The movie boys in the jungle : $b or, Lively times among the wild beastsAppleton, Victor
General
The movie boys in the jungle : $b or, Lively times among the wild beasts
Appleton, Victor
Africa -- Juvenile fiction; Dime novels; Motion pictures -- Production and direction -- Juvenile fiction
The scene was ever changing. The baboons rushed away in a body and a
herd of some small deer came to the pool. Then a slinking leopard drove
these timid creatures away. In his turn the fierce cat gave way to a
troop of howling hyenas. Though these scavengers of the jungle singly,
or even in pairs, would never dare to molest a leopard, a body of them
will become so bold that they will sometimes even attack a lion--and
kill it, too.
Yard after yard of the film was reeled off, making a series of rare
pictures. As yet the position of the boys had not been discovered, for
they were well screened and only occasionally did some beasts hear the
clicking of the camera and look suspiciously in that direction.
“I guess we won’t have to use the guns after all,” remarked Mr. Piper.
“It doesn’t look so,” agreed the sergeant.
They had hardly spoken, however, before there came that same peculiar,
whistling grunt that before had attracted their attention to the water
hole.
“Rhinos!” exclaimed the sergeant, getting his rifle in readiness.
From the underbrush, at the far side of the hole, a big body emerged,
and a moment later a huge rhinoceros stepped into the glare of the
light. The calcium seemed to frighten it for a moment, and then,
concluding that, as no one was in sight, everything must be all right,
the great beast came on.
It had hardly begun to drink, however, before there was another of the
queer grunts, and a second rhinoceros rushed out toward the water. The
second one did not seem to see the first one until almost at its side,
and then the first one, raising its head, noticed the other.
With lowered heads, the two great horns on each one prominent, they
stood for a moment motionless, and the sergeant whispered:
“They’re going to fight!”
The words were scarcely out of his mouth before there was a rush and
the two came together with an impact that could be heard for some
distance. The magnesium light made everything almost as clear as day,
and Blake kept on taking pictures.
The fight did not last long. The first rhinoceros, with a quick, savage
motion, thrust its horn into the other’s side, inflicting a grievous
wound. The injured animal, with a grunt of pain and dismay, backed off,
and, after standing motionless a moment, turned and walked slowly off,
staggering.
“He’s badly hurt,” whispered Blake.
“I should say so,” agreed his chum. “He can’t last long. But what
pictures we’re getting!”
The victorious rhinoceros walked back to the pool, seemingly satisfied.
Blake was getting a series of pictures, somewhat different now, for in
the background were several waterbucks coming on to the pool. Suddenly
the film in the camera broke.
“Pshaw!” exclaimed Blake aloud, before he thought. “Now we’ll lose some
good scenes while I fix that.”
“We ought to have brought two cameras,” said Joe.
“Quiet!” hissed the sergeant. “He’ll hear you.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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