Tom Gordon, being a rugged, healthy boy, generally passed the night in
refreshing slumber. Not a trace of the ague which kept him from the circus
showed itself in his system when he went up-stairs to his room; but,
somehow or other, after he lay down he could not sleep.
No doubt the excitement through which he had gone so wrought upon his
nerves as to drive away all drowsiness; but the thought that was running
through his brain found expression in the words:--
"A hundred dollars! What a fortune that is! It would make us comfortable
for life. I wonder if there is any way of catching Tippo Sahib before the
men find him.
"I don't believe there's anything in what Jim said about looking the
creature in the eye. S'pose I should meet him in the woods, and fix him
that way, what good would it do? I'd have to stand there till the keepers
come along, and they might not do that for a week or two. By that time I'd
be starved to death, and so would the tiger, and they want him alive.
"Jim must be mistaken, too, 'bout shooting off his tail. Jim and me
haven't got any tails, and we don't have any trouble in walking.
Pages:
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44