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.