The Falls City tribune., 1909-01-01
VII.
Around the Headland.

HI4~1 4 wac III MIL ing =
Ell Blake ~reappeared. He came
from the mangrove swamp
where it ran down into the sea. His
trousers were smeared to the thigh
with Shiny mud; but as he approached
Tie dropping brim of his palm-leaf hat
tailed to hide his exultant expression.
Come oni" he called. I've struck
Il Well 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. Well leave
The other. Lean on me If your ankle
is still weak"
Thanks; | can make it alone. But
must we go 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
be managed to keep within a few
yards of Blake.
Instead of plunging into the man.
grove wood, which here was under
grown with a thicket of giant ferns,
Bake skirted around in the open I'M
I'll 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 seaward edge
OF the m~angroves. Whether this was
part of the rivers bar or had been
heaped up by the cyclone would have
been beyond Winthrope's knowledge
had the question occurred to him. 1t
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 - the ebb. On their
right they had a sweeping view of the
river, around the flank of the man
grove screen. Blake halted at the
edge of the water and half turned.
Close up" he said. It's shallow
enough; but do you see those logs
over on the mud-bank? Those are al
lisators."
4Mercy-and you expect me to wade
among such creatures cried Miss
Leslie.
I went almost across an hour ago
and they didn't bother me any. Come
OK! There's a wind in that cloud out
seward. Inside half an hour the
surf'H be rolling up on this bar like
aIl Niagara
If we must. we must, Miss Gene
We've" urged WINTHROP. Step behind
me and gather up your skirts. Its
hest to keep ones clothes dry in the
tropics"
he girl DldSLeu, anu IeldlHSu lie
ann.
I 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-fat, not 100 yards distant.
IN the center of the bar, where the
water was a trife over knee-deep
some large creature came darling
Z downstream beneath the surface ant
passed with a violent swirl between
Flake and his companions. At Miss
Leslie's scream, Blake whirled abou'
and jabbed with his club at the sup
posed alligator.
Where's the brute? Has he go
you?" he shouted.
No, no; he went BY" gasped VIII
throne. There he is"
A long bony snout, fringed on either