CLOSE QUARTERS WITH 'GATORS.
The roar that had startled them was, as Pork Chops explained to the boys
in a low undertone, the mating cry of the huge crocodile which was now
probably on its way to the den in which they had surprised it earlier in
the day.
"Are you all ready?" whispered Harry to Frank, as both boys distinctly
heard the rushing noise made by the huge creature as it leisurely swam
through the still water.
Frank grasped his rifle. Harry already had his leveled, ready for use as
soon as Pork Chops' jack lantern illuminated the quarry. They had not
long to wait.
"Now, den, sah," cried Pork Chops as he raised the hood of the lantern
and a ray of light shot out across the water. As if fascinated by the
sudden illumination a great cruel head armed with rows of saber-like
teeth suddenly flashed into view.
"Let him have it," shouted Frank as both he and Harry fired.
There was a repetition of the roar as their bullets bored home but
mingled with it was a loud shout from the _Carrier Dove_, that for the
moment put all thoughts of the success or failure of their shots out of
the boys' heads. The cry came from Billy and it was sufficiently
alarming considering that the water fairly swarmed with alligators and
the more vicious crocodiles.
"Lathrop's overboard!"
A thrill of horror shot through both boys as they heard the words. At
Frank's swift command the old negro switched the canoe round as if she
been on a pivot and the next minute the ray of the jack lantern was
sweeping the water in the direction of the _Carrier Dove_. Lathrop,
carried away by excitement as the boys' rifles had been discharged, had
leaned far over the side of the sloop, hanging on by a frayed lanyard.
This had parted under his weight and he was now struggling in the water.
Billy Barnes and Ben Stubbs had thrown him ropes but the bewildered boy,
half stunned by the shock of his sudden immersion, could not see them.
He swam blindly about in the fetid water trying to grasp the side of the
sloop. It was so dark, however, that partially dazed as he was he did
not seem able to find it. When the ray of the jack lantern fell on his
white dripping face he had about given up hope.
"Hold on, Lathrop," shouted Frank as, urged by Pork Chops' powerful
strokes, the canoe shot toward the struggling boy. In their excitement
all the occupants of the frail craft had quite forgotten about the big
bull crocodile they had wounded. They were reminded of his presence in a
startling fashion.
Without the slightest warning the canoe seemed to be propelled into the
air as the powerful tail of the wounded saurian struck it, and the next
minute its occupants were struggling in the water in as bad a fix as
Lathrop. Both boys were powerful swimmers but both realized that all
their skill would not avail to save them in the fix in which they found
themselves. As for Pork Chops his terror was pitiable.
"Oh Lawd! oh Lawd! I didn't mean no harm when I stole ole Aunt Liza's
white pullet," here he was half-choked by water. "Oh Lawd, git me out ob
dis widout been all chawed up by crokindiles an' I won't never steal
folks' fowls agin, Lawd. O-o-o-o-oh!"
He broke off with a yell of real terror. Frank swimming toward the
_Carrier Dove_ felt a huge body brush by him in the water and
frantically stroked toward his goal. Harry was safe, he could hear him
breathing as he swam. But poor Pork Chops! The unfortunate black had
given himself up for lost when there was a sudden blinding flash of
light from the sloop and at the same minute two rifles cracked. The
amazed boys, struggling in the water to gain the sloop, saw in the
sudden white glare the reptile's black head with monstrous opened jaws
suddenly checked in its rush on the apparently doomed Pork Chops as
Billy Barnes and Ben pumped the lead out of the rifles into the wounded
crocodile's mate as fast as they could work them.
The huge body swung clean out of the water in its death agony and fell
back with a mighty splash. Great clouds of awakened herons flew from the
islets round about and the whole forest rang with the cries of aroused
birds.
Ben Stubbs had had the presence of mind to seize and ignite one of the
signal flares and it was by its powerful light that they had saved the
lives of Pork Chops and possibly of the boys. With the illumination
afforded by the glare it didn't take long for the boys to get aboard the
_Carrier Dove_ where Lathrop in a very shamefaced way related how he
came to tumble overboard.
"It's all the fault of your rotten rigging," he said indignantly,
looking at the dripping Pork Chops who was still so scared that he could
hardly speak. The insult to his Carrier Dove, however, fired him with a
righteous wrath.
"What you all mean, Marse Lathrop, by saying dose unkindnesses 'bout dis
yar ship of mine?" he sputtered indignantly. "I'd have you to understan'
dat she's jes' as fine a craf' as der is on dis yer Flahda coas', yes,
sah."
"I beg your pardon," laughed Lathrop, who now that the danger was over
had quite recovered his usual flow of spirits, "I didn't mean to insult
you. However," he went on more gravely, "if it hadn't been for Billy and
Ben here I doubt if any of us would have been alive now to even hurt
your feelings."
Of course a great handshaking between the boys and their rescuers took
place, and as for Pork Chops he swore that he would not leave the boys
whom he hailed as his "sabyers."
The original plan had been that he was to sail the _Carrier Dove_ back
to Miami as soon as the boys started into the 'glades, but he absolutely
refused to hear of this now.
"No, sah, you saved mah wuthless life, an' ah means ter stick ter yer
jes' as long as mah laigs ul carry me," he declared.
From this determination he could not be swayed and when they turned in
that night it had been arranged that the old black was to accompany
them, occupying a part of Lathrop's canoe, and that the _Carrier Dove_
was to remain at anchor where she was;--at all events for a time. In
that little frequented maze of keys and mangrove-grown shoals there was
small likelihood of anybody finding her.
The next morning all hands were astir early. It was a wonderful scene
into the midst of which they had penetrated. Through the confused huddle
of keys and islets silver-clear channels threaded their way. In them
thousands of fish--silvery tarpon, vampire-like devil-fish, big and
little sharks, rushed and sported, eating and being eaten in turns. It
was fascinating to watch the active submarine life going on about them.
As for the birds, when the sun arose there were great clouds of them
sailing across the sky or regarding the adventurers' preparations for
abandoning the _Carrier Dove_ with the greatest interest. Big snowy
herons, green herons, rose-colored herons, blue herons, long-legged
herons like soldiers on yellow stilts, stood about, sentinel-like on the
oyster bars on which they found their daily food. Ducks, coots and
cormorants floated about on the placid waters almost as tame as the
domestic varieties.
Overhead the sky was almost darkened at times by huge flocks of snowy
ibises, their beautiful plumage flashing in the sun as they rose and
fell in undulating waves. Gannets, gulls and ospreys hovered about the
great fishing grounds of the archipelago and high up in the sky, mere
specks against the brilliant blue, sailed on serene pinions the
men-of-war hawks and frigate-birds that haunt the Everglades in vast
numbers.
Immediately after breakfast the _Carrier Dove's_ hatch and cabin were
locked and the start was made. Frank and Harry in their canoes led the
way. Billy Barnes followed, his craft containing the wireless apparatus.
The procession was taken up by Ben Stubbs while last of all came Lathrop
and old Pork Chops, in whose canoe was loaded the commissariat. Frank
and Harry had most of the sections of the _Golden Eagle II_ in their
craft, as they wished to keep them under their immediate eye.
All the boys felt a solemn feeling of responsibility--almost of
loneliness--creep over them as, after Frank had taken and carefully
noted with sextant and horizon the exact bearing of the _Carrier Dove's_
anchorage, so that they could easily find her again, the start into the
unknown began.
"Here's to the success of the Chester Relief Expedition!" shouted Billy
Barnes as after everything had been checked up and found complete the
little band dipped their paddles into the water.
The others started to cheer but a sharp order from Frank checked them.
"From now on," he ordered, "everybody must keep as quiet as possible. We
do not know but that eyes and ears unknown to us are even now taking
note of our every action."
And so in silence, save for the steady dip-dip of their paddles the
Chester Relief Expedition glided through the wilderness of mangrove keys
and blind channels always due east toward the heart of the Everglades.