“What creature can that be?” asked Natty.
“A water-turtle!” I exclaimed; for I recognised it from the descriptions I had seen of it.
Presently it came to a steep part of the bank, and as it was climbing up it fell, and lay helpless on its back.
“We will make prize of him,” cried Jack. “Paddle away, boys.”
We were soon up to the bank, when Jack sprang out of the canoe, and before the turtle could recover itself he had seized it in his arms and placed it in the bottom of the canoe. There the creature lay utterly helpless. While the canoe’s bows were on the shore, Chico, who had got tired of sitting so long in one position, made a spring on to the land to pick some fruit which grew on a low bush at no great distance. The boys were so interested in watching the turtle that, without seeing that Chico was absent, they shoved off, and had already got to some little distance when they discovered that we had left one of our company behind. Chico, having filled his paws with fruit, ran down the bank.
“Hillo, old fellow!” exclaimed Jack, “we will come in for you.”
The current, however, just then took the canoe’s head, and we drifted some way down before we could turn back. At that instant we saw a ripple in the water, and presently the huge head of a crocodile was projected above it. The monster darted forward; and poor Chico, before he was aware of his danger, was seized by its huge jaws. In vain we cried out and shrieked at the top of our voices. The crocodile had got hold of its prey. Chico struggled, but he was as helpless as a mouse in the fangs of a cat. “Oh, save him, save him!” shrieked out Bella; but it was too late. Though the boys paddled with might and main, before they reached the shore the crocodile sank beneath the surface, dragging the poor ape with him. A little circle alone marked the spot where it had gone down.
“There is one who will pay you off for that,” cried Jack, looking into the water as if in search of the crocodile. “When Igubo hears of it he will be after you, depend on it.”
We all felt sad at the loss of our pet, and much as we had enjoyed the early part of the trip, it certainly spoiled the pleasure of the remainder.
“Poor Chico!” exclaimed Natty every now and then. “I little thought you would come to so untimely an end.”