THE GREAT CIRCUS TRAIN ROBBERY - Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

            Willie's back was to a rock wall.  He had nowhere to go.  The tiger stood about 25 feet away from him.  The tiger's eyes stared into Willie's eyes.  The tiger smelled the meat in Willie's hand.  The tiger stuck out his tongue and licked his lips.  It took a step towards Willie.  "Help," Willie whimpered some more.

            "Calvin, we have to go help Willie!"  Jack started running.

            Calvin started running towards the tiger trap.  "Jack, go to the net!  Get the tiger's attention and try to lure him to the net!"

            The tiger continued staring at Willie.  It took another step forward.

            Jack arrived at the net first.  He started jumping up and down, yelling, trying to get the tiger to turn around.

            The tiger never turned its head.  Instead, it took another step forward.  "He's coming!  Guys, help!"  Willie's whimpering became more of a cry.

            Calvin ran up next to Jack and stopped. 

            "I can't get its attention!"  Jack complained to Calvin.

            "We have to do something!"  Calvin looked around trying to get an idea.

            The tiger took another step toward Willie.

            Calvin thought of something.  "Throw some meat at it.  That should get its attention."

            "Okay."  Jack grabbed some hamburger from the bag.  He rolled it into a ball, the size of a baseball.  He was a pitcher on his baseball team, so he knew he could throw a meatball accurately.  He stretched his right hand out behind him, stepped forward with his left foot, brought his right hand over his shoulder, and threw the meatball as hard as he could.  The meatball flew through the air and hit the tiger on the left side of its face.

            For the first time, the tiger diverted his gaze from Willie.  He turned his head over his left shoulder and looked at Jack and Calvin.  Suddenly, the tiger let out a blood curdling roar.  Willie, Calvin, and Jack felt the ground vibrate under them.  They could feel the roar pass through their bodies.  It seemed like the sound of the roar would never end.  When It ended, the tiger turned around, stared at Jack, and started approaching.  Jack was the tiger’s new prey.

            "Uuuuuhhhhhh, its coming this way.  What do we do now?" Jack asked Calvin.

            "You weren't supposed to hit the tiger in the head.  I just said to get his attention."

            "Well, that got his attention."

            Willie stood silent watching the tiger walk away from him.  He sighed in relief, but was too scared to move.

            The tiger walked towards Jack and Calvin.

            "Calvin, we need a plan quick."  Jack was desperate.

            "Throw some meat out in front of him.  Back up off the net.  Get him to keep following you until he gets on the net.  When he is on the net, I will spring the net and capture him."

            "Okay."  Jack began walking backwards away from the tiger, keeping the net between him and the tiger.  As he back peddled, he kept his eyes on the tiger and reached into his bag for more meat.

            "When you throw the meat at him, make sure you don't hit him again."  Calvin locked his eyes on the tiger, but slowly moved to where the rope was tied.

            "I'm not going to hit him again.  I really don't want to be his lunch."

            Jack used an under hand motion and tossed some meat towards the tiger.  Jack continued to walk backwards.  The tiger kept walking towards Jack.  When the tiger got to the meat, he paused and ate it.

            "It's working," Calvin whispered.  "Keep it up."  Calvin was now hidden in some bushes waiting for the tiger to reach the trap.

            "That's easy for you to say.  The tiger is not walking towards you."  Jack stepped back some more.  He tossed another meat ball in front of the tiger, still leading him towards the net.

            The tiger stopped and ate another meatball.  He looked up and, again, walked towards Jack.  Jack backed up two more steps and lobbed another meatball in front of the tiger.  "Here kitty, kitty, kitty," Jack encouraged.

            "He's almost to the net.  You almost have him," Calvin whispered.

            The tiger ate another meatball.  Jack backed up some more and tossed another meatball, this one landing right in front of the net.  The tiger walked forward and ate the meatball.  He looked up at Jack and then back down.  He saw a small pile of steaks sitting a few feet in front of him.  He walked forward, looked at the steaks, opened his mouth, lowered his head and bit into them.

            At that exact moment, Calvin unleashed the net holding the rocks.  Before the tiger could react, the rope pulled the four corners of the net up, capturing the tiger inside.  The tiger roared with rage.  His paws clawed at the net trying to get free.  He continued to roar, sending shivers down the spine of the boys.  He kept pawing the net, but to no avail.

            "We did it!  We did it!"  Willie yelled as he jumped up and down.

            Jack ran over to Calvin and gave him a giant hug.  Willie sprinted to them and jumped on the top of them, knocking the three of them to the ground.  They rolled around on the ground screaming with joy, smiling, and laughing.

            After a few minutes on the ground, the boys finally stopped rolling around.  They sat in silence and stared at the tiger, as he still scrambled trying to get out of the net. 

            "I am going to call the Deputy and tell him we captured the tiger," Calvin announced.  He walked to his backpack, grabbed his phone, and made the call.   He turned his back to his buddies and walked away from them and the tiger.  Willie and Jack heard the beginning of the conversation, "Deputy, we caught the tiger."  Calvin briefly stopped talking, then he continued, "Seriously, we caught him."  Calvin walked farther way and told the Deputy their location.

            Calvin ended the call and walked back to Jack and Willie.  "They’re on the way."

            In a few minutes, the boys heard sirens from the highway.  They knew it would be awhile before anyone got there because no roads led into these woods.  They figured everyone was driving as close as they could.  Then, they would walk through the woods.  Eventually, they heard people walking along the trails.

            The first person they saw was the Sheriff, the same guy who told them to go away because he did not have time for twelve year old boys.  Jack whispered, "It is kinda funny.  He didn’t have time for us earlier and, now, he’s rushing to get to us.  Can I rub his nose in it?"

            "Be good," Calvin whispered back.  Then he yelled, "Over here, Sheriff.  The tiger is in a net over here."

            The Sheriff, and men with him, started running.  The boys saw the Deputy, the man who was in charge of the circus and some other people.  A couple of people looked like they might be animal trainers. 

            "Wow!  You boys really did it," the Sheriff exclaimed when he saw the tiger suspended in the air.

            Jack knew this was his chance, "Yes, we did.  Do you have time for us now?"

            The Sheriff stopped smiling and glared at Jack.  Calvin gave Jack an elbow to the stomach.

            "I can't believe you guys did this," the Deputy remarked.

            A man who appeared to be an animal trainer stepped up and said, "I’m glad we got the tiger.  We'll take it from here, Sheriff."

            Another man, also dressed like an animal trainer, stepped up carrying a rifle. He stopped in front of the caged tiger, pulled up a rifle, and aimed it at the tiger.