Part 11 (1/2)
Burt was just a little puzzled at his uncle's attitude He said nothing definite, but the boy in so Captain Mac At first Burt put aside the thought Then he resented it, for he had a strong liking for the eccentric Scotchman Finally he resolved to wait and see what turned up
That night his suspicions were confirether in one of the sht Howard paused
”Say, did you notice anything funny about Cap'n Mac lately?”
”No,” replied Burt ”Uncle George is acting kind of funny, though”
”You bet he is,” nodded Critch ”He's just about got the goods on Cap'n Mac, too!”
”What!” Burt stared at his chuerly ”I knew it! Spit it out, old sport”
”It's that co When as ridin' after that hartebeest to-day he comes out with it This here place ain't on our line o' ht to be!”
”East!” repeated Burt ”What's that got to do with Cap'n Mac?” He was still ready to stand up for his friend, though Howard's confident air sorely shook his faith
”Like this Your uncle says Montenay's been leadin' us wrong He don't knohat for and he's waiting to find out B'lieve me, I'd hate to be Cap'n Mac when he does find out! Golly, he was mad to-day!”
”Does he think Cap'n Mac swiped our cooro was a put-up job, too When ere out to-day we found a young eland lying dead It had two o' the blamedest arrows in it you ever seen Here's the head o' one”
Critch produced a little bundle of skin fro many-barbed iron point in Burt's hand
”Watch out for it That black stuff's poison, your uncle says It's a pigmy arrow?” asked Burt ”Oh, you mean--” he stared at Critch, who nodded
”That's what We're over east near the pigher country where we ought to be We'll be in the jungle in another day, your uncle says”
”What's he going to do about it?” asked Burt ”Here, take this blaerly deposited the arrow-point in the bit of skin
”Nothing,” replied Critch ”He says to lay low and keep your eye peeled
He ain't going very far into the jungle either”
Whether Montenay noticed anything in their attitude the next ay as ever when they started out after their first elephant In fact, he had never appearedand Burt found hiainst his uncle
They were accoe force of trackers from the town After a stiff two-le one of these trackers returned ord that a herd was not far ahead Soon afterwards the party ca holes three feet in depth They were always marked by shattered and broken smaller trees and torn branches
Suddenly an elephant tru quietly in single file, while they could hear the great beasts feeding and crashi+ng a the trees not a hundred yards away
The party reat weight had left no sticks or leaves to crack Birds flew up in flocks and monkeys chattered all around Then as the trail twisted about the boys saw their first wild elephant--a good deal closer than they could have wished
Without the least warning the bushes and led creepers at their left parted with a treed out twenty feet away He was aswhile the blacks fled Mr Wallace and Captain Mac fired al him in the shoulder and the other just above the eye Neither wound was fatal but for an instant the great beast was stunned by the shock and stood reeling Then as he lifted his trunk, flapped his ears forith his great in-curving tusks half raised and took a step toward the party, both ain and the immense bulk quivered and crashed down dead