The Zulu chief, and Peter with his ox, arrived at about the same time, when no sooner did the former hear what was wanted than he made a big loop, waded into the water, and slipped the noose over the monster’s head.
This noose was pulled tight, the rope attached to the yoke of the ox, the word given, and the crocodile drawn not only out of the water on to the strand, but through an opening in the rock and on to the firm ground above.
Here the General proceeded to unfasten the rope, Mr Rogers curiously examining the mark made by his bullet just behind the creature’s eye, when, to the astonishment of all present, the reptile made a tremendous snap with its awful jaws, and as the General darted aside, the creature began to thrash the air with its tail, sweeping it from side to side, and snapping its jaws as it began to move off towards the edge of the little cliff.
Both Dick and Jack stood there paralysed for a few moments, for they had believed the reptile dead; but Dick soon recovered, and as the crocodile was slowly progressing, snapping its jaws menacingly as it went, the boy went close up and fired at its eye.
There was a terrible convulsion; then the monster levelled shrubs and herbage in all directions, after which it suddenly seemed to succumb, when getting Peter to help him, the Zulu thrust one of the reptile’s legs beneath it, got hold of the other, and the crocodile was hauled over upon its back, and the keen knife of the Zulu cut its head nearly off, and ripped it open from end to end.
“He’ll never get over this,” said Jack. “I dare say this wretch has killed hundreds of innocent creatures in its day, and I’m glad it’s done.”
They were not disturbed by lions that night, but the mosquitoes and sand-flies made up for it, tormenting them so that morning was gladly hailed, and Jack and Dick went off with a measuring tape to get the length and girth of the great reptile as a trophy.
“I say eighteen feet long,” said Jack decidedly, as they walked along.
“Do you remember what father said about the travellers’ measurements?” said Dick drily. “No, Jack, he is not eighteen feet long, nor sixteen. I should say fifteen feet.”
“But I read that they grow to twenty-five and thirty feet long,” said Jack.