“I told you he was a big one,” said Frank; but Ned made no answer. The interest was too deep, and he held on to the rope with all his strength. Then, all at once, a peculiar vibration ran through it, as if the crocodile had rapidly shaken its head, and the next moment there was a tremendous jerk, and right out in the river, a violent movement in the stilly flowing water, as if the monstrous brute had suddenly wallowed and twisted itself round, the water rising in eddies and then becoming discoloured with clouds of mud which flowed slowly by them, the direction the reptile had taken being somewhat up the river.
The plunge was tremendous, and the rope was nearly jerked out of the men’s hands, but they held on, threw themselves back, and once more the dull steady strain was there, the reptile lying like a log at the bottom.
“Look at that now!” cried Tim. “I belave he’s tired, and gone to slape.”
“He’s a coward, and won’t fight,” cried Frank. “Let’s have him out at once,” he shouted in Malay to the men, but their leader gave a decided negative.
“Says he’ll begin to fight directly,” continued Frank; and hardly were the words out of his mouth when there was another fierce shaking of the rope, a furious plunge, and the brute began to make the line rush through the water here and there. The lotus-leaves were cut and torn off and floated down the river, till, where the beautiful bed of flowers lay, all was muddy water churned up by the savage efforts of the beast, which tugged and dragged and sometimes drew the Malays a little nearer the brim; but just as Ned was wondering whether they had not better let go, the men recovered their lost ground again, and the water eddied and bubbled as the mud rose to the surface.
“He’s trying to burrow down,” said Frank; “wait a bit, and he’ll show himself. It’s precious deep just there.”
The fight went on, and Ned was beginning to think that their captive ought now to grow tired, when the strain suddenly ceased, and the whole party went down backward with their heels in the air.
“The hook’s broken out. Oh!” cried Ned, struggling to his knees, his voice showing his disappointment. “Ah!” he yelled, “mind! run!” for he suddenly caught sight of a fearful pair of open jaws thrust out of the water not half a dozen yards away, the monster making a savage charge right up to the bank, before its head sank down.
“Look at that now!” shouted Tim.
“Gone!” cried Ned; “and a good job too.”