He missed the eye of the reptile, and the bullet from the rifle glanced off and dropped into the water.
"How many shots is a fellow to have before he loses his chance?" asked the captain, as he aimed again.
"I suggest three," said Louis. "Those in favor of three say ay."
They all voted "ay," and Scott fired twice more. "Your turn, Morris;" and he appeared to be very much chagrined at his ill luck. "I could hardly see the eye of the varmint."
Morris fired his three shots with no better success. Felix took a different position from the others, placing himself on the stem. He fired, and the saurian still kept on his course. He did better the second time; and the reptile floundered for a moment, and then turned over dead. The boat was run up alongside, and Achang was required to bring out his parong latok, with which he decapitated the game at a single blow this time; but the creature was only nine feet long.
Pitts called the cabin party to breakfast at this time. The Blanchita went ahead again, and the repeating rifles were left on the cushions. At Louis's suggestion the captain gave the four men off duty permission to use the arms on crocodiles, but not on monkeys.
Ham and eggs, with hot biscuit and coffee, was the bill of fare; and the young men had sharpened their appetites in the sports of the morning. Before they were half done they heard the crack of a rifle. They listened for the second shot, but none followed it.
"Who fired that shot, Pitts?" asked the captain, as the steward brought in another plate of biscuit.
"Clinch, sir," replied the man. "He knocked the crocodile over at the first shot, sir."