harpoon while Molly sat amidship and the captain poled. Almost
as they left the _Irene_ they saw a crocodile swimming under water
near them, but failed to get another sight of him. They cruised
vainly in open water, beside banks and in narrow channels. Finally
while going through a narrow creek a wave rolling high ahead of the
skiff showed that some big creature was fleeing before them. The
next moment a four-foot weapon of a hand's breadth, armed with a
double row of teeth, was lifted for a second above the surface and
was followed by the three fins, tandem, that proved the presence of
a sawfish. Dick fairly quivered with excitement as he held his
harpoon at ready.

"Captain," said he sharply, "will there be the least bit of danger
to Miss Barstow if I strike that fish now?"

"There'll be some, of course. If he turns round and comes back at
us in this narrow creek the only safe place will be in the bottom of
the boat."

"Dick Williams, don't you stop for me. I'm not a bit afraid. If you
don't harpoon that sawfish and give me his saw, I won't speak to you
for a week," said the excited girl.

"No use, Molly, I wouldn't do it if it meant that you'd never speak
to me."

"If Miss Barstow will wait on the bank for half an hour you can
bring her the saw, all right," said the captain, who seemed anxious
to oblige both of the passengers.

"Put me ashore quick, then."

The girl was soon standing on the bank and the chase was renewed. A
hundred yards farther up the narrow stream the great sawfish was
found swimming slowly across a bank where the water was shoal, with
his two fins and tail showing in line above the water. As the
harpoon pole was lifted and Dick's every muscle strained for the
throw, the captain shouted:

"Throw three feet ahead of that forward fin. That's where his back
is."

The harpoon struck the fish in the middle of his wide back and as
the freed pole splashed in the water the sawfish made a mighty swirl
and was off at express speed. The line was strong, the barb of the
harpoon was under the tough leather of the creature's back, and the
skiff seemed to fly through the water as Dick gave the line a turn
around his hand and the captain fended the skiff from the banks when
sharp turns were made by the flying fish as it followed the channels
of the crooked creeks. Sometimes the stream broadened, often it
narrowed; once the sawfish dashed through an overgrown waterway
where Dick and the captain crouc