Brave Tom; Or, The Battle That Won Read online

  The shot, however, was a poor one.

  The bullet struck the tiger, wounding him slightly, but not enough todisable him. Naturally it added to the fury of the beast, and reallyincreased the peril of the people within the humble home, against whom thebrute seemed to have formed a strong and curious antipathy.

  He wheeled about, leaped the fence behind him, galloped a number of paces,and then paused abruptly, with his head up, and stared at the building, asif trying to learn the point whence the shot came, that he might punishthe offenders.

  "Gracious!" exclaimed Jim Travers, "he's going to jump up here and eat usup! Let's run."

  "Where'll we run?" was the sensible question of Tom. "I'd load up again,but the powder and bullets are down-stairs, and before I could do it he'dbe on us, if he means to jump into this window."

  The halt of the tiger was only momentary. He trotted round to the rear ofthe house, vanishing from sight for the moment.

  A brilliant idea struck Jim Travers.

  "I can do better than that, Tom," he called out, clattering down-stairs."Come with me, and I'll show you."

  "Are you going to try to look him in the eye?" asked Tom, following afterhim, and scarcely less excited than he. "It won't work."

  But the other lad paid no attention to the inquiry, so flurried was heover his new scheme for frightening off the dreaded beast.

  The closing of the shutters on the lower floor, as we have explained, castit in deep shadow. The mother had been so thorough in her work, that allthe three rooms were thus obscured. Aunt Cynthia had lit a lamp, which saton the table, and served to light up the interior.

  "What do you mean to do?" she asked of the boys, as they rushed into herpresence.

  "I'm going to load the gun," replied Tom. "I don't know what Jim isdriving at."

  The women were naturally alarmed at the persistency of the wild animal inhis demonstration against the dwelling. It did look as if he was bent onrevenging himself for the hurt that had been inflicted. Many of the wildbeasts of India, like the frightful cobra, often show great tenacity inattacking those from whom they have received injury.

  "If the tiger will go away, you had better leave him alone," said AuntCynthia. "Your shot doesn't seem to have hurt him at all."

  "Yes, it did," insisted Tom. "I hit him, for he jumped."

  "But you only made him more angry; I am afraid we are not through with himyet."

  The rifle was of the old-fashioned, muzzle-loading kind, and Aunt Cynthiagave what help she could to her nephew, as he began reloading it. From thepowder flask she poured a charge down the barrel, upon which Tom pressedthe conical bullet, wrapped about with a small bit of greased muslin. Thenhe had only to place a percussion-cap on the tube, and he was ready forbusiness.

  But before this stage of the proceedings was reached, something startlinghappened.

  Jim Travers paid no heed to what his young friend was doing. Stooping overthe burning wood in the fireplace, the flame of which was quite feeble,because the day was mild, he began fanning it with his hat. He was thusemployed, and Tom was in the act of capping the rifle, when a crashagainst the nearest shutter made the building tremble.

  The startled inmates stared trembling in each other's faces.

  "It's the tiger!" whispered Mrs. Gordon, uttering a truth that wasmanifest to every one.

  "He is determined to get at us," added Aunt Cynthia. "What shall we do?"

  "I'll fetch him this time," was the confident response of Tom, "if I canonly get a fair aim."

  "You had better let me have the gun," said his mother, who was in amomentary panic.

  "Let me try it once more."

  "But there is no chance here; it will not do to open the shutter: he willspring right in among us."

  "Up-stairs is the best place," said Tom, hurrying up the steps again.

  Meanwhile, Jim Travers, who had been so terrified, displayed more coolnessthan any one in the house. Probably he felt so much confidence in his newscheme, that he was warranted in this self-possession.

  Like the rest, he was startled by the crash against the shutter. He roseto his feet, stared at the window, and, seeing that the beast had notbroken through, stooped and resumed fanning the blaze with more vigor thanever. At this juncture Tom called from above,--

  "Where is he? I can't see him."

  He had peered from the front and rear windows without catching sight ofthe tiger. The reason was evident: the animal was so near the house thathe could not be observed without raising the sash and thrusting out thehead. It was well the lad was too prudent to do that.

  Afraid that their voices might rouse his anger, the mother stepped to thefoot of the stairs and called to her boy,--

  "Keep quiet, Tom! He is somewhere near, but we can't see him any more thanyou. If we remain still, perhaps he will go away."

  Jim Travers, having fanned the pieces of wood on the hearth into acrackling blaze, stepped softly to the window against which the tiger hadflung himself, and bent his head in close attention.

  "Mercy!" exclaimed Aunt Cynthia in an undertone, "come away; if he jumpsthrough, he will land on top of your head."

  "_Sh!_" whispered the boy, holding up one hand as a warning for them tokeep silent; "_I hear him!_"

  So he did. The tiger was trotting back and forth and round the building,evidently seeking some mode of entrance. Clearly he was resolved to punishthe inmates for firing at him.

  All stood still and listened. In the profound stillness the women caughtthe faint sound made by the velvety feet of the brute in trotting to andfro. He was traced as he made a complete circuit of the house, and thenpaused at the window where he had attempted to leap through.

  The low, threatening growl which escaped him sent a shiver through all.Neither of the women dared to stir or speak. They expected every momentthat his effort would be repeated with success.

  And now to the dismay of the two, Jim Travers did an extraordinarything,--one that almost took away their breath.

  Running to the fireplace, he caught up the largest brand, with which hehurried to the window, and raised the sash with one hand.

  "What are you doing?" demanded Aunt Cynthia in consternation.

  "Never mind me," replied the youth; "I'm all right."

  And then they literally became speechless when they saw him slide back thebolt which held the shutter in place. It looked as if he meant to open theway for the tiger to enter the house.

  While thus busy, Jim thought proper to add a word of explanation,--

  "There's nothing that wild beasts is so afeard of as fire; that's what I'mgoing to play on this chap."

  The women were too frightened to protest.

  After sliding back the fastenings, Jim stood leaning slightly forward, thetorch in one hand, while the other rested against the shutter, which wasnot yet pushed open.

  He was listening, and awaiting the opportune moment.

  He plainly heard the _tip_, _tip_, of those feet, amid which a cavernousgrowl now and then mingled; but he hesitated, for the tiger appeared tobe too far off to spring his scheme upon him.

  Jim's coolness was marvelous. None was more terrified than he when thebeast broke out of the cage, and he was among the most panic-stricken thatdashed from the tent and fled homeward.

  But here he was, like a veteran sportsman of the jungle, awaiting thecritical moment with what looked like nerves of steel. He listened withall the acuteness of which he was master, and his keen ears did notdeceive him.

  Suddenly he flung both shutters wide open, and let in the flood ofsunshine, which rendered useless the lamp on the table.

  There was the tiger, no more than a dozen feet distant. The slight noisecaused him to stop abruptly and turn his head while walking away.

  The sight of the lad seemed to whet his fury. He lashed his tail, growled,and, swinging himself lightly round, cautiously approached the daringyoungster, as if not quite satisfied with the look of things.

  Jim leaned farther through the window, and
swung his torch round andround, extending it at the same time toward the beast, which paused a fewsteps off, as if to gather himself for the spring.

  The lad felt the need of vigor. He whirled the torch harder, and reachedfarther, shouting,--

  "Get out, or I'll burn your head off! Come any nearer if you dare!"--

  At this moment Jim, in his enthusiasm, leaned a trifle too far. His feetslipped over the floor, and he sprawled headfirst out of the window.

  Chapter IV.