Jack and the Ocelot
The one most satisfied with the result of this first cargo of nitrate was
Captain Hillgrove. He had not expected great returns, but found himself so
well paid that he was willing to return for another load as soon as
possible.
Jack felt confident of his ultimate success. Already he was the possessor
of a fair sum, and with the apparently unlimited deposits of nitrate now
in his possession, he believed he could easily secure a fortune. As soon
as he should get back to Peru he resolved to get possession of other
nitrate beds before the price should advance.
But with that far-seeing sagacity of his he made no talk of what he had
done or what he had in mind. Quietly he went about his work, engaging
several ships to go to South America with him, prepared to return with
loads of the precious substance. He fitted up an office at home and put a
trusty man in the place to begin to work up a business. He had fondly
looked forward to giving this place to Plum Plucky, but stern fate had
decreed different plans.
Jenny was enthusiastic over her Jack's plans, and that they might not be
separated so long again she consented to their marriage, which took place
before he started on his second trip to Peru, and she accompanied him.
Now that Jack had really got started in his speculations, he studied how
best he might promote his interest. His young wife going with him to South
America, he resolved to locate in that country until he had got fairly
under control the gigantic business he intended to build up.
While successful in his nitrate ventures, he still preserved the
manuscript he had picked up in the convict cell on the island of Robinson
Crusoe, and he looked forward to the time when he should be able to visit
the strange lake in the Andes with means to reach its mysterious island of
buried treasure.
So at last, accompanied by a party of surveyors and explorers, armed with
papers which would make him the owner of the whole region as soon as the
boundaries could be fixed, he started for the place.
He had told his real object to no one, knowing that to do so would be to
ruin his prospects without benefiting any one permanently.
He had no difficulty in leading the way to the spur of the Andes where he
had met with his thrilling experience with the jaguars, and then the party
started for the rocky ridge overlooking the niche in the mountains holding
the Devil's Waters.
It was a route that Jack had traveled several times, and feeling in the
best of spirits, he set off on a galop, on the pony he was riding.
"Poor Plum!" he murmured, as he rode along. "How I wish he was a live to
enjoy this with me."
On and on went our hero until he came to where there was a break in the
trail. He was absorbed in thought at the time and did not notice that his
pony turned to the left instead of the right.
The way seemed easy, and presently the pony set off on a galop, which soon
brought Jack out of his revery.
"Hullo! where am I going?" he asked himself, and brought his steed to a
halt. Then he gazed around in perplexity. "I declare I must be lost!"
With the memory of what had happened when he had been lost before, Jack
lost no time in turning back. But soon he became bewildered, and brought
his steed to a standstill a second time.
"What does this mean, Firefly?" he asked of the pony, but the animal could
not answer.
Jack heaved a sigh and then drew a pistol he carried.
"I'll fire a shot--that will attract the attention of the others," he
reasoned. "What a dunce I was to get lost! I surely make a fine leader!"
Throwing up the pistol he discharged it. Hardly had he done so when his
pony started to bolt. Away dashed the steed under some trees and then
through a mass of vines, and Jack was thrown to the ground, striking on
his head as he fell,--and then his senses forsook him.
How long he laid where he had fallen he did not know exactly but when he
came to his senses, it was to find darkness around him. There was no rain,
but heavy clouds filled the air and a heavy breeze filled the woods around
him. He got up slowly, to make certain that no bones were broken, and
then looked around for his pony. The animal had disappeared and could not
be found. His pistol was also gone.
"Now I am surely in a pickle," reasoned Jack. "The question is, what am I
to do next?"
He knew his party must have gone on long before this. He would have to
find them in some way. But how?
Not relishing a stay in the bushes he started for higher ground. He had
not gone a dozen rods when he found himself at the edge of a ravine, lined
with tall trees and vines.
"I certainly did not come that way," he said to himself. "But beyond is
higher ground and I had better go up than down."
Thus reasoning, he looked around for some means of getting over the
ravine. A number of vines grew across, and he determined to test them and
if they were strong enough, to use them as a rope for getting across.
The vines appeared to be as firm as a cable, and without giving the matter
a second thought he launched himself forth and started to the other side
of the cut in the forest.
He had progressed less than two yards when he felt one end of the vines
giving way. He tried to turn back, but it was too late, and down he went.
Some heavy bushes broke his fall somewhat, but he continued to go down and
down, until with a dull thud he landed on a mass of soft dirt. He was
unharmed and soon arose to his feet, to gaze around in fresh dismay.
He had landed in an opening or cave, and presently went down into it still
further. Then, as he picked himself up, he heard a sudden low growl, that
filled him with fear. He strained his eyes and made out a small animal,
which proved to be the cub of an ocelot.
He followed its course to a litter of leaves and straining his glance in
that direction made out two other cubs.
They were too small to be dangerous. Plum had told him that there were
very few ocelots in that vicinity and these rather cowardly, unless
attacked or enraged.
Jack looked hurriedly around. The parent ocelot was not in evidence. The
baby cub he had stumbled over, however, was making a great outcry, and our
hero decided he would not linger any longer than was necessary.
He got under the hole he had fallen through. It was not accessible by
climbing, for the walls of the cave were perfectly perpendicular and came
nowhere near the central aperture.
Jack reached up and caught at the dangling end of the broken vine. It
sustained one hard pull, but, as he set his full weight, it tore up roots
and all, bringing down a shower of dirt and gravel.
About eight feet over his head the youth made out an exposed root of the
tree. It ran out of the solid dirt a few inches, looped, and was again
solidly imbedded.
If he could reach this, he could grasp higher pieces of roots that showed
plainly, and easily draw himself to _terra firma_.
Our hero went back to the extreme end of the cave. The young cubs set up
outcries of affright as he passed near them, but he paid no attention to
them.
He braced for a run and a jump to reach the piece of root that was the
bottom rung of a natural ladder to liberty.
Poised on one foot, Jack stood motionless in some dismay. The entrance to
the cave was suddenly darkened. A great heavy body dropped through. The
mother ocelot landed on four feet on the cave floor with a terrific growl.
She ran first to her crying cubs, nosed them affectionately, and then
turned with low, ominous growlings.
Jack saw the beast's eyes fix themselves upon him. They glowed with fire
and fury. Its collar ruffled and its white teeth showed.
Jack had not so much as a stick to defend himself with. He had loaned his
hunting knife to a friend when they first started and his pistol had been
dropped in the woods.
In his pocket was a small pocket knife. He was groping for this when the
ocelot, that had for a minute or two stood perfectly motionless, made a
forward movement.
It was not a spring or a glide, but a rush. Jack knew why they called this
species the Honey Eater. Its paws were enormous and armed with long curved
sharp pointed claws.
He was hedged in. The beast, still advancing, reared on its hind feet.
Its forepaws were extended and whipping the air. Jack knew that one
contact would tear the bark from the toughest tree. He mechanically seized
the first object his groping fingers met in his coat pocket.
It was one of two condiment bottles that he had brought from the last
camp. This was the one containing pepper.
In a desperate sort of a way Jack discovered this. He tore off the top of
the bottle.
It was all that he could do to stay the course of the determined animal.
As the ocelot thrust out one formidable paw to tear its victim into its
clasp, Jack flung the contents of the pepper bottle squarely into its
eyes.