BIGGLES IN THE
JUNGLE
by Captain W.
E. Johns
VII. IN
THE CLAWS OF THE TIGER
(Pages 73 - 79)
Biggles says he daren’t risk shooting
the snake as he may miss the head and the shot will raise the place. They hear voices outside, then footsteps and
suddenly a man comes into the room, stops dead on seeing them, and then pulls
out his revolver. (His hand flashed
to a holster, and came up holding a revolver – is the illustration on page 75). It is "The Tiger" himself and they
realise the snake is merely his pet.
"He was a half-caste, the black predominating, of about fifty years
of age; he was of medium height, but of massive, though corpulent,
proportions. His arms and shoulders
might have been those of a gorilla, but as an example of physique he was spoilt
by a paunch of a stomach which, like his face, was flabby from over-eating or
self-indulgence, or both. His cheeks
were puffy, but his chin was pugnacious.
His eyes were small and dark; they were never still, but flashed
suspiciously this way and that. His hair
was long and luxuriant, but had an unmistakable negroid twist in it. An enormous black moustache drooped from his
upper lip. He was dressed – or rather,
over-dressed – in a uniform so elaborate, so heavy with gold braid, and of
colours so brilliant that not even a cinema commissionaire would have dared to
wear it". The Tiger calls in
Spanish for Marita, the woman who was tending the fire, and asks her who these
men are, but she doesn’t know. He then
speaks to Biggles in English asking “What language you speak, eh?” “We speak English” replied Biggles. “Am I right in supposing that I’m speaking to
the King of the Forest?” inquired Biggles calmly. The half-caste’s eyes narrowed. “I am the king” he said harshly. “Where is the other man?” Biggles remembering the note from Chorro, realises that it was useless to pretend. Biggles accepts he is Bigglesworth when
asked. The Tiger blows a small silver
whistle and men come running, with them are two white men who Biggles guessed
were those to whom Dusky had referred.
One is tall and cadaverous, with jaundiced skin, the other, a
weedy-looking individual of nondescript type. The Tiger again asks where the
other one is and how they got there.
Biggles replies are to tell him to look around and maybe he’ll find him
and that they brought themselves there.
The Tiger has them taken away and Biggles smiles when his men call him
“your Majesty”. The Tiger tells his men
to “Put them next to Juanita; she must be getting hungry. When we get the other
we will lift the bar and leave them together”.
Biggles and Ginger are then put in a cage partitioned off from the other
side where "Juanita" awaits.
When it's feeding time, the partition will be raised.