"I hope it doesn't get away for a few minutes!" called out Russ. "This will make a dandy film!"
Much reassured now by the gentle movements of the manatee, Ruth lost nearly all of her fear. Alice really had felt very little.
"I thought it surely was an alligator," the latter said, as the boat continued to be towed by the manatee.
"Nebber knowed one ob dem t'ings t' come so far up de ribber," declared one of the colored men. "He's a big one, too!" he added, as his eyes bulged.
"How large is it, Russ?" asked Paul. "You can see better than we can."
"Oh, about twelve feet long, I guess. There, I got a good view of him then!" he cried, as the manatee, probably in an effort to get rid of the rope, rose partly from the water.
"Oh, what a horrid looking thing!" cried Ruth.
"I don't think so at all," Alice said. "I wish I could see it from in front."
She had her wish a moment later, and it was rather more than she bargained for since the sea cow, in an effort to get rid of the rope that was twisted about its flipper, turned about with a swirl in the water, not unlike that made by the propeller of a motor boat, and came head-on for the craft it was unwittingly towing.
"Oh, it will upset us!" cried Ruth.