Plot Summary
In Chapter Five, titled "My Father Meets Some Tigers," Elmer Elevator continues his journey across Wild Island to rescue the captive baby dragon. After eating three tangerines and carefully saving the peels, he puts on his rubber boots and attempts to follow the muddy, wide river through the dense jungle. The swampy terrain nearly swallows his boots, forcing him to move to drier ground farther from the riverbank. Using his compass, Elmer tries to maintain his course, unaware that the river curves sharply away from him, causing him to wander deeper into the jungle.
As Elmer struggles through the thick vegetation—tripping over roots, pushing past sticky ferns, and squeezing between tightly clumped trees—he begins hearing whispery noises closing in from behind and on both sides. Something seems to be following him, and he even hears what sounds like laughter. When he finally stumbles into a clearing, he is surrounded by fourteen green eyes that materialize into seven hungry tigers. The tigers circle him menacingly, each one taking a turn to threaten him: they accuse him of trespassing, boast that no explorer has ever left the island alive, and express their eagerness to eat him immediately.
Character Development
This chapter reveals Elmer's resourcefulness and composure under extreme pressure. Rather than panicking when surrounded by seven predators, he thinks quickly and reaches into his knapsack for chewing gum—an item the old alley cat had told him tigers are especially fond of. When the tigers dismiss the gum in favor of eating him, Elmer improvises a clever lie, claiming the gum is "very special" and will turn green if chewed long enough, after which it can be planted to grow more. His ability to exploit the tigers' greed and competitiveness demonstrates his quick thinking and understanding of animal psychology.
Themes and Motifs
The chapter reinforces the book's central theme of wit triumphing over brute force. Elmer is a small, unarmed boy facing seven powerful predators, yet he prevails through cleverness rather than violence. The tigers' greed and competitive nature become their undoing—each one is so desperate to be the first to plant the gum that they become consumed with checking each other's progress and forget about Elmer entirely. The chapter also continues the motif of Elmer's carefully packed supplies each serving a specific purpose, reinforcing the theme of preparation and foresight. The jungle itself functions as an obstacle course that tests Elmer's determination before the main confrontation.
Literary Devices
Gannett employs suspense through the gradual buildup of whispery noises closing in on Elmer, creating tension before the tigers are revealed. The frame narrative—"my father" telling his son's story—adds a layer of retrospective storytelling that reassures young readers while maintaining excitement. The tigers speak in sequential turns, each escalating the threat, which creates a rhythmic, almost comedic structure. Dramatic irony appears when the narrator notes that Elmer knew the tigers' claim about no explorer leaving alive was untrue (because of the cat), but "had too much sense" to contradict a hungry tiger. The resolution relies on situational irony: the very greed that makes the tigers dangerous is what ultimately distracts them.