“Snake, monkey, big bird, or cat; but, you see, everything is afraid of us and scuffling away as hard as it can, even in the water. Look at that.”
“Yes, I see,” said Brace, “another alligator.”
For the American had drawn his attention to a wave raised up by something rushing past the bows of the boat.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” said Briscoe; “I rather fancy that was one of those gar-fish—alligator gars, they call ’em in the States. They’re great pikey fish with tremendous teeth.”
“But not big like that?”
“Oh, but they’re big enough and precious fierce and strong. I shouldn’t wonder at all if that was one of the brutes.”
“What’s that?” asked Sir Humphrey, a couple of hours later, for the man with the boat-hook turned and spoke.
“Don’t see as I can get any farther, sir; the boat’s about wedged in here, and there don’t seem any way of getting on without we had a saw.”
“Is there no room to right or left?” said Brace. “It seems a pity to go back yet.”
“P’raps you’d take a look, gen’lemen,” said the sailor.