English
Hi!Mark,”shoutedFrankfromhisferry-boatonewarmmorninginMarch,“comehereaminute.I’vegotsomethingtotellyou.Greatscheme.”
“Can’t,”calledMark—”gottogotomill.”
“Well,comewhenyougetback.”
“Allright.”
MarkandFrankhadbythistimebecomethebestoffriends,foreachhadlearnedtoappreciatethegoodpointsoftheother,andtovaluehisopinions.
Theirgeneralinformationwasasdifferentaspossible,andeachthoughtthattheotherknewjusttheverythingsaboyoughttoknow.
WhileMark’sknowledgewasofbooks,games,people,andplacesthatseemedtoFrankalmostlikeforeigncountries,heknewthenamesofeverywildanimal,bird,fish,tree,andflowertobefoundinthesurroundingcountry,andwasskilledinalltricksofwoodcraft.
SincethisboyhadfirstenteredtheElmerhousehold,wounded,dirty,andunkemptasayoungsavage,hehadchangedsowonderfullyforthebetterthathisbestfriendsofafewmonthsbackwouldnothaverecognizedhim.
Hewasnowclean,andneatlydressedinanoldsuitofMark’swhichjustfittedhim,andhishair,whichhadbeenlongandtangled,wascutshortandneatlybrushed.
Beingnaturallyofasunnyandaffectionatedisposition,thecheerfulhomeinfluences,themotherlycareofMrs.Elmer,whoseheartwasverytendertowardsthemotherlessboy,and,aboveall,thegreatalterationinhisfather’smanner,hadchangedtheshy,sullenlad,suchashehadbeen,intoanhonest,happyfellow,anxioustodoright,andineverywaytopleasethekindfriendstowhomhisdebtofgratitudewassogreat.
Hisregularemploymentattheferry,thefeelingthathewasuseful,and,morethananythingelse,theknowledgethathewasoneoftheproprietorsoftheElmerMill,gavehimasenseofdignityandimportancethatwentfartowardsmakinghimcontentedwithhisnewmodeoflife.
Mark,Ruth,andhestudiedfortwohourstogethereveryeveningunderMrs.Elmer’sdirection,andthoughFrankwasfarbehindtheothers,hebadefairtobecomeafirst-classscholar.
Mr.Elmerwasnotamanwhothoughtboyswereonlymadetogetasmuchworkoutofaspossible.
Hebelievedinaliberalallowancetoplay,andsaidthatwhentheworkcameitwouldbedoneallthebetterforit.
So,everyotherday,MarkandFrankweresentdowntoSt.Mark’sinthecanoeforthemail,allowedtotaketheirgunsandfishing-tacklewiththem,andgivenpermissiontostayoutaslongastheychose,providedtheycamehomebeforedark.
SometimesRuthwasallowedtogowiththem,greatlytoherdelight,forshewasveryfondoffishing,andalwayssucceededincatchingherfullshare.
Whiletheboyswerethusabsent,Mr.ElmertookchargeofwhateverworkMarkmighthavebeendoing,andJanalwaysmanagedtobewithinsoundoftheferry-horn.
OnoneoftheirfirsttripsdowntheriverMarkhadcalledFrank’sattentiontotheheadofasmallanimalthatwasrapidlyswimminginthewatercloseunderanoverhangingbank,andaskedhimwhatitwas.
ForanswerFranksaid,“Sh!”carefullylaiddownhispaddle,andtakinguptherifle,firedahastyandunsuccessfulshotatthecreature,whichdivedattheflash,andwasseennomore.
“Whatwasit?”askedMark.
“Anotter,”answeredFrank,“andhisskinwouldbeworthfivedollarsinTallahassee.”
“My!”exclaimedMark,“isthatso?Whycan’twecatchsome,andselltheskins?”
“Wecouldifweonlyhadsometraps.”
“Whatkindoftraps?”
“Double-springsteelarethebest.”
“I’mgoingtobuysome,firstchanceIget,”saidMark;“andifyou’llshowmehowtoset‘em,andhowtoskintheottersanddresstheskins,andhelpdothework,we’llgohalvesonallwemake.”
Frankhadagreedtothis;andwhenMarkwenttoTallahasseeheboughtsixofthebeststeeltrapshecouldfind.
Thesehadbeencarefullysetinlikelyplacesalongtheriver,baitedwithfreshfish,andvisitedregularlybyoneortheotheroftheboystwiceaday.
Atfirsttheyhadbeenverysuccessful,aswasshownbythetenfineotter-skinscarefullystretchedoversmallboardscutforthepurpose,anddryingintheworkshop;butthen,theirgoodfortuneseemedtodesertthem.
Astheseasonadvanced,andtheweathergrewwarmer,theybeganfrequentlytofindtheirtrapssprung,butempty,orcontainingonlythefootofanotter.
Atfirsttheythoughtthecaptiveshadgnawedofftheirownfeetinordertoescape;butwhen,onlythedaybeforetheonewithwhichthischapteropens,theyhadfoundinoneofthetrapstheheadofanotterminusitsbody,thistheoryhadtobeabandoned.
“Ineverheardofanotter’sgnawingoffhisownhead,”saidFrank,asheexaminedthegrinningtrophyhehadjusttakenfromthetrap,“andIdon’tbelievehecoulddoitanyhow.
Idon’tthinkhecouldpullitoffeither;besides,it’sacleancut;itdoesn’tlookasifithadbeenpulledoff.”
“No,”saidMark,gravely;forbothboyshadvisitedthetrapsonthisoccasion.
“Idon’tsupposehecouldhavegnawedoff,orpulledoff,hisownhead.
Hemusthavetakenhisjack-knifefromhispocket,quietlyopenedit,deliberatelycutoffhishead,andcalmlywalkedaway.”
“Ihaveit!”exclaimedFrank,afterafewminutesofprofoundthought,astheboyspaddledhomeward.
“What?”askedMark—”theotter?”
“No,butIknowwhostolehim.It’soneoftheveryfellowsthattriedtogetme.”
“Alligators!”shoutedMark.
“Yes,alligators;Iexpectthey’retheverythieveswhohavebeenrobbingourtraps.”
Thenextdayatnoon,whenMarkfinishedhisworkatthemill,hehurriedbacktotheferrytoseewhatFrankmeantwhenhecalledhimthatmorning,andsaidhehadsomethingtotellhim.
Frankhadgonetotheothersideoftheriverwithapassenger,buthesoonreturned.
“Well,whatisit?”askedMark,ashehelpedmaketheboatfast.
“It’sthis,”saidFrank.“I’veseenagoodmanyalligatorsintheriverlately,andI’vehadmyeyeononebigoldfellowinparticular.
Hespendsmostofhistimeinthatlittlecovedownthere;butI’venoticedthatwheneveradogbarks,closetotheriverorwhenheiscrossingontheferry,theold‘gatorpaddlesoutalittlewayfromthecove,andlooksverywishfullyinthatdirection.
Iknowalligatorsaremorefondofdog-meatthananythingelse,buttheywon’trefusefishwhennothingbetteroffers.Nowlookhere.”
Goingtotheotherendoftheboatashespoke,Frankproducedacoiloflight,butstrongManilalinethathehadobtainedatthehouse.
Tooneendofthisropewereknottedadozenstrandsofstoutfish-line,andtheendsoftheseweremadefasttothemiddleofaroundhickorystick,aboutsixincheslong,andsharplypointedateachend.
Thesesharpendshadalsobeencharredtohardenthem.
“There,”saidFrank,asMarkgazedatthisoutfitwithaperplexedlook,“that’smyalligatorline;andafterdinner,ifyou’llhelpme,we’llfishforthatoldfellowinthecove.”
“Allright,”saidMark;“I’myourman;butwhere’syourhook?”
“This,”answeredFrank,holdingupthebitofsharpenedstick.“It’sallthehookIwant,andI’llshowyouhowtouseitwhenwegetready.”
Afterdinnertheboysfoundseveralteamsonbothsidesoftheriverwaitingtobeferriedacross;thenMarkhadtogowithJanforaloadoffenceposts,sothatitwantedonlyaboutanhourofsundownwhentheyfinallyfoundthemselvesatlibertytocarryouttheirdesignsagainstthealligator.
Franksaidthiswasallthebetter,asalligatorsfedatnight,andthenearerdarkitwas,thehungriertheoldfellowwouldbe.
Takingalargefish,oneofahalfadozenhehadcaughtduringtheday,Frankthrustthebitofstick,withthelineattached,intoitsmouthanddeepintoitsbody.
“There,”saidhe,“nowyouseethatifthe‘gatorswallowsthatfishheswallowsthesticktoo.
Heswallowsitlengthwise,butastrainonthelinefixesitcrosswise,anditwon’tcomeoutunlessMr.‘Gatorcomeswithit.Sabe?”
“Isee,”answeredMark;“butwhatamItodo?”
“Iwantyoutoliedownflatintheboat,andholdontothelineabouttwentyfeetfromthisend,whichIamgoingtomakefasttotheferrypost.
Keepitclearofthebank,andletthebaitfloatwelloutinthestream.
Theminutethe‘gatorswallowsit,doyougivethelineajerkashardasyoucan,soastofixthestickcrosswiseinhisgullet.”
“Allright,”saidMark;“Iunderstand.Andwhatareyougoingtodo?”
“Oh,I’mgoingtoplaydog,”answeredFrank,withalaugh,ashewalkedoffdowntheriverbank,leavingMarktowonderwhathemeant.
Frankcreptsoftlyalonguntilhewasverynearthealligatorcove,justabovewhichhecouldseethefish,whichMarkhadletdropdown-stream,floatingonthesurfaceofthewater.
Thenhelaydown,andbegantowhinelikeapuppyindistress.
AssoonasMarkheardthisheknewwhathisfriendmeantbyplayingdog,andhesmiledatthecapitalimitation,whichwouldhavecertainlydeceivedevenhimifhehadnotknownwhothepuppyreallywas.
Frankwhinedmostindustriouslyforfiveminutesorso,andevenattemptedtwoorthreefeeblebarks,buttheywerenotnearlysoartisticasthewhines.
Thenhestopped,forhisquickeyedetectedthreeblackobjectsmovingonthewaternotfarfromthebank.
Theseobjectswerethealligator’stwoeyesandtheendofhissnout,whichwereallofhimthatshowed,theremainderofhisbodybeingcompletelysubmerged.
Hewaslookingforthatpuppy,andthinkinghowmuchheshouldenjoyitforhissupperifhecouldonlylocatethewhine,andbeabletostopitforever.
Againitsounds,clearanddistinct,andtheslyold‘gatorcomesonalittlefarther,alertandwatchful,butwithoutmakingsomuchasarippletobetrayhispresence.
Nowthewhinesoundsfainterandfainter,asthoughthepuppyweremovingaway,andfinallyitceasesaltogether.
Mr.Alligatorisverymuchdisappointed;andnow,noticingthefishforthefirsttime,concludesthatthoughnotnearlysogoodaspuppy,fishismuchbetterthannothing,andhehadbettersecureitbeforeitswimsaway.
Hedoesnotusecautionnow;hehaslearnedthatfishmustbecaughtquicklyornotatall,andhegoesforitwitharush.
Thegreatjawsopenandclosewithasnap,thefishdisappears,andthealligatorthinkshewillgobacktohiscovetolistenagainforthatpuppywhine.
Asheturnsheopenshismouthtoclearhisteethofsomethingthathasbecomeentangledbetweenthem.
Suddenlyatremendousjerkathismouthisaccompaniedbyamostdisagreeablesensationinhisstomach.
Hetriestopullawayfromboththeentanglementandthesensation,butfindshimselfcaughtandheldfast.
Markgivesacheerashejumpsupfromhisuncomfortablepositionatthebottomoftheferry-boat,andFrankechoesitashedashesoutofthebushesandseizesholdoftheline.
Nowthealligatorpullsandtheboyspull,andifthelinehadnotbeenmadefasttothepost,theformerwouldcertainlyhavepulledawayfromthemordraggedthemintotheriver.
Helashesthewaterintofoam,andbellowswithrage,whiletheyyellwithdelightandexcitement.
Thestoutpostisshaken,andtheManilalinehumslikeaharp-string.
“It’llholdhim!”screamsFrank.“Hecan’tgetawaynow.Seethereasonforthatlastsixfeetofsmalllines,Mark?They’resohecan’tbitetherope;thelittlelinesslipinbetweenhisteeth.”
Thenoiseofthestruggleandtheshoutsoftheboysattractedthenoticeofthemenontheirwayhomefromworkatthemill,andtheycamerunningdowntotheferrytoseewhatwasthematter.
“Wewerefishingforminnows,”explainedMark,“andwe’vecaughtawhale.Takeholdhereandhelpushaulhimin.”
Themencaughtholdoftherope,andslowlybutsurely,inspiteofhisdesperatestruggles,thealligatorwasdrawntowardsthem.
Suddenlyhemakesarushatthem,and,asthelineslackens,themenfalloverbackwardinaheap,andtheirenemydisappearsindeepwater.
Hehasnotgotaway,though—apullonthelineassuresthemofthat;andagainheisdrawnup,footbyfoot,untilhalfhisbodyisoutonthebank.
Heisamonster,andJanwithanupliftedaxeapproacheshimverycarefully.
“Lookout,Jan!”shoutsFrank.
Thewarningcomestoolate;likelightningthegreattailsweepsround,andmanandaxeareflungtenfeetintothebushes.
Luckilynobonesarebroken,butpoorJanisbadlybruisedanddecidedlyshakenup.
Hedoesnotcaretorenewtheattack,andFrankrunstothehouseforarifle.
Takingsteadyaim,whilestandingatarespectfuldistancefromthatmightytail,hesendsabulletcrashingthroughtheflatskull,andthestruggleisended.
Thateveningwasspentintellingandinlisteningtoalligatorstories,andFrankwastheheroofthehourforhavingsoskillfullycapturedandkilledthealligatorthathadbeenforalongtimethedreadofthecommunity.
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