he
water and along the shore as if she had been sent there to watch for
breakers ahead. Every now and then she screamed out:

"There's one! There! There! There!"

But it was generally a log, or a reflection, or something else that was
not an alligator.

Of course we were very near both shores at all times, for the river is
so narrow that a small boy could throw a ball over it; but occasionally
the deeper part of the channel flowed so near one shore that we ran
right up close to the trees, and the branches flapped up against the
people on the little forward deck, making the ladies, especially the
lady belonging to the yellow-legged party, crouch and scream as if some
wood-demon had stuck a hand into the boat and made a grab for their
bonnets.

This commotion every now and then, and the almost continual reports from
the guns on board, and Corny's screams when she thought she saw an
alligator, made the scene quite lively.

Rectus and I took a turn every half-hour at the rifle. It was really a
great deal more agreeable to look out at the beautiful pictures that
came up before us every few minutes; but, as we had the gun, we couldn't
help keeping up a watch for game, besides.

"There!" I whispered to Rectus; "see that big bird! On that limb! Take a
crack at him!"

It was a water-turkey, and he sat placidly on a limb close to the
water's edge, and about a boat's length ahead of us.

Rectus took a good aim. He slowly turned as the boat approached the
bird, keeping his aim upon him, and then he fired.

The water-turkey stuck out his long, snake-like neck, and said:

"Quee! Quee! Quee!"

And then he ran along the limb quite gayly.

"Bang! bang!" went the guns of the yellow-legs, and the turkey actually
stopped and looked back. Then he said:

"Quee! Quee!" again, and ran in among the thick leaves.

I believe I could have hit him with a stone.

"It don't seem to be any use," said Mr. Chipperton, who was standing
behind us, "to fire at the birds along this river. They know just what
to do. I'm almost sure I saw that bird wink. It wouldn't surprise me if
the fellows that own the rifles are in conspiracy with these birds. They
let out rifles that wont hit, and the birds know it, and sit there and
laugh at the passengers. Why, I tell you, sir, if the people who travel
up and down this river were all regular shooters, there wouldn't be a
bird left in six months."

At this moment Corny saw an alligator,--a real one.