Recently a large ape tied to the post at midday was not killed and eaten until four next morning, and that is about the usual thing, although not the rule.

Now my proposal is--" He stepped back and eyed me with the coldest look of appraisal I ever sickened under.

I blenched at last--visibly suffered under his eye, and he liked it.
"-- that you tell your secret or be fastened to that post from noon, say, until the crocodiles make an end of you!" He stepped back a pace farther, perhaps to gloat over my discomfort, perhaps from fear of some concealed weapon.
"You have not much time to arrive at your decision!" He took another pace backward.

It occurred to me then that he was looking for some one he expected.

Nobody turning up, he began to gather loose stones and throw them at the reptiles, driving them down into deep water, first in ones and twos and then by dozens.