A Little Florida Lady | Page 9

Beth gave a sigh of relief.

"Harvey Baker, you were fooling."
He motioned to her to be silent. Again, he whistled. Still no horrible
head appeared. Beth was now fully convinced that he was only making
believe, but still she could not take her eyes off the water.
For the third time, Harvey whistled. Suddenly the waters parted. There,
right below them, was a head more fearful than anything Beth had
imagined. There was no doubt of the reality of this fearful apparition.
The jaws and teeth that Harvey had spoken about were even worse than
he had predicted. Slowly, slowly, those loathsome jaws parted. Beth
looked down into that awful gulf, like a great dark pit, opening to
receive her. There were the two rows of gleaming white teeth ready to
devour girls who screamed. How she kept from screaming she never
knew. Perhaps she was too much paralyzed with fear. However, she
kept so still that she hardly breathed. The color ebbed out of her face.
Harvey picked up some meat that lay on the wharf beside him, and
threw that and the bread into the waiting mouth below. The jaws
snapped together, and opened again as suddenly.
Beth shuddered a little, involuntarily. She wondered if she would have
disappeared as quickly as the meat if she had screamed.
Harvey had no more food for the animal below. It waited an instant,
then slowly sank. The waters closed where the head had been. Beth felt
as though she were wakening from a horrible nightmare.
"Three cheers for Beth," cried Harvey so unexpectedly that she gave a
great start.
"Was it a dragon?" asked Beth with her eyes unnaturally big.
He laughed. "A dragon---- No, indeed. It's only a 'gator."
"A 'gator---- Would it really have eaten me if I had screamed?"
"It might, although I said that to try you. They do say, though, that

'gators sometimes eat pickaninnies. The Northerners who come down
here winters are killing off the 'gators pretty fast, so the pickaninnies
are likely to live. Now mind, Beth, don't say a word about my 'gator.
You see if my folks heard about it, they might put a stop to my feeding
it. They don't think 'gators as nice as I do."
"I think they are just horrid."
Harvey laughed. "Oh, you'll like them in time."
She had her doubts about ever being fond of such pets, but did not say
so.
"I can't whistle, but would it come if I could whistle, Harvey?"
He looked very superior. "No, indeed. It won't come for any one but
me."
"How did you get it to come for you?"
"Well, you see, I used to watch that 'gator in the river; then began
bringing food for it. I reckon it thought that an easy way to live, and it
soon grew to know me. Then it learned my whistle. That's all."
Beth now remembered that her half hour must be more than over.
"Harvey, I must go. Good-bye."
"Wait a minute. I say, I really like you, and will teach you how to fish
some day."
This was the greatest compliment he could pay her, for he was an
expert angler, and had never allowed a girl to share in the sport with
him. Such an invitation as he had just extended surprised even himself,
but he actually hoped that it would be accepted. He even decided to set
a definite time.
"Come here--well, say Monday afternoon between four and five."

"I'll come if mamma will let me."
"Remember, you mustn't tell any one about the 'gator."
"Not even mamma?"
"No, indeed. You wouldn't break your word, would you?"
"I never do that."
"You're a trump, Beth. Good-bye."
She skipped back towards the house, revelling in her adventure now
that it was over. Being called a trump by Harvey pleased her, but even
this praise only half reconciled her for keeping any secret from her
mother.
Halfway up the avenue, a homely, impudent, scraggy little dog, sprang
from among the trees and yelped at Beth. A ragged little darky
followed. Beth had never seen any human being quite so ragged.
"Come 'way, Fritz. What yo' mean by jumpin' on de missy?"
Beth eyed doubtfully both the dog and his master. The latter looked at
her reassuringly.
"Yo' needn't be 'fraid, missy. I won't let Fritz hurt yo'."
"I--afraid--of him! He don't look as if he could harm anything," and
Beth laughed.
The boy appeared grieved.
"Really, missy, he's a wonderful dog. I'll show yo' what he can do.
Come, Fritz, dance for missy."
The ragged leader held up a warning finger. Fritz wagged his stubby
tail, but did not budge.

"Come, come, Fritz. Dance for de missy."
Fritz wagged his stubby tail more vigorously, but gave no other
response. The