Part 35 (1/2)
They were of that same opinion, and were doith a run, that took some of the bark off their shi+ns, as well as off the trees
”And where are your guns?”
”Dropped them,” said Compton
”I see Dropped theer after”
”Rub it in, sir We ought to have followed you; and we have had a fine fright It's big enough to scare any one”
All the tihtest movement, but the tree was as quiet as if it had not harboured anything erous than a caterpillar
”Where's Muata and the other boy, sir?”
”Gone after a red bush-pig I think I hear the cry of the jackal, then a sound of crashi+ng, and an anie hue for the so the up grandly to the high shoulders A lea froround, and was hidden under a writhing mound of coils Swift as an arrow the python had swooped at the prey, fastened on the neck with its jaws, and then overwhelth There followed a sickening crunch of bones, and next a wild cry from the jackal, repeated by Muata and the river-man
Mr Hu round, begged him not to fire
”It is the father of the wood-spirits He took the red pig instead of one of us”
”Not for the want of trying,” said Venning ”He nearly had us both, Muata”
”But he took the pig,” said Muata ”It is his hunt, and it ”
”It certainly does; but how are we to get our guns, if we don't shoot hiround and advanced The python had completed its work so far Two vast coils were round the crushed body of the boar; the head rested on the upmost coil, with the eyes fixed on the intruders, and the rest of the body reached away into the shadows
Muata advanced with the palms of his hands open, and his eyes downcast, as if he were in the presence of soreat chief Yet he showed no fear, never faltered, but walked up to the guns, picked theth of the serpent had formed a loop, and returned The lidless eyes watched, but not a coil ravely, as he returned the rifles ”He means well by us”
”You would not have said that if you had been up the tree with us, and with hirumbled Compton
”The tree is taboo I said it”
”Do you mean that he lives here? I should think he would starve”
”That would be your word, young great one But, see, look at , very heavy, very old He does not care to move far Yet he is wise So he has chosen his hunt; and he has chosen well”
”I cannot see it The little people give hi once a year”
”Such is your wisdoreat one But, see, in the trees above there is a roadway, and on the ground below there are other paths for the things of the forest who neither fly nor cliround, if you had looked you would have seen the spoor of the red pig and other things of the forest”
”By Jove, yes!” and the boys stared at the unfamiliar spoor of animals ”But why do they use this particular part of the forest?”
”That we shall see, for our way lies now along this ground-path The little people have done their tracking The man-eaters are near”
CHAPTER XV