The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-09-29

of the bookshelf that the slightest
movement on his part would cause him
to roll off and fall into the jaws OF
the monster below. As he was proba-
bly, but temporarily stunned, he was
liable to move at any moment. twas,
therefore, of the utmost Importance, in
order to insure his safety, that he
should be speedily conveyed from his
dangerous position.
Ralph feared that a discharge of the
swivel or Of any firearm at the croco-
ollie, would only be attended with IA
tai results to Frank. The sandbanks
might hinder the shot from striking
the fierce reptile. while the shock
would be pretty sure to dislodge the
senseless lad from the shelf, and thus
bring him down into the power of his
voracious my.
The youth lost no time in heading
his boat toward the rock. But the
cutter was some fathoms from it,
when the keel caught in a submerged
sandbank. Drawing his sword. Ralph
sprang out, and quickly waded toward
the rock. Slight lodges and pro-
truding spurs on it's front would en-
able him, he thought, to climb up to
his brother; in fact, there was 90
other way of reaching him. The young
officer held his sword ready for u.s., / n
case the crocodile, close to which he
would be obliged to pass, should VEN
ture to attack him.
Ralph, however, kept his eyes fas-
tened upon the crocodile.
The monster turned it's head when
he was near it and snapped at him.
He avoided it by stepping sideways;
then he commenced to strike and
thrust vigorously at it's jaws with his
sword. 1t retreated a few yards but
broke his blade in two with it's teeth
as it twisted its body around. Think
ing it would leave him, Ralph sprang
to the rock. Just then little Frank,
recovering his senses gave a slight
cry and fell from the ledge above.
The young officer saw him in time to
catch him in his arms. As he turned
to convey him to the cutter, he per-
ceived that the crocodile, now be-
tween him and the boat, with open
jaws, was prepared to renew the at
tack.
He set his confused brother upon his
feet in the shallow water, and draw
ing the single-barrelled navy pistol
which he carried in his belt, he fired
at the creatures big, yawning mouth.
But, owing to the animals steering a
little to seize the boy, now or one side
of his protector, itreceived the shot on
the edge of Its jaw.
Twisting itself away from the twain,
it commenced, as if in blended rage
and pain, to thrash the shadows with
its hard. bony tail.
AS Ralph vas conveying his brother
past the reptile, toward the boat, his
left ankle caught between two small
underwater rocks, and was temporari-
ly sprained.
Never mind" said Frank, as the
hurt youth dragged himself along
with difficulty, Il am now able to
walk. You need hot carry me. l will
help you"
He disengaged himself from Ralph's
arms, seized his hand and tried to as
sist him. The crocodile had turned by
this time toward the two, for another
attack. Eut they were now within q
yard of the cutter, and though suffer
ing excruciating pain, the young Off
Ger caught up his brothers light form
and tossed him into the boat. The
crocodile was close to Ralph, but he
contrived to escape it with a forward
and to roll himself across the
gunwale of the cutter. He went over
on his back. with his head on the
of the bow. While he was try
ing to turn and right himself, which
sprain would hinder his doing
the hideous open jaws of the
appeared over the bow. They
very near the head of the pros
youth. He would not be able to
move it in time to elude those horri-
BILE fangs. But at this critical mo-
ment his young brother, who had no
ticed that the crocodile's jaws were on
d line with the swivel, sprang forward
ready decision and discharged
the piece.
Never wa a shot more effective. It
its way nearly through the full
of the huge reptiles body, kill
ing the animal almost instantly. Ralph
his brother for the quick iudg-
nent and swift action which had thus
been the mean of saving him from a
terrible fate.
In fact, the presence of mind and
shown by the little fellow
On this occasion won the admiration
and applause of all the seamen aboard
The ship, when, in time, it was made
Known to them.
Not long after the gun had been
fred, the rising of the tide floated the
cutter clear of the sandbank, en-
lbling Ralph, with Franks assist
lnce, to get back to the landing place
the hut, where some of the
who had returned from their
,ain search for the lad joyfully hailed
lis appearance. Franks explanations
bout the canoe, as well as of his situ-
ltion on the rock, verified his broth
RS previous conjectures on the sub
ect. The boy had gone to the canoe
convey it to the cutter. had been
pursued by the crocodile, and by Wig
,rous padding had reached the water
So close to him then was the
'eptile that, as he sprang out of the
.anoe to climb the tree, the jaws of
he monster closed over the frail vcs-