To put an end to its sufferings and his own danger, he pointed the revolver at its side and again fired. The crash in the confined hole was tremendous--so awful that the professor thought the weapon must have burst. The struggles of the, tiger became more violent than ever, and its weight more oppressive as the earth crumbled away. Again the cold perspiration broke out all over the man, and he became unconscious.
It must not be supposed that the professor's friends were unwatchful. Although they had promised not to disturb him in his operations, they had held themselves in readiness with rifle, revolver, and spear, and the instant the first shot was heard, they ran down to the scene of action. Before reaching it the second shot quickened their pace as they ran down to the pond--a number of natives yelling and waving torches at their heels.
"Here he is," cried Moses, who was first on the scene, "dead as mutton!"
"What! the professor?" cried Nigel in alarm.
"Where's Verkimier?" asked the hermit as he came up.
"I dun know, massa," said Moses, looking round him vacantly.
"Search well, men, and be quick, he may have been injured," cried Van der Kemp, seizing a torch and setting the example.
"Let me out!" came at that moment from what appeared to be the bowels of the earth, causing every one to stand aghast gazing in wonder around and on each other.
"Zounds! vy don't you let me _out_?" shouted the voice again.
There was an indication of a tendency to flight on the part of the natives, but Nigel's asking "Where _are_ you?" had the effect of inducing them to delay for the answer.
"Here--oonder zee tigre! Kveek, I am suffocat!"
Instantly Van der Kemp seized the animal by the 'tail, and, Avith a force worthy of Hercules, heaved it aside as if it had been a dead cat, revealing the man of science underneath--alive and well, but dishevelled, scratched, and soiled--also, as deaf as a door-post!
A PYTHON DISCOVERED AND A GEYSER INTERVIEWED.
"It never rains but it pours" is a well-known proverb which finds, frequent illustration in the experience of almost every one. At all events Verkimier had reason to believe in the truth of it at that time, for adventures came down on him, as it were, in a sort of deluge, more or less astounding, insomuch that his enthusiastic spirit, bathing, if we may say so, in an ocean of scientific delight, pronounced Sumatra to be the very paradise of the student of nature.