o let go its head; in which case it would have
immediately dived to the bottom, and very probably have given him a
fatal blow with its tail, or dragged him down along with it.

As I looked at Marian's countenance, I saw that it was becoming very
pale. Her terror and the efforts she had made had completely overcome
her. She fainted away. Still I kept her up, striking the water with my
feet; for I could do no more. The current bore us rapidly down, and as
I looked at the raft I feared that we should be swept past it. I knew
that there was no use calling out to my friends, for they were already
doing their very utmost. Those were indeed awful moments. The shouts
and shrieks of Tim and the Indians sounding in my ears, I knew that they
could not be far off. I could even hear the noise made by the alligator
as it furiously lashed the water with its tail; and I expected every
moment that it would rush down toward us, and perhaps strike us in its
mad course, or dash against the raft and upset it. I dared not look
around, but kept my eye on the raft, and with my right hand, (for the
left arm sustained Marian), I endeavoured to direct my course towards
it. My great dread was that the shock she had received would prove too
much for her, and that she would succumb to it. Every moment she
pressed more heavily on my arm. My own strength, too, I felt, was
failing me. Still I was encouraged by seeing Uncle Paul and Arthur
coming nearer and nearer; but even close though they were, there was
still a possibility that Marian would slip from my grasp. My anxiety
became almost greater than I could bear: a dimness came over my eyes--I
was sinking. Then I felt that Marian was no longer on my arm. The next
moment my hand was on the side of the raft, and I was safe in Uncle
Paul's strong grasp. He was kneeling with Marian in his arms. I
pressed my lips to hers to recall her to life. She opened her eyes,--my
heart bounded with joy. She was still deadly pale, but she gently
smiled, saying faintly, "I shall soon be well, Guy."

"Yes, yes; our little maiden is safe, and will quickly be all right!"
exclaimed Uncle Paul, though the tremor in his voice showed that he had
not even yet recovered from the fearful agitation he had experienced at
seeing our danger.

From the time we had got on board the raft, Arthur had been paddling
with might and main to regain the shore, where it now floated calmly out
of the strength of the current