A glance showed what had occurred, and Jack, half sobbing, told the story while Mr. Chadwick brought Tom back to consciousness. After an examination it proved that there was not much harm done beyond a terrible fright. Tom’s body was bruised and sore, however, for the big snake, as is the manner of his species, had begun to crush the boy preparatory to swallowing him, when Jack’s lucky shot turned the tables.
When Tom was somewhat recovered, Professor Von Dinkelspeil drew out a pocket tape measure and began to measure the great carcass which now lay still and cold. He found that the anaconda that had come so near to proving Tom’s end was thirty-two feet in length.
“Vun of der piggest I ever heardt of,” he declared, “although Bates, der English naturalist, says dot he heard of anacondas forty feet long, in der stomach of vun of vich de men who killed idt found a horse de snake hadt ge-swallowed.”
“Well, ‘all’s well that ends well,’ as the poet says,” quoth Captain Sprowl, “but the ugly customer yonder might have made an end of Tom, if it hadn’t been for Jack here. Shake, boy, I’m proud of you. You didn’t lose your nerve for a minute.”
“Didn’t I?” rejoined Jack with an odd smile.
At this juncture, a sudden cry from Dick made them all look round.
“The ants! Millions of ‘em!” he cried. “They’re coming this way!”
“Marching ants!” exclaimed the professor. “Annudder of der vunders of de Prazilian forests. Dey must be coming after de carcass off der snake.”
“Say, they’re covering the whole earth!” roared Dick. “Creeping carnations of Connecticut, I never saw such a sight!”
“Look!” cried Jack suddenly pointing in the other direction from that to which Dick was excitedly drawing attention. “There come some more of them!”