LEE HOLLAND'S ADVENTURES.
BY EDWARD SHIPPEN, M. D.,
AUTHOR OF "CAST AWAY IN THE ICE," "THE
YACHT GRAPESHOT," "TIGER ISLAND AND
ELSEWHERE," "JACK PETERS' ADVEN-
TURES IN AFRICA," ETC., ETC.
CHAPTER VI.
Lee now began to feel hungry and tired, so he let the boat drift while he sat down and ate the lunch which the old woman had provided with such very different intentions; and after that was finished, he fell sound asleep in the stern-sheets, only to be awakened by the chill of the dawn. Sitting up, he saw that the Sound was covered by a dense mist, and all around him were flocks of wild ducks, settled upon the water, but which flew off as soon as he moved.
While he sat looking at the sky, growing brighter in the east, and trying to make up his mind in what direction Plymouth lay, he heard the dip of a paddle, and then he saw coming up through the mist a dug-out canoe, in which sat a venerable-looking old negro.
"I'VE RUN AWAY FROM A SCHOONER ABOVE HERE, AND I WANT TO GET TO PLYMOUTH."
"Hillo!" said Lee.
The old fellow started as if he had been shot and peered about until he saw the boat.
"Hillo, sah! hillo!" he answered, and then paddled nearer. "Now I can't say as I rightly knows you, sah; an' I knows most everybody round here. Duck-shootin' maybe? Is you one o' de Talbots?"
"No; I'm not duck-shooting, and I'm not one of the Talbots."
"What you doin' out here in de cold mornin', den, boy? Dat boat come from some wessel, I see. An' dear knows it would be quare if you was a Talbot, an' I didn't know you. I belonged to old man Talbot onst."
"No, no, old man! I tell you I'm no Talbot. I've run away from a schooner above here, and I want to get to Plymouth."
"Laws a massy! Why, I runned away myself, afore de wah. Was fo' year in de Dismal Swamp, an' had a good time dere, too, honey. We had plenty o' possum an' chickens an' corn-meal toted by colored folks we knowed, an' put whar we could find it. An' we had sweet potatoes, an' simlins, an' water-millions, an' berries, an' grapes, an' wild plums, an' wild hogs, an' fish. Don't know as ever I'd 'a come out ef it hadn't 'a be'n de wah freed de slaves, an' I wanted to see de ole place."
By this time the old negro was alongside, and took out a cob-pipe, filled it, struck a light, and settled himself for a good talk, first telling Lee that he was going fishing, at which he made his living.
Before he could begin talking again, Lee asked him in what direction he ought to go to reach Plymouth.
"Why, honey, I'se a-goin' right dat way. My place for fishin' lays right in dat direction. You come along o' me."
And with that the old fellow made fast his canoe to the schooner's boat, and got in with Lee, taking one of the oars, so that they gave way together.
After pulling for some time, the old man sounded.
"Now here I is," he then said, "in my place for fishin'. Now you see de sun is scoffin' de fog, don't you? Well, you jus' keep de sun right in your eyes, an' pull away, an' in less dan two hours you'll be in Plymouth, for de tide is fa'r for you. I wish you well, honey! I done run away onst myself, but I believe I tole you about dat. Take some o' dis corn pone, and a piece o' dis cold bacon; you must want sumfin' in your stumic. So-long!"
"Can't you give me a drink of water?" said Lee. "I want that more than anything to eat."
"Yes, 'deed I kin!"
And then the old fellow rummaged in his canoe and brought out a black jug, stoppered with a corn-cob, pulled the latter out, wiped the mouth of the jug with his sleeve, and presented it to Lee, who took a good drink, thanked his black friend, and then settled down at the oars for a long pull.
Belts of fog and mist continued to lie upon the water, and after a time, and having taken several breathing spells, he was shut in by one of them, when he began to hear, carried over the water from a distance, the creaking of blocks and tinkling of iron, and the cries of drivers shouting at mules or horses, and other noises of a seaport.
Then the fog suddenly lifted, and he saw, quite a distance above him, the wharves and some houses and vessels, mostly big, three-masted schooners, loading lumber and tar and turpentine, just as he had been told by old Jake.
Then, for the first time, it occurred to Lee that if he appeared there alone, in possession of a ship's boat, he might be looked upon with suspicion and might have hard work to explain how he came there, and even might be held until he could clear the matter up.
So, rather than be suspected and detained, he determined to make his appearance by land, instead of by water, and ran the boat on shore, some way below the town.
Jumping out, he was about to give her a shove out into the stream, when he reflected that the tide was still flood and an empty boat would be sure to be seen and secured and his sudden appearance connected with her in some way; so he hauled her under a clump of bushes, made her well fast and walked up a marshy cattle-path toward the town.
In about twenty minutes he came out close to a wharf, where the work of the day was in full blast. A large schooner lay there, with "Traveler, of Boston," on her broad stern. She was taking, as a deck-load, some large, squared timbers, and just then had a big one hung by chains from a patent crane, which stood upon the dock.
A number of negroes were at work lowering it down, when suddenly something cracked and the most of them let go the winch.
The great timber must have come down on the deck with damaging effect if Lee, who had often seen such cranes used before, had not jumped to the safety-break, at the risk of being killed by the whirling winch-handles, and brought the beam to a stand before it could do any damage.
"Well done, my lad!" shouted a stout, bronzed man, from the vessel. "You just stay there and work those other three timbers down on deck, and I'll pay you for it. I'm short handed. But, stop; maybe you belong to some of these other vessels? No? Well, I'll be as good as my word. My mate's sick with this confounded North Carolina fever, and the second-mate's got some kind of 'fantods,' too, and is laid up, and I want to get away to-day."
"Send me out a drink of water and a piece of hard tack, sir, and I'll stop here till the timbers are on board."
"Steward," called the captain, "there's a boy out there on the dock; I want you to take him something to eat and drink. He's the one at the break. Now, bear a hand and sling another one."
While they were slinging it Lee managed to eat something, and in an hour the whole were safely on deck and securely chocked. Then the captain saw Lee still on the dock and beckoned him on board.
"Now, here's a half-dollar for you, my lad. Do you belong about these parts? Don't look as if you did. But, no matter; I s'pose you've run away from some vessel. Now, I'm bound to Havana with this load of lumber, and I'll ship you, if you like."
"I would rather ship in some vessel going north, sir."
"Well, maybe you can and maybe you can't. I'm going to haul out, right away. Go, or not go? What do you say?"
"Are you going home from Havana, captain?"
"I can't say. I will, if I get a charter. But, being short handed, I'd like to have a good, active, stout lad, like you, and will give you ordinary seamen's wages. Haven't been much to sea, have you?"
"No, sir; but I'm not a bad schooner sailor, and can reef and steer."
"Well, I don't want any shilly-shally! Say yes or no. I have my clearance, and here comes the tug to take me down the Sound."
"Well, yes, then."
And so it came about that Lee found himself, within half an hour, bound down for Hatteras Inlet and thence for Havana, when he had only started from home to go halibut fishing!
CHAPTER VII.
In a day or two after the vessel got to sea the mates got better and went to duty, and the skipper seemed to take a pleasure in abusing and worrying them, although it was evident from their appearance that they had suffered severely from the swamp fever, and had not been shamming, as the captain intimated.
In fact, the latter turned out to be a regular sea-tyrant, and Lee soon found that life under him would be intolerable.
The crew were a mixed lot, mostly Norwegians and Dagos, whom the captain had shipped at low wages. Some of them hardly understood a word of English; and before the week was out the captain almost killed a poor Portuguese by striking him with a belaying-pin because he misunderstood an order while at the wheel.
That night the second-mate talked to Lee during his watch, and asked him how he came to ship.
Lee told him his story.
"Well, my lad, my advice to you is to run away as soon as we reach Havana. The captain is also part owner, and he will never pay you any wages, if by any chance he can avoid it, while he is likely to do you harm if you cross him."
"Why do you stop on board?" asked Lee.
"Because he owes me several months' wages, and I cannot afford to lose it. But you mind what I tell you, and get away the first chance."
Among the crew of the Traveler, Lee had found a Cuban lad of about his own age, named Diego, whom Captain Bristol had inveigled into shipping as a cabin-boy, on a previous voyage to Havana.
He had been five or six months on board the vessel, and began to speak English pretty fluently, but in a broken way, and with many sailor expressions.
One evening, at sea, he came up to Lee and said:
"My name is Diego. What is your name?"
Lee told him.
| "I came from Havana. Where did you come from?" Lee related his story in a few words. "Just the same with me," said Diego, when he had finished. "I've got no father, no mother; but I'll not stop here. The captain treats me like a slave. When we get to Havana, we go ashore, eh?" Lee had for some time thought he had better get out of the Traveler, if he could only see his way to do so. But he said: |
"Where would we go, and what would we do, Diego? I have to get a living, and would only have to look for another vessel to take me home, and that might not be so easy to get."
Diego smiled knowingly.
"You see, I've got an aunt, and she lives at Regla," he said. "She's a good old woman, but very poor. We can sleep in her house, though, till we find something to do."
Lee did not promise, although Diego returned to the subject several times. But on the morning that the vessel entered Havana the captain gave him a violent blow with his fist, because he was not quick enough in bringing him his spyglass from the cabin, and this determined Lee finally, and he went forward and told Diego he was ready to go at the first chance.
"All right," replied the Cuban; "I'll keep my eyes open and mouth shut."
It was a lovely morning as Lee stood forward and entered the first foreign port in which he had ever been, glancing up at the frowning Morro Castle at the entrance, close to which all vessels must pass, and seeing the great guns pointing at them from the embrasures in the old walls, the quaint turrets or sentry-boxes, painted in red and yellow, with the sentinels pacing up and down, with polished muskets and bayonets, and dressed in uniforms of white linen.
Then opened the view of the great harbor within, filled with shipping, and the town beyond, with houses having no chimneys and painted in white and red, and green and pink, with nodding palms and other tropical foliage growing—all strange enough to a lad who had been all his life north of Cape Cod.
When they had been boarded by the health officer and the custom house officials, the Traveler came to anchor, and for a time all were busy in furling sails and cleaning up the decks, while the captain took a boat and went off to see his consignees.
All day they lay quiet, as the captain did not return and there were no orders to begin to discharge, but toward evening a bumboat came off, with fresh bread, fruits and other things to sell to the crew.
In the bumboat was a boy of about Diego's age, whom he recognized as an old acquaintance and playmate, and who seemed very much surprised at seeing him on board the American vessel.
Diego went down and had a whispered talk with him, which resulted in his beckoning to Lee to come down. The second-mate was in charge of the deck, and if he saw them go he took no notice.
Lee had no clothes to take, as he had only two shirts—one flannel and one woven undershirt, which he had up to this time worn in turn, while he washed the other—and both were becoming well worn out.
In view of a chance of running away, he had put them both on, in spite of the heat of the day.
Diego's friend pushed them into a little cubby-hole under the half-deck of the bumboat, saying in Spanish, which Diego translated to Lee:
"Lie there, lads, and we'll put you on shore at Regla all right."
The place was hot and stuffy and there was hardly room to turn round, but they were so anxious to get away that they lay perfectly still for at least an hour.
Then the bumboat shoved off to return to the shore, and in fifteen minutes Lee stood upon foreign soil for the first time. Forlorn and strange enough he felt, too, and if it had not been for Diego, would have felt almost inclined to go back to the Traveler and her tyrant of a captain.
Every sight and sound which met him when he landed was different from any he had ever experienced before. Long drays, drawn by mules covered with tasseled harness and bells, and driven by half-naked negroes, groups of dark-complexioned men, with sashes round their waists and gay handkerchiefs on their heads, on top of which they wore felt or straw hats.
They talked with great energy and many gestures as they smoked their cigars. Diego said they were stevedores and other laborers who had just finished their day's work.
The streets were paved with small cobble stones, or else not paved at all, and the sidewalk was very narrow and elevated, more like a beach than a walk, and everybody seemed to take to the middle of the street.
Nobody took any notice of the two lads, for sailors were no rarity in those parts, and they worked their way along the narrow, crowded, noisy streets, sometimes jumping to one side to avoid a mule dray or some heavy burden, carried by a number of negroes upon their heads, the bearers singing in chorus to warn people out of the way.
Occasionally they met a lady dressed in white, with bare head and fan in hand, who had driven down in her volante to fetch a father or a husband from his place of business.
This vehicle struck Lee as being very odd. It was a sort of large, open gig, mounted on very high wheels and drawn by a horse at the end of very long shafts, which kept him several feet from the volante.
The horse was always ridden by a black postillion in gorgeous livery, glazed hat and cockade, and enormous boots, who cracked a whip with a noise like pistol-shots, to show that an important person was coming.
A number of times Lee stopped to look at the novel sights about him, but at last Diego said:
"Come on now, Lee. We're still some ways from my Aunt Dolores, and she always goes to bed with the chickens."
Trudging on, over the rough, slippery stones, they at last turned up a side street of poor habitations, most of them in sad want of soap and water, as well as paint and whitewash, and about half-way up the block came to an open door, at which sat a chocolate-colored, withered old woman, who was smoking a very long, thin cigar.
Diego stepped up to her and said, in Spanish:
"Dear aunt, do you not know me?"
The old woman stared at him a moment with her dim eyes, as she took the cigar from her mouth, and then she jumped up and exclaimed, in the same language:
"It is Diego! my Diego!"
And with that she flung her arms about him, hugged and kissed him, and talked at such a rate that all the neighbors came to see what had happened. At last Diego got clear of her, and turned to Lee, saying:
"She says they heard that I had gone off to the ends of the earth with a confounded Gringo Yankee, and I was gone so long she thought I must be dead."
Then he turned to the old woman and continued:
"Here is a Yankee friend of mine, who is a good fellow. We have had hard times, and I want you to let us sleep here to-night, and to-morrow we will look for something to do. We have had enough to eat for to-day, and so we only want shelter."
Old Dolores, Diego's aunt, was a washerwoman. She employed one or two girls during the day, but they had now gone home, and she was alone in the house; so she took the lads in and spread some sheets on ironing-tables in a back room, which opened upon a little court, with high stone walls, and there they lay down, and in spite of the numerous curious smells, and of the hardness of their beds, were soon asleep.
CHAPTER VIII.
Next morning the old woman had them up early, for she wanted to use their beds, and gave them some breakfast, consisting of very good coffee, without milk, fried plantains, very nice white bread from the baker's next door, and to each a little relish of salt bacon, which did instead of butter.
It was evident that this repast was considered a great treat by both Diego and his aunt. When they had finished, the latter said:
"Now, Diego, if you and your friend will take a basket of washed clothes over into the city, to the hotel for which I work, you will do me a favor."
"Why not?" answered Diego, who then explained to Lee what was wanted.
The old woman soon had the large, square basket packed and covered with a clean checked cloth, and then said:
"Here, Diego, take these coppers for the ferry-boat, and here are the lists and the bills. You will get the money and bring it back to me."
The boys set off at once, crossing the bay to the city in the balmy clear, tropical morning, so charming before the sun gains its full power, and having a long trudge before they came to their destination.
In this neighborhood Lee saw a very different state of things from that at Regla. They passed a great square, planted with palms and flowering plants, such as he had only seen in pictures heretofore. Then there were long ranges of public buildings and grand houses, with sentry-boxes in front of them, and sentinels pacing to and fro.
They also met frequently battalions and companies of troops, going to relieve guard or returning from early parade, stepping out briskly over the clean-swept pavements to lively airs played by the bands. Everything, at that hour, was life and bustle, for most of the business of the day is done in the early morning, that people may have time to take the "siesta" during the hot hours.
All these strange sights seemed to divert Lee's thoughts from the heavy basket which they were carrying, and he was still staring about when Diego stopped before a large, low, two-storied building, with a great arched entrance into a court-yard, around the four sides of which the building extended. Above the arch hung a sign, with "Hotel de los Estados Unidos," painted upon it.
"Well, I know what that sign means," said Lee; "and it's the first one I've seen which I did understand."
"Yes, here we are at last," replied Diego.
And they turned in and came out in the large court-yard, which presented quite an animated appearance.
A fountain was playing in the middle, surrounded by orange trees, bananas and flowering plants, in great green tubs. All around, the doors of sleeping rooms opened upon the court, while above, another set of doors opened upon a balcony, which was reached by steps below.
On the pavement of stone were many little tables, at which gentlemen and ladies were taking breakfast, and waiters in white jackets were bustling about and supplying their wants.
On the left, as the boys entered, was an office, with a half door and a shelf upon it, from which a clerk hailed them:
"Hi, muchachos, qui quiere?" (What do you want, you boys?)
"The clothes, senor,"[**standard] answered Diego, in reply, pointing to the basket, which they had deposited on the flagstones.
"Ah, that's all right! Are they from Dolores? There's a gentleman here who has inquired half a dozen times already about his clean things. He wants to leave to-day."
"What's his name? I have the lists here."
"What is his name? I never can remember these English and American names. But here he comes himself."
As he spoke, a tall, fine-looking man, of about forty, with light hair and complexion and wearing gold spectacles, came hurrying in from the street.
"Now, then, senor," said he, addressing the clerk, "are those my things? All right. Take them to my room, No. 17, on the balcony. The steamer sails for Ruatan this afternoon, before sunset, and I must send my baggage on board at once. Where is the servant you promised to engage for me?"
"Senor, the young man I hoped to get will not go on such an expedition as yours, and has backed out, at the last moment, after promising me he would be ready."
Lee and Diego both pricked up their ears at the word "expedition," and Diego took off his cap and said:
"Where might the gentleman be going?"
"I'm going to make some explorations, and to try to find some ruined cities in Central America. Not an easy task, for their situation is not precisely known, and many have been baffled in trying to find them. I want a young man who is a good traveler and handy, and who speaks both Spanish and English, so that he can act as an interpreter."
"But just where are you going, sir?"
"Why, to Ruatan, first—where I shall get my outfit, and engage some canoe hands and a cook; and then to Truxillo, for more precise information. I may go up the River Maugualil, or some other stream. It will depend upon what I hear."
Diego and Lee looked at each other as much as to say, "Why wouldn't we do? We must do something, and that at once; and here is a chance for travel and adventure, too."
Lee even forgot his design of returning North, and said to the gentleman:
"I am an American, sir, willing and strong, and ready for anything which will give me an honest living and a chance to see something new; and my friend here speaks Spanish, for it is his native tongue—and also English well enough. If you'll take us both, there is nothing to prevent us from going, for we have left our vessel."
The gentleman looked closely at their faces, and then answered:
"I don't see why I shouldn't try you—especially as I can't get any one else," he added to himself. "My name is Higley, and I am a professor in Coryale College. I have been sent out for the purpose I have told you, and expect to be gone from here for seven or eight months, or perhaps a year. Now, who are you?"
Lee told him their story, and the professor said, when he had finished:
"Very well, then. If you have no one from whom to get permission, I will trust you without reference. I expected to pay a faithful and competent man, who was willing to go with me, and encounter any danger or privations which we may meet, fifty dollars a month; and of course he would live the same as myself. Now, I'm willing to divide that sum between you two lads, if you do well and earn it."
This offer sounded very large to Diego and Lee, who neither of them had a copper of their own, especially when the excitement of discovery and adventure was to be thrown in, and they closed with Professor Higley's offer immediately, only stipulating that they were to go back to take old Aunt Dolores her money and bid her good-by.
"Well, go; but be sure to be back here by three o'clock at the latest, or I shall conclude you've changed your minds."
"Ah, it is settled at last," said the Spanish clerk. "Now that the gentleman has been suited, he will leave me in peace to smoke my cigar. These Americans and English have no idea of quiet, but must always be on the go," he mumbled to himself, as he turned into his darkened retreat.
[TO BE CONTINUED.]
[PLANTS IN A ROOM.]
There is a widespread belief that the presence of growing plants and cut flowers in a room is in some way prejudicial to those who sleep therein. This belief is probably due to the fact, learned at school, that plants give off at night carbonic acid, which is known to be deleterious to health.
A recent writer has published the results of some experiments made in a closed green-house, showing how fanciful are these fears. In this green-house there were 6000 growing plants, and the average of three experiments made early on three different mornings after the place had been closed for more than twelve hours exhibited only 4.03 parts of carbonic acid per 10,000.
We can judge by this experiment that from one or two plants the quantity of gas given off must be far too small for recognition, and certainly many hundred times less than that formed by a burning taper or given off by one pair of lungs.
[A CORNER IN ALLIGATORS.]
BY GEORGE ETHELBERT WALSH.
"'Gator hides worth three dollars, and big ones four. That's our game, Jed, and we'll make enough in 'gator hunting to get that pony."
"You bet, for there's plenty of 'em down in Loon Lake—big ones, too."
"We'll have a regular corner in 'em. Come, let's get off."
The two young Southern hunters felt as if they had already captured a small fortune, and Stam—short for Stamford—made a rush for the house.
"Where's my gun? It's never in its place. Mother," raising his voice, "I can't find my gun anywhere. It's so provoking! Have you taken it?"
"And my game-bag is gone," echoed Jed, in an irritable voice. "We're in such a hurry, too."
"It's money out of pocket standing here looking for these plaguey things."
"Well, boys," replied Mrs. Fellows, appearing on the scene, "you have no one to blame but yourself. Nobody has touched your things, and they are just where you left them."
"Where is that?"
"You ought not to be told. You should be made to look for them."
"Oh, please tell us, mother, for we're in such a hurry."
"'Gator skins are selling high now," added Stam, opening his eyes, "and we know where we can get some big ones."
"That's no reason why you shouldn't be made to find your things. You must be cured of your careless habits in some way. This is a good time to begin."
"Oh, don't lecture us now, mother. Do it when we come back."
"Please tell us where we can find the gun and game-bag," pleaded Jed, putting an arm around his mother's waist.
Mrs. Fellows could not resist this appeal, and she directed the boys to the wood-shed, where they found the desired gun and game-bag standing near a pile of wood. The boys had left them there two days before after returning from a hunt, and the gun was somewhat the worse for rust and exposure.
Down by Loon Lake the great saurians were basking themselves in the hot sun, and the appearance of the boys among them made a slight disturbance along the edges of the water.
"These are only small ones," whispered Jed, with contempt. "We want some big four-dollar hides. Snag Creek's the place for them. The big fellows always hang out there."
The young hunters paddled their small skiff rapidly around the edge of the clear-water lake, and then shoved her gently up a narrow, muddy creek.
Enormous cypress trees lined either bank, and scores of buzzards were perched on the dead branches, watching the solitary skiff glide through the water. The buzzards seemed to know that they were protected by law, and they did not deign to jump from their roosts.
At the end of the creek was a smaller lake, or rather a small muddy pond, in the centre of which was an island which nearly touched the mainland at one end. Between this island and the land the big alligators basked in numbers, and Jed truthfully exclaimed, as he caught sight of the saurians:
"We've got a regular corner in 'em, sure! We'll land and pelt 'em like fun!"
The boys had only one gun between them, but they were both so excited that they enjoyed the anticipated sport as much as if each held one of the deadly weapons in his hand.
As the skiff touched the island, they leaped out of it together. Stam hurried up to a huge alligator and took deliberate aim before pulling the trigger; but, to his chagrin, the alligator still blinked at him after the hammer struck the cap.
The gun was so rusty from its two days' exposure that it refused to go off. Several caps were exploded with the same unsatisfactory result.
The boys began to worry and fume while the alligator eyed them menacingly.
Stam took the ramrod out and began to draw the load, but, before he could succeed, the alligator became aggressive. He winked at his comrades, snapped his jaws, and then waddled toward the young hunters.
"Look out!" Jed screamed, "he's coming for you! Get in the boat and draw the load there."
Both boys turned and ran for the skiff, but there was no skiff to be had. In the excitement they had jumped out of the boat and left it without securing it in any way, and the skiff had quietly drifted off.
The two boys were in a great predicament, and their fun gave place to fear.
"We're in for it now, Stam," gasped Jed.
"We'll have to swim ashore."
"We can't do that unless we get on the other side of the island. There are too many snags on this side. We'd get caught in them."
The boys walked around their narrow prison, and tried to frighten the alligators away; but they were unsuccessful in this attempt. Two or three curious alligators crawled up on the land to ascertain the cause of the alarm.
The boys set up a shouting, and threw sticks at the saurians; but the more noise they made, the more alligators assembled around the island. The backs and heads of several big ones could be seen swimming toward them from the adjacent shores.
Evidently the creatures knew intuitively that a feast was ahead of them, and each one was getting ready for his share.
"Oh, if this gun would go off!" groaned Stam.
"And if we had thought to tie that skiff," sighed Jed.
"It's all our fault; we were so careless."
"I'll never be so thoughtless again if I ever get out of this."
"But we can't. We'll be eaten up in less than half an hour. Oh, dear!"
The battle now actually began. The boys were forced to the extreme end of the island, and they had to fight or take to the water. Behind them was an enormous alligator—larger than any other two. The big fellow was floating about motionless, with more than half of his body out of water, and he seemed to think that he was sufficient guard for that side of the island.
The two hunters clubbed the approaching enemies and retreated gradually into the water. At first they almost cried in their terror, but, as they warmed up to their work, they felt that everything depended on their bravery. Stam used the butt end of his gun, while Jed swung a heavy club effectively.
But there was no fighting such determined enemies successfully. The boys had to jump around lively to escape the snapping jaws and thrashing tails.
At last they found themselves in water knee deep, with the alligators close upon them.
"It's no use," gasped Jed, throwing away his club. "Swim for your life. Make direct for the shore."
"I don't believe I have strength enough left," replied Stam, who was nearly exhausted in swinging the heavy gun.
"Well, keep together, and we'll die helping each other."
With this noble resolve the brothers ran out into the water as far as they could and then swam for dear life; but between them and the shore was the huge alligator guarding that side.
Before they were aware of their danger the boys were nearly upon the great saurian.
"We're lost!" whispered Jed.
"Ugh!"
The last exclamation was made by Stam, as the long tail of the alligator rubbed against his side. Both boys expected to see it swish through the water the next moment and dash the life out of them, but it did not move. Stam took a hold of it and twisted it viciously.
The alligator did not resent this familiarity, but was as motionless as ever.
"He's asleep!" Jed whispered. "We can get by him yet."
"No, he's dead," shouted Stam, "and he'll have to carry us ashore."
It took the brothers only an instant to realize their good fortune. The alligator was only the dead carcass of a big bull 'gator, which the sun had swollen and distended. It was so light that it could almost carry a man on its back without sinking. The boys threw an arm over either side of the carcass, and then with the other they began to paddle for dear life.
The pursuing alligators were close upon them, but, with their strange support, they easily held their own in the race.
They reached the bank in time, and, leaving the dead 'gator in the shallow water, they staggered up in the woods to a place of safety.
When they recovered their breath and strength they began a search for their boat, which they found at length drifting close into the shore.
Then they returned to the scene of their battle and recovered their gun. When they started home they towed with them the carcass of the alligator which had saved their lives.
Their corner in alligators was over with, and ever afterward they took good care to see that they were not cornered before they counted their gains in cornering the market in 'gator skins.
As Jed expressed it:
"We've got to get over our careless ways, if we're going to do anything with these 'gators. They don't make any allowances for forgetfulness, as mother does, and perhaps she shouldn't, either."
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—"Decide not rashly. The decision made Can never be recalled. The gods implore not, Plead not, solicit not; they only offer Choice and occasion, which once being past Return no more." —Longfellow. |