Part 94 (1/2)
”Or tawny mane--we don't know which. Just think, to let them have it!”
”No,” said Mark. ”That we won't: we must have it.”
”It's _our_ tiger,” said Bevis.
”All ours.”
”Every bit.”
”The claws make things, don't they?” said Mark: he meant the reverse, that things are made of tiger's claws as trophies.
”Yes, and the teeth.”
”And the skin--beautiful!”
”Splendid!”
”Rugs.”
”Hurrah!”
”We'll have him!”
”Kill him!”
”Yow--wow!”
Pan caught their altered mood and leaped on them, barking joyously.
They went down into the stockade and considered if there was anything they could do to add to their defences, and at the same time increase the chances of shooting the tiger.
”Perhaps he won't spring over,” said Mark; ”suppose we leave the gate open? else we shan't get a shot at him.”
”I want a shot at him while he's on the fence,” said Bevis, ”balanced on the top, you know, like Pan sometimes at home.” In leaping a fence or gate too high for him they had often laughed at the spaniel swaying on the edge and not able to get his balance to leap down without falling headlong. ”I know what we will do,” he continued, ”we'll put out some meat to tempt him.”
”Bait.”
”Hang up the other birds--and my hare--no--shall I? He's such a beauty.
Yes, I will. I'll put the hare out too. Hares are game; he's sure to jump over for the hare.”
”Drive in a stake half-way,” said Mark, meaning half-way between the cage and the stockade. ”Let's do it now.”
There were several pieces of poles lying about, and the stake was soon up. The birds and the hare were to be strung to it to tempt the beast to leap into the enclosure. The next point was at what part should they aim? At the head, the shoulders, or where? as the most fatal.
The head was the best, but then in the hurry and excitement they might miss it, and he might not turn his shoulder, so they decided that whoever was on the watch at the moment should aim at the body of the creature so as to be certain to plant a bullet in it. If he was once hit, his rage and desire of revenge would prevent him from going away; he would attack the cage, and while he was venting his rage on the bars there would be time to load and fire again.
”And put the muzzle close to his head the second time,” said Mark.
”Certain to kill then.”
They sat down inside the cage and imagined the position the beast would be in when it approached them. Mark was to load the matchlock for the second shot in any case, while Bevis sent arrow after arrow into the creature. Pan was to be tied up with a short cord, else perhaps the tiger or panther would insert a paw and kill him with a single pat.