THE DOCTOR'S POST-MORTEM
"Morning, Mr. Cameron," cried Harry heartily, as the boat, propelled
by its fore-and-aft rowers, glided up to the landing-stage, Sree
handing the crocodile-catching rope to one of the men to make the boat
fast, while the occupant of the seat beneath the central awning leapt
out.
He was a good-looking, lightly bronzed, red-haired man of about
thirty, tall, and active apparently as a boy, and as he strode over
the yielding bamboo flooring, making it creak, he shook hands warmly.
"How are you, my lads?--Ah, Sree!" and the hunter salaamed.
"I'm jolly, Mr. Cameron. Phra's bad. Put out your tongue, old chap."
Phra's reply was a punch in the chest.
"Looks terribly bad," said the new arrival, who knew his friends.
"Here, what does all this shooting mean? I came on to see."
"Awful great croc," cried Harry.
"Shooting at it?"
"Yes, and the big slugs rattled off it like hail on a lot of dry
thatch."
"Then you did not kill it?"
"Kill it--no. Only wish we had. Mr. Cameron, it was a monster."
"So I suppose. Nine feet long, eh?"
"Nine feet long!" said Harry contemptuously; "why, it was over
twenty."
"You young romancer!" cried the new-comer. "How long was it, Prince?"
"I've only seen its head," said Phra. "It was big enough for it to be
thirty feet."
"Then I beg your pardon humbly, Hal."
This was accompanied by a hearty clap on the shoulder.
"Oh, I don't mind," said the lad merrily. "Only if you won't believe
me, Mr. Cameron, I won't believe you."
"I never tell travellers' tales, Hal."
"No, but you tell me sometimes that your nasty mixtures will do me
good, and that's precious hard to believe."
The young doctor laughed.
"You ought to have killed the croc, though," he said.
"Sahib! Sahib, look!" cried Sree, as a shout arose from Mr. Cameron's
boatmen.
All turned sharply to where the men were pointing, to see, floating on
its back and with its toad-like under part drying in the hot sunshine,
the body of a huge crocodile.
"That's ours," cried Harry.
"Or a dead one from somewhere up the river," said the doctor. "But
we'll soon prove it with our noses."
"Hooray! no need," cried Harry; "that's him;" for all at once the
great reptile undulated in the water, struggled, splashed, and turned
over, swam round, and went up the river again, passing out of sight.
"Well, you are pretty sportsmen! Why didn't you shoot?"
"I never thought of the gun," said Phra.
"Here, take us in your boat, and let's follow him, Mr. Cameron."
There was another shout before the doctor could answer, for the men
could see that the reptile's strength was exhausted, it being once
more upon its back, floating down the stream.
"We'll shoot this time," said Phra.
"There is no need, master," said Sree. "I think it is dead now."
"I came to have a chat with your father," said the doctor; "but I must
make acquaintance with our friend yonder. Look here, Sree, take the
boat and the rope and tow the brute ashore. Take care that it is dead
first. Don't run any risks."
"No, Sahib," said the man, drawing his keen knife from his waist and
trying its edge and point.
"Ah, I need not try to teach you, Sree."
"Here's father," cried Harry, as Mr. Kenyon came out of the open
window of the bungalow and walked down to where they stood.
"Ah, Cameron, how are you? Glad to see you, man. How is the wife?"
"Complaining about the heat. But look yonder."
He pointed at the floating reptile, and the merchant uttered an
exclamation of wonder.
"So that explains the firing, boys. It is a monster. What a good
riddance! What are you going to do, Sree?"
"Put a rope round his neck and bring him ashore, Sahib."
"Yes, we ought to take some measurements. But be careful, or it will
capsize you; I don't think it's dead."
"It will be soon, Sahib," said the man meaningly.
"Yes, but those creatures have such strength in their tails. Where is
your spear, man?"
"In my boat, Sahib, far away."
"Here, Harry, run to the hall and take down one of those Malay
spears."
Harry ran, and after a moment's hesitation the young prince followed
him, walking in a slow, dignified way. But long contact and education
with an English boy had left its traces, and before he had gone many
yards the observances of his father's jungle palace were forgotten,
and he dashed off as hard as he could go, leaping in at the doorway
and nearly overturning his companion.
"Here, mind where you're coming to," cried Harry.
"Bring two spears," cried Phra excitedly.
"Well, I am bringing two, aren't I? Thought you'd like to have a go,
too."
Phra's arm went over his friend's shoulder in an instant.
"That's what I do like in you," he cried. "You always want to share
everything with me."
"You're just as stupid," said Harry drily. "Here, catch hold. Which
will you have? Make haste. Come along."
"Oh, I don't mind," said Phra.
"Better choose," said Harry, holding out the long, keen heads. "This
one's as sharp as that one, and that one's got as good a point as
this. Which is it to be?"
"I don't quite understand," said Phra, gazing in Harry's laughing
eyes. "Yes, I do. Either of them will do. How fond you are of trying
to puzzle one!"
"Make haste, boys," cried Mr. Kenyon.
Dignity before the common people was once more forgotten, prince and
English boy racing down to the landing-stage with the light spears
over their shoulders.
"Hullo!" said Harry's father. "I did not mean you to go."
"Oh, we must go, father," cried the lad.
"Well, be careful, Sree. Mind that the boat is kept a little way
back."
"Yes, Sahib; I will take care."
"You might have asked me if I'd like to come in my own boat," said the
doctor, smiling.
"Oh, Dr. Cameron," said Phra with an apologetic look, "pray go;" and
he offered him the spear he held.
"No, no, my dear lad," said the doctor; "I was only joking. It is your
task."
"But come too," cried Harry.
"There will be plenty in the boat without me. Off with you."
Harry looked unwilling to stir, but the doctor seized him by the
shoulders and hurried him along, and the next minute they were being
paddled towards the floating reptile, the men managing so that the
boys could have a thrust in turn, the Prince as they passed along one
side, Harry on their return on the other.
But the thrusts did not follow one another quickly, for the deep
plunging in of the spear by Phra seemed to act like a reviver,
although it was delivered about where the lad believed the heart to
be.
In an instant the great reptile had flung itself over and began
lashing the water with its tail.
"Take care!" shouted Mr. Kenyon from the landing-stage. But the
warning was needless, for a sharp stroke from the oars sent the boat
well out of reach, the rowers changing their positions and sending it
backward in pursuit, as the crocodile began once more to swim up
stream, at a pretty good rate at first, then slower and slower,
leaving the water stained with its blood as it went on.
It managed to make its way, though, quite a hundred yards above the
bungalow before its tail ceased its wavy, fish-like motion. Then there
was a struggle and a little splashing, and once more it turned over
upon its back.
"Your turn now," cried Phra excitedly. "I must have missed its heart.
You stab it there this time."
"Want the doctor here to tell me where it is," said Harry, as he stood
up with his spear poised ready to strike when within reach.
"Thrust just between its front paws, Sahib," said Sree from where he
squatted just behind the front rower.
"I will if I can; if I can't, how can I?" hummed Harry.
"Now," whispered Sree.
"Yes, yes, now," cried Phra excitedly.
"There you are, then," muttered the lad, and he delivered a thrust
right in the spot pointed out, snatching back the weapon just in time,
for the wound seemed to madden the reptile, which turned over and
began to struggle with astonishing vigour; but only to roll over again
and swim round the boat in that position, giving Phra the opportunity
of delivering a deadly thrust, which was followed by another by Harry.
"That has done it," said the latter, for there was no response to
these save a slight quivering of the tail, and now Sree rose from
where he had crouched.
"Dead now, Sahibs," he said; "he will fight no more."
The two lads worked their spears about in the water a few times to
cleanse them, and then sat down under the thatched awning, panting and
hot with exertion, while they watched the action of the hunter. Sree,
aided by the boatmen, who held the crocodile within reach, leaned over
the side and slipped a running noose over the monster's head right up
to the neck, drew it tight, and then let the rope run through his
hands as the two Siamese rowers made their oars bend in sending the
light sampan along, for the huge bulk was heavy. But the stream was
with them, and a few minutes after, in obedience to the doctor's
instructions, the crocodile was drawn up close to the muddy bank, some
fifty yards below the merchant's garden.
Here another rope was fetched out and made fast round one of the hind
legs, both ropes being held by Sree's men, while their leader remained
in the boat, the boys having sprung ashore.
And now measurements were taken, the monster proving to be just
twenty-one feet in length, and of enormous bulk.
"I was not far wrong, Doctor Cameron," said Harry.
"No, my boy; you were not, indeed."
"Are you going to let it float down the river now?" asked Phra.
"Not yet," said the doctor; "but perhaps you two had better go now,
for I am about to superintend rather a nasty examination in the cause
of science."
"I know," said Harry to his companion; "he is going to see what the
thing lives on. Shall we go?"
"No," said Phra gravely; "I want to learn all that I can, and the
doctor is so clever, he seems to know everything."
"I heard what you said, Prince," said the doctor, smiling; "but I
don't; I wish I did. Now, Sree, you know how to go to work; let's get
it over; the water will wash everything away."
The hunter, who had worked with Doctor Cameron in many an expedition,
and understood what was required, bent over the side of the boat, made
one long opening, and then plunging his knife in again, made another,
and with the flowing water for help, in a short time laid bare the
various objects which formed the loathsome reptile's food.
First and foremost there was, to the doctor's astonishment, the snake,
and as soon as this had been sent floating down the stream there were
fish, seven of goodly size, beside some that were quite small. Then
the boys were puzzled, but the cleansing water soon showed that what
followed next were a couple of water-fowl, nearly as big as geese.
"That's all, is it?" said the doctor.
"No, Sahib, there is something else--something hard," said the hunter,
and he searched about, gathering something in his hand, rinsed it to
and fro a few times, and carefully threw four objects ashore.
Harry shuddered and felt a horrible, sickening sensation for a few
moments, but it was swept away directly after by the feeling of rage
which made the blood run hot to his temples.
"I've been thinking what brutes we were, killing things as we have
been this morning; but oh, the beast! I should like to kill hundreds."
"Ugh!" ejaculated Phra, as he stamped his foot, and then through his
compressed teeth: "The wretches! the monsters! how I hate them!"
He said no more, but stood with his companion listening as the doctor
rested on one knee and turned over the objects on the grass.
"Yes, strung on wire; that is why they have not separated. Gilt
bronze, and very pretty too. Each one is chased; the leg and arm
bangles are bronze too, and quite plain. You may as well put them in
your museum, Kenyon, with a label containing their sad little
history--Worn by some pretty little Siamese girl dragged under when
bathing."
"Yes, Sahib doctor," said Sree respectfully; "they wear bangles like
that three days' journey up the river."
"Horrible!" ejaculated Harry, bending over the relics.
"Horrible indeed, my boy," said his father. Then laying his hand upon
Phra's shoulder, "Thank you both, my lads, for ridding the river of a
vile old murderer."
"Thank old Sree, too, father," said Harry eagerly, "for he did more
than either of us."
"I'm going to thank Sree," said the merchant. "There, let the monster
float down to the sea. Don't go away yet; Doctor Cameron and I want to
talk to you."
"Yes, and Harry and I want to go up the river to the wild jungle,"
said Phra eagerly. "We have not had a hunt for a week."
"Come along, then," said Mr. Kenyon, laying his hand on the Prince's
shoulder. "We'll talk it over, and perhaps we can join forces. What's
that, Sree?"
"The crocodiles from below are coming up, Sahib; they have smelt the
blood."
"Yes, look at that," said the doctor, as there was a wallow and a
splash not ten yards from the monster's head.
"Take care!" said Mr. Kenyon excitedly. "Don't try to untie those
ropes, Sree, or you may have your hand seized; cut them, and let the
reptile go."
Sree obeyed, dividing the strong cords with a couple of cuts. Then
taking an oar from one of the boatmen he forced the boat along past
the crocodile, giving the latter a thrust, when the current bore it
outward, and directly after another of its tribe, of about half the
size, raised its head out of the water, and drew itself partly on the
bulky body, which rolled over toward it, and then sank back out of
sight.
But it was not gone, and the agitation of the surface about the
floating body showed that others were there, tearing at it as it
floated away.
"I should hardly have thought that we had so many of these brutes
about here," said the doctor.
"They come and go, Sahib; and they hide so. There are plenty more, and
that dead one will never reach the sea."
"It's a warning to you two boys never to attempt to bathe off here,"
said Mr. Kenyon.
"Bathe, father!" cried Harry, glancing down at the bronze rings and
the necklace lying in the grass; "I feel as if I shall never like to
bathe again;" and Phra curled up his lip, as he once more
ejaculated:--
"Ugh!"