English
Markdashedthroughthebushesforahundredyards,heedlessoftheclingingthornsoftherattanvinethattorehisclothes,andscratchedhisfaceandhandsuntiltheybled,beforereachingthesceneofwhatsoundedlikeaterriblestruggle.
Thescreamsforhelptoldhimthatatleastoneofthecontestantswasahumanbeinginsoredistress,andinthusrushingtohisassistanceMarkdidnotgiveamoment’sthoughttohisownsafety.
Asheburstfromthebusheshefoundhimselfinalittleopengladeontheoppositesideofthepointfromthatonwhichhehadlanded.
HerehecameuponastruggleforlifesuchasrarelytakesplaceeveninthewilderregionsoftheSouth,andsuchasbutfewpersonshaveeverwitnessed.
Onthefarthersideoftheglade,clingingwiththestrengthofdespairtothetrunkofayoungmagnolia-tree,layaboyofaboutMark’sownage.
Hisarmswerenearlytornfromtheirsocketsbysometerriblestrain,andhiseyesseemedstartingfromhisheadwithhorror.AshesawMarkhescreamed,“Fire!Firequick!Hiseyes!I’mlettinggo.”
Lookingalongtheboy’sbodyMarksawapairofgreatjawsclosedfirmlyuponhisrightfoot,thoughtherestoftheanimal,whateveritwas,washiddeninathicketofbusheswhichwereviolentlyagitated.
Hecouldseetheprotrudingeyes;and,springingacrosstheopening,heplacedthemuzzleoftheriflecloseagainstoneofthem,andfired.
Thehorridheadwasliftedhighintheairwithabellowofrageandpain.Asitfellitdisappearedinthebushes,whichwerebeatendownbytheanimal’sdeathstruggle,andthenallwasstill.
Uponfiring,Markhadquicklythrownanothercartridgefromthemagazineintothechamberofhisrifle,andhelditinreadinessforanothershot.
Hewaitedamomentafterthestrugglesceased,andfindingthatnofurtherattackwasmade,turnedhisattentiontotheboy,wholaymotionlessandasthoughdeadathisfeet.
Hiseyeswereclosed,andMarkknewthathehadfainted,thoughhehadneverseenapersoninthatconditionbefore.
Hisfirstimpulsewastotryandrestoretheboytoconsciousness;buthissecond,andtheoneuponwhichheacted,wastoassurehimselfthattheanimalhehadshotwasreallydead,andincapableofmakinganotherattack.
Holdinghisrifleinonehand,andcautiouslypartingthebusheswiththeother,hepeered,withaloudlybeatingheart,intothethicket.
There,stretchedoutstiffandmotionless,hesawthebodyofahugealligator.
Itwasdead—deadasamummy;therewasnodoubtofthat;andwithoutwaitingtoexamineitfurther,Marklaiddownhisrifleandwenttotheriverforwater.
Hebroughtthreehatfuls,anddashedthem,oneafteranother,intheboy’sfacebeforethelattershowedanysignsofconsciousness.
Thentheclosedeyeswereslowlyopened,andfixedforaninstantuponMark,withthesamelookofhorrorthathehadfirstseeninthem,andtheboytriedtorisetohisfeet,butfellbackwithamoanofpain.
Markhadalreadyseenthattheboy’srightfootwasterriblymangledandcoveredwithblood,andhewentquicklyformorewaterwithwhichtobatheit.
Afterhehadwashedofftheblood,andboundthewoundedfootaswellashecouldwithhishandkerchiefandoneofhisshirtsleevestornintostrips,hefoundthattheboyhadagainopenedhiseyes,andseemedtohavefullyrecoveredhisconsciousness.
“Doyoufeelbetter?”askedMark.
“Yes,”answeredtheboy.“Icansitupnowifyouwillhelpme.”
Markhelpedhimintoasittingposition,withhisbackagainstthetreetowhichhehadclungwhenthealligatortriedtodraghimintothewater.Thenhesaid,
“NowwaithereaminutewhileIbringroundthecanoe.I’llgetyouintoit,andtakeyouhome,foryourfootmustbeproperlyattendedtoassoonaspossible.”
Hurryingbacktowherehehadleftthecanoe,Markbroughtitaroundthepoint,veryclosetowheretheboywassitting,andpulledoneendofituponthebank.Thengoingtotheboy,hesaid,
“Ifyoucanstandup,andwillputbotharmsaroundmyneck,I’llcarryyoutothecanoe;it’sonlyafewsteps.”
Althoughhealmostcriedoutwiththepaincausedbytheeffort,theboysucceededindoingasMarkdirected,andinafewminutesmorewasseatedinthebottomofthecanoe,withhiswoundedfootrestingonMark’sfoldedjacket.
Carefullyshovingoff,andsteppinggentlyintotheotherendofthecanoe,Markbegantopaddleswiftlyuptheriver.
Theboysatwithclosedeyes,andthoughMarkwantedtoaskhimhowithadallhappened,hewaitedpatiently,fearingthathiscompanionwastooweaktotalk.
Henoticedthattheboywasbarefootedandbareheaded,thathisclotheswereveryoldandragged,andthathehadabagandapowder-hornslungoverhisshoulders.
Healsonoticedthathishairwaslongandmatted,andthathisface,inspiteofitspresentpaleness,wastanned,asthoughbylongexposuretotheweather.
Ithadastrangelyfamiliarlooktohim,anditseemedasthoughhemusthaveseenthatboysomewherebefore,butwherehecouldnotthink.
Justbeforetheyreachedthe“GoBang”landing-placetheboyopenedhiseyes,andMark,nolongerabletorestrainhiscuriosity,asked,
“Howdidthealligatorhappentocatchyou?”
“Iwasasleep,”answeredtheboy,“andwokeupjustintimetocatchholdofthattreeashegrabbedmyfootandbeganpullingmetothewater.
Hewouldhavehadmeinanotherminute,forIwaslettinggowhenyoucame;”andtheboyshudderedattheremembrance.
“Well,”saidMark,alittleboastfully,“hewon’tcatchanybodyelse.He’sasdeadasadoor-nailnow.Hereweare.”
JanandCaptainJohnsonwereatthelanding,andtheylistenedwithastonishmenttoMark’shurriedexplanationofwhathadhappened.
Thecaptainsaidtheywouldcarrytheboytothehouse,whileMarkranonandtoldhismotherwhowascoming,sothatshecouldpreparetoreceivehim.
Mrs.ElmerwasmuchshockedatMark’sstory,andsaidshewasverythankfulthathehadnotonlybeenthemeansofsavingahumanlife,buthadescapedunharmedhimself.
Atthesametimeshemadereadytoreceivetheboy,andwhenthemenbroughthiminshehadabedpreparedforhim,warmwaterandcastilesoapreadytobathethewounds,andsoftlinentobandagethem.
CaptainJohnson,whocalledhimself“aroughandreadysurgeon,”carefullyfeltofthewoundedfoottoascertainwhetherornotanyboneswerebroken.
Theboyborethispatientlyandwithoutamurmur,thoughoneortwogaspsofpainescapedhim.
Whenthecaptainsaidthat,thoughhecouldnotfeelanyfracturedbones,theankle-jointwasdislocated,andmustbepulledbackintoplaceatonce,heclinchedhisteeth,drewinalongbreath,andnoddedhishead.
Takingafirmholdaboveandbelowthedislocatedjoint,thecaptaingaveaquicktwistwithhispowerfulhandsthatdrewfromtheboyasharpcryofpain.
“There,”saidthecaptain,soothingly,“it’sallover;nowwewillbatheitandbandageit,andinafewdaysyouwillbeasgoodasyouwerebeforeyoumetMr.‘Gator.
Ifnotbetter,”headded,ashetooknoteoftheboy’swretchedclothesandgeneralappearance.
Afterseeingthepatientmadeascomfortableaspossible,Markandthetwomenwentout,leavinghimtothegentlecareofMrs.ElmerandRuth.
“Mark,”saidCaptainJohnson,“let’staketheskiffandgoandgetthatalligator.IguessMissRuthwouldliketoseehim.Oneofmymencangoalongtohelpus,orJan,ifhewill.”
“Allright,”saidMark,andJansaidhewouldgoifitwouldn’ttaketoolong.
“We’llbebackinlessthananhour,”saidthecaptain,“ifit’sonlyamileaway,asMarksays.”
Sotheywent,andittooktheunitedstrengthofthethreetogetthealligatorintotheskiffwhentheyfoundhim.
Hemeasuredtenfeetandfourinchesinlength,andCaptainJohnson,whoclaimedtobeanauthorityconcerningalligators,saidthatwasverylargeforfresh-water,thoughintide-watertheyweresometimesfoundfifteenfeetinlength,andhehadheardofseveralthatwereevenlonger.
WhileMarkwasshowingthemjustwheretheboylaywhenhefirstsawhim,Janpickedupanoldmuzzle-loadingshot-gunandapairofmuch-wornboots,thathadheretoforeescapedtheirnotice.
Bothbarrelsofthegunwereloaded,butoneonlycontainedachargeofpowder,whichsurprisedthem.
“Whatdoyousupposehewasgoingtodowithonlyachargeofpowder?”askedMark,whenthisdiscoverywasmade.
“I’venoidea,”answeredthecaptain;“perhapsheforgottheshot,orhadn’tanyleft.”
Whentheyreachedhomewiththebigalligator,thewholehouseholdcameouttolookatit,andMrs.ElmerandRuthshudderedwhentheysawthemonsterthathadsonearlydraggedtheboyintotheriver.
“Oh,Mark!”exclaimedRuth,“justthinkifyouhadn’tcomealongjustthen.”
“Howmercifulthatyourfatherthoughtoftakingtherifle!”saidMrs.Elmer.“Idon’tsupposewecouldkeepitforMr.Elmertosee,couldwe?”sheaskedofCaptainJohnson.
“Ohno,ma’am,notinthiswarmweather,”answeredthecaptain;“butwecancutofftheheadandburyit,andintwoorthreeweeksyouwillhaveaniceskulltokeepasamemento.”
“Andwhatwillyoudowiththebody?”
“Why,throwitintotheriver,Isuppose,”answeredthecaptain.
“Wouldn’titbebettertoburyittoo?”
“Hi!MissElmer;yo’sho’lywouldn’ttinkofdoin’datar?”exclaimedAuntChloe,whohadbythistimebecomeafixtureintheElmerhousehold,andhadcomeoutwiththeresttoseethealligator.
“Whynot,Chloe?”askedMrs.Elmer,insurprise.
“’Kaseefyou’sputtenumindegroun’,how’sMarseTukkyBuzzardgwinegitum?Can’tnebberhabnoluckefyoucheatMarseTukkyBuzzarddatarway.”
“That’sanotherofthecoloredfolks’superstitions,”saidCaptainJohnson.“Theybelievethatifyouburyanydeadanimalsothattheturkeybuzzardscan’tgetatit,they’llbringyoubadluck.”
“’Taintno‘stition,nuther.Hit’sapopsho’fac’,dat’swhat!”mutteredAuntChloe,angrily,asshewalkedofftowardsthehouse.
Sotheheadofthealligatorwascutoffandburied,andthebodydisappeared,thoughwhetheritwasburiedorservedtomakeamealforthebuzzardsnooneseemedexactlytoknow.
ThatafternoonCaptainJohnsonwentoffdowntheriverwithhislighter,sayingthathecouldalwaysbefoundatSt.Mark’swhenwanted,andMarkandJanwentintothewoodstolookforcedarfence-posts.
Aftertheday’sworkwasfinished,andthefamilyweregatheredinthesitting-roomfortheevening,MarkhadalongandearnestconversationwithhismotherandRuth.
AtitscloseMrs.Elmersaid,“Well,myson,waituntilwehearwhatyourfatherthinksofit;”andRuthsaid,“Ithinkit’saperfectlysplendidplan.”
Marksleptintheroomwiththewoundedboy,whosenametheyhadlearnedtobeFrankMarch,thatnight,andwasrousedseveraltimesbeforemorningtogivehimwater,forhewasveryfeverish.
Hetalkedinhissleeptoo,asthoughhewerehavingtroubleddreams,andonceMarkheardhimsay,
“Firequick!No,it’sonlypowder;itwon’thurthim.Ididn’tkillthedog.”
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