The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-12-27
I pitched headforemost through tAe al

pucftcd htduJOftWOst HTOugh INC ar.
room enough for both OF US. crawied
up an tried to dry my clothes. At
first the lion noticed nothln', but roared
for help. Then he got sight of me
an slnnk to the other end Of the reef.
you keep there" says, feelin' bet
ter by talkin' 10 him as II he was a
human bein'. I'm don't you come ON
my end"
We both felt better after we got
dried Off a bit The sun was pretty
hot an II scorched the water up Ike
hot iron. First thing, then. that big
critter began 90 lick himself, an then
he eyed me out OF the corners of his
eyes. | didn't partic'iar like the way
he did it. 1t seemed as II he grinned
an then shook his head to show me
that he warn't hurt
Well, / suppose notlnn' would have
happened If the tide hadn't come up
an made Barton's reef look like a
turtles back. The water jest rose up
higher an higher, an every mint we
had 20 move closer together.
The lion didn't like gettin' his paws
wet an was for retreatin' toward me,
an didn't fancy closer quarters with
him an Jest stayed as near my edge
OF the reef as dared.
Now, as have remarked, the
FlQridy mountain lion amt no kind of
lighter, but when he's cornered I've
some respect for him. j say right
away that trouble was abrewin'.
When the reef got too small to hold
both Of US one or t'other had to git, an
didn't fancy bein' the one to 20
a.noatin' adrift on the gulf In that
latitude.
Now, you great big yellow cuss,"
| said, addressin' his llonship. partly
to keep up my courage. Il amt huntin'
for trouble, but If you seek 1t III do
my best TO make things mighty on
pleasant for you on this little sand
speck."
Right then change come over the
critter. lie seemed to accept the chal-
lenge an began to growl and crouch.
Jest faced him an got ready for his
spring. But the tide comm up from
behind Tapped Il wave over his tail an
made him turn roun' like shot. He
crept an inch closer an watched for
things TO develop.
We hadn't more'n five feet between
us. an was treInblin' most as much
as that big brute when somethin'
bobbed up near the reef. We both
nj ~ 4 hsa
lions old wooden cage foatin' back
agln jest made up my mindsto jump
for It, II was a pretty hefty box an
big enough TO carry me.
edged away toward it, an when II
was as nigh as thought 1t would come
[ waded out in the water an made a
grab for 1t. BY Fin slantwise on 1t.
with my feet in the water an my head
bout three feet above it, was
tol'rably comfortable, an l addressed
myself to the marodned critter ag'in:
Now you kin haye the reef an all
that goes with 1t I'm Off for the
Floridy coast or a trip to sea. Any
ihing's better'n beh' drowned on that
reef or beln' chewed up by a cowardly
lion"
guess my words sort OF startled
him, for he growlee an whined an
seemed anxious to accompany me. He
was sort of sorry at hy desertin' him.
AT any rate he crouched down on the
reef, his tail in the whter an his head
mighty close to the other edge Of the
reef, an then | saw him, spring an
shoot through the air Just like a sky
focket.
There was crash ap' dsturbln' un-
aulashion OF the gulf. ! saw stars an
sharks an numerous other unpleasant
things. When | got a gsip on the float
in box ag'in was haf drowned, an
that old lion was hanglh for dear life
on the other side Of il, He was bout
as frightened as was. His paws was
within two feet of my hands, an |
could feel his breath fanhin' my cheeks.
but he warn't for fightili' any more.
We hadn't improved our positions
much, for that wabbly oil craft warn't
built for two Both of us couldn't
keep our balance at onct. When the
lion was up | was down an when l
bobbed up above the gulf his head