Part 12 (1/2)
”Huh?” one incredulous cry broke from the other three. ”Who fired it?”
”Mr. Judson done it.”
Three pairs of eyes swept to Mart, who laughed at the amazement of the men. ”Well, why not?” he wanted to know.
”Great Scott!” exclaimed Birch. ”You fired on the Pirate Shark, lad?
Then I'm main sorry for you, that I am!”
”Why so, Birch?” queried Bob, leaning forward and grinning.
”Because it's bad luck, young gem'man,” replied Yorke soberly enough, for all his twisted mouth. ”It's mortal bad luck! If you'd put a bullet in that there Pirate Shark, you'd 'a' broke old Jerry's heart, you would--”
”Oh, shut up, Yorke!” snapped Birch. ”Give way, everybody! There's a boat!”
The boys turned and saw one of the native praus coming from the river toward the yacht. The superst.i.tion of the seamen affected them not at all, and Mart felt that all bans were now off, and they could tell Captain Hollinger about the Pirate Shark whenever they chose. Jerry was no doubt aboard the native boat now approaching--and Mart did not feel half so anxious to shoot tigers as he did to get after the Pirate Shark.
For the Pirate Shark really existed, beyond any doubt!
CHAPTER X
OFF FOR TIGERS
”Yes, sir, Pirate Shark is what they call him, Cap'n. Thirty-footer.”
”What!” Captain Hollinger stared in amazement, then laughed.
”Thirty-footer? You're tangled up, Jerry. Well, he can wait until I get back.”
Jerry had arrived at the yacht almost as soon as the boys reached her, and in the course of the explanations about their shooting, Mart and Bob surprised Jerry into e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.n.g. the t.i.tle of the Pirate Shark, which called for further explanations. Thus, without having broken their promise, the boys apprised the captain of something of the story of the Pirate Shark, since Jerry reluctantly explained the name. Captain Hollinger gave the matter little attention, but not so the mate.
”Look here, Cap'n,” cried Swanson, stepping out and facing Jerry aggressively. ”I warned you against this here Shark Smith afore we started, didn't I? Now, I tell you he ain't here for any good, him and the rest o' his gang! Shark Smith, they call him--don't you growl at me, you white-haired old hypocrite!--'cause he's been after that 'ere shark for ten year an' more. That's what he brung you here for, Cap'n--just so's he could get at that Pirate Shark!”
Swanson flung out this accusation boldly enough, and Jerry's blue eyes blazed up at him suddenly; but the look was fleeting, and the next instant the quartermaster flung back his white hair and gazed with mild reproach on the mate.
”Deary me!” Jerry said softly, then smiled. ”Why, Cap'n, Mr. Swanson's quite right, he is. I knowed that there Pirate Shark was here, an' I wanted to kill him myself, so to speak. But I've played square, Cap'n.
When you gets back from your hunt, I'll have gold to show you. Can you ask more'n that, sir?”
”Not a bit, Jerry,” smiled Captain Hollinger. ”Come, Mr. Swanson, no more of this suspicion, if you please. Jerry will have to rank as second officer, and take the port watch for the rest of the cruise, so I want no ill feeling among my officers. Now, what about the tigers, Jerry?”
Jerry reported that all was ready, and that the beaters were already arranged for. There were tigers a day's march away, it seemed, and the chiefs were delighted that Captain Hollinger was so willing and ready to rid them of their persecutors. The sooner the hunters started, the better pleased would the natives be.
Accordingly, the captain decided that he would go ash.o.r.e with Swanson that same afternoon and get acquainted, as Jerry reported that two or three of the natives could speak a little English, and that all were anxious to put themselves at his disposal. Then for the first time Jerry found that the boys were not going ash.o.r.e also, and the knowledge seemed to stagger him.
”Why--why,” he exclaimed blankly, ”I thought as how you were going tiger hunting too, lads. I've been an' made all arrangements wi' them chiefs--”
”No, they'll have to stay here,” returned the captain firmly. ”I'll not take them into that jungle till I've had a look at it, Jerry. That's final. Hold that prau down there and we'll get our stuff together and go ash.o.r.e in her.”
Jerry, looking decidedly blank, obeyed. Mart wondered why he was so anxious to have them go ash.o.r.e, and conferred with Bob on the subject, but it seemed that Jerry was only in haste to get at his Pirate Shark, and the two boys were rather amused at the situation, together with Swanson's dislike of Jerry.