CHAPTER XIV.
CLOSE QUARTERS WITH 'GATORS.
The roar that had startled them was, as Pork Chops explained to the boysin a low undertone, the mating cry of the huge crocodile which was nowprobably on its way to the den in which they had surprised it earlier inthe day.
"Are you all ready?" whispered Harry to Frank, as both boys distinctlyheard the rushing noise made by the huge creature as it leisurely swamthrough the still water.
Frank grasped his rifle. Harry already had his leveled, ready for use assoon as Pork Chops' jack lantern illuminated the quarry. They had notlong to wait.
"Now, den, sah," cried Pork Chops as he raised the hood of the lanternand a ray of light shot out across the water. As if fascinated by thesudden illumination a great cruel head armed with rows of saber-liketeeth suddenly flashed into view.
"Let him have it," shouted Frank as both he and Harry fired.
There was a repetition of the roar as their bullets bored home butmingled with it was a loud shout from the _Carrier Dove_, that for themoment put all thoughts of the success or failure of their shots out ofthe boys' heads. The cry came from Billy and it was sufficientlyalarming considering that the water fairly swarmed with alligators andthe more vicious crocodiles.
"Lathrop's overboard!"
A thrill of horror shot through both boys as they heard the words. AtFrank's swift command the old negro switched the canoe round as if shebeen on a pivot and the next minute the ray of the jack lantern wassweeping the water in the direction of the _Carrier Dove_. Lathrop,carried away by excitement as the boys' rifles had been discharged, hadleaned far over the side of the sloop, hanging on by a frayed lanyard.This had parted under his weight and he was now struggling in the water.
Billy Barnes and Ben Stubbs had thrown him ropes but the bewildered boy,half stunned by the shock of his sudden immersion, could not see them.He swam blindly about in the fetid water trying to grasp the side of thesloop. It was so dark, however, that partially dazed as he was he didnot seem able to find it. When the ray of the jack lantern fell on hiswhite dripping face he had about given up hope.
"Hold on, Lathrop," shouted Frank as, urged by Pork Chops' powerfulstrokes, the canoe shot toward the struggling boy. In their excitementall the occupants of the frail craft had quite forgotten about the bigbull crocodile they had wounded. They were reminded of his presence in astartling fashion.
Without the slightest warning the canoe seemed to be propelled into theair as the powerful tail of the wounded saurian struck it, and the nextminute its occupants were struggling in the water in as bad a fix asLathrop. Both boys were powerful swimmers but both realized that alltheir skill would not avail to save them in the fix in which they foundthemselves. As for Pork Chops his terror was pitiable.
"Oh Lawd! oh Lawd! I didn't mean no harm when I stole ole Aunt Liza'swhite pullet," here he was half-choked by water. "Oh Lawd, git me out obdis widout been all chawed up by crokindiles an' I won't never stealfolks' fowls agin, Lawd. O-o-o-o-oh!"
He broke off with a yell of real terror. Frank swimming toward the_Carrier Dove_ felt a huge body brush by him in the water andfrantically stroked toward his goal. Harry was safe, he could hear himbreathing as he swam. But poor Pork Chops! The unfortunate black hadgiven himself up for lost when there was a sudden blinding flash oflight from the sloop and at the same minute two rifles cracked. Theamazed boys, struggling in the water to gain the sloop, saw in thesudden white glare the reptile's black head with monstrous opened jawssuddenly checked in its rush on the apparently doomed Pork Chops asBilly Barnes and Ben pumped the lead out of the rifles into the woundedcrocodile's mate as fast as they could work them.
The huge body swung clean out of the water in its death agony and fellback with a mighty splash. Great clouds of awakened herons flew from theislets round about and the whole forest rang with the cries of arousedbirds.
Ben Stubbs had had the presence of mind to seize and ignite one of thesignal flares and it was by its powerful light that they had saved thelives of Pork Chops and possibly of the boys. With the illuminationafforded by the glare it didn't take long for the boys to get aboard the_Carrier Dove_ where Lathrop in a very shamefaced way related how hecame to tumble overboard.
"It's all the fault of your rotten rigging," he said indignantly,looking at the dripping Pork Chops who was still so scared that he couldhardly speak. The insult to his Carrier Dove, however, fired him with arighteous wrath.
"What you all mean, Marse Lathrop, by saying dose unkindnesses 'bout disyar ship of mine?" he sputtered indignantly. "I'd have you to understan'dat she's jes' as fine a craf' as der is on dis yer Flahda coas', yes,sah."
"I beg your pardon," laughed Lathrop, who now that the danger was overhad quite recovered his usual flow of spirits, "I didn't mean to insultyou. However," he went on more gravely, "if it hadn't been for Billy andBen here I doubt if any of us would have been alive now to even hurtyour feelings."
Of course a great handshaking between the boys and their rescuers tookplace, and as for Pork Chops he swore that he would not leave the boyswhom he hailed as his "sabyers."
The original plan had been that he was to sail the _Carrier Dove_ backto Miami as soon as the boys started into the 'glades, but he absolutelyrefused to hear of this now.
"No, sah, you saved mah wuthless life, an' ah means ter stick ter yerjes' as long as mah laigs ul carry me," he declared.
From this determination he could not be swayed and when they turned inthat night it had been arranged that the old black was to accompanythem, occupying a part of Lathrop's canoe, and that the _Carrier Dove_was to remain at anchor where she was;--at all events for a time. Inthat little frequented maze of keys and mangrove-grown shoals there wassmall likelihood of anybody finding her.
The next morning all hands were astir early. It was a wonderful sceneinto the midst of which they had penetrated. Through the confused huddleof keys and islets silver-clear channels threaded their way. In themthousands of fish--silvery tarpon, vampire-like devil-fish, big andlittle sharks, rushed and sported, eating and being eaten in turns. Itwas fascinating to watch the active submarine life going on about them.
As for the birds, when the sun arose there were great clouds of themsailing across the sky or regarding the adventurers' preparations forabandoning the _Carrier Dove_ with the greatest interest. Big snowyherons, green herons, rose-colored herons, blue herons, long-leggedherons like soldiers on yellow stilts, stood about, sentinel-like on theoyster bars on which they found their daily food. Ducks, coots andcormorants floated about on the placid waters almost as tame as thedomestic varieties.
Overhead the sky was almost darkened at times by huge flocks of snowyibises, their beautiful plumage flashing in the sun as they rose andfell in undulating waves. Gannets, gulls and ospreys hovered about thegreat fishing grounds of the archipelago and high up in the sky, merespecks against the brilliant blue, sailed on serene pinions themen-of-war hawks and frigate-birds that haunt the Everglades in vastnumbers.
Immediately after breakfast the _Carrier Dove's_ hatch and cabin werelocked and the start was made. Frank and Harry in their canoes led theway. Billy Barnes followed, his craft containing the wireless apparatus.The procession was taken up by Ben Stubbs while last of all came Lathropand old Pork Chops, in whose canoe was loaded the commissariat. Frankand Harry had most of the sections of the _Golden Eagle II_ in theircraft, as they wished to keep them under their immediate eye.
All the boys felt a solemn feeling of responsibility--almost ofloneliness--creep over them as, after Frank had taken and carefullynoted with sextant and horizon the exact bearing of the _Carrier Dove's_anchorage, so that they could easily find her again, the start into theunknown began.
"Here's to the success of the Chester Relief Expedition!" shouted BillyBarnes as after everything had been checked up and found complete thelittle band dipped their paddles into the water.
The others started to cheer but a sharp or
der from Frank checked them.
"From now on," he ordered, "everybody must keep as quiet as possible. Wedo not know but that eyes and ears unknown to us are even now takingnote of our every action."
And so in silence, save for the steady dip-dip of their paddles theChester Relief Expedition glided through the wilderness of mangrove keysand blind channels always due east toward the heart of the Everglades.