Fearless Master of the Jungle (A Bunduki Jungle Adventure Read Online Free PDF Page A

would have grasped the
handle so that the blade extended below the thumb and forefinger if he had
been up against a human adversary. Such a grip offered greater
facility to cut, thrust and chop, but would not serve his purpose
at that moment. Instead, he plucked the weapon from its sheath with
the clip point xvii protruding below the heel of his
clenched fist.
    Just as startled as Bunduki had
been at the sight of the infuriated grizzly turning upon her, Dawn
duplicated his estimation of her dire straits. While her right hand
was starting to pluck free a second arrow, she realized that the
attacking beast would reach her before she could make use of it.
What was more, despite the speed at which it was approaching, it
still retained sufficient maneuverability to be able to counter any evasive
attempt she made.
    Striding out with all the speed
he could muster, Bunduki converged with the grizzly. Thrusting
ahead his left hand, he sank his fingers deep into and grasped the
long hair on the back of the predator ’s neck. Giving it no chance to react to
such treatment, he vaulted astride it as if making a flying mount
on to a passing horse.
    To Dawn, who was engrossed in
trying to gauge the best momen t for what would in all probability prove a
pointless leap aside, it seemed as if the blond giant had suddenly
materialized upon the grizzly’s back out of thin air. Regardless of
her surprise, she did not allow it to blind her to the fact that
she was still far from being out of danger. She could guess what
Bunduki was hoping to do; but she was equally aware that, even if
he succeeded, it would not be swiftly enough to prevent the enraged
animal from reaching her,
    Massive though the bear might
be, Bunduki ’s arrival on its back caused it to stagger a little.
Retaining the grip with his left hand, he clamped his legs around
the hairy ribs for added security. Seeing how close they were to
the girl, he dare not waste a second. So he raised and brought
around the huge knife in a semi-circular motion that was powered by
all the Herculean muscled force of his two hundred and twenty
pounds’ weight.
    Made from the finest quality
high carbon Swedish tool steel, the knife ’s blade had great strength. It was
carefully tempered and designed so that it would hold an edge as
sharp as a barber’s razor. With the target its owner had selected,
it needed all those sterling qualities. Coming around, the needle
sharp tip of the clip point pierced the side of the grizzly’s skull
where Dawn had hoped to send in her arrow. Driven onwards, it punctured the brain for an
instantaneous kill. Even so, the girl would still have been caught
by its collapsing body if she had stood still.
    Seeing what had happened when
Bunduki jumped aboard the bear ’s back, Dawn had made the most of the opportunity
with which she was presented. As it reeled slightly under the
impact, she displayed her superb speed and agility by flinging
herself in the opposite direction. Swiftly as she moved, it was
only the marginal deviation in the animal’s course which averted a
collision. In fact, the blond giant’s knee struck her a glancing
blow in passing. Knocked off balance, she lost her hold of the bow
and went sprawling to the ground.
    Leaving his knife embedded in
the bear ’s
skull, Bunduki dived clear as it began to collapse beneath him. He
landed rolling, as he had been taught to do when taking a fall.
When his momentum ceased, he leapt to his feet and swung around to
look at the huge beast he had killed. What he did next was a pure
reflex action, stirred into being by some subconscious—or
inborn—urging out of man’s primeval past. Without any need for
thought, he gave notice of his success in defeating such a savage
and dangerous creature. Standing with his feet spread apart and
fists clenched, he tossed back his head and thundered out an
excellent reproduction of the Australopithecus male’s victory roar.
    Dawn had also regained her
feet. Turning her head