He could almost have uttered a cry of joy when the severed fuse was discovered. He waited for nothing, but immediately pressed his brand against the sun-dried substance. There was no powder there. It had spilled when it broke, and it harmlessly smoked as it burned. Why a groan did not escape him, Sidney could never have told. He broke off the tough, resisting substance six inches further along and again applied his spark. It seemed as if in all its length there could be no powder remaining. He was savagely grasping the fuse once more, to break it at a fresher place, when a fiery-red line, some four feet away, seemed creeping like a snake out beyond him. The spark that was racing along to the bomb had been started while still he was sweating there with baffled and excited impatience. He took no time for further caution, but sprang away to the shelter of the tree and caught at a lungful of breath. There was not a sound in all the place. This much he knew in that second, as he hugged up close to the trunk. The tiger had ceased to lap at the meat, and perhaps was poised for a spring. It seemed to Grenville, waiting there, that nothing would ever happen. A thousand doubts went darting through his brain. The fuse had failed! It was broken again. Or, perhaps---- A low growl broke the stillness. There was a sound of something moving towards the tree! Instantly a frightful red-and-yellow glare leaped upward from the earth. A deafening, crashing detonation rent the intimate universe and shook down incredible stars. The air was filled to overcrowding with rushing billows of concussion that rocked the trees as in a storm. Grenville went down, dazed and helpless, unable to think, so jarred to chaos were his senses. But, beyond being stunned for a moment, he was totally unhurt. He leaped to his feet, aware of some mighty disturbance in the curdled, heavy darkness that had followed. The tiger it was, in some extravagant activity, moving towards Grenville and the thicket. He was almost upon the staggering man before he could move to escape. Then Grenville stumbled towards the ladder. The jar to the limb, as he tugged at a rung, brought something down from above. This was the creature that had hidden in the tree. It had partially fallen, earlier stunned by the huge concussion. It dropped upon Grenville leadenly--and down he went in a heap. The three sworn enemies--tiger, man, and jungle-cat--were embroiled on the earth together. Before the man could sufficiently recover to stagger from his knees to his feet and grasp his club, the tiger flung out a mighty paw, that struck him a blow upon the chin. Without a sound he sank limberly down, inert and helplessly unconscious. CHAPTER XIX GRENVILLE'S RADIANT STAR Even had sleep overcome Elaine, the explosion must have startled her awake like a wildly fluttering bird.