g round him vacantly.

"Search well, men, and be quick, he may have been injured," cried Van
der Kemp, seizing a torch and setting the example.

"Let me out!" came at that moment from what appeared to be the bowels of
the earth, causing every one to stand aghast gazing in wonder around and
on each other.

"Zounds! vy don't you let me _out_?" shouted the voice again.

There was an indication of a tendency to flight on the part of the
natives, but Nigel's asking "Where _are_ you?" had the effect of
inducing them to delay for the answer.

"Here--oonder zee tigre! Kveek, I am suffocat!"

Instantly Van der Kemp seized the animal by the 'tail, and, Avith a
force worthy of Hercules, heaved it aside as if it had been a dead cat,
revealing the man of science underneath--alive and well, but
dishevelled, scratched, and soiled--also, as deaf as a door-post!

CHAPTER XXII.

A PYTHON DISCOVERED AND A GEYSER INTERVIEWED.

"It never rains but it pours" is a well-known proverb which finds,
frequent illustration in the experience of almost every one. At all
events Verkimier had reason to believe in the truth of it at that time,
for adventures came down on him, as it were, in a sort of deluge, more
or less astounding, insomuch that his enthusiastic spirit, bathing, if
we may say so, in an ocean of scientific delight, pronounced Sumatra to
be the very paradise of the student of nature.

We have not room in this volume to follow him in the details of his
wonderful experiences, but we must mention one adventure which he had on
the very day after the tiger-incident, because it very nearly had the
effect of separating him from his travelling companions.

Being deaf, as we have said--owing to the explosion of his revolver in
the hole--but not necessarily dumb, the professor, after one or two
futile attempts to hear and converse, deemed it wise to go to bed and
spend the few conscious minutes that might precede sleep in watching Van
der Kemp, who kindly undertook to skin his tiger for him. Soon the
self-satisfied man fell into a sweet infantine slumber, and dreamed of
tigers, in which state he gave vent to sundry grunts, gasps, and
half-suppressed cries, to the immense delight of Moses, who sat watching
him, indulging in a running commentary suggestive of the recent event,
and giving utterance now and then to a few imitative growls by way of
enhancing the effect of the dreams!

"Look! look! Massa Nadgel, he's twitchin' all