Firing as he did, with the muzzle of his piece not above a yard away, the effect of the charge of small shot was much the same as would have been that of a heavy bullet the diameter of the fowling-piece's bore.
The rower was on his guard too, and as the lad fired he forced the light sampan away so that they were quite clear of the violent blow given by the creature's tail, as it swung itself round and then sank like a stone.
The effect upon the monkey was again startling to a degree.
At the report of the gun it leapt upward from the roof of the shelter, and instead of coming down in the same place it dropped on all-fours close to Harry, who caught it by one arm.
"Mind," cried Phra warningly; "they can bite very sharply."
"Oh, I don't think he'll hurt, poor little chap," was the reply, and the boy drew his little prisoner close to him, laid down his gun, and patted its shoulder. "Shall we keep it as a pet?"
"No," said Phra; "it would pine away and die. You must get a young one if you want them to keep."
"Yes, of course," said Harry. "Isn't he comic? I wish I'd got something to give him. He's ready to make friends."
"So he ought to be," said Phra; "we saved his life. That croc would have swallowed him like we do Doctor Cameron's pills."
"That he would. What a narrow squeak! I say, have you got anything you can give him?"