He emitted one rasping snarl while sailing through the air, but was already dead when he fell into the water, where it could not be seen he had made a struggle.

The sinewy body dipped out of sight, bobbed up again and the next minute was swept beyond view by the rapid current.
Rather strangely, not one of the women was awakened by the report of the rifle so near them, and of the men Dr.Marlowe and Anderson were the only ones who rose to a sitting posture and anxiously inquired the cause of the firing.
"I discovered an animal prowling near the boat," replied Jack, who thought it well not to disturb them with the whole truth, "and I winged him." "You are sure you killed him ?" asked the doctor; "most likely it was a tiger." "I am quite sure of that, and am just as sure that, considered strictly as a tiger, he is of no further account.

I made another bull's-eye in his case." "How many is that ?" asked the physician, entering into the spirit of the jest.
"My fifth, counting only those that I am sure of." "You are doing well; keep it up; let the good work go on," replied the elder, again adjusting himself for slumber, quite content to leave the valiant young American in charge of the boat and its occupants.

Jack had it in mind to question him about that distant murmuring sound that puzzled him, but when ready to do so he discovered that the doctor was again asleep and he did not disturb him.
The fact that one denizen of the jungle had paid the boat a visit was ground for looking for a call from another.

Jack remained, therefore, on the alert, and though under ordinary circumstances he would have fallen asleep he kept wide awake until the growing light in the sky told of the coming day.