Part 18 (2/2)

”Very well, get the slings on, Welton, and look sharp, bo's'n, for more company of the same kind is expected,” said the mate.

The bo's'n--a broad, short, burly man, as a boatswain always is and always ought to be, with, of course, a terrific ba.s.s voice, a body outrageously long, and legs ridiculously short--replied, ”Ay, ay, sir,”

and gave some directions to his mates, who stood by the hoisting tackles.

At the first hoist the appearance of the cage justified the mate's suspicions, for the slings bent it in so much that some of the bars dropped out.

”Avast heaving,” roared the boatswain. ”Lower!” Down went the cage into the dinghy. The bars were promptly replaced, and the slings fastened in better position.

”Try it again, bo's'n,” said the mate.

The order to hoist was repeated, and up went the cage a second time, but it bent as before, so that several bars again slipped out, leaving the leopards sufficient s.p.a.ce to jump through if they chose.

”Lower!” yelled the mate.

The men obeyed promptly--rather too promptly! The cage went down by the run into the boat, and with a crash fell asunder.

”Cut the rope!” cried the mate.

Jim Welton jumped into the chains, cut the painter, and the boat was swept away by the tide, which was running strong past the s.h.i.+p. At the same moment the black fellows went over the sides into the water like six black eels radiating from a centre, and away went the dinghy with the leopards in possession, mounted on the debris of their prison, las.h.i.+ng their sides with their tails, and looking round in proud defiance of all mankind!

The crew of the boat, each of whom could swim like a frog, were soon picked up. Meanwhile, all on board the Wellington who had telescopes applied them to their eyes, and watched the progress of the dinghy.

It chanced that the current set with considerable force towards the opposite side of the river, where lay an island on which was a public garden. There ladies and gentlemen in gay costume, as well as many natives and children, were promenading the shady walks, chatting pleasantly, listening to the sweet strains of music, enjoying the fragrance of scented flowers, with the jungle and its inhabitants very far indeed from their thoughts--except, perchance, in the case of a group surrounding a young officer, who was, no doubt, recounting the manner in which he had potted a tiger on the occasion of his last day out with the Rajah of Bangalore, or some such dignitary!

Straight to the sh.o.r.es of this Eden-like spot the dinghy drifted, and quietly did the leopards abide the result--so also did the deeply interested crew of the Wellington, who, of course, were quite unable to give any note of warning.

The little boat was seen to touch the sh.o.r.e, and the leopards were observed to land leisurely without opposition from the enemy.

Immediately after, something resembling a sensation was apparent in the garden. The distance was too great to permit of sound travelling to the observers, but it lent enchantment to the view to the extent of rendering the human beings there like moving flowers of varied hue.

Presently there was a motion, as if a tornado had suddenly burst upon the flower-beds and scattered them right and left in dire confusion--not a few appearing to have been blown up into the trees!

That same day the crack shots and sportsmen of Calcutta went down to the usually peaceful islet and engaged in all the wild work of a regular hunt, and at eve the two leopards were seen, by interested observers in the Wellington, being conveyed away in triumph on a litter.

But, long before this happy consummation of the day's sport in the garden, the remainder of the expected company had arrived alongside the Wellington, and the undaunted bo's'n--who declared himself ready on the shortest notice to hoist any living creature on board, from a sperm whale to a megatherium--tackled the elephant. The ponderous brute allowed itself to be manipulated with the utmost good-humour, and when carefully lowered on the deck it alighted with as much softness as if it had been shod with India-rubber, and walked quietly forward, casting a leer out of its small eyes at the mate, as if it were aware of its powers, but magnanimously forbore to use them to the disadvantage of its human masters. In pa.s.sing it knocked off the bo's'n's hat, but whether this was done by accident or design has never been ascertained. At all events the creature made no apology.

If this pa.s.senger was easy-going and polite, the rhinoceros, which came next, was very much the reverse. That savage individual displayed a degree of perverse obstinacy and bad feeling which would have been deemed altogether inexcusable even in a small street-boy.

In the whites of its very small grey eyes wickedness sat enthroned. The end of its horns--for it had two on its nose--appeared to be sharpened with malignity, its thick lips quivered with anger, and its ridiculously small tail wriggled with pa.s.sionate emotion, as if that appendage felt its insignificance, yet sought to obtrude itself on public notice.

To restrain this pa.s.senger was a matter of the utmost difficulty. To get him into the slings might have perplexed Hercules himself, but nothing could appal the bo's'n. The slings were affixed, the order to hoist was given by the mate, who had descended from the p.o.o.p, and stood near the gangway. Up went the monster with a grunt, and a peculiar rigidity of body, which evidently betokened horror at his situation.

Being fully five tons in weight, this pa.s.senger had to be received on board with caution.

”Lower away,” was given.

”Hold on,” was added.

Both orders were obeyed, and the huge animal hung within three inches of the deck.

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