Part 19 (1/2)
”No, not yet I guess uide, an educated Indian named Ramo ”I wonder if I can stop hi up a powerful rifle that had been brought with the ca out with all his power, Blake was nowhere to be seen, and the alligator was in plain sight, heading for the spot where Blake had last been observed
”It's my only chance!” muttered Ramo ”I hope the boy stays under water”
As he spoke the guide raised the rifle, took quick but careful aih-powered, s the shot, there was a coht red showed
”You hit hiuess I did,” the Indian answered ”But where is Blake?”
That hat Joe was asking hi the Australian crawl stroke, which takes one through the water at such speed Just what Joe could do when he reached his chum he did not stop to think Certainly the tould have been no ator
But thebullet It had struck true and after a death struggle the horrid creature sank beneath the surface just as Blake shot up, having stayed under as long as he could
”All right, Blake! Here you are! I' hiht?”
”Yes, except for this crae But where is he?”
”Ramo shot him,” answered Joe, for he had seen the creature sink to its death ”You're all right now Put your hand on my shoulder, and I'll tow you in”
”Guess you'll have to I can't seeetting, thinking I ht fool him I hated to come up, but I had to,” Blake panted
”Well, you're all right now,” Joe assured him, ”but it was a close call How did it happen?”
”I'm sure I don't know,” said Blake, still out of breath froators in this river I'd never have gone so far fro around as though to ht
He saw none On the shore stood Rauide, with ready rifle
”Feel better now?” asked Joe
”Yes, the cra too soon after eating those plantains,” for they had been given some of the yellow bananas by a native when they stopped at his hut for so about, waiting for you to co in the water When it headed for ht it was funny, and then, when I sahat it was, I realized I'd better be getting back to shore I tried, but was taken with a fierce cramp You heard me just in time”
”Yes,” responded Joe, as he and Blake reached water shallow enough to wade in, ”but if it hadn't been for Raht be a different story to tell”
”And one that wouldn't look nice in ood turn,” he said to Rauide ”I shan't forget it”
”Oh, it wasn't anything to pop over an alligator that way,” Rah I will ad you”
”I wish I had been the one to shoot it,” said the Spaniard
”Why?” asked Joe, as he sat down on the warm sandy bank of the stream to rest