next time."

The captain's prophecy was fulfilled and at the next throw the
harpoon pierced the soft hide of the hind leg of the reptile. From
the beginning of the chase the alligator had been making for the
river and was within a hundred yards of it when struck. They headed
it off from the river and Dick dragged on the line while the others
poled until the skiff was beside the 'gator. A heavy blow on the bow
of the boat from the tail of the reptile and the big open jaws with
their rows of great gleaming teeth that swung before Dick's face
made him drop the line and fall backward into the skiff, while the
alligator started off in a new direction. On the next approach the
creature turned on the skiff again and though the captain fended it
off with an oar the reptile had the best of the battle. Several
times Dick brought the skiff near the alligator and tried to lasso
it with the painter of the boat, but the reptile was too wary for
him. The captain suggested running the reptile into the river,
saying it would be easier to take it aboard from the deeper water.
As soon as they gave the brute a chance it plunged into the river
and towed the skiff two hundred yards down the stream, then turning
and rising to the surface the alligator came with open mouth at
Dick, who sprang from his place in the bow and, seizing the
painter, the boy soon had a rope around the head of the brute and
its jaws tied. They tried towing the alligator up the river to the
_Irene_, but it is easier to drag an anchor than an alligator. Then
as Dick was winded the captain and Ned finally hauled it aboard the
skiff, where for a time it amused itself by trying to smash the
skiff or knock somebody overboard with its tail. It became perfectly
quiet before the _Irene_ was reached, when the captain dragged on
the rope which bound its jaws while Ned boosted with his arms around
the tail of the brute. But the alligator was playing 'possum and had
Ned just where it wanted him and, with a swing of its powerful tail,
lifted the boy in the air and neatly tossed him overboard. It was
fortunate for Ned that he was holding the alligator so tightly that
it was more of a push than a blow that he received. As it was, the
breath was so completely knocked out of him that for an instant he
could not swim and was drifting with the current, feebly paddling
with his hands, just enough to keep afloat, when he felt Dick's
supporting hand and heard a voice in his ear:

"Don'