The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1908-12-24
CHAPTER VII.
Around the Hesdland.
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wz->-g'~ Ergal3 "a

from the mangrOye swamp
where it ran down into the sea. His
trousers were smeared to the thigh
with Shiny mud; but as he approached
the dropping brim of his palmleaf hat
failed to hide his exultant expression
Come on he called. i've struck
it. Wen be over in half an hour"
"How's that" asked Winthrope
Bar" answered Blake. hurrying
forward. Sling on your hats and get
into my coat again, Miss Jenny. The
suns hot as yesterday. How about
the nuts"
Here they are Three strings: all
that | fancied we could carry" ex-
planned Winthrope
All right The big one is mine. !
suppose. I'll take two. Wen leave
the other, Lean on me if your ankle
is still weak"
Thanks; I can make it alone. But
must we 90 through mud like that?"
Not on this side, at least. Come
on! We don't want to miss the ebb."
Blake's impotence discouraged
further inquiries. He had turned as
he spoke, and the others followed him,
walking close together. The pace was
sharp for Winthrope, and his ankle
soon began to twinge He was com
. PEELED to accept Miss Leslie's invita-
ton to take her arm. With her help
he managed to keep within a few
Yards of Blake.
Instead of plunging into the man
grove wood, which here was under
grown with thicket of giant ferns,
Blake skirted around in the open I'M
til they came TO the seashore. The
tide was at its lowest, and he waved
his club towards a long sand pit which
curved out around the seward edge
Of the mangroves. Whether this was
part of the rivers bar or had been
heaped up by the cyclone would have
been beyond Wnthrope's knowledge
had the question occurred to him. It
was enough for him that the sand was
smooth and hard as a race track.
Presently the party came to the end
Of the spit, where the river water rip
pied over the sand with the last
feeble Out-suck Of the ebb On their
righ -hey had sweeping view of the
river, around the flank of the man
grove screen. Blake halted at the
edge Of the water and half turned.
"Cfo5e up he said. It's shallow
enough but do you see those logs
over on the mud-bank? Those are al
ligators."
"Mercy-and you expect me to wade
among such creatures" cried Miss
Leslie
Il went almost across an hour ago
and they didn't bother me any. Come
on. There's a wind in that cloud out
seaward. Inside half an hour the
surfll be rolling up on this bar like
all Niagara"
IF we must, we must, Miss Gene
We've urged Winthrope step behind
me and gather up your skirts. It's
best to keep ones clothes dry in the
tropics"
The girl blushed and retained his
arm.
Il prefer to help you" she replied.
Come on" called Blake, and he
splashed out into the water.
The others followed within arms
length, nervously conscious Of the
rows Of motionless reptiles on the
mud-fiat, not 100 yards distant.
In the center of the bar, where the
water was a trifle over knee-deep,
some large creature came darling
downstream beneath the surface and
passed with violent swirl between
Blake and his companions. At Miss
Leslie's scream, Blake whirled about
and jabbed with his club at the sup
posed alligator.
where's the brute? Has he got
yOu?" he shouted
No, no; he went by" gasped Win
tbrope. There he isl"
A long bony snout, fringed on either
side by a row of lateral teeth, was
flung up into view.
"Sawfish!" said Blake. and he waded
on across the bar without further com
ment.
Miss Leslie had been on the point
of fainting. The tone of Blakes voice
revived her instantly.
There were no more scares. A few
minutes later they waded out upon a
stretch of clean sand on the south
of the river. Before them the beach |
lay in fiattened curve, which at the
far end hooked sharply to the left and |
appeared to terminate at the foot of
the towering limestone cliffs of the |
headland. A mile or more inland the |
river jungle edged in close to the |
cliffs; but from there to the beach the |
forest was separated from the wall of |
rock by a little sandy plain, covered |
with creeping plants and small palms |
The greatest width of the open space |
was hardly more than a quarter of a
mile
Blake paused for a moment at high. |
tide mark. and Winthrope instantly |