The Opelousas courier., 1893-07-22

wv" AASA - SA
boat, the captain, followed by his wife
and the rest of the crew, and armed
with a loaded rife which he had
brought with him from the ship, made
his 10y inland. There was a thicket
short distance beyond the beach, and
this the party entered.
The ground was marshy IN some
places, and the tracks of the lost boy
were occasionally seen. .
Following these traces carefully, the
party at length beheld, ahead of them,
c small opening, and there, not a hum
dred yards of, apparently asleep, on
the bank of aAhallow stream, they be.
held little Thomas!
He lay upon his side, his cheek rest
ing upon one arm, his long curle
streaming on the ground.
The rosy, healthy color upon his
face at once convinced his mother that
he was unframed as we'll.
At first the happy woman@ould not
utter a word for JOY.
Then, with a cry of gladness, with
outstretched arms, she ran toward the
slumberer.
But she had not taken ten steps when
her cheeks blanched, and an exclama.
ton of dismay escaped the whole party.
An enormous crocodile had slowly
lifted its hideous proportion from
amongst the long reeds fringing the
lower part Of the bank, and was nov
crawIino toward %ha e1eaoar
The animal, half covered with mud
and green slime, presented IN appear.
ance at once uncouth and horrible.
It was full twenty feet in length, its
body covered with rough, irregular
scales, it's legs spotted, its claws sharp
and crooked.
The jaw wide open, revealed rows of
sharp teeth which were not close
together, but a little apart. Each OF
its eyes, of an oval shape, and of a fiery,
blood red hue, looked as if separated
by a dark line, which gave to it an
aspect of indescribls ferocity and vora-
ciousness.
The terrible jaw was already within
a few feet of the child's head.
Before the most active of the sailors,
could reach it, the teeth would close
over hat bright face; those golden
curls would disappear in that ugly
mouth forever.
The captain stopped and quickly
raised his rifle.
"Fire, fire, for Gods sake /" screamed
his wife.
But Bertram's hand shook. Even
had it been steady, he would not have
dared to fire, lest his bullet should
strike his boy instead of the croco-
die.
He was q good shot, but SO near was
the fierce animal to the sleeper that
the chances were ten to one that he
would hit the child.
Lily understood the cause of her
husbands hesitation.
Meanwhile the frightful teeth of the
crocodile were now within a few feet
of the boy; the bloodshot eyes snapped
with greed and ferocity.
In o few seconds more the little n
must become the monsters victim.
And now over the mothers face
there came an expression of iron firm
nesa.
From the quaking hands of her ex.
fitted husband, who. still fearful Of
the child, could not bring him.
self to fire, she snatched the rife,
it and took aim ct the crocodile's
eye.
Like q statue she stood for en- in.
slant then the sharp report of the riffs
upon the air, the teeth of the
crocodile closed with a click, its head
dropped to the earth, it smote the
bank a few moments with its hard tail
and then fell on its side-deadi
The mothers aim had been true ; the
bullet had struck the target, had pene.
trated the monsters eye and lodged in
it's brain.
Such a cheer as then went up 10 the !
was never heard before.
But Mrs. Bertram thought Of moth.
just then but her child.
The report of she rife had walked
him, and ne was soon i'm his mothers
arms.
His etory was to this effect: After
got into the boat, he had commenced
pull OF the warp-rope, which, sud-
parting, he fell backward. strik-
ng his head against a thwart.
He was stunned, and for some time
he was sc confused that he hardly
called what had taken place, but lay
With dizzy brain, perfectly still.
When at last he realized his situa-
ion, he was too far off to make his
eeble voice hesrd. When the boat
truck the rocks, he got out on the
and.
After vainly shouting, he thought he
'oald try to get q the ship. He
EFT the beach, wandered about for
then he became very drowsy
lear the close, marshy thicket, and SO
~ down and fell asleep.
Aye, aye, my boy" said the cop
ain, and You may thank your mother
saving your life. Lily" he con-
inued, turning to her, after they ar
wed aboard ship. tsGod bless you'll
on have proved yourself q noble
reature. The other day I thought and
xpressed the thought, that one so fraiI
nd usually 20 timid as you could never