Straight across the plaza they ran, and turned into a broad avenue. Here, on the verge of a clump of palms, they beheld a thrilling sight.
There was the Steam Man standing motionless on the edge of the palm clump.
The huge anaconda was yet writhing in the cage. Frank guessed the meaning of all at once.
The Steam Man had been saved by a lucky chance.
The snake, in its writhings, had not only closed the throttle by twisting the rein about its body, but had also pulled open the whistle valve in the same manner.
The two explorers came to a halt at first, and regarded the spectacle with much wonder.
Then Frank cried:
“Hurrah! We’ve got the best of it. We can easily end the fight now.”
Straight up to the cage Frank ran. It was an easy matter to climb up and draw aim at the anaconda’s head through the loophole.
Crack!