So Bluff grew a bit careless. Two or three times he napped while on duty, and as nothing came of it he made up his mind that there could not be any danger. So he settled himself more comfortably on the seat and allowed his eyes to close once more.
How long he slept Bluff never knew. He was awakened by some sound, but he could not tell what it was.
He did not move, but sat there trying to remember just where he was, and after satisfying his mind with regard to that point, wondered what it was that had disturbed his dreams.
Not hearing any repet.i.tion of the noise, he was about to drop off again, his eyes feeling very heavy, when he saw something move. Was that Frank, or one of the other boys, who had been ash.o.r.e, climbing back to the boat?
Bluff gripped his gun, and kept on the watch. Whoever it might be, he evidently did not want to arouse the sleepers, for he was very careful how he stepped after he had come aboard.
Bluff caught a glimpse of the other"s face as the dying fire on sh.o.r.e chanced to flare up. He made the alarming discovery that it was a white man, but a stranger; and then and there he remembered about the sheriff"s hunt for the desperado!
CHAPTER X
BLUFF"S FIRST "GATOR
"Don"t you move a hand or foot, you rascal!" cried Bluff sternly as he suddenly sat up, with leveled gun.
The unknown pillager was only a comparatively few feet away, so that it was easy for him to see the weapon covered him. Immediately he elevated his hands, as if to signify that he surrendered.
"What is it, Bluff?" asked a quiet voice, and Frank appeared from the bottom of the boat.
By then the thief must have determined that unless he took chances he would be made a prisoner. He gave a sudden yell, and threw himself over the gunwale of the boat. By chance it was the side toward the water, and they heard the splash that announced his arrival below.
"Some fellow aboard, bent on stealing everything we had!" exclaimed Bluff.
"Was it George?" gasped Will, aghast at the possibility of such ingrat.i.tude.
"No; a white man. See! There he goes, swimming across the river!"
The light was not very good, but they could see a sort of phosph.o.r.escent glow on the water, where some object was struggling for the opposite bank.
Bluff half leveled his gun, when Frank shoved it aside.
"You wouldn"t want to kill him, even if he is a desperate case. I guess he got little or nothing. Let him go. The sheriff will be along after him soon," he said.
"But what is that trailing after him, Frank?" echoed Will.
"Where?" demanded the other quickly.
"Why, look right there! And whatever it is, it"s catching up with him fast, too! I believe it must be an alligator!" exclaimed Will.
"I had a glimpse of a big fellow hovering under the boat at dusk. I think he was after the refuse we threw over. Would he hurt a swimmer?" asked Bluff.
"I don"t know. I wouldn"t want to try his appet.i.te, that"s all. Could you give the beast a shot without hitting the man, Bluff?" asked Frank eagerly.
"Why, yes; for at this short distance the shot won"t scatter much."
As he spoke Bluff took quick aim. He was only too glad to be able to make use of his gun in so good a cause. The thief might be all they painted him, and yet he was a white man, and a minister"s son in the bargain, the sheriff had said.
With the heavy report there was a combination of sounds. The man in the water gave a yell, as though he fancied the shot had been aimed at him. A short distance away, the water was being threshed wildly by some unwieldy object.
"I hit him all right!" shouted the excited marksman.
Some vigorous language came floating across from where the man was now dragging himself out of the river.
"Say, Bob Young! You didn"t think we shot at you, did you? There was a big "gator after you, and he"d got you, too, only for that shot. Better make yourself scarce around these regions. The sheriff is after you, with dogs and a posse."
Frank called this out after the fleeing shadowy figure that was just halting on the edge of the bank opposite.
"Thanks!" came in a hoa.r.s.e voice, followed by a reckless laugh. "But he"ll find it a hard job to corner me, you bet!"
That was the last they ever saw of Bob Young. In the morning, sure enough, the baying of a hound was heard, and presently along came the sheriff with his two dogs and the grim deputies.
"Mornin", boys! Reckon yuh may "a" seen sumpin o" my man this heah time, as he"s sure been close tuh yuh!" he called out while still some distance off.
"Yes. He tried to rob us last night, and jumped overboard when discovered," returned Frank.
"And swam across to the other side. He was followed by a "gator, that might have got him, too, only for our chum, Bluff, here, giving the reptile a shot," proceeded Jerry; while aside he said: "Get busy, Will, with that shebang of yours. Now"s your chance to snap him off!"
"What"s that, suh? If anybody tries to snap me off they"re sure liable tuh get punctured some!" exclaimed the sheriff, whose ears were as keen as his eyes.
Frank laughed as he said:
"He means with a camera, Mr. Sheriff. My friend was sorry he didn"t get your picture before, that"s all. But if you want to cross over we can let you use our little dinghy here."
"Now, that"s very considerate o" yuh, suh. I accept with pleasure, and when we round that rapscallion up, as we surely will before callin" the game off, yuh can have the satisfaction of knowing yuh hev helped the forces of law an" order, suh, to put an end tuh the career o" a most notorious rascal. I neglected tuh tell yuh before that this Bob Young is wanted fo" many crimes."
Frank tied a long rope to the dinghy, so that after the sheriff and his men and dogs were well over he could pull the boat back again. The dogs swam across, and the three men filled the small craft so full that there was danger of its capsizing.
However, they managed to get over in safety, and Will took a fine view of the strange ferry, with the dogs swimming alongside, while they were in midstream. The sheriff was so obliging as to actually pose for the picture.
"Heah"s yuh "gator over on the bank, suh. He must have crawled out to die, a most unusual thing for the varmints to do, as they generally sink like a rock, tuh stay down fo" several days!" he called out.
Then the posse vanished on the fresh trail of the desperado.
"I rather think they"ll get Bob," ventured Frank. "That sheriff is a determined man, and he"s enlisted in this hunt for keeps. How about going over to view the remains, Bluff?" he asked as he pulled the dinghy in.
"That"s just what I was about to propose. My first "gator, so perhaps I"d like to get his hide, if possible, or some of his teeth, anyway,"
returned the other, getting into the small boat with Frank.
Sure enough, they found a dead alligator up on the bank. The load of shot, fired at such a short distance, must have gone pretty much like a bullet. Some of them had entered his protuberant eyes, and by accident must have pierced his brain.
"A lucky shot, all right. I don"t believe it could ever happen again, especially when the one who fired was almost behind the "gator,"
commented Frank.