THE TAKING OF JEZEBEL.
ALL was confusion in the field round the tents, everybody longing to
fly, yet fearing to move a step lest they should encounter one of the
beasts that were at large. Leo, Davey, and some of the circus men
started out with nets and collars, muzzles, straps, and a light cage
on wheels—easily drawn by one man—to try and recapture the fugitives;
while poor mad Mrs. Grey was once more found and led off by her
sister-in-law, quite unconscious of the terrible mischief that she had
done.
As for Spankle and Tom Hughes, having told their story and seen it put
into writing, they started off as guides to the company of constables
and Preventive men, hastily called together to make a raid upon the
smugglers in the cave.
But while all these things were taking place, Captain Smythe and his
men had contrived to accomplish a masterly exodus from Hoyle's Mouth.
Not only had they managed, at such short notice, to move out bag and
baggage, leaving no traces, but they had even gone so far as to block
up behind them with rock boulders and stones, some of the passages
and the entrances to caves through which they passed in their retreat
towards their back door, so that to all appearance there was no
thoroughfare.
As for the "Dart," Ben had got up the anchor and sailed—with a fair
wind, and unobserved in the darkness—to a place where there was deep
water right under the shadow of the cliff, and only a stone's throw
from the back door of Hoyle's Mouth.
Five minutes after the smugglers left the platform in their boat, they
were on board the schooner. Another five, and they were flying with a
strong, fair wind out to sea. They had a good cargo on board, and had
intended to start anyway not later than with the early morning tide;
so there was nothing very remarkable in their getting off a few hours
earlier. Captain Smythe was known to be a smart man, who never lost a
moment or a favourable breeze. And as he was the proprietor as well
as the master of the schooner, he had no one to consult but himself.
Thus nothing that he did of this sort would attract attention or raise
suspicion.
But now, leaving the smugglers sailing away, and the Preventive men
repairing to the cave, led by Spankle and Tom Hughes, let us follow in
their chase of the escaped animals, the tamer, his young assistant, and
the attendants.
The whole party were, as was natural, intensely excited and anxious,
for who could foretell what dreadful thing might not happen, with three
such powerful brutes roaming at large through a thickly populated
country? True, they had been tamed, and obeyed their master in the
tricks that he had taught them, but no one could answer for it that
the savage instincts of the beasts of prey would not return with this
sudden freedom from restraint.
An hour of search in the immediate neighbourhood of the field proved
fruitless.
"It is of no use trying to track them," said Leo, "unless we have
dogs; for we may go miles and never find out where they have hidden
themselves."
So some dogs were procured and put upon the scent, but held in leashes
lest they should outrun the hunters. Those set upon the bear's track
dashed straight away from the cage where the scent was given them,
across the field, and down the hill towards the marsh and the coast.
So the trackers divided into two companies—the master of the ring (who
had volunteered his services), and some of his men, going after the
bear, while Leo, Davey, and the rest followed those dogs that were on
the track of the lion and lioness, Ahab and Jezebel.
The night was very dark, the sky full of wild, black clouds, and only
the light of the lanterns carried by the men, showed the little party
of hunters walking silently, heedfully, headed by a man holding a
couple of straining, excited dogs.
Every sound made by the wind seemed like some far-off growl or roar;
the very footfalls of the men had a hollow, uncanny sound; there was
a sense of danger in the very air, and a secret lurking dread behind
every hedge and each clump of bushes. And now the dogs led across
country a short distance inland; once or twice they stopped, sniffed
about a little copse, then started off again with renewed zest.
At last, passing through a field, the little company came upon a
number of sheep and cattle all huddled together in a small space, and
apparently quite paralysed with fear.
"There's been mischief here," said Leo in a whisper. "Hark!"
And, in the silence that followed, they could distinctly hear a
horrible tearing, crunching noise only a little way off.
The dogs were now wild with excitement, but Leo gave orders that they
should be kept back, and that only just those of the men who carried
the requisites for the capture of the animals—and firearms in case of
their being necessary—should follow him.
Slowly but steadily Leo advanced, Davey alone keeping at his side, the
rest coming behind. Another moment, and the tamer turned the light of
his lantern full upon what looked like a dark, formless heap in front
of him. And while he did so, the tearing and crunching noise ceased,
and a warning growl broke the stillness.
"It's Jezebel," whispered Leo. "Here, quick—the net! And you, Waif,
take this pistol, and fire if I miss her with the net, and she springs."
So saying, the tamer took a step forward. The lantern, held now by a
groom, shed its light clear and full on the tawny body of the lioness,
as she lay crouched upon the mangled body of the sheep which she had
been devouring—and showed her ears flattened upon her great head like
those of a vicious cat.
The tamer struck his foot sharply upon the ground to fix Jezebel's
attention upon himself. Then he said, very quietly, but in a voice of
unmistakable command, "Jez, old girl, drop it and come here."
[Illustration: HER EYES BLINKED UNDER THE LIGHT OF THE LANTERN.]
The lioness growled again, and sat up on her haunches, licking from her
lips the blood of her prey. Her eyes blinked under the light of the
lantern, and she seemed uneasy and irresolute.
"Drop it, Jez, and come here!" said the clear, stern voice of the tamer
again.
There was a grumbling, complaining noise, half growl half whine, then
the great beast, accustomed for years to obey this man, rose, shook
herself, and moved a step or two from the carcase and nearer to her
master.
A moment of breathless silence—then the net, thrown by a sure and
dexterous hand, fell over and around the great cat.
"Pull up taut, my men!" shouted Leo, and the stout cords were drawn
tight, and fastened to two trees, the lioness being safely imprisoned
between them.
"But what's become of Ahab, I wonder!" said Davey.
"He has very quick ears, and must have heard me coming, and so made
off," said Leo. "We must get the dogs on the scent again, and follow.
Here, Jack and Tony—" addressing two of the grooms—"will you just stay
here with this pistol, and watch Jezebel? I think she's safe enough,
but there's no harm in being over-cautious. The rest of you and Waif,
come with me."
"Why, bless me!" cried one of the men. "Where are those dogs leading?"
The creatures had turned short off to the left, through a hedge, and
then through the brushwood and undergrowth of a wooded hill, and were
whining with eagerness.
"What a queer place!" said Leo. "Where are we going to? Good gracious!
That looks like a cave in the face of the rock. Do you know it, Waif?"
"Know it?" said the boy. "Yes, sir, indeed I do, and the name of it is
Hoyle's Mouth."
[Illustration]