But when they reached this place, Sue keeping hold of her brother's hand all the way, they saw a new trouble.
"Oh, look!" cried Sue, pointing. "We can't get away, Bunny! The wading place is full of alligators!"
And so it was! While the children had been at the center of the little island, the alligators had crawled up out of the river, and many were now sunning themselves on the sand near the ford. One or two were even on the end of the larger island. And as Bunny and Sue watched, they saw some swimming around in the shallow water through which the children had waded a little while before.
"We—we can't get back across!" Sue cried.
"No," agreed Bunny. "I don't b'lieve we can. Not in our bare feet."
Clearly it would have been dangerous to go in among those alligators. Even Bunny, brave as he was, would not dare to do this.
"Oh, how are we going to get home?" wailed Sue.
Bunny did not know what to answer.
"I want mother!" sobbed Sue. This time she was really crying. Bunny felt he must do something. He dropped the pointed stick he had intended to use on the alligators and, putting his arm around Sue, said:
"Don't cry! I'll holler for help and somebody will hear us and come and get us."