tly by a head twice as large, and as it rose clear of the
water the jaws opened wide and closed with a loud snap. Directly after
this head sank down out of sight there was a tremendous swirl in the
water, and then it began to settle down, but only to be disturbed once
more about opposite to where the party stood, and again some twenty
yards lower down, after which the river ran swiftly and smoothly once
more.

"That was an old bull 'gator," said Shaddy. "The small ones, three or
four, came first and scared off all the fish that didn't want to be
eaten, and then the old chap came and soon sent them to the right-about,
and he has carried off the carkidge to enjoy all to himself down in some
hole under the bank."

"Plenty of natural history for you here, boys," said Brazier, "eh?"

"Yes; but how horrid!" cried Rob. "And yet how beautiful it all is to
compensate!" said Brazier, thoughtfully. "But what about something
fresh to eat, Naylor? We must shoot something, or you must fish.
There, Rob, you said how horrid just now; and yet we are as bad. The
alligators and fish only sought for their daily food. We are going to
do worse than they did with our guns and tackle. Well, Naylor, what are
we to do?"

"I'm thinking, sir, that if the young gents here, or one of them, will
try a fishing-line with an orange or half an orange bait, you might sit
quiet at your corner and watch for something--bush turkey, or parrots
even, for they're good eating."

"But suppose I shoot a bird, and it falls in the river, what then?"

"Why, we must go after it with the boat; but I expect that something or
another would take it down before we could get to it. This river
swarms, sir, with big fish and 'gators."

"Why not go a few hundred yards into the forest? We might put up a
deer."

"Dessay you would, sir, if you could get in. Why, you couldn't get in a
dozen yards without men to hack a way for you; and if you went in alone,
even so far, it's a chance if you could find your way out again. You'll
have to be careful about that."

"Why?" said Rob, eagerly. "The wild beasts?"

"They're the least trouble, sir," replied Shaddy. "It's the getting
lost. A man who is lost in these forests may almost as well lie down
and die at once out of his misery, for there's no chance of his getting
back again."

"I'm afraid you try to make the worst of things, Naylor," said Brazier,
smiling. "Well, I'll take my position at the corner yonder