He laughed. "A dragon—— No, indeed. It's only a 'gator."
"A 'gator—— Would it really have eaten me if I had screamed?"
"It might, although I said that to try you. They do say, though, that 'gators sometimes eat pickaninnies. The Northerners who come down here winters are killing off the 'gators pretty fast, so the pickaninnies are likely to live. Now mind, Beth, don't say a word about my 'gator. You see if my folks heard about it, they might put a stop to my feeding it. They don't think 'gators as nice as I do."
"I think they are just horrid."
Harvey laughed. "Oh, you'll like them in time."
She had her doubts about ever being fond of such pets, but did not say so.
"I can't whistle, but would it come if I could whistle, Harvey?"
He looked very superior. "No, indeed. It won't come for any one but me."
"How did you get it to come for you?"
"Well, you see, I used to watch that 'gator in the river; then began bringing food for it. I reckon it thought that an easy way to live, and it soon grew to know me. Then it learned my whistle. That's all."