Brave Tom; Or, The Battle That Won

e women uttered cries of anguish, cla

does the best thing possible, when, if he t

the full degree of this terror is felt only during the darkness of night. The sun w

mself from falling. His dexterity enabled him to keep fair command of his limbs, and he bounded to his fee

w (the surest means of inviting the attack of the beast), he uttered

ugh the sun was shining, the tiger knew something of the meaning of that glowing brand. Wheeling about

ion of Tom Gordon up-stairs, who had been my

, as he flung up the window, thrust the barrel

at day. Before Tom could make his aim certain, Jim Travers popped in front, so in line wit

aning his gun against the wall besi

must not be supposed that he possessed any unusual share of courage. It was his implicit faith in the blaz

ing animal, and there's no saying what the end would have been, or rather t

ch will soon go out, and

ping like a flash, and dashing for the

, whose courage they estimated too highly, they shrank from no risk that could aid his final escape. They had not close

fleetness. Finding, after running a short way, that the beast was not after him, Jim flung aside the torch and went through the window like a cannon shot, rolling over and st

ick!" he called, "o

gers quickly secured the shutter as before; and but

to learn how his pl

, Tom?" he called, h

anything to shoot

ecome of

you scare

utiously out

here round, but he was ou

but you aren'

ased me clean up

ou struck out for the window, he stopped sh

exclaimed Jim angrily; "who

h, and then trotted down the road; I seen hi

I guess I'll go home now,

, till you're sur

dvice, staying to supper, to

ger that showed so much enmity toward them. When darkness closed in, however, not the first glimpse had been caught of him, and all began to hope he had taken his final departure. Mrs. Gordon gave her consent that J

the hou

eparture of Jimmy Travers. Mrs. Gordon stepped to the door, and with some misgiving drew it open. The f

rved the woman; "have you seen anything of a strange animal in this neighborho

r that escaped from the m

animal we're

the afternoon, and tried t

y one?" asked t

eceive a scratch.

the other; "did he

nd Tom), smiling at the fear of the visitors; "my boy is quite y

e lad, not pleased with this sl

d; but he was n

f the most valuable animals we have in the m

a, "it may become necessary t

t apt to injure any o

ng stories told by Jim Travers on

ck Habersham, Bill Dunham, and a whol

f the two hors

as knocked down and scratched somewhat, but not half as much as he deserved. No one else, so far as we can le

hrough our window,"

after you f

erwa

n a hue and cry is raised about a dog. If he isn't mad, he will soon become so. But, madam, we are very anxio

Tom, to the surpri

ut injury, or fixes it so we can recapture him. May I ask

Tom, "he was cutting 'cross the f

heir information, the horsemen rode o

lifted much of the fear of the beast from the hearts of the Gordon family. They believed the keepers would recapture him

ver more carefully barred than before t

Not a trace of the ague which kept him from the circus showed itself in his system when h

n his nerves as to drive away all drowsiness; but the thought th

make us comfortable for life. I wonder if there is an

he woods, and fix him that way, what good would it do? I'd have to stand there till the keepers come along, and they mi

have any trouble in walking. I can't see how it would make any difference with the tiger, either. I wond

s he was on the point of dropping into an uneasy slumber, but some slight noise always

sleep? By and by Tom discovered it was that which had played the mischief with his rest. He sp

stood a minute, looking out upon the beautiful scene; for, young as he was, he

r they've catche

hadow of the woodshed. A second look showed it to be some sort of quadrup

d again. Some unaccountable attraction seemed to have brought Tippo Sahib back t

erto, he and his friends had counted themselves lucky in being able to keep out of his way when he showed a desire to exp

giving as to the meaning of this return of the tiger. Having eluded the men sent af

nd as on his former visit, but seemed to be prowling about the woodshed, as if in quest of s

ld readily leap from the ground to the windows of the upper story, and, ther

shoot him, I won't get the reward that was promised; but

bright moonlight. He showed no interest in the house itself, but confined his attention to the wood

the front of the strong wooden build

the lad gave

side, and I slip u

it was impossible to imagine his purpose, unless he scented the waste

risk; for there could be no doubt that if the bea

. Fortunately for him, his aunt and mother were asleep, else they would have put an emphatic veto on his foolhardy scheme. The bolts of the door were softly slid back, the door itself silently drawn inward an inch or two, and the lad peeped out. His position gave a full view of the

hook the door; but, if he comes ba

door. Could he have thought of any way by which to drive the tiger inside, he would have done so; b

d fancied it had disappeared entirely; but at the moment he was about to slip forward, he detected the t

tep farther, for no part of his appendage

now o

etreat, he would meet with no trouble in re-entering his home. In that event, ho

en he stepped out in the moonlight and compr

ght, "I'll have a chance to dodge him; but

forward, until he stood within a couple of paces of the fastening. Then it was that his courage almost des

nd snap it toward him. He was in the act of doing so, when he heard a guttural growl from within. Had this reached his ears when he was a few feet farther off, Tom would have

ding then to the panic which had been struggling so long within him, he bounded upon the front porch, shot through the door, and closed and fastened it in a twinkling. Not even the

e to say, everything looked as if there was no tiger within a score of miles. The door of the woodshed was fastened as it had been many times; but no noise or disturbance, so far as the lad could jud

It's pretty strong, and there isn't an

was not strange, perhaps, considering the lateness of the hour, that the sleep which he had long sought in vain now came to him.

woodshed. So far as he saw, no change had taken place. T

about going to the shed for some wood, you

d Tom, hardly less startled than they; "I mean

sted the mother; "I don't under

e from the roadway again. When they

d the one that had done the talking the night before;

r Aunt Cynthia could

dred dollars to any one that gets

ny, or if he will show us wher

ed dollars to have him

ed we

ll; he's