A RIDE ON AN ALLIGATOR
It was certainly a time for prompt action.
Phil Lancing had leaped to his feet at the first cry from his chum.
When he saw that tremendous snout thrust up out of the water he felt a
thrill. This changed from alarm to horror when unfortunate and clumsy
Larry, tripping in his excitement over the side, struck the water with
a tremendous splash, not far from the aroused alligator.
During the day just passed Tony had been giving them more or less
interesting facts connected with the ugly saurians that had their usual
abode in the cypress swamps. Of course, as the lad had been born and
raised amid such surroundings, he was familiar with most of the humors
of the scaly reptiles; and had himself been engaged in numerous
adventures with them in times past.
He had even told with infinite gusto of an occasion where on a dare he
had jumped astride the back of a big bull that was caught in a lagoon,
and ridden him to and fro for the space of five moments, despite his
bellowing and the angry lashing of his active tail.
Naturally, then, these things all seemed to flash before the mind of
Phil in that one dreadful second as he stood there, and saw his chum
floundering in the river, not ten feet from the ugly teeth of the
'gator.
Larry had somehow managed to seize upon a dangling rope end. It must
have been by the merest chance in the world that this came about; but
having once clutched this life preserver he held on with a desperate
grip.
Meanwhile, he seemed to understand that he was in dangerous closeness
to that aroused and angry reptile which his setting pole had prodded.
While holding on for dear life Larry was exercising all the agility of
a gymnast in a mad effort to do a little rope climbing.
That was where his lack of form told heavily against him. Strive as he
would, and spurred on to redoubled labor by a knowledge of his peril,
Larry was utterly unable to accomplish what he had set out to perform.
Several times he succeeded in drawing himself up a foot or so, and then
would come a fatal slip that knocked his plans "galley-west," as Phil
would have said.
And at such times Larry was bound to go souse into the stream again,
grunting; calling out in half muffled tones; and spouting forth quite a
cascade of water that had been taken into his open mouth.
Undoubtedly, had Larry's rescue depended upon himself alone he might
have fared badly. He did not seem able to make any headway against the
bad run of luck that kept tumbling him back after every effort to rise.
And that mossback 'gator, as Tony always called an old fellow, was
certainly worked up into a rage which might result in his attacking the
struggling boy, despite all his wild floundering and splashing.
Phil of course suddenly remembered that he had it in his power to
assist Larry.
His gun!
If only he could manage to hasten to where it had last been seen, he
might yet fire a charge, or several for that matter, full into the eyes
of the reptile; and at such a short distance it must surely bring the
attack to an end.
While it takes quite some time to narrate these things, in reality it
all happened within a few seconds, to tell the truth. Usually Phil was
exceedingly active in mind, but somehow the affair seemed to have
dazzled him just a trifle, so that he found himself unable to decide
just where he had last set eyes on the faithful repeating shotgun.
Larry had even made his second furious attempt to climb up the rope,
and fallen back again, when Phil discovered the barrel of the gun
sticking out from under a bunch of blankets which his chum had tossed
aside in trying to get at his fishing tackle.
Just as Phil was in the act of making a dash for the weapon something
flashed by him. It was Tony, the swamp boy; and over his shoulder as
he leaped he sent back the words:
"I get him, you watch!"
Nevertheless Phil, being accustomed to depending on himself, did not
halt in his dash for the gun. No matter how good the intentions of
Tony might be there was always more or less danger that a slip could
occur; and in case such a calamity did come about, he, Phil, wanted to
be in a position to lend a helping hand.
The dangling rope was in reality the loose end of the painter which
Larry had fastened to the trunk of the twisted live oak tree growing
near the edge of the bank. As the water was quite deep right up
alongside the shore Larry found no footing, and was in his haste making
a bad job out of what might otherwise have been easy work.
Afterwards, when he figured matters over, Phil realized that he could
not have been more than three seconds in making that frantic dive for
the gun, snatching it up in his eager hands, and swinging around once
more so that he could have a clear view of the water where this
excitement was transpiring. And yet at the time it seemed to him as
though an hour must have elapsed, so great was the mental strain.
What he saw caused him to stare as though he could hardly believe his
eyes; it was all like a strange dream, this actual realization of the
story which Tony had been telling them that afternoon.
The alligator bull was still in sight. He had managed to turn about,
so that his ugly snout was pointing directly toward the spot where
Larry was still kicking and splashing at a terrific rate in his attempt
to be a sailor, and climb a rope, something he had possibly never
practiced, the more the pity.
How Tony had ever managed to accomplish it in that very short space of
time Phil could never guess; but even as he looked he saw the swamp lad
astride the back of the angry 'gator, close up to his head.
The saurian was lashing the water into foam. Perhaps he had just
managed to get sight of the struggling Larry, and intended to swim
straight for him, had not a new and unexpected enemy suddenly taken a
hand in the game.
Gripping his gun Phil crouched there on the deck of the motor boat,
staring at the little swamp boy. Tony was grinning widely as though he
delighted in proving in this practical way how true his remarkable
story of the afternoon had been.
And looking, Phil saw him lean quickly forward. He seemed to thrust
both hands out, with the thumbs turned down, as though seeking the only
vulnerable point about that mail-clad head.
"The eyes--he's trying to stick his thumbs in the 'gator's little
eyes!" gasped the astounded and thrilled watcher.
He no longer thought of attempting to make use of the weapon he held in
his own hands. What was the need when Tony had things all his own way?
And holding his very breath with awe Phil Lancing watched the bold play
of the swamp boy, who had been accustomed to the ways of alligators
from infancy.
"He's done it!" burst from the lips of the one spectator, as a terrific
bellow burst from the twelve foot saurian, undoubtedly of pain and rage
combined at having his eyes gouged in this fierce manner.
Faster and more violently than ever did that powerful tail thresh the
water, until the foam seemed like soap bubbles. Bellow after bellow
made the air tremble, or at least pulsate. And amid all this racket
the shrill screams of delight on the part of the excited and pleased
swamp lad could be heard pealing forth like the notes of a bugle amid
the roar of battle.
"Get him up, Phil--get him up!"
It was Tony shouting these words, which brought the watcher to his
senses. Why, how silly of him to be crouching there, a mere looker-on,
when he ought to be having a hand in the matter.
Thinking thus, Phil immediately sprang away. A couple of bounds took
him over the side of the launch and ashore. Here, dropping his now
useless gun, he bent down alongside the roots of the live oak, which on
this side were exposed to the air by the gradually washing away of the
soil.
The first thing Phil saw was the agonized face of his chum. It no
longer looked rosy, and beaming with good-nature. Larry was genuinely
frightened, and as pale as a ghost. The sight of that terrible
monster, which he had unwittingly offended with those prods from his
push pole, together with his sudden immersion in the water, had given
him a shock.
"Reach up your hand, Larry! I'll give you a pull, and out you come!"
Phil cried, as he bent down, and stretched his own willing arm as far
down toward the surface of the water as he could.
Larry was only too willing. Indeed, he even let go with both hands,
and of course plunged back again into the river, to frantically cry
out, and seize once more on the friendly rope-end.
"Careful now! Not so fast, old fellow! Just one hand at a time; and
hold on to the rope with the other!" Phil said, encouragingly.
This time, taking warning from his former mishap, and realizing that
the more haste the less speed, Larry succeeded in thrusting his left
hand into the grasp of the waiting chum above. Phil instantly exerted
all his strength; and what with the frantic efforts of the fat boy, the
result was all that could have been wished.
Larry rolled over as soon as he found himself safe on dry land. He
gave a grunt of what might be satisfaction; allowed another pint of
water to escape; and then, filled with eagerness to witness what
strange sights might be transpiring close by, crawled to the edge of
the bank again, to stare with dilated eyes at the antics of the swamp
boy.
Nor was Phil far behind him in seeking a place where he too might be a
witness to Tony's wonderful skill in riding the wild alligator bull.
The baffled saurian, roaring with the pain entailed upon him when the
boy thus thrust both thumbs down into his eyes, still lashed the water
with his sweeping tail, and had started to swim aimlessly about, unable
to see whither he might be heading.
Tony's usually sallow face was aflame with delight. He seemed
"dreadfully tickled," as Larry would say over the splendid opportunity
to show off before his new Northern friends. They knew all about
reading, and the world at large; but neither of them would have dared
thus ride a savage bull 'gator. It was surely Tony's hour!
But presently the huge reptile, driven frantic by pain, made a sudden
lurch, and dived down into the depths of the river, as though hoping in
this way to relieve himself of the terrible enemy that was blinding him.
Amid the foam-crested wavelets Phil saw the swamp boy reappear; and his
heart, which had seemingly risen into his throat, resumed its normal
beating once more.
"Oh! look, there he is again! Bully for Tony; but didn't he do it
fine! Come ashore, Tony, before he gets after you again!" called out
the excited Larry.
Tony was leisurely swimming toward them, his face still wearing that
broad grin.
"Not much danger he do that, I tell yuh," he answered, coolly. "Old
mossback, he get in hole, an' hide a week. Skeer him heap that time.
Know him come out o' swamp. Get him hide yet, yuh see if I don't."
Reaching the dangling rope-end Tony climbed up unassisted, scorning the
helping hand Phil thrust downward. It was as if he desired to show how
differently he might have acted had he been in Larry's place. And that
individual immediately made up his mind that after such a humiliating
experience he would daily practice such useful stunts as climbing a
rope, since there could be no telling when it might come in handy as a
life saving exercise.
Tony, upon reaching the top of the bank, shook himself like a big New
Foundland dog might have done. He had no coat on at the time, nor had
Larry, which proved doubly fortunate, considering their immersion.
And Larry, full of gratitude, insisted on squeezing Tony's hand, while
he poured out boyish congratulations on the wonderful feat he had seen
the other perform. Tony looked greatly pleased. These two chums had
done so much for him that he only too gladly welcomed the opportunity
to wipe out a little of the debt.