Jody, having seen nothing suspicious and sure he was deceived, had returned to the camp, waiting for his turn to get under the tent.
Ten minutes had passed and he had been forced to get up again. Towards the river he thought he heard a certain rumbling, which made him suspicious again.
He had headed for the shore again, with the conviction that he was being spied on by some ferocious animal. He had just arrived there when he thought he saw something black on the other side under the shade of the trees.
It was then that he gave the first cry, forcing the Irishman to bring the lifeboat to a halt. Receiving no answer, Jody, convinced that some boat was trying to go unnoticed and fearing those fierce savages to whom Kaj had mentioned, after having repeatedly called the mandah, wanted to ascertain whether he had been deceived or if it really was a boat.
Thus he pretended to go towards the camp; instead, as soon as he reached the first trees, he started running in the forest, going up the river, when he heard the sound of leaves and branches behind him, which made his heart beat.
«Someone followed me» he murmured, taking up the rifle. «Could it be one of the men who mounted that mysterious lifeboat? I'm afraid I made a fool of myself not to wake Kaj and Blake. If they caught them in their sleep?»
Anguish took hold of him. It was necessary to return as soon as possible and get his companions up.
«Let's go back, walking around the woods, if they attack me, I'll defend myself.»
He turned his back to the river, no longer bothering about the boat and entered the forest, looking behind him. Then he heard again at a short distance the rustle of dry leaves, as if someone were trampling them, and the sound of breaking reeds. He stopped immediately, shouting:
«Who is there?»
No one answered, then as he was about to set off again, he heard the leaves rustle for the third time and shortly afterwards an enormous animal jumped in front of him.
Jody felt his blood run cold. He leaned against the trunk of a tree, holding his rifle level, and looked intently at the opponent who stared at him, with two greenish-glowing phosphorescent eyes.
It didn't take long for the wretch to figure out which animal he was dealing with. He had before him a monstrous tiger.
The beast kept its tail low, its jaws wide open and its head rocked with a rhythmic and terrible movement.
He remained in that pose for a moment, without taking his eyes off, which seemed to become more and more phosphorescent, then abruptly stretched his tail and leaped with an immense leap.
Jody was waiting for her, determined to sell his life dearly. He tried to dismiss the thought of danger and fired twice. The beast let out a frightening scream and fled in great leaps towards the forest.
«I think he's had enough.» he murmured, wiping his sweat-soaked forehead. He quickly reloaded the rifle and returned to the river, following the bank.
He hadn't taken into account the beast's hunger and obstinacy. And indeed he must have been near the camp when, to his surprise, he saw it reappear.
«Did he only hurt her slightly?» he wondered, backing away and trying to find refuge without success. The tiger had stood in front of him and was advancing, muttering hushedly.
His body lengthened and shortened like that of a snake; with its tail it violently whipped its hips and with its nails it scratched the ground as if it wanted to dig a pit.
Jody yelled, «Mr. Blake! Kaj!»
A hideous scream from the beast covered them. It announced the assault.
«To you, then!» Jody exclaimed. And he fired two shots from his carbine. He could not see the effect of the second shock, as he was immediately hit by the monstrous body of the tiger.
Turning quickly on himself, he managed to free himself from the grasp of the formidable animal and, finding himself on the edge of the high bank, let himself slide into the river.
Unfortunately for him the waters in that place were very low for a long stretch and the animal followed him trying to reach him. Poor Jody, hidden among the aquatic plants that were numerous in that place, was advancing slowly and was already about to reach the deep waters, when the tiger reached him and with a stroke of his paw immobilized him.
The shock was so violent that the rifle slipped out of his hands. The beast's appearance was terrible. Furious at her wounds, with two gashes, one on her forehead and the other on her shoulder, she moaned fiercely and her teeth creaked.
Jody then took hold of the hunting knife and began to strike desperate blows, trying to behead her.
He was grabbed again and his fingernails tore at his coat and flesh, while his gaping jaws blew a fiery breath into his face.
The struggle in the midst of the waters lasted a few seconds. Every time Jody's knife fell it produced horrible wounds from which blood gushed in torrents. The water around the two fighters was all red.
Suddenly the beast widened its grip, gave a last roar and died, remaining half covered by the waters. Almost in the same instant he heard a voice shout:
«Jody! ... Jody!»
«Kaj!» he barely had the strength to answer that he felt his strength fail. Two human shadows slipped off the shore and gathered him in their arms.
«Shark belly!» Blake exclaimed, feeling his hands wet by a warm jet. «This is blood! Hey, Jody, what happened?»
The poor man muttered some incomprehensible words, then fainted in Kaj's strong arms.
«He is wounded!» Kaj shouted, frightened.
«The wretch was attacked by a tiger! Look at her there, Kaj! It was he who had fired on the beast. Quick, let's take him to the camp.»
Kaj loaded Jody on the and went up the bank followed by Blake, who had picked up the rifle and hunting knife. When they reached the bonfire, which had not yet gone out, they undressed it and saw that the thick canvas jacket had been torn in several places but the man had not suffered any deep scratches.
«Nothing serious, bring me some water and tear one sleeve of your shirt. Tomorrow this man will be able to follow us, if the lifeboat comes.»
Kaj went down into the river and filled a flask. Blake washed the wounds thoroughly and bandaged them well, then made him swallow a sip of gin.
A thunderous sneeze, accompanied by a cough, warned them that he was coming to his senses.
«He's solid and brave» Kaj said. «He must have had a hand-to-hand fight with that tiger.».
Jody opened his eyes.
«Is he dead?» he asked, trying to get up.
«I think he's already made his entry into cat heaven by now. Wow! How you tanned it, my good Jody!»
«Did I kill the tiger?»
«She's bathing in the river.»
«How scary, Mr. Blake. She had grabbed me so tightly that I was no longer able to get her out of my way.»
«Why did you go so far?» Kaj asked.
«I left the camp because I thought I saw a lifeboat near the opposite bank.»
«A lifeboat! Are you sure you are not deceived?»
«I can't claim to have really seen it.»
«We don't have to worry. When those savages are few, they dare not attack.»
«Remember, Mr. Blake and you try to rest, Jody. I'm on my watch.»
«Will you be able to sleep?» Blake asked Jody.
«The injuries don't bother me, sir. We others have hard skin and are less sensitive than white men.»
No other event disturbed the rest of the encamped.
Shortly after sunrise, Blake heard a shrill whistle at the mouth of the river announcing the arrival of a steamboat. Five minutes later a beautiful boat, mounted by the mandah and six vigorous Indians, stopped by the shore.
«Good morning friends. Blame the headwinds if I was late in coming.»
«Have you loaded everything?» Kaj asked, who had hurried out of the tent.
«You have food, weapons, tents, blankets, everything you need for a long journey.»
«Even the weapons?» Blake asked.
«With five hundred charges» replied the pearl fisherman.
«And about Guercio, have you had more news?»
«None, Kaj.»
I had him searched in vain in the City of Pearls. Let's hope he went to be hanged far from Ceylon.
«When do you plan to leave?»
«In a few hours. Is your boat waiting offshore?»
«Yes, and I'm in a hurry to get back to the Manaar stall.»
«I have already lost too many days and in two weeks the fishing will be closed.»
The four finished chopping up the wild pig killed the day before and quickly prepared a hearty breakfast, adding to the chops some fresh fish they had caught at the mouth of the river and a few bottles removed from the supplies they had brought.
Jody, who didn't seem to be suffering much from his injuries, attended the meal by doing honor.
At noon the three took their places in the steamboat which was well stocked with coal and whose car was under pressure, while the mandah set off after having exchanged their last goodbyes, then the boat pulled away from the shore and quickly went up the river, while the fishermen of pearls returned to their boat.