. Sorely wounded, Sher Singh tossed up his
arms with a pitiful cry, and dropped back among the
waves. The current snatched him, and whirled him
swiftly along the shore of the island. Silva waded
to land, sheathing his reeking blade. With a hasty
glance towards Gunga Ra and the lad, he ran parallel
with the water's edge, following with his eyes the drift-
ing body of his victim until he saw it sink beneath
the tide, when he turned back with a shout of triumph.

Maurice was spared the final scene, and was by this
time mercifully oblivious to the fate that was in store
for him. He had swooned away after witnessing
with horror and anguish, by the lurid glare of the
torch, the murder of his faithful friend.

The respite was a short one. When the lad returned
to consciousness, a few minutes later, he was propped
in a half-upright position with his back against the
rear wall of the cavern, to which his captors had borne
him. His limbs were bound with strips torn from
Gunga Ra's filthy kummerbund, and his wrists were
drawn behind him and secured to a projection of rock.
A large slab of stone rested on his feet and ankles,
pressing them heavily to the floor.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 309

Worse still, a quantity of the inflammable drift-
wood— all that was to be had — was piled around both
sides of him and on the slab. Worst of all, Silva and
Gunga Ra squatted in front of him, leering at him
horribly, and nodding their heads towards the glowing
embers of the fire with a significance that was not to be
mistaken.

What these preparations foretold Maurice knew
only too well. Though he was stupid with dizziness
and pain, his senses benumbed, he realised that his
fiendish foes meant to burn him alive. He made an
attempt to break loose, and found that he was power-
less to move.

" Tug and strain, pull till your eyes burst if you like,"
cried Silva, with a mocking laugh. " It will do no
goqd. Nothing can save you. Presently, when you
feel the flames, you will shriek like a whipped cur.
And you and I will listen, eh, Gunga Ra ? "

" We will watch him slowly roast, Sahib," glee-
fully replied the Hindoo.

" You are devils, not men," Maurice said hoarsely.
" Why do you hate me so bitterly ? Have you no
pity or mercy ? "

" Mercy ? " echoed the Portuguese. " That is a
word I do not understand. I have never shown mercy
to those who injured me, nor shall I begin now. Why
did you oppose me, months ago, in the jungle of
Seranghur, for the sake of a paltry tiger that would
not have been missed ? I gave you your chance,
offered you a position with my <pwn firm, but you
laughed me to scorn. And since then ill-luck has
followed me, all through you, until I am a beggar
and an outcast, a fugitive with a price on my head."
His voice rose to a higher pitch of fury. " And you

310 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

plead for mercy ? " he went on. " You ask me to
forgive and forget ? No, no, boy, you must die,
and by the torments of fire."

" You will live to wish you had spared me," said
Maurice, shuddering at the venomous expression on
the ruffian's mutilated face.

" I shall live," replied Silva, with a veiled meaning,
" to profit by your death. Had I missed this oppor-
tunity, and gone by the island, I would have tracked
you across India if need be."

He was silent for a space, apparently absorbed in
his evil thoughts, and perhaps feeling already a pre-
monition of the doom that was nearer than he believed.
Gunga Ra watched his master with ill-concealed
impatience, waiting as a vampire waits for a feast of
1 lood, and occasionally he writhed with the pain of
his wounded thigh. Robbed utterly of hope, con-
fronted by death in its most awful form, Maurice
endeavoured to summon courage to meet his fate.
But he was young, and life was sweet and dear. To
move the hearts of these ghoulish scoundrels was,
he knew well, an impossibility ; yet he pleaded with
them piteously, frantically, begging first for freedom
and then for a knife thrust to end his misery, until,
exhausted and faint, his eyes closed and his chin
sank on his breast.

When he lifted his head, roused by a sudden stir,
Silva was on his feet and staring out into the night.

" What was that ? " he muttered nervously.

" I heard nothing, Sahib," replied Gunga Ra.

" It was a rustling noise — the breeze, no doubt,"
said the Portuguese, as he stepped nearer the opening.
" The rains must have been heavier up the river,"
he added, in a sharp tone, " for the tide has risen in

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 311

the last half-hour. Make haste, Gunga Ra, and draw
our boat to a place of safety. See, the other boat
lies partly in the water. You had better pull that
up, too, as you return."

" And then, Sahib — " began the Hindoo.

" Then we will finish and be off," broke in Silva.
" It is not far from dawn."

CHAPTER XLII.

SNATCHED FROM THE FLAMES.

GUNGA RA had little inclination for his errand,
since every movement caused him pain. But
he did not dare to protest, or to urge that Silva
should go in his stead. He rose, limped out of the
cavern — and went straight to his doom. He had
taken no more than half a dozen steps when a tawny,
spotted animal leapt upon him from the shadows, and
bore him heavily to the ground. There was a brief,
writhing scuffle, and a fearful cry of agony from the
man and a snarling yell from the beast ; then a shriek
stifled, and a crunching of strong jaws.

Maurice and Silva had plainly witnessed the tragedy,
for it occurred on the broad pathway of yellow light
which, cast by the blazing fire, streamed down over
the stony slope to and beyond the edge of the flooding
waters. For a moment both were silent from sheer
horror, watching the death struggle that passed before
their eyes, and Maurice was the first to find voice.

" A leopard ! " he cried. " It will be our turn
next."

" Yes, a leopard," assented the Portuguese. " And
I have no firearms. " The Hindoo must die."

" Drive the brute away, quick ! " exclaimed Maurice
who, in the face of this new peril, had forgotten the
worse one. "If it gets in here it will make short
work of us."

" What can I do with only a knife ? " demanded
Silva, in a voice that was shrill with fright.

312

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 313

" Cut me loose, and give me a torch," begged the
lad, " and I will show you — "

" Set you free ? " sneered the Portuguese. " I am
not such a fool as that, boy. But your suggestion
is good. I shall try it."

He promptly snatched a thick brand from the fire,
and with that in one hand and the knife in the other,
he crept reluctantly out of the cavern and advanced
to the rescue, though it was doubtful if Gunga Ra
were still alive.

From his uncomfortable seat Maurice looked on
breathlessly, longing for a moment of freedom. The
leopard, as the flaming torch approached, seemed at
first indisposed to yield ; but. like all animals, it
dreaded fire more than anything else. Silva hesitated
and stopped, moved on slowly, and with that the
snarling beast left the body of its victim and retreated
a couple of yards. Taking courage, Silva shouted and
pressed closer, waving the brand. For an instant
the leopard blinked with wrathful eyes at the circle of
flame, and then, turning tail with a screech of baffled
fury, it bounded into the boat which Sher Singh had
drawn up among the bushes, and squatted on the stern
seat.

Again the Portuguese shouted, and there was a ring
of delighted triumph in his voice, as well there might
be. An unexpected thing had happened, for the boat
— the rising waters had by this time nearly surrounded
it — was gliding slowly but surely away from the shore.
It had begun to move, torn from its frail hold, directly
the sudden weight at the stern caused the bow to lift.
It went on, gathering speed, until it was caught in
the suck of the current and dragged farther out.
It swung round, and shot swiftly on with the flood.

314 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

The leopard was visible for a few seconds, whining
and whimpering as it paced restlessly about the tossing
craft, and then it was swallowed from sight by the
impenetrable darkness. Out of the night came a
wailing cry of distress.

Maurice, meanwhile, had seen the whole affair, and
now that it was ended, and he was again at the mercy
of his enemy, he waited in helpless despair for the fate
that he knew to be inevitable. When the boat and its
strange passenger had quite vanished, and he was
satisfied that nothing more was to be feared from the
leopard, Silva approached the motionless form of
Gunga Ra, and bent over him for a moment, holding
the torch low. He straightened up with a shrug of
his shoulders, and disappeared in the direction of the
lower point of the island, evidently for the purpose of
drawing the other boat to a place of safety. He soon
returned and entered the cavern. His evil face was
gloomy and troubled, his eyes bloodshot, and apparently
from his first words, he was thinking less of his act of
vengeance than of what had recently occurred.

" I am rid of the leopard," he muttered, half to
himself. " I don't know where it came from, unless it
drifted here on a log or a tree. But the brute has
killed the only comrade I had left," he added, with an
oath. " I am alone and friendless — every man's hand
is against me."

" Is Gunga Ra dead ? " asked Maurice.

" Yes, bitten through the throat," was the sullen
reply ; and he shuddered as he glanced towards the
mangled body of the Hindoo.

Maurice, watching the Portuguese with close and
furtive scrutiny, gathered a ray of comfort from a
sudden theory that suggested itself to him.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 315

" He is worried about something," he reflected.
" Perhaps the remaining boat has been carried away.
If such is the case — and I pray Heaven it is — he will
not dare to kill me, because he has no means of escaping
from the island. He must know that my friends will
find him here in the morning."

But the next instant Silva turned abruptly to the
lad, and, as if reading his secret thoughts, made haste
to crush his hopes.

" The boat is all right," he said with a mocking smile.
" So you imagined that I was a prisoner, marooned
in mid-river — that I must needs show mercy on that
account. Not so. I will make a speedy end of you,
boy, and then to reach the mainland, and the dense
jungles, where I shall be safe from pursuit."

" Leave me here bound if you like, to take my chances
of rescue," Maurice begged hoarsely. " At least spare
my life. Is there not bloodshed enough on your
soul ? "

" Not yet," cried the ruffian, with a fiendish laugh.
" Your friends, should they come, will find only a
heap of charred bones."

Loth to abandon hope, Maurice continued to plead
pitifully, but to no avail ; he might as well have tried
to move a stone to mercy. Silva, bent on his devilish
purpose, seized a stick and raked burning embers
from the fire around the wood that covered the lower
part of the lad's body. He knelt down and blew hard
upon the coals, fanning them with his breath, until
little tongues of flame leapt up, crackling and hissing,
in half a dozen places.

Maurice felt the heat and the smoke. His mental
sufferings were terrible beyond words, and life had never
seemed so sweet to him before. Ha strove to cry out, to

316 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

utter a last appeal, but his tongue seemed to cleave
fast to the roof of his mouth. Morning was now at
hand, and a pale, grey streak was flushing the outer
darkness. Silva discovered this, and it warned him
not to linger. He drew the wood closer together, and
satisfied himself that the flames had gained a good
headway.

" You dog," he snarled, " I must leave you to burn
by inches. May your torments endure till the rising
of the sun."

His voice choked with rage, and casting a final look
of hatred at his miserable victim, he left the cavern and
disappeared.

Maurice saw the flames creeping nearer and nearer,
and felt their scorching breath. He shouted as loudly
as he could, though he knew the uselessness of it, and
made desperate but futile efforts to free his limbs.
Strength failed him, and letting his head drop on his
breast, he remained for a moment in a stupor, from
which he was roused by a scuffling, scratching noise.
He looked up, and fixing his eyes on a narrow fissure
at one side of the cavern, he saw a man's head and
shoulders come in sight, followed by a brown, half-
naked body.

" Sher Singh ! " he cried incredulously.

" I am here, Sahib," was the husky answer.

It was indeed Sher Singh, alive and in the flesh.
His face was colourless, and his tunic was saturated
with clotted blood. He uttered a low exclamation of
joy, crawled feebly over the floor, and with his hands
tore away the burning sticks and scattered them right
and left. Then he perceived a knife lying within
reach — the Portuguese had ignorantly left the weapon
behind — and with a few quick strokes he severed the

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 317

thongs that bound Maurice's wrists and ankles. It
was his last effort. He sank on his right side, faintly
muttering the lad's name, and a crimson stream
flowed from his wound, which had broken out afresh.

Maurice sat up, stretching his cramped limbs, and in
spite of pain and dizziness he found that he was able
to stand and walk. He dropped to his knees beside
the faithful Hindoo.

" Thank God ! " he cried. " You came just in
time. I never dreamed that you were alive. How
did you escape ? Where is Silva ? Have you seen
him ? "

" No, Sahib," was the scarcely audible reply, " but
beware — he cannot be far off. His boat lies behind the
rocks. I floated down with the current — and swam
up the eddy — to the island. I lay there helpless —
until I was able to crawl up — through the bushes."

" Don't talk any more. You are badly wounded.''

" I am dying, Sahib. All grows — dark — "

His voice fluttered to a groan, and his eyes closed.
His head fell back, and he lay as one dead. The lad
burst into tears.

" Speak to me," he begged, calling the Hindoo by
name. " One word, Sher Singh — only one word to
tell me that you are alive."

That word was not spoken, but Maurice heard
instead a light footstep without the cavern, and glancing
up he saw, to his horror, the swarthy face of Antonio
Silva peering in at him with a savage scowl ; the sound
of voices had attracted the ruffian's attention, or
else he had returned in quest of his forgotten knife.

" You see, I am back," he exclaimed, with an oath.
"It is not so easy to cheat me. Who has cut you
loose ? Ah, that Hindoo dog."

318 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

At one instant Maurice was pale with fear, the next
he had snatched the knife from Sher Singh's limp
fingers and sprung to his feet. He looked formidable
enough as he stood planted in the middle of the floor,
among the burning fragments of the fire, brandishing
the long-bladed weapon.

" Keep off, you devil," he cried hotly. " Keep off.
I am ready for you this time. It is my turn now.
Come a step nearer, and I will plunge the steel into
your black heart."

The Portuguese laughed, but it was a very hollow
and sickly laugh indeed. The odds were heavily
against him, and he knew it ; he was cowed by the
lad's valour and rage, and dared not for his life press
an attack. He dodged from side to side of the opening
watching for a chance to slip in, and finally he retreated
a few paces towards the water, keeping his eyes fixed
on Maurice. He evidently meant to arm himself
with stones, as soon as he could get to a safe distance.

Just then, however, a splashing noise was heard up
the river, and there was no mistaking the origin of the
sound. It was the regular, creaking dip of oars.
Silva shot a swift glance over his shoulder, and by the
grey light of the dawn he saw a dark object moving
straight in the direction of the island. His face
blanched with terror, and for a moment he stood
undecided.

" Help ! help ! " shouted Maurice, who also saw
and heard.

He answered by a lusty hail, and the oars dipped
faster. The Portuguese, realizing that the game was
up, and that he must be quick if he would escape, turned
and fled.

CHAPTER XLIII.

STRANGE RESCUERS.

THE flight of his vindictive enemy, and the certain
assurance that help was at hand, thrilled
Maurice with gratitude and joy ; but stronger
than these emotions was a burning eagerness to avenge
the murder of Sher Singh, for he believed the Hindoo to
be dead. He started at once in pursuit, swaying with
weakness as he strode over the rough ground. It was a
useless chase, however. By the time the lad reached
the point of stones and bushes below the cavern,
Silva had lea/pt into the boat and cast it adrift, and was
half a dozen yards away. He sped on, paddling
furiously with the single oar, and once he glanced over
his shoulder — not at, but beyond, Maurice — with
features that plainly showed the stamp of fear. Then
he swiftly faded into the murky gloom that overhung
the lower reaches of the river.

" He shan't escape," vowed Maurice, shaking a fist
in the direction of the fugitive.

Throwing himself flat at the water's edge, he drank
until his feverish thirst was quenched. He rose feeling
refreshed and strengthened, and with a steadier gait
he made his way back to the upper end of the island.
The strange craft was looming very near, and in less
than a minute it ran ashore with a force that drove
the bow deep into the soft earth. Two men sprang out,
armed with rifles. To all appearance they were
Englishman. One was short and thick-set, with a
clean-shaven face, and the other was a tall, bearded

319

320 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

man, wearing the blue jacket and gold-laced cap of &
ship's officer. In a trice they had covered the lad
with their weapons, which the next instant they slowly
and reluctantly lowered.

" Why, this is only a boy ! " exclaimed the big man,
in a tone of keen disappointment. " I hoped for
better luck."

" There was somebody with him," declared the other,
*' for I saw two figures running. I believe the Portu-
guese is not far off."

" Are you looking for Antonio Silva ? " Maurice
asked excitedly.

" That we are, lad," cried the first speaker, " and
for a native as well, Gunga Ra by name. Have you
seen them ? "

" I've seen more of them than I wanted to," Maurice
replied. " They were both here, and you'll find
Gunga Ra's body lying yonder. He is dead, killed by a
leopard. As for Silva, he has just escaped in a boat,
and is barely out of sight ! "

" Good ! we'll have him yet," said the short man,
" And who are you, my lad ? How did you get on the
island ? "

Maurice answered briefly, telling as much of his
story as was necessary to explain his present situation,
and including a graphic account of his adventures
with the two ruffians.

" A more desperate and bloody-minded pair of
scoundrels never drew breath," vowed the bearded man.
" You have had a terrible time of it, my lad, and I am
glad you lived to tell the tale. So you belong to the
' Star of Assam ' — that's the barge Silva and his con-
federate ran aground and tried to blow up. I am
Captain Wragg, of the passenger steamer ' Mogul

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 321

Emperor.' What is to be done with this young casta-
way, Bicknell ? " he added to his companion.
" Shall we take him with us ? "

" We can't leave him here," was the reply.

" I want to be in at the finish — when you capture
the Portuguese," Maurice said eagerly. " But first I
beg that you will come and look at Sher Singh, the
faithful Hindoo to whom I owe my life. He may not
be dead, though I am afraid he is. It won't take long,
and you can soon make up for lost time."

" Yes, that's true," assented Captain Wragg. " The
river is a score of miles wide hereabouts, and it will
soon be broad daylight now. The Portuguese has
but one oar, so he can't possibly escape us. We'll
spare ten minutes, eh, Bicknell ? "

" It's queer," muttered the short man, absently.

" What's queer ? What are you looking at, man, as
if you saw a ghost ? "

" I've been wondering where I've seen this lad
before," replied Bicknell. " It was somewhere and
sometime, I'll swear. And yet it can't be. No, it
it is only a resemblance — a mighty odd one, though."

" I was thinking the same about you," said Maurice.
" Directly you spoke your voice sounded familiar,
and I imagined I had met you before. If I did, it
was long ago."

" Perhaps we'll hit on it by and by," replied Bicknell.
" Come, let us see this friend of yours."

The mention of the Hindoo banished all else from
the lad's mind, and he led his companions forward.
They paused for a moment by the mutilated body of
Gunga Ra, which was already growing stiff, and then
passed on to the cavern, where the blazing remnants
of the fire shed sufficient light., Captain Wragg knelt

x

322 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

by the still unconscious form of Sher Singh, and closely
examined him.

" Dead ? not a bit of it," he cried, to Maurice's intense
relief. " Silva's knife gave him an ugly dig between
the ribs, but I should say he has a fair chance of re-
covery. We'll take him with us — that will be the
best plan — and before many hours he shall have
proper attention from a surgeon ; there is one aboard
my vessel. Meanwhile he'll do well enough. I have
a few drops of brandy," producing a flask, " but you'll
need that yourself. What with the bruise on your
forehead, and all you have gone through since you
were blown off the barge last night, you look ready
to drop."

" I can hold out," protested Maurice. " Give the
brandy to Sher Singh — he wants it more than I do.
And don't waste any further time, or Silva may get
away."

The men had no intention of lingering. The brandy
was divided, Maurice assenting to that, and his share
of the fiery stimulant infused fresh vigour into his
tired limbs. The portion that was forced down the
Hindoo's throat caused him to stir and to open his
eyes ; he glanced gratefully at the faces bending over
him, and his lips moved.

" Don't try to speak," the lad told him. " Every-
thing is all right, and we are going to pull you through.''

Sher Singh was tenderly carried to the water and
placed in the boat, where a bed of grass and bushes
was quickly made for him on the bottom, Bicknel,
providing his jacket for a pillow. Maurice's wound
was bathed and bandaged, greatly to his comfort
and soon the little party were adrift, bent on the
pursuit and capture of the desperado who was guilty

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 323

of so many deeds of blood. The boat swung out from
the island of evil memories, as it was ever to be regarded
by the lad, and began to move rapidly down stream.

It was now quite daylight, and overhead was a
clear and cloudless sky, though as yet, the sun not
having risen, the broad flood of turbid waters was in
many places shrouded by white mists. This was
gradually breaking and rolling away, and presently
Bicknell, glancing round while he tugged at the oars,
uttered an exclamation of pleasure.

" There's our craft," he said.

" Yes, yonder lies the ' Mogul Emperor,' " assented
Captain Wragg ; and he pointed up the river to the
dark bulk of a vessel that was indistinctly visible
about four miles distant.

" She is not moving ? " inquired Maurice.

" No, she is swinging at anchor," replied Bicknell.

He would have said more, but just then, the fresh-
ening wind having blown a wide gap in the mist on
the lower reaches of the stream, the fugitive Portuguese
loomed suddenly into view. He was about a mile
away, and was evidently holding to mid-channel for
the sake of the stronger current, instead of attempting
to gain one or the other of the remote-lying shores.

" The scoundrel ! " cried Captain Wragg. " He
is as good as caught. He hasn't a ghost of a chance."

" I'll bet you a sovereign you don't take him alive," •
said Bicknell. <

" Alive or dead — it won't make much difference,"
muttered the captain ; and he looked to the loading
of his rifle. " But you would lose your bet," he added,
" for the fellow is unarmed, and can't offer resistance.
He might commit suicide by drowning ; that is the
only way he can cheat us and the hangman.'*

324 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" I hope he won't get off so easily," said Mauricer
his face darkening as he remembered the ruffian's
long roll of crimes. " But how did you come to be
searching for him ? You haven't told me that."

" Why, no more we have," exclaimed Captain
Wragg. " That was stupid of us, to be sure. We had
too much else on our minds, lad, I suppose. The
tale is not a long one. Silva and Gunga Ra were
captured at the riverside settlement of Kolapur,
while sleeping soundly in a native hut — the authorities
had been notified to be on the watch for them, and
their hiding-place was betrayed by a coolie. This
happened two days ago, and the same afternoon our
steamer touched at Kolapur and the two prisoners
were brought on board in charge of an officer, who
meant to take them to Calcutta. But last night,
when the worst of the storm was over, Silva broke his
handcuffs, murdered his guard, and liberated Gunga
Ra. Then they set fire to the vessel, and in the con-
fusion that followed they heaved a small boat over
the rail and jumped into it, leaving one of the oars
behind. We fired at the precious pair, but they got
away in the darkness — "

" But not unhurt," said Maurice. " You shot
Gunga Ra in the thigh, and Silva has a wound in the
face."

" Ah, I thought we couldn't have missed them alto-
gether," exclaimed Captain Wragg. " So they were
both hit. The fire kept us busy," he went on, " and
when we got it out the engines were damaged, and we
had to drop anchor. But by now they ought to be in
working order again."

" Towards morning," interjected Biclmell, " the
captain and I lowered a boat and pushed on to look

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 325

for the fugitives, though we hadn't much hope of
overhauling them. It was a bit of luck, their stopping
at the island."

" It came mighty near to costing this brave lad
his life," Captain Wragg said grimly.

The conversation lapsed, and for twenty minutes
the boat went steadily on its course, with Bicknell at
the oars. Silva was doing wonders with his one blade,
though the intervening stretch was perceptibly lessen-
ing ; there was no doubt that he had discovered
his pursuers and was fully aware of his precarious
position. Sher Singh was neither better nor worse.
He lay in a stupor, occasionally stirring or uttering
a moan of pain ; his eyes opened once or twice, but
there was no recognition or intelligence in them.

" He's not going to die," said Captain Wragg, who
perceived Maurice's unspoken anxiety. " Don't you
worry."

A little later the sun rose, a dull-red globe on the
horizon, and as it mounted higher, dissolving and
penetrating the banks of mist that still lingered on
the broad bosom of the Megna, Maurice started sudden-
ly from his seat.

" Look ! " he cried, extending a shaking arm.
•" Look there ! Do you see ? "

Bicknell and Captain Wragg strained their eyes,
supposing that the lad's eager shout had something to
do with Silva. What they saw, however, as it took
better shape, was a large object resting on the water
as a considerable distance down stream and to the
left,

CHAPTER XLIV.

A HOT CHASE.

" ¥ OOKS like a house," declared Bicknell. " But

I y no, it can't be — "

" That's just what it is," Maurice inter-
rupted joyfully. " The ' Star of Assam,' as sure as
fate. Hurra ! my friends are safe."

" I believe you are right, my lad," said the captain.
" It answers to the description of your craft, anyway.
Is there a small boat on board ? "

" Not one," replied Maurice. " They were blown
away last night."

" Then Silva has nothing to fear from that source,
especially as the barge appears to be fast aground on
some shoal or bar."

" I'll bet the ruffian sheers off to one side," predicted
Bicknell. " He won't be fool enough to hold his
present course."

It was quickly evident, however, that this was exactly
what Silva meant to do, nor was a sound reason
lacking ; for a small vessel with bare masts had now
come in view off to the right. It lay a half-mile
opposite to the barge, and the fugitive was equally
distant from the two, and perhaps a quarter of a mile
above them. He must have realized the situation,
and formed a plan, some time before Maurice made hi&
discovery.

" He intends to slip between them," said Captain
Wragg.

" It is a big risk," replied Bicknell, " but he knows

326

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 327

that it is the safest thing to do, under the circumstances.
He hopes to creep by without attracting suspicion,
as he must have done had he suddenly altered his
course. He didn't discover the danger in time to
avoid it."

" Perhaps there are other vessels, not yet visible to
us, nearer both shores," Maurice suggested.

The comments of the lad and his companions were
mere conjecture, though probably they were not far
wrong. At all events, Silva held to a straight course,
and he appeared to be almost in line with the two
vessels by the time the pursuing boat, still gaining by
degrees, was within a half-mile of him. Moving
figures could be discerned on the deck of the barge.

" I wonder if your friends could stop the scoundrel
with a bullet," said Captain Wragg. " It would be
worth a trial."

" Tearle and Carruthers are both fine shots," replied
Maurice, " but the difficulty is they don't understand
what is going on."

" Then I'll give them an idea of the situation,'*
vowed Bicknell.

He dropped the oars, picked up his rifle, and fired
three shots in the air. They conveyed some sort
of a meaning, and that promptly. The echoes had
scarcely died away when those on the barge opened
a lively fusillade, and for several minutes the firearms
barked angrily. But the Portuguese, who was by
no means within such short range as he looked to be,
ran the gauntlet unscathed.

" He is out of reach now," Captain Wragg declared
finally. " I hardly believed they would hit him."

" More fun for us, in the end," said Bicknell.
" Look here, Captain, what do you say to stopping at

328 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the barge long enough to hoist the Hindoo aboard ?
The poor fellow needs attention badly."

" It is a good idea," was the reply. " Our surgeon
can visit him later. Five minutes' delay, more or
less, won't matter to us. It is impossible for Silva
to give us the slip on this vast stretch of open water."

So, much to Maurice's satisfaction, a course was
Immediately steered for the " Star of Assam," for such
it undoubtedly was. The boat drew rapidly near,
and now a taut chain, running downward from the rear
deck, showed that the barge was at anchor, and not
aground. Soon the lad was recognised by Tearle and
Carruthers, who hailed him with lusty shouts, and
it was a happy moment when he slipped alongside
the big craft and called greetings to the friends whom
he had never expected to see again, and who had in
turn given him up for dead.

It was no time for sentiment or many words, how-
ever. Brief explanations were made, and then Sher
Singh was lifted to the deck. Carruthers, who had
a fair knowledge of surgery, bustled about in quest
of brandy, and bandages, and sponges. Tearle,
having picked up a rifle, lowered himself to the boat
and shared the stern seat with Maurice.

" I wouldn't miss taking a hand in that yellow
fellow's capture for a good bit," he said. " But you
ought not to be here, lad," he added. " A snug
berth, with hot blankets, is your proper place."

" I'm going along, anyway," replied Maurice. " I
am good for a few hours yet."

" Plucky as ever," Tearle muttered, in a tone of
admiration. " I might have known you would pull
through somehow last night, though I admit we feared
the worst. After the storm was over we anchored here,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 329

intending to signal some passing vessel, and then — "

" Ready ? " interrupted Bicknell, who was im-
patiently handling the oars.

"Yes," said Tearle. " Hello ! Carruthers," he
shouted, " raise the anchor and drift along behind us."

" All right," came the response from above.

" Push off," cried Captain Wragg ; and an instant
later the boat was skimming swiftly away from the
barge, bound on its stern and terrible mission of
retribution.

Though the delay had been brief, Silva was now a
good mile distant and still trusting to the current of
mid-channel. Unenviable must have been his thoughts,
bitter his rage and consternation, as, looking back
from time to time over the dancing waves, he saw that
his relentless foes were again in grim pursuit. He
could not escape them — he must have known that,
even as he knew that if caught his life would surely
be forfeit to the hangman.

Higher and higher rose the sun into the pearl and
blue of the Eastern sky, and the far-off shores began
to stand out more distinctly. As yet the morning air
was cool after the hurricane, sweet and fragrant with
the breath of dawn, and the wide waste of water
glistened like burnished silver. Several large craft
were in sight, but they were miles to right and left,
pale smudges on the horizon, and they seemed to
only add to the loneliness of the seascape.

The radiant beauty and freshness of the day were in
ill-accord with thoughts of bloodshed and human
passions. Under the circumstances, however, Maurice
and his companions were impervious to the spell of
Nature, to her subtle influences. They had a stern
task to fulfil, and they heeded nothing else. The

330 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

boat forged rapidly ahead, its course followed eagerly
by those abroad the barge, which had begun to drift
with the tide. Dark faces, belonging to a native
crew, were also gazing from the little vessel anchored
to the right.

" Lad, we are gaining fast," declared Tearle.

" Yes, Silva is much nearer," said Maurice. " If
he had two oars, though, they would tell a different
tale."

" It won't be long until we're within rifle-shot
of the scoundrel," remarked Bicknell. " That mur-
dered officer was an old pal of mine," he added
gloomily.

" This is no occasion for private grudges," hinted
Captain Wragg. " Remember that we represent the
authority of law and justice."

" That's true, sir," assented Tearle, " and I say it
who have the heaviest score against the Portuguese.
But we'll take him alive if we can."

The chase continued in silence, and slowly and
surely, yard by yard, the avengers overhauled the
fleeing wretch, who was straining every nerve to pro-
long his dwindling lease of freedom. An unforeseen
element, however, was shortly to be introduced, to
the chagrin and anxiety of the pursuers.

A heavy, widespread sheet of mist still lay in front
like a white carpet, on the bosom of the Megna. This
began to break in two, under the action of the wind
and sun, and as it rolled apart, disclosing the watery
gap between, a mass of bright green vegetation loomed
out of mid-river.

Captain Wragg, who was sitting in the bow, glanced
forward over his shoulder in response to an exclamation
of surprise from Maurice.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 331

" Serpent Island ! " he cried. " I had forgotten
that we were in this neighbourhood."

" I've heard of Serpent Island before," said Bicknell.
" It's a good bit of land, too, I believe."

" Eight miles long, and at least three wide in the
middle," replied the captain, significantly. "It is
infested with serpents and tigers, and covered with
dense jungle and scrub that is almost impenetrable."

" Then it's good-bye to Silva, as far as we are con-
cerned, if he manages to reach that place of refuge,"
exclaimed Tearle. " We might as well hunt for a
needle in a hay-rick as hope to find him."

" He won't reach it," cried Bicknell. " He must
not. We are only half a mile behind him now, and
the island is three times that far from here."

" Yes, about a mile and a half, perhaps a little
less," agreed Captain Wragg. " The scoundrel's boat
is considerably lighter than ours, but we will do our
best. Pull hard, Bicknell. What on earth made us
forget to bring another set of oars ? "

The dripping blades rose and fell rapidly, without
a second's interval between the strokes, and a pal-
pitating wake of foam and ripples gathered astern
of the scudding craft.

" Should Silva once get to the island," added the
captain, " it will indeed be the last of him, I fear.
If he is not killed by tigers or snakes — as ten to one
he will be — he will find it a very simple matter to
escape at night, and drift with a cross current to the
mainland, either on a log or a raft. There is plenty
of wreckage to be had, in the way of timber and trees."

" And we can't patrol sixteen miles of shore," said
Tearle, despondently. " No use to try."

The Portuguese was evidently shrewd enough to

332 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

take a similar view of the situation, and the prospect
of a safe hiding-place, with a chance of ultimate
escape to follow, urged him to redouble his efforts.
He plied his one oar desperately, and at frequent
intervals glanced back to note how the race was
progressing.

A quarter of an hour slipped by, and each minute
was fraught with keenest suspense and anxiety to all
concerned. During that time scarcely a word was
spoken ; every eye watched the steadily decreasing
space between the two boats. Who would win in the
«nd ? It was a question that none as yet had confidence
to answer. .

" It is sickening to see the fellow drawing nearer and
nearer," cried Maurice. " Oh ! why can't we over-
take him ? "

" I am doing my level best," vowed Bicknell. " It
is going to be a mighty close shave, or else — " he
hesitated.

" Or else we lose," said Tearle, fiercely. " But
anything but that ! Rather than let him gain the
shelter of the jungle, a bullet must cut him short
in his sins."

" Yes, a bullet as the last resort," assented Captain
Wragg. " If we can get within gunshot of him," he
added doubtfully.

There was room for doubt, and the issue was just
as uncertain a little later, when the island was half
a mile away and the Portuguese was more than half
that distance from his pursuers. Tearle, too impatient
to sit still, rose and crept forward to the bow of the
boat. He stood there, towering above Captain Wragg,
and waited with rifle in hand.

" That's hardly fair, comrade," growled Bicknell.

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 333

" I ought to have the first shot. It was my friend
Jack Masters, whom Silva killed."

" My score is the heavier, by far," replied Tearle,
" However, if you wish it, I will take the oars and yield
you my place. But don't miss."

" No ; go ahead," said Bicknell. " You're the
better shot, perhaps."

Two minutes passed, and the boat had swept nearer
to the fugitive and to the island. Crack ! rang
Tearle's rifle. Crack ! crack !

The bullets fell short of the mark. Another interval,
bringing the chase nearer to its end, and then a fourth
shot, which struck with a splash a little ahead of
the Portuguese.

" Now you've got him," Maurice cried excitedly.
" Quick ! "

" The next shot will plug the scoundrel," exclaimed
Captain Wragg. " But first, don't you think we
ought to give him a chance to surrender."

" It will be only a waste of breath," vowed Bicknell.

Just then, finding that he was in range, Silva had
recourse to a cunning ruse, and one that bade fair
to succeed. Having made three vigorous strokes
that sent the boat straight and swift for the point
of the island, he dropped the oar and suddenly vanished.
He had thrown himself flat on the bottom of the
craft, and not an inch of his body showed above the
gunwales.

" By Heavens, he'll cheat us yet ! " cried Captain
Wragg.

" Wait ! " Tearle said calmly.

He watched, keen-eyed, with his rifle still at his
shoulder. The island, in the next minute, drew
within four hundred feet. The fugitive was but a

334 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

dozen yards from the thick jungle coverts, which
reached almost to the water's edge. Bicknell pulled
like a madman, and the faces of the others were
strained with mingled hope and fear.

Crunch ! the sound was plainly heard as the bow
of the assassin's boat cut deep into the sand and
pebbles. As quickly the Portuguese bounded to his
feet, sprang ashore, and leapt towards the friendly
thickets.

For a brief instant his figure was in view, and in that
instant retribution overtook him. Tearle's rifle barked
vengefully, and as the smoke lifted Silva was seen to
reel and toss up his arms. Then, with an imprecation
on his lips, the guilty wretch fell like a dog.

CHAPTER XLV,

A THRILLING DISCOVERY

IN awestruck silence, their fierce passions subdued
by the tragedy they had just witnessed, Maurice
and his companions gazed at the prostrate form
which did not show any visible movement. Bicknell
eased the oars and with a few more strokes ran the
boat aground on the Isle of Serpents.

The little group stepped out and approached the
Portuguese, who, though mortally wounded beyond a
doubt, was far from dead. He was breathing in
painful gasps, and his strong vitality promised to
keep him alive for some time. He glared up at his
enemies, a frenzy of hatred in his burning eyes, and
cursed them between throat spasms until blood oozed
to his lips, when he became half -unconscious.

" He has not long to live," said Maurice.

" An hour or two, perhaps," replied Tearle. " It
is not easy to kill fellows of this sort. See, the ball
passed clean through him, entering at the back and
emerging under the ribs. It is not a pleasant thing
to do — to shoot a man down in cold blood. But it
was that or lose him."

v There is no need to feel any remorse about it,"
said Bicknell, in a hard tone. " The ruffian richly
deserves his fate. It is far too good for him, in fact —
the hangman should have had his dues. However,
we can afford to be merciful now. Shall we take him
aboard the barge, and let him die in peace ? "

" It is the least we can do," assented Captain Wragg.

385

336 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" There's a chance, I'm thinking, that the surgeon
will be able to patch him up."

Tearle shook his head. "Not a hundred surgeons
could save him, more's the pity," he declared. " I
know the signs."

They lifted the wounded man and bore him to the
boat, then pulled gladly away from the Isle of Serpents,
towing astern of them the smaller craft belonging to
the passenger steamer. The journey was a short one,
and twenty minutes later all were aboard the " Star of
Assam," which had meanwhile been drifting slowly
down the river. Silva, his condition unchanged,
was made comfortable on deck under the awning, and
the crew pressed round the spot, curious for a glimpse
of the dreaded outlaw. When the excitement had
somewhat subsided, Maurice's first inquiry was for
Sher Singh, who had been put to bed in the cabin.

" He is doing as well as can be expected," declared
Carruthers. " While there's life there's hope. But
unless you turn in and get some rest, my lad, I shall
have two patients on my hands."

" There is nothing much the matter with me," said
Maurice, "except that I am as hungry as a bear.
And little wonder."

He did not have to wait long for his breakfast, and
by the time that was finished — the " Star of Assam "
had meanwhile dropped anchor again — the " Mogul
Emperor" was in plain sight, beating its way down
mid-channel under half -steam. Tearle and Captain
Wragg held a brief consultation, and the latter agreed,
for a certain sum of money, to tow the barge down to
the Bay of Bengal and across to the delta of the
Hooghly. Therefore, as soon as the big passenger
steamer came within hailing distance, she eased her

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 337

speed and backed up in front of the barge, to which
she was promptly secured by half a dozen stout cables.
Then the huge side-paddles of the " Mogul Emperor"
lashed the water into foam, and the two vessels
ploughed on their way together.

The steamer's passengers, when they learned what
had occurred, were all eager to go aboard the barge,
but Captain Wragg gave permission to only two.
The favoured couple were Englishmen, and one
was a Calcutta surgeon, a lean, brusque, elderly man,
who was returning from a professional visit to a
wealthy planter of Assam ; for which service he
must have received an enormous fee. The other was
a handsome,distmguished-lookmg gentleman of perhaps
fifty years of age, with keen brown eyes and a tawny
drooping moustache. His dress and manner, his
languid, well-modulated voice, clearly indicated that
he belonged to the upper classes.

" There is work for you here, Dr. Sawton ; this
way, sir," said the captain. " I'm afraid you won't
find your surroundings very agreeable," he added,
in a tone of great respect, to the surgeon's companion.
" The barge is in a state of disorder, Mr. Carfax, and
is hardly a fit place for a gentleman."

" Never mind about that," replied Mr. Carfax. " I
have a curiosity to see — "

He broke off to stare fixedly and with sudden interest
at Maurice, who, unaware of the stranger's scrutiny,
turned to follow the surgeon. The latter went straight
to Sher Singh, and after a lengthy examination he
declared that with careful nursing the Hindoo would
have more than a chance of recovery. He then
stepped across the deck to the Portuguese, and at the
first glance he shook his head. y

338 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

" I can do nothing here," he said. " The fellow
is past help, and will surely cheat the hangman. He
has not long to live."

Maurice, stirred by an impulse of pity — or as near
to pity as it could be under the circumstances, knelt
beside the dying man and moistened his lips with a
sponge.

" Come, this won't do, my boy," remonstrated the
surgeon. " You appear to be in need of attention
yourself. You are wounded and exhausted, and ought
to be in bed."

At that moment Silva opened his eyes, and they
rested on Maurice with a glance of fiery hatred, which,
to the amazement of all quickly turned to a softer
expression. Knowing that his end was fast approach-
ing the assassin was beginning to yield, as the most
evil natures frequently do at the last, to the terrifying
touch of conscience and remorse.

" Brandy ! brandy ! " he begged in a hoarse whisper.

They brought a wine-glass full of the strong stimulant
and poured it down his throat, and it promptly revived
him. He motioned to be lifted up, and when that
had been done, and he was supported in Carruthers'
arms, his glazing eyes turned to Maurice with a look
of mingled horror and penitence.

" I'm going — I know that," he muttered faintly.
" I thought I should be game to the finish, and if
any one had told me that I would forgive a wrong,
or soften my heart to a foe, I'd have laughed him to
scorn. But it's different, somehow, when you see the
grave waiting. All my sins are crowding into my
mind — they're dragging me down, shoving me into
the darkness. Are you still there, my lad ? I can't
see you. I'm glad I didn't kill you, and I want to do

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 339

you a service before I go. You have a cruel and
determined enemy. Beware of him. He hired me to
murder you, and I was to have been paid five hundred
pounds. The man's real name is — Ravenhurst — and
— and you'll find — him — at — Calcutta. Go to — the — "

A gurgling, choking sound ended the sentence, and
there was a rush of blood to Silva's lips. He struggled,
tried to raise himself, and fell limply back — dead.
He had gone to the great judgment seat to answer for
his crimes.

" The world is well rid of him," said Tearle, in a
hard voice, " but he went out of it too easily."

The sun shone gloriously down on the deck. Car
ruthers drew the blanket over the body of the Portu
guese, and the little group of men moved away from
the spot. Maurice stood by the rail, looking over the
wide waters with puzzled eyes and confused thoughts.
He pressed his hand in bewilderment to his brow.

" What does it mean ? " he exclaimed aloud.
" Ravenhurst ! Ravenhurst ! I have heard the name
before. But when ? Where ? "

" What have you got to do with John Ravenhurst,
my boy ? " demanded an eager voice behind him.
,' There's a mystery here, and between the two of us
we ought to — "

Maurice, turning quickly round, came face to face
with Bicknell, and immediately he fancied he recog-
nized him. The veil of the past was lifted at least
in part, and his mind was back in the years of his
childhood. A clearer light dawned on Bicknell at
the same instant, and he was the more agitated of
the two. He threw his arms about the lad and em-
braced him exuberantly.

" Why, I know you now ! " he cried. " I must

340 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

have been blind before. I'd take my oath that I'm
right. You're little Dick Forrest, my old pal, straight
enough. To think that we should meet again like
this, here in India ! It's wonderful ! I was not
wrong, then, in suspecting that scoundrel Raven-
hurst. I was satisfied from the first that he meant to
play some wicked game. Surely, my boy, you've not
forgotten me. Don't you remember the circus, and
the menagerie, and how we travelled about the country
together ? "

" Yes, I do remember," declared Maurice. " It
all comes back to me — it is growing clearer. My
father died and this man Ravenhurst took me away
and put me on board of Captain Bonnick's vessel. I
have seen him once since then — in the forest of Soonput,
not long ago. But why did he hate me, and why did
he hire Antonio Silva to kill me ? And you — didn't
I used to call you Bick ? "

" That's right, lad. It was short for Bicknell. Well
well, this is a queer world we live in. And it's a strange
tale I have to tell you — "

Just then the English gentleman, who had been
standing near enough to catch a fragment of the
conversation, came up to the two and touched Bicknell
on the shoulder.

" I beg your pardon," he said, " but may I have a
word with you ? '3

CHAPTER XLVL

LIGHT ON DAKKNESS.

SURPRISED by the interruption and resenting it
a little at such a time, Bicknell glanced up at the
stranger, who, without waiting for an answer to
his question, continued in a tone of suppressed excite-
ment.

" I heard you call yourself Bicknell just now, and
that is a name which means something to me. Are
you by any chance George Bicknell, formerly of Norwich
in England, and of late years the owner of a small
tea plantation, thirty miles north of Goalpara ? "

" I'm the man," Bicknell admitted. " You've read
me off correctly, sir. But if you wish to buy the
plantation you're a little too late. I sold it a month
ago to—"

" I don't want the plantation," impatiently broke
in the gentleman. " I want you, and I have come
all the way from England to find you. I travelled
up-country to your place, and the new owner told me
you had gone to Calcutta — "

" I started for there by water, sir, but I stopped off
for a time at Rangamati, and took passage later on the
* Mogul Emperor,' when she touched on her down trip."

" Then we have been fellow-passengers for some
days. I wish I had known that before. Now, by
mere chance, I have found you out. My name, I
suppose, will tell you nothing. I am Mr. Philip Carfax
of the Towers, in Essex — that is my English home."

" You've got the advantage of me, sir," Bicknell

341

342 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

replied, shaking his head. He glanced at Maurice
and then towards the others standing near, who were
looking curiously on.

" Some years ago you were travelling about England
with a circus and menagerie, were you not ? " asked
Mr. Carfax, growing visibly more excited.

" I was, sir ; that's right," Bicknell admitted.

"And with the same circus were two persons,
Gilbert Forrest and his son Richard, with whom you
were on friendly terms ?"

" Right again. Why, I was talking of those days
not two minutes ago. But did you know Gilbert
Forrest ? "

" Did I know him ? " echoed Mr. Carfax, hoarsely.
" Yes, from childhood. I may as well tell you the
whole truth — there is no reason for concealing it.
Gilbert Forrest, as he called himself, was my brother.'*

" You don't mean it, sir ?" gasped Bicknell. " If
that is the case, then — "

" He was my own brother," repeated Mr. Carfax.
" Poor fellow ! what would I not give to bring him
back to life ? And now for the next question — I fear
to ask it, and I dread the answer. Where is my
nephew, the little lad who was known as Richard
Forrest ? You alone can tell me."

It was Bicknell's turn to show excitement. He
stared in open-mouthed wonder for a moment, and
then, putting a hand on Maurice, he drew him forward.

" He wants you, lad," he said. " Why this beats
everything."

" I — I don't understand," stammered Maurice, on
whose face was dawning the light of a great revelation.
" Am I Richard Forrest ? Was that my name when I
was with the circus 2 "

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 343

" Of course it was — I told you so," declared Bicknell.
" Mr. Carfax, hero is your nepliew. This gentleman
claims to be your uncle, my boy, and I've no doubt
that he is."

A brief searching glance satisfied Mr. Carfax that
Bicknell was speaking the truth, and the next instant,
overcome by emotion, he had opened his arms and
gathered Maurice into them.

" Yes, you are Horace's son," he cried. " You
have his features, his eyes. At last, thank Heaven ! I
have found you."

" Am I awake or am I dreaming ? " muttered
Bicknell. " This is a day of surprises, and no
mistake."

The scene was a thrilling and affecting one, and
Maurice, thus suddenly embraced by a stranger, was
too bewildered for speech. Some little time passed
and some further explanation was needed, before he
could fully grasp the situation, which, when the
meaning of it had been made clear to him, brought a
lump to his throat and a look of happiness to his face.
He realized that the puzzling mystery of the past
was a mystery no longer, and that a new life had
begun for him.

Others gathered about the spot, impelled by curiosity
and the first to offer congratulations to Maurice were
Tearle and Carruthers, who had overheard a part of
the conversation, and were not slow to understand
what had happened. The honest fellows were as
pleased as Bicknell.

" You have found a nephew who is worthy of you,
Mr. Carfax," said Tearle. " You may well be proud
of him. You deserve your good luck, my lad, and I
say it who know. We meant to help you to clear up

344 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

the mystery of your birth as soon as we reached
England, but there is no need of that now."

" I am heartily glad for your sake," vowed Carru-
thers as he wrung Maurice's hand, " but I hope we are
not going to lose you."

" I am afraid you will," declared Philip Carfax. " I
cannot part with my nephew."

There were several points on which he desired to be
enlightened, and, moreover, there was much that still
called for explanation ; so Maurice, in reply to the
questions of his newly-found relative, spoke of the
vague recollections of his early years, and went on to
tell at length of his life in India, from the time he had
been left in Tom Dayleford's care.

" You have indeed suffered many hardships and
perils, my boy," said his uncle, when the narrative
was finished, " and that you came safely through them
is due to those who stood by you so faithfully. But
your troubles are over, and as far as possible the future
shall atone for the past. I have a sad story to tell,
and it is only right that your kind friends should listen
to it. Before I begin, however, I should like to hear
what Mr. Bicknell knows. It may not be much, yet
nevertheless — "

" It is very little, Mr. Carfax," Bicknell interrupted,
*' but such as it is you're welcome to it, if you'll excuse
my blunt way of speaking. To start the yarn proper, I
joined Santley's circus and menagerie about the year
1880, and Gilbert Forrest was then attached to it as
lion-tamer. He was a rare one for animals, and they
all seemed fond of him. Living with him was his
son Dick — this same lad — who was then a tiny chap
four or five years old. Forrest and I became thick
friends, and more than that, but he never spoke of

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 345

his past life except to say that his wife was dead. I
knew there was some mystery about him, and I didn't
need to be told that he was a gentleman born and
bred.

" Well, sir, to go on, I had been with the circus for a
while, and we were performing in the town of Preston,
when Forrest got a letter that took him to London for
a couple of days. He went off, leaving the boy in
my care, and not twenty-four hours after he came
back he was knocked down and fatally trampled upon
by a loose elephant. He lingered nearly a week, and
before he died he told me that his father had bequeathed
him a legacy, and that he was going to appoint an
old friend of his, named Ravenhurst, as guardian for
his boy. The man turned up in company with a
lawyer just before Forrest breathed his last, and I
believe they got the proper papers written and signed.
I mistrusted Ravenhurst's looks at the time, but I
didn't dare say anything. He took little Dick away
with him the next morning, and that was the last I
saw or heard of either until to-day. The following
spring a distant relative of mine died in Assam, and
left me a bit of a plantation. I took it into my head
to run the place myself, so I came out on the first
steamer, and I've been here ever since. Then I got
tired and sold out, and now I'm on the way back to
England. That's my story, Mr. Carfax, and I hope
there will be a better ending to it before long I want
to see that scoundrel Ravenhurst caught and punished-
It makes my blood boil to think that he has been
spending Dick's money all these years."

CHAPTER XLVII.

CONCLUSION.

THE Isle of Serpents, where fell the tragic end of
the race that Antonio Silva had all but won,
dropped leagues astern that day, as for mile after
mile the " Mogul Emperor " forged on her course. The
" Star of Assam " slipped along behind her, held in leash
by short hawsers, wallowing and dipping to the creamy
swell that was churned up by the larger vessel's
paddles ; and with every hour the vast waste of
waters grew wider and wider, until at the eventide,
when the sun was a dull red ball of fire on the horizon,
neither to right nor left could a trace of the Megna's
shores be seen. The pale glow faded into the purple
shadows of the night, and as the stars flashed out
brilliantly in the heavens, and lantern began to wink
at lantern from the scattered river craft, a little group
sat on the fore-deck of the barge, waiting to hear the
final narrative which would have been told that morn-
ing had not Maurice, much against his will, been sent
off to bed by the surgeon. The lad had turned up
now, refreshed by a long sleep, and he looked none
the worse as he stood leaning on the rail by his uncle's
side. Bicknell and Tearle were also there, and Car-
ruthers presently joined them from the cabin with
the welcome news that Sher Singh was sleeping quietly
and that his condition was as favourable as could be
expected. As for Antonio Silva, he was lying som
where on the bottom of the river ; for during the
day — the hot climate left no alternative — the body

346

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 347

had been dropped overboard, sewn in canvas and
weighted with lead.

" My story is a comparatively short one," began
Philip Carfax, " and I may say by way of introduction
that I come of an old family who have been large and
wealthy landowners in Essex for three centuries. My
ancestors were soldiers and sailors in the days of
Elizabeth, fighting-men in the reign of the Stuarts,
and from time to time in later generations — as often
happens — one of our race has developed a wild and
reckless strain in the blood. Indeed, it has been
inherent more or less with all of us, and I mention
the fact because it occurs in what I am about to tell
you. My brother Horace and myself were the only
children of Godfrey Carfax, who was in the diplomatic
service for some years, and retired at the age of forty
to his country-place. We were born at the Towers,
and there we spent the most of our youth, a happy
period that was clouded by the death of our mother
My brother was two years my junior, and we were
devotedly attached to each other ; but while I had
quiet and studious tastes, and perhaps an exaggerated
idea of the dignity of my position, Horace was of a
restless and impulsive nature, light-hearted and
careless. He was fond of all sports, of horses and
dogs, and had an aversion to books. He made friends
of gipsies and poachers, and was constantly getting
into trouble with his tutor, and with our father as
well, who did not understand how to deal with him.
Nothing serious happened, however, until we went up
to Oxford together, and then, at the beginning of his
second year, Horace was led by dissolute companions
into a scrape that caused him to be sent down. He
came home, and after a bitter quarrel with his father,

348 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

in which both lost their tempers, he left in anger
vowing that he would never return. A long time
passed without any word or knowledge of my brother —
I was forbidden to make any search for him — and then
we had a letter from Horace in which he stated that he
was married to a friendless orphan girl, whose father
had been the proprietor of a travelling caravan of
wild animals. Considering this piece of news to be
an indelible blot on the family name and honour, my
father wrote to Horace at once, absolutely disowning
and disinheriting him. No answer was received, and
for half a (lozen years there was unbroken silence, until
we discovered quite by accident that Horace's wife
was dead, and that he and his child were touring about
England with a circus, under the assumed name of
Forrest.

" Another interval followed, and within a year or
so my father, stricken by a mortal illness, repented
of his harshness at the last, and bequeathed to my
younger brother the sum of £40,000. That legacy
was claimed a month later, as soon as Horace
learned of his good fortune. He came in person to
London, and a cheque for the amount was handed
to him by our family solicitor. At about this time
I had a severe attack of fever, and directly I was
convalescent I was ordered aboard to regain my health-
I meant to search for my brother when I returned,
but meanwhile he met his death by an accident, and
the sad tidings reached me in Egypt. Doubly be-
reaved, I was now a lonely man indeed. Not caring
to reside in solitary state at the Towers, with its haunt-
ing memories of the dead, I sought distraction in
foreign travel. For years I was a restless, discontented
exile, wandering from city to city, from country to

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 349

country, and by way of occupation collecting rare
books and prints, antique weapons and armour.
Finally I returned home, twelve months ago, and
remembering Horace's child — my only living kinsman
— I determined to find and claim him.

" I should but weary you if I were to describe in
detail that long and exhaustive search. Santley's
circus was broken up, and many of its old employees
were dead. In the end, however, my patience was
partly rewarded, and I stumbled upon the clue that
brought me to India and thence up the Brahmaputra
to Assam in quest of George Bicknell. The rest
I need not relate ; you witnessed this morning the
consummation of my hopes. Of John Ravenhurst I
know little or nothing, except that he was a chum of
my brother's at Oxford, where he belonged to a fast
and unprincipled set. For his heinous crimes, and
the base betrayal of his trust, he shall assuredly be
punished as he deserves. And in conclusion let me
say that I shall devote my future to the welfare and
happiness of my dear. nephew, whom by the mercy of
Providence I have been enabled to find."

Philip Carfax paused, and laid a hand affectionately
on Maurice's shoulder.

*******

A week later the " Star of Assam " and the " Mogul
Emperor," still joined together by hawsers, swung up
the Hooghly river with the tide and dropped anchor
off the Calcutta docks, not far from Hamrach and
Company's warehouse. A state.ment of Antonio Silva's
death and burial was furnished without delay to the
proper authorities, and as neither Tearle nor any of
his companions would accept the reward that had
been offered for the fugitive, it was ultimately given

350 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

to the family of the murdered police-officer. Thanks
to his strong constitution, and the care he had received,
Sher Singh was mending rapidly, and in a fortnight
after his removal to a hospital he was hobbling
about.

On coming ashore Mr. Carfax and Maurice — to give
the lad the familiar name that was no longer his —
drove straight to the Great Eastern Hotel, little
dreaming that John Ravenhurst, alias Miles Hamilton,
had hastily left there not two hours before, having
read in the papers an account of the arrival of the
two vessels and the stirring adventures they had en-
countered during their voyage down the Brahmaputra-
By the same evening he was on board a P. and O.
liner, bound for England.

As there were various matters that required attention,
nearly a month passed before our friends were ready
to leave Calcutta. In the first place Tearle and
Carruthers were anxious to wait until Sher Singh
had entirely recovered, as they wanted him to assist
in caring for the wild animals on the long vogage to
London, for which purpose they also engaged Bicknell.
In the meantime Philip Carfax made every endeavour
to find Ravenhurst, but since he had been known by
a false name while in India the task proved a futile
one, no trace of him being discovered.

Acting under cabled instructions from the firm,
Dermot Tearle chartered a portion of a comparatively
fast steamer for the shipment of his animals, and as
Maurice was anxious to be with his friends as long
as possible, the same vessel carried Mr. Carfax and
his nephew away from the shores of India. They
had a quick and prosperous journey home, and their
surprise can be better imagined than described when,

THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS. 351

on entering the Thames and landing below the Tower,
they found the newspapers of the day full of sensational
stories of the rascality of the very man whom they
had vainly sought for in Calcutta. John Ravenhurst
had been arrested and charged, it appeared, and had
then been released from custody under heavy bonds
for trial.

The explanation of the mystery was very simple.
Captain Bonnick had been pulled out of the Hooghly
River by some native boatmen, and taken to a hospital,
where he hovered between life and death for many
weeks, unable to give any information concerning
himself. When he at length recovered he returned to
England to find and join his ship, and in London he
came across Ravenhurst, who had arrived a few
weeks before. He at once handed the villain over to
the police, and the dastardly plot to which the sailor
had lent himself was made public.

Unfortunately the law — to dismiss an unpleasant
episode briefly — did not receive its just dues ; for
John Ravenhurst forfeited his bail and fled to a South
American state, where, for want of an extradition
treaty, he will probably drag out a miserable existence
to the end of his days. He left property behind him
which, when legally attached, yielded to Maurice
nearly one-half the equivalent of his stolen fortune.
Since he showed himself to be truly penitent for his
share in the plot, Captain Bonnick escaped prosecution.
He made a full confession to Mr. Carfax, admitting
that he had received money from Ravenhurst from time
to time, during the years when Maurice was on board
the " Mary Shannon " and while he was in Tom Dayle-
ford's care at Calcutta. Dayleford and the sailor,
it may be added, had been friends of long standing,

352 THE JUNGLE TRAPPERS.

and the fact that the former was a deserter from the
army was well known to Captain Bonnick.

George Bicknell, having conceived a strong liking
for Tearle and Carruthers, and for their perilous trade
as well, decided to permanently enter the employment
of Hamrach and Company. Sher Singh had other
prospects, and he severed his connection with the
firm in order to accompany Mr. Carfax and Maurice
to their country home in Essex, where the services of
the devoted Hindoo will always be prized as they
deserve.

And now we must reluctantly bid farewell to our
young hero, and leave him on the threshold of the
new and happy life that has opened before him. His
first aim is a thorough education, and no money will
be spared to obtain it. In after years, when he comes
to young manhood, he and his uncle will probably
spend much time in travel, visiting strange and wild
lands as well as European countries. You may believe
that Sher Singh will go with them, and perhaps, in
the course of their wanderings, they will some day
chance upon the friends of Maurice's eventful youth
— the intrepid wild beast hunters of the Indian jungles.

THE

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