But there remained the possibility that the savage was left-handed, in
which event, the necessary action on his part would be much less,
though sufficiently complicated to afford the white men abundance of
time to anticipate him.

The native _was_ left-handed, with a quickness that surpassed all
expectation, the bow was suddenly raised, the end of the arrow drawn
back and the missile driven directly at the breast of Grimcke.

At precisely the same instant, the latter's strained ear caught the
crackling of a twig, above the din of the rapids (which was much less
there than below), and something was discerned moving among the trees
on his right. His frightened glance in that direction gave him a
glimpse of a dusky figure in the act of hurling his javelin.

Thus it was that the spearman and archer let fly at precisely the same
instant, and Jared Long, who was so anxious to help his friend, saw
only the deft movements of the archer. Grimcke could not fire at both
in time to save himself, but he instinctively did the very best and
indeed the only thing that could be done. Without moving his feet, he
dropped to a sitting posture, instantly popping up again like a
jack-in-the-box.

The movement took place at precisely the right instant, and both the
javelin and arrow whizzed over his head, without grazing him, but the
arrow shot by Long's temple so close that he blinked and for an instant
believed he had been hit.

But, like the hunter when bitten by a rattlesnake, he determined to