`Next morning Pounce and I again landed for breakfast. I lit my fire,
and hung before it a plump young parrot to roast. As I was so doing, I
heard a slight rustle amongst the long grass behind me. I glanced
round, and there, with glaring eyes, and his great tail swaying to and
fro, I saw an immense tiger.
`In another moment his spring would have been made. I should have been
no more, and our young guest would have been doomed to, God only knows
how many, more years of frightful solitude!
`My gun was lying by my side. Before I could have stooped to pick it
up, the monster would have seized me.
`Pounce saw and comprehended my danger: the heroic bird darted upon my
enemy, and so blinded him with his flapping wings, and the fierce blows
of his beak, that his spring was checked, and I had time to recover my
self-possession. I seized my gun and fired; and the brute, pierced to
the heart, gave one spring, and then rolled over at my feet.
`My enemy was dead; but beside him--alas!--lay poor Pounce, crushed and
lifeless. One blow of the great beast's paw had struck him down, never
to rise again!' Fritz's voice shook as he came to this point; and,
after remaining silent for a moment or two, he continued, hurriedly:
`With a sad and desolate feeling at my heart, I buried the faithful
bird where he had met his death; and then, unable longer to continue
near the spot, I returned to my cajack, and leaving the great tiger
lying where he fell, paddled hastily away.
Pages:
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497