over the side, and lie in and on and amongst them, with the cool
water bracing and invigorating him ready for the heat and toil of the
coming day.

It would be good, thought Rob. Just one plunge and a few strokes, and
then out and a brisk rub.

But there were the alligators and fish innumerable, nearly all of which
had been provided by nature with the sharpest of teeth.

He shuddered at the thought of how, as soon as his white body was seen
in the water, scores of voracious creatures might make a rush for him
and drag him down among the lily stems for a feast.

"Won't do," he muttered; "but what a pity it does seem!"

He sat watching the surface, and, as he saw how calm and still it was,
the longing for a bathe increased. It would, he felt, be so
refreshing--so delicious after the hot night and the sensations of
prickly heat. Surely he could get a quick plunge and back before
anything could attack him; and as he thought this the longing increased
tenfold, and plenty of arguments arose in favour of the attempt. There
were numbers of great fish and alligators, he knew, but they were not
obliged to be there now. Fish swam in shoals, and might be half a mile
away one hour though swarming at another.

"I've a good mind to," he thought, and as that thought came he softly
unfastened the collar of his flannel shirt.

But he went no farther, for common sense came to the front and pointed
out the folly of such a proceeding, after the warnings he had had of the
dangers of the river teeming as it did with fierce occupants.

"It will not do, I suppose," he muttered. "I should like to try it,
though."

He glanced around, but no one was stirring. The men forward were silent
beneath their blankets, and the occupants of the canvas cabin were all
sleeping heavily, as their breathing told plainly enough, so there was
no fear of interruption.

"I'll try it," said the lad, in an eager whisper.

"No. There is no one to help me if I wanted any. And yet is there
likely to be any danger? Most likely the alligators would swim away if
they saw me, and would be more frightened of me than I should be of
them. While as to the fish--Bah! I'm a coward, and nothing else. Dare
say the water's as cool as can be, while I'm as hot as any one could get
without being in a fever."

He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt above the elbow, and, leaning over
the side, thrust it down between the curves of two lily leaves which
overlapped.