“Steamer was pullin’ out; I was too far away to see ’em.”
“Oh!” The men sank back in disgust.
“As for that,” said Jarvis, “I seen ’im plain enough the night of the scrap. ’E’d ’ad ’is goggles smashed to bits. I saw ’is eyes plain as I see yours.”
The men leaned forward again.
“An’,” Jarvis went on, “an’ ’ope I may die for it, if ’e ain’t got one panther eye. I saw the pupil of it shut up in the light just like a cat’s.”
“You’ll die for it, or say you’re wrong, anyway, about the panther part,” smiled Johnny.
“D’ y’ mean to say I lied?” demanded Jarvis hotly.
“Not exactly that. You saw what you expected to see, that’s all. As far as the panther part is concerned, you’re dead wrong.”
All eyes were now turned on Johnny.
“You see,” he smiled, “the pupil of a panther’s eye does not contract to a line in the light as a house cat’s does. It contracts to a smaller circle, just as yours and mine do. Go consult your encyclopedia. Ask any hunter of big game, or keeper of a zoo, and he’ll tell you that I’m right.”