Part 8 (2/2)
There was no lack of volunteers, and our three comrades were among the first to proffer their services. ”This is a little more than we had counted on,” laughed Tom; ”we expected _some_ excitement for our money, of course, but nothing like this.”
”Well, we won't kick now that it is handed to us,” remarked Bert; ”it begins to seem like old times again. Only that time we were up against a tiger instead of a lion.”
”Yes, that's so,” agreed d.i.c.k, ”but I hope we don't have as close a shave this time as we had then. That was getting a little too close to the undertaker to suit me.”
”No, we won't go looking for trouble the way we did that time,” said Bert. ”If that lion wants us, he'll have to climb a tree to get us. I'm not anxious for a fracas with a big healthy lion. I'll leave that pleasure to some one else.”
By this time twilight had begun to set in, and it was with the greatest caution that the volunteers and circus men began to skirt the edge of the patch of trees. The head trainer went with them, and at intervals stationed one of the band in a convenient tree. ”Just keep your eyes peeled until it's too dark to see,” he instructed them, ”and by that time we'll have torches from the circus. Then we'll form a ring of fire around the woods, and keep the brute inside it until daybreak. Then we'll get him, dead or alive.”
In this way he made the circuit of the woods, until his last helper had been stationed to his satisfaction. Tom, Bert and d.i.c.k were stationed in succession at a distance from each other of two or three hundred yards, and accommodated themselves as best they could among the branches. They kept a sharp lookout below them, but all remained quiet and undisturbed, and it seemed hard to believe that there was lurking death in the midst of the quiet woodland. No sound reached their ears save an occasional distant shout, probably of command or direction from the head trainer.
Time wore on slowly, after the first excitement had pa.s.sed, and the watchers began to get thoroughly chilled in the crisp autumn air before they saw a host of twinkling lights approaching from the direction of the town. The lights grew rapidly nearer, and the watchers knew that this was the squad of men of which the trainer had spoken. Soon they reached the fire where the head trainer had made his headquarters, and after a brief halt started to surround the woods. Each man of the party held a flaring, smoking gasoline torch, and their combined strength gave a brilliant illumination. In their progress they stopped at the trees where the watchers were stationed, and one after the other relieved them. Bert, d.i.c.k and Tom were soon on the ground once more, and were glad to get an opportunity to stretch their cramped muscles.
”Well, what's the plan now?” Bert asked one of the men.
”Oh, there's nothing we can do till daylight,” he answered, ”we'll just hang around and make sure that the lion doesn't get out of these woods.
Then we'll capture him some way, and hustle to catch up with the rest of the outfit.”
”Why, have they gone on without you fellows?” asked Tom in surprise.
”Sure,” replied the other; ”we're due in the next town to-morrow, and a little thing like a lion getting away can't stop us. Nothing much less than an earthquake could, anyway.”
And indeed, it was very much as the fellow said. A circus simply must meet its engagements on time, or else go out of business. Its agents go on days in advance of it, advertising and pasting bill posters over the surrounding landscape, and if the show isn't on time all the cost of this is wasted, besides the loss of prestige to the circus, not to say anything of the loss of the day's gate receipts.
Therefore, the circus from which the lion had escaped struck its tents and traveled on exactly as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. To be sure, it was hindered by the fact that so many of its men had to be a.s.signed to capturing the lion, but in spite of this it was hardly an hour late in starting.
After the volunteer watchers had been relieved, Burton, the trainer in charge of the proceedings, thanked them for their services, but told them that there was nothing more they could do, so that they could feel at liberty to go home if they were so inclined. A few did, but the majority elected to stay and ”see the show through,” as Tom expressed it. ”It isn't often you get a chance to see a lion hunt in a quiet college town,” he said, ”and I, for one, am not going to miss it merely to get a little sleep. I can sleep 'most any old time.”
”Yes, but there probably won't be anything doing until morning, anyway,”
said Burton with a smile; ”you could get your sleep, and come back again.”
But the three comrades were of one mind, and resolved to spend the night around the camp fire, so as to miss nothing of the novel experience.
Fortunately, the next day was Sat.u.r.day, and, as it happened, none of them had any recitations on for that day. This left them free to do about as they liked, and it did not take them long to make up their minds.
They settled themselves around the fire, and soon had good reason to feel glad that they had decided to stay. The last arrivals had brought food and coffee in plenty, and this was soon pa.s.sed around, everybody making a hearty meal. Then pipes were lit, and those of the circus men who were not on duty began swapping tales of adventures and experiences while following the ”game,” that were teeming with interest to the boys.
Many of the men were fairly well educated, and told what they had to tell in a very interesting way. Every once in a while those about the fire would leave to replace some of their companions who had been watching some time, and the men thus relieved would have a new batch of stories to relate. Around the crackling, roaring fire it was very warm and comfortable, and time flew by faster than the boys realized. They had never felt more wide awake in their lives, and they were much surprised when the first faint streaks of dawn in the eastern sky told of approaching day.
As soon as it became light enough to see, two carpenters started constructing a wooden cage out of lumber they had brought with them, and had soon built a cage large enough and strong enough, it seemed to the boys, to hold an elephant. When the work was completed, several men lifted the cage and carried it to the very edge of the woods. Then, having located the place where the lion had entered, they placed the cage directly across the trail. It had been provided with a door that slid up and down, and this was fastened open with a stout cord.
By the time these preparations were finished Mr. Burton hurried up, and carefully inspected the work. He had just returned from a trip around the trees, and reported everything quiet so far. ”Now, boys,” he said, ”get a move on, and we'll carry this trap a little farther in. Old Leo might not want to come out this far for his breakfast, even though he's probably pretty hungry by this time. Lively's the word, now!”
The cage was lifted by willing arms, and carried well into the shadow of the trees. ”All right, here's the place,” said Mr. Burton, when he judged they had penetrated far enough, ”set it down here. Have you got the meat with you, Bill?” The man addressed produced a large bundle, which on being unwrapped proved to be a large piece of juicy raw meat.
”That will do fine,” said Burton, approvingly and, taking the meat from the other, placed it well inside the cage. ”All right,” he said, when everything was arranged to his entire satisfaction. ”All hands get into the trees now, and we'll wait for Leo to come for his breakfast. I'll take the rope into my tree, and spring the trap. Hustle. The brute's apt to come around most any time now.”
Even as he spoke a loud roar echoed through the woods, so close at hand that for a moment every heart stood still. Then there was a wild dash for the nearest trees. d.i.c.k and Bert and Tom made for a large oak near at hand, and went up it faster than they would have imagined possible.
They had barely reached a place of safety in the lower branches, than with another roar the lion leaped into the clearing. For a few minutes he stood motionless, with the exception of his tail, which swished angrily back and forth. Soon he located the boys in their tree, and made an angry dash toward it. By this time, however, they were high up in the branches, and the lion seemed to realize that they were beyond his reach, and after giving vent to another roar, walked away. Then he saw others in the surrounding trees, and made a circuit of inspection, gazing eagerly upward at the tempting human beings so close to him and yet hopelessly beyond his reach. Finally, he seemed to dismiss them from his mind and, going over to the cage, sniffed eagerly at the meat inside it. He had had nothing to eat since the preceding noonday, and was ravenously hungry. But he seemed to suspect some trap to curtail his new-found liberty and, hungry as he was, for more than half an hour he refused to enter the cage. He made numerous attempts to hook the meat with his claws, but found it always a little beyond his reach. At last, with an angry growl, he made up his mind and stepped inside the cage.
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