A SIEGE OF TERROR
For a few moments Bomba’s heart seemed to cease beating.
Down he went again behind his barrier, while he tried to collect his
thoughts in the presence of this new peril.
The thought that this might be the den of a wild beast had occurred
to him when he first saw the mouth of the cave, but it had been
crowded out by his desperate need of escaping from his human enemies.
Now he realized that he was trapped. There was not one chance in a
hundred that the beast would stay outside for long. Sooner or later
it would enter the cave to rest in readiness for its nocturnal
hunting. And when it did come in, discovery would be certain.
In Bomba’s crouching position the animal could not see him. But it
would smell him and follow the scent to the crevice in the rock.
To be sure, it could not get at him. Its huge body could not squeeze
through the narrow opening. But when it once became convinced of
this it would settle down to a long siege that would doom its captive
to certain starvation.
Once more Bomba ventured a peep at the shadow. It had changed its
shape. At first the beast had been standing. Now the shadow showed
that it was stretched out on the ground, but with its head uplifted,
watching perhaps for the possible return of the Indians that its
coming had frightened off.
That shadow had a dreadful fascination for Bomba. He watched it as
though under a spell, waiting for the moment when it would change in
shape, when the great tawny beast would rise, shake itself, yawn, and
at last enter the cave.
In the position in which Bomba found himself, he could use what
weapons he had only with great difficulty. The passage was so narrow
that he had no room to draw his bow. That rendered his arrows useless.
And the crevice was so located with reference to his body that he
could only use his knife or revolver with his left hand.
As to hurling his knife, as he had in the case of the jaguar, he
could not draw his arm back to get sufficient force for the throw.
And he was so little used to the revolver, even with his right hand,
that the chance of his being able to aim accurately with the left was
almost negligible.
His heart sank as he realized his helplessness. He seemed doomed to
die like a rat in a trap.
While he was bitterly pondering his situation, the shadow moved. Like
a shot Bomba’s face disappeared from the crevice through which he had
been peering, and he crouched down low, fearful lest the beast should
even hear the sound of his heart thumping against his ribs.
He could hear the padding feet of the puma as it leisurely entered
the cave. Then there came a sudden pause, a sniff, an ominous growl.
The beast had scented the proximity of a human being. Bomba knew
that its hair was bristling, its eyes glowing, as they roamed about
seeking to discover the whereabouts of the intruder.
Then the padding was resumed, and the steps drew nearer his hiding
place.
There was a thunderous roar and the beast dashed violently against
the wall, as though it would batter it down by the sheer force of its
impact.
Three times this was repeated. Then, as though recognizing the
futility of this form of attack, the animal desisted. The roars were
replaced with snarls, as the puma tried to force its body through the
narrow opening.
It struggled viciously to get through, but its huge bulk prevented.
Foiled in this, it reached one of its great paws through the opening
and swung it about, trying to get a grip with its claws on whatever
was in that passage and drag it out within reach of its jaws.
Bomba shrank as far away as possible, being just able to escape the
sweep of the powerful claw that would have torn into ribbons whatever
it clutched.
Again and again the baffled beast sought to reach its prey, but
without success.
At last it desisted and paced the floor of the cave with growls
and roars that in that narrow space were almost deafening. Then it
settled down to a siege. Its instinct told it that sooner or later
the trapped enemy must die of starvation, or come out to meet a fate
quicker but more terrible.
Bomba felt sick and weak under the strain. He had escaped that
terrible paw only by inches.
His only chance seemed to be that the beast at last might sleep. Then
Bomba might creep through the narrow opening and either steal from
the cave or at least have elbow room to battle for his life with
knife and revolver.
But he dismissed this forlorn hope even as it came to him. If the
beast should doze, it would be so lightly that even the slightest
sound, the fall of a leaf, would awaken him. He would be on Bomba
before the latter had squeezed through the opening. There was no
hope from that quarter.
And with dread for his own safety was mingled the agonizing thought
of what might happen to Casson, unwarned and helpless before the
storm that was brewing. Even at this moment the head-hunters might be
on their way to the lonely cabin.
An hour passed by. The snarls had ceased, but Bomba could hear
the stertorous breathing that told him the beast was still there,
watchful and relentless as fate.
At last he ventured a look. With infinite caution he applied his eye
to the crevice in the wall. There lay the beast, a monster of its
kind, its unblinking eyes turned in his direction.
But those fierce eyes had no terrors for Bomba!
Astonishment, relief, delight chased themselves over the lad’s
features.
His mouth opened and a low crooning sound issued from his lips,
rising and falling in a weird jungle melody.
The effect on the puma was magical. It started to its feet. The
fierce light faded from its eyes, and was replaced with a look of
pleasure and benevolence. Then it commenced to purr.
“Polulu!” murmured Bomba. “Polulu! It is Bomba speaking—Bomba, your
friend.”
The purring grew louder, and the great beast came and rubbed itself
against the wall.
Bomba hesitated no longer. He forced his body through the crevice
without the slightest trepidation, though with some difficulty, for
already the puma was rubbing his head against him, fawning upon him
like a cat, and trying to lick his hand.
“Polulu. Polulu,” murmured Bomba, as he caressed the great head
fondly. “Why did I not know it was you? I would not have hidden from
you. You have given Bomba a great fright.”
Polulu purred still more loudly and rubbed his head so hard against
Bomba as to almost knock him over. Then the beast lay down and rolled
over and over to testify his joy at the meeting.
For the last two years a warm affection had existed between the two.
It had taken birth at the time the big puma had been caught by a
falling tree that had imprisoned and broken one of its hind legs.
Bomba had come upon the tortured animal at a time when it was
suffering terribly and biting savagely at the injured leg. The boy
was stirred with compassion. He had a strange power over animals, and
the puma had sensed his sympathy.
Bomba had brought the animal food and water. Then he had set to work
to free the trapped leg. This accomplished, he had set and bound up
the injured member, the puma submitting to the treatment because it
knew instinctively the kindness that prompted it.
Many days had passed before it was able to stand and get about, and
during all this time Bomba had supplied its needs and nursed it back
to health. By the time this was accomplished, the puma had all the
affection for Bomba that a pet cat has for its master.
Repeatedly since then the paths of the two had crossed in the jungle,
each time to the joy of both. At times, Polulu had been accompanied
by its savage mates that would have attacked the boy had not Polulu
taken him under his guard and warned the others that the boy must be
immune.
For some minutes Bomba fondled and caressed the great beast, which
responded with equal affection and manifestations of delight.
Then the pressing need for haste forced itself on the boy, and with a
parting pat on the tawny head he rose and issued from the cave.
Polulu was disappointed at the briefness of the lad’s stay, and made
as though he would go with him. But Bomba gently waved him back and
the puma obeyed meekly. And in the lambent yellow eyes that stared
after him Bomba could read regret and desolation.
Immeasurably relieved in mind as the boy was at his unexpected escape
at the moment that death had seemed to be closing in on him, he was
tormented by the thought of the precious time that had been lost by
his enforced stay in the cave. Now he must redouble his speed, at the
same time keeping a sharp lookout for the marauding Indians.
He came to the banks of a wide stream that wound in a sweeping curve
through the jungle. To swim across it would save him a long detour on
land and at least an hour of time.
Ordinarily he would have taken the land route, with whose dangers he
was more familiar and better able to cope. He had a deep fear of the
caymans, the great South American alligators, that infested many of
the streams.
He could swim like a fish. But the alligators could also make amazing
speed, considering their clumsiness. And in the water the only weapon
the boy could use effectively would be his knife, and that would be
but of slender use against such a formidable foe.
He knew, however, that at this time in the day the alligators would
be apt to be sunning themselves on some of the islands that studded
the stream at intervals. One of these islands he could see at a
little distance, with dark forms like so many logs fast asleep on the
sands.
His resolve was made on the instant. He would take the chance.
Silently as a shadow he slipped into the water, and, swimming so
smoothly that he scarcely left a ripple behind him, he moved toward
the point he had in view.
He had traversed more than half the distance and was already
beginning to congratulate himself on the successful outcome of his
venture when he heard a splash behind him.
Something had broken the surface of the water.
He looked behind him and his heart skipped a beat.
He saw the dripping head and great open jaws of a huge cayman coming
toward him!