Rob Harlow's Adventures Part 38

"No, no, Mr Brazier," he cried; "don't do that. The poor thing came on board during the storm. It's quite tame. Look here, sir, look."

As he spoke in quite a fit of desperation, he began patting and soothing the animal, and when Brazier peered out again, in company with a loaded gun, the puma was responding to Rob's caresses in the most friendly way.

"Anything the matter, sir?" said Shaddy from beyond the cabin. "Can't you get the grapnel overboard?"

"Come and look here," whispered Brazier; and their guide crept into the cabin and peered out behind, his face puckering up into a grin.

"What is to be done?" whispered Brazier; "I can't fire without hitting the boy."

"Then I wouldn't fire, sir," replied Shaddy. "'Sides, there ain't no need. The thing's quite a cub, I think, and tame enough. I don't suppose it'll show fight if we let it alone."

"Stop, man! What are you going to do?"

"Go to 'em," replied Shaddy coolly.

"But it will spring at you. It turned threateningly on me just now."

"Don't seem to on Master Rob, sir, and I don't think it will. What do you say to going first, Mr Jovanni?"

"No," said the lad shortly. "I don't like animals."

"Well, then, here goes," said Shaddy coolly. "Don't shoot, sir, unless the crittur turns very savage, and then not till I say, 'Now!'"

He thrust the two canvas curtains apart quietly and stepped into the little open s.p.a.ce astern, when once more the puma's aspect changed and it turned upon the new-comer menacingly.

"Pat him again, Master Rob," said Shaddy quietly. "I want to make friends too. Here, old chap," he continued, sitting down, as Rob hurriedly patted and stroked the animal's head, "let's have a look at you. Come, may I pat you too?"

He stretched out his hand, but the puma drew back suspiciously, and, with the others watching the scene, he remained quiet while Rob redoubled his caresses, and the puma began to utter its low, rumbling, purring sound.

"Only wants time, Mr Brazier, sir," said Shaddy quietly. "I don't think the brute's a bit savage. Only thinks we mean mischief and is ready to fight for himself. I could be friends with him in an hour or two. What's best to be done--get him ash.o.r.e?"

"Yes, as soon as possible."

"All right, sir; you go and tell the men to back the boat in to where we landed before."

The canvas hangings dropped to, and Shaddy sat perfectly still, watching the actions of their strange visitor and talking in a low voice to Rob, while a low creaking began as two of the men forward thrust out their oars and backed water.

Slight as the sound was, that and the motion of the boat startled the animal, which began to look about uneasily, but a touch or two from Rob calmed it directly, and after responding to his caresses it turned to look curiously at Shaddy, taking a step forward and then stopping.

"Well, what do you think of me, puss, eh?" said Shaddy quietly. "I say, Mr Rob, you and I had better keep him and set up as lion-tamers."

The rough voice had its effect upon the animal, which ceased its purring sound and backed away close to Rob, against whom it stood, and began watching the bank toward which the boat was being thrust.

"How are we to get it ash.o.r.e?" said Rob at last.

"You want it to go, then?"

"No," replied Rob, "I don't. It is so very tame, I should like to keep it, but it does not care for anybody else."

"Don't mind me seemingly," said Shaddy. "Well, the best thing will be for you to jump ash.o.r.e as soon as we're close in, and then it strikes me he'll come after you, and if you kept on petting him he'd follow you anywhere."

"You think so, Shaddy?"

"Feel sure of it, sir, but it ain't like a dog. You can't make a companion of a scratching thing like that."

"Why not? A dog's a biting thing," said Rob shortly.

"Well, yes, sir, but here we are. Better get him ash.o.r.e. There ain't room for him aboard here. There might be a row, for he ain't ready to make friends with everybody."

Rob stepped on to the gunwale rather unwillingly, for, in a misty way, he was beginning to wonder whether it was possible for him to retain the puma as a companion, though all the time he could see the difficulties in the way.

He leaped ash.o.r.e, and, as Shaddy had suggested, the puma immediately made a light effortless bound and landed beside him, pressing close up to the lad's side and rubbing one ear against his hand, while the occupants of the boat looked wonderingly on.

"What am I to do next?" asked Rob. "If I jump back on board, he'll come too."

"Safe," said Shaddy; "and there's no more room for pa.s.sengers. Here, stop a moment; I have it."

"What are you going to do?" said Brazier, who was watching the movements of the puma with anxiety on Rob's behalf, but with keen interest all the same, as he saw the active creature suddenly throw itself down by the boy's feet and, playful as a kitten, begin to pat at first one boot and then the other, ending by rubbing its head upon them, watching their owner all the time.

"I'm going to get Mr Rob aboard without that great cat, sir, and this seems best way."

He drew his knife, raised the tarpaulin, and cut off a good-sized piece of the deer meat; then, bidding the men to take their oars and be ready to row at the first command, he turned to Rob.

"Look here, sir," he said, "I'll pitch you the piece of dried meat. You catch it and then carry it a few yards, and let the lion smell it. Give it him behind one of those bushes, and as soon as he is busy eating it dodge round the bush and come aboard. We'll soon have the boat too far for him to jump."

He threw the piece of dry meat to the boy, who caught it and walked as directed, the puma following him eagerly and sniffing at the food.

The next minute those in the boat saw Rob disappear behind a clump of low growth, and directly after he reappeared running toward them just as, uneasy at his being out of sight with the fierce creature, Brazier had called upon Giovanni to bring his gun and accompany him ash.o.r.e.

But Rob's reappearance of course stopped this, and the next minute he was on board and being rowed away from the sh.o.r.e.

"It seems too bad," cried Rob, "just as if one was cheating the poor thing. Look, there it is."

For just then the puma stalked out from behind the bushes and stood tossing its tail and looking round as if in search of Rob, ending by walking quickly down to the edge of the lake and standing there gazing after the boat, which was now being rowed slowly down once more toward the scene of their adventure with the swift current, Brazier having decided to stay one more day at the lower part of the lake before descending the river farther; and the object now in view was the discovery of a fresh halting-place for the night.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

AN INTERNATIONAL QUARREL.

"What's the matter, Rob?" said Brazier, as he turned suddenly from where he had been laying various articles of clothing out in the warm suns.h.i.+ne to dry and found the two lads seated together in silence, Rob with his elbows on the side of the boat and his chin in his, hands, gazing back ash.o.r.e.

"I can't get a word out of him, sir," said Joe. "I think it's because the lion was left behind."

"Nonsense! Rob is not so childish as to fret after a toy he cannot have. Come, my lad, there is plenty to do. We must make use of the evening sun to get everything possible dry. Come and help. Wet clothes and wet sleeping-places may mean fever."

Rob looked reproachfully at Joe, and began to hurry himself directly, his movement bringing him in contact with Shaddy, who was dividing his time between keeping a sharp look-out along the sh.o.r.e for a good halting-place suitable for making a fire, giving instructions to his men, and using a sponge with which to sop up every trace of moisture he could find within the boat.