But Jack continued at his post, and the truth was, as Bob dashing forward in alarm suspected, that in making the most of his wonderful opportunity to obtain a film of the rhino charging head-on he had forgotten for a moment the important consideration of looking out for his own safety.
CHAPTER XIX
SAVED FROM THE MONSTER
On came the rhinoceros, and Jack seeing him grow larger and larger in the eye of the camera until his bulk seemed to fill the whole world continued to crank the machine, exulting in the realization that he was obtaining what undoubtedly would be the finest film of the whole expedition to date, perhaps the finest and most thrilling of all including whatever pictures lay in the future.
He was oblivious, in his blazing excitement, of the fact that the rhinoceros was charging directly at him. He could not hear Bob’s frenzied cries. He was unaware of Frank running toward him from the background.
When finally, as the rhino came so close that looking into the camera finder Jack could see little more than the huge formidable head with its little eyes inflamed in anger, he realized with a shock that in another minute it would be too late for him to escape.
What was more, all the risk he had run would go for nought, because the great beast would trample the tripod and camera and destroy the film.
Then Jack acted with a speed of which he had not considered himself capable. But what one can do under stress of tremendous excitement is considerable.
Sweeping the legs of the tripod together, he slung the camera over a shoulder and leaped away, not running in the path of the charging rhino, but at a right angle from it.
Seeing his prey escaping, but unable because of his great bulk to halt his mad career in time, the rhino crashed forward. He passed directly over the spot where Jack had been stationed not sixty seconds after he had departed. One foot struck the film box and sent it lurching forward, and another pile driver descended crushing it into the ground.
But that was the end of Mr. Rhino. For ere the great beast could turn to pursue his quarry, Bob’s rifle rang out and, drilled through the heart, the monster halted, swayed on his feet, then fell over on his side with a crash that made the very ground tremble.