e," laughed Frank. "Suppose
we give him a poke in the ribs?"

He reached forward with the boathook, which he took from Jack's hand,
and jabbed at the creature, which did not appear to mind the presence of
the boys at all, but continued his nosing of the boat.

"His hide is as tough as the crust of the pies Bridget used to make!"
the boy said, jabbing harder than before and throwing his weight on the
handle of the hook.

Just then the boat shunted to one side, the crocodile swished away, and
Frank fell headlong into the agitated waters of the little bay. Jack saw
him going and tried to catch him, but did not succeed.

The crocodile had turned away from the boat when Frank struck the water
with a great splash, but he turned back and surveyed the submerged
figure with some degree of interest.

Frank of course went down under the surface as he fell, and remained
there for a second. When his body rose toward the surface the crocodile
approached him. Jimmie and Jack drew their revolvers.

"Don't shoot!" commanded Ned.

"He'll eat Frank alive!" whispered Jimmie.

"He's making a grab for his leg now!" Jack added.

Frank came to the surface and struck out for the boat, which was only a
few strokes away, the crocodile following in his wake, the giant
armor-plated body moving through the water stolidly and without visible
means of motion. The rough back looked like a log which had lain long in
the waters of a swamp and had caught rust from mineral deposits and a
nasty brown from decaying vegetation.

Frank knew the danger he was in, but did not seem to understand that the
boys on the boat were aware of his peril, for he swung his body out of
the water and whirling, pointed to the crocodile. As he did so the
monster speeded forward and snapped at his arm.

"Shoot! Shoot!" cried Jimmie.

But no shots were fired. When the great mouth of the monster opened
something shot out from the boat and landed squarely between the
extended jaws of the crocodile. There was a snap, a crunching sound,
then the water was whipped into commotion by the writhing body of the
monster.

A rope was thrown to Frank and he was soon on board, not much wetter
than his chums, standing in the driving rain, and not at all injured by
his adventure.

"Cripes!" Jimmie cried, as Frank stood panting by his side, "I thought
he had you where the whale had Jonah."

"What was that you fed him?" asked Frank of Ned.

"Just a bottle of gasoline which lay