Rob Harlows Adventures | Page 3

toward quite the middle of South America, aren't we?"
"Getting that way, my lad, but not yet. Wasn't that a bite?"
"No," replied Rob confidently. "I say, Shaddy, are there really any good fish in this river? Isn't it too big?"
"Wants a big river to hold big fish in, millions of 'em, big as you are. Wait, and you'll see."
"But one gets so tired of waiting."
"But we has to wait all the same, and how those 'Talians get up and down as they do is always a wonder to me. I suppose they like waiting, and having their snoozes in the hot sun. 'Tis their nature to. Naples is hot enough, but not like this."
"Have you been to Italy?"
"'Ain't many places I haven't been to, my lad."
"But you've been here a long time."
"Nigh upon twenty year up and down; and when I go to a place I like to forage and ferret about, being fond of a bit o' sport. That's how it is I know so much of the country up here. Couldn't help larning it. No credit to a man then."
"What are you looking at?" said Rob.
"Nothing, but looking out for squalls."
"Change of weather?"
"Nay, not yet. I meant Indian squalls. I didn't know as there were to be no watch kept, or I wouldn't have slept. It ain't safe, my lad, to go to sleep close to the shore this side."
"Why! Wild beasts?"
"Nay, wild Indians, as hates the whites, and would come out from under the trees in their canoes and attack us if they knowed we were here. I told the skipper so, but he's like them 'talians: knows everything himself, so that he as good as told me to mind my own business, and so I did. But this side of the river's all savage and wild, my lad. The people had rough hard times with the old Spaniards, so that every white man's a Spaniard to them, and if they get a chance it's spear or club."
Rob looked rather nervously along the interlacing trees hung with the loveliest of vine and creeper, and then jerked his line.
"Ah, it's all right enough, sir, if you keep your eyes open. I can't, you see: only one."
"How did you lose your eye, Shaddy?"
"Tiger," said the man shortly.
"There are no tigers here," said Rob. "They are in India."
"I know that. Striped ones they are, and bigger than these here. I've known 'em swim off from Johore across to Singapore--though they're big cats--and then lie in wait for the poor Chinese coolie chaps and carry 'em off. They call these big spotted chaps tigers, though, out here; but they're jaggers: that's what they are. Call 'em painters up in Texas and Arizona and them parts north. Jaggered my eye out anyhow."
"How was it?"
"I was shooting, and after lying in wait for one of the beggars for nights, I saw my gentleman--coming after a calf he was--and I shot him. `Dead!' I says, for he just gave one snarly cry, turned over on his back, clawed about a bit, and then lay down on his side, and I went up, knife in hand, meaning to have his spotted skin."
Shaddy stopped and laid his hand over the scar and empty eye cavity, as if they throbbed still.
"Well?" cried Rob eagerly.
"No; it wasn't well, my lad. All the worst's coming. He wasn't dead a bit, and before I knew where I was, he sent my rifle flying, and he had me. It was one leap and a wipe down the face with his right paw, and then his jaws were fixed in my right shoulder, and down I went on my back. If I hadn't twisted a bit he'd have torn me with his hind claws same as a cat does a great rat, and then I shouldn't have been here to be your guide. As it was, he kicked and tore up the earth, and then he left go of my shoulder and turned over on his side, and died in real earnest."
"The bullet had taken effect?"
"Nay, my lad; it was my knife. I thought it was my turn again, and, as I had it in my hand, I felt for his heart, and found it."
"How horrible!"
"Yes, it was, my lad, very; but I won that game. I didn't get the skin money, for I didn't care for it then. I couldn't see very well. Why, I was quite blind for a month after, and then all the strength of two eyes seemed to go into this one. Painters they call 'em nor'ard, as I said; and he painted me prettily, didn't he, right down this cheek? Never saw a girl who thought me handsome enough to want to marry me."
Shaddy laughed.
"What is it?" said Rob.
"I was thinking about Mr Brazier yonder when I