Bobby Blake on a Plantation; Or, Lost in the Great Swamp

im, propped up with pillows in a big easy chair and wrapped snugly in a bathrobe

rop in," he said, as they shook hands w

ped up in the room so long,

e, but that isn't like being with the fellows. Not that I've read very much this afternoon," he went on, "becau

ent. "We see so much of it every year t

put in Sparrow. "There's skating and ice sailing

ice," added Fred. "Maybe we didn't have a lot of fun

ay in the Big Woods, not forgetting the bear and the wildcat and the snowslide that buried the house,

a lot of fun waiting for me as soon as I can get outdoors again. And I hope it won't

t do you really mean, Lee, that

ground. Down in Louisiana, where I come from, it's practically summer all the year round. While it's been snowing here to-day, people have been going

ruck, is there?" quer

"but take it altogether it's almost as different

es somewhere in the middle of January," remarked Sparrow. "It seems

y except the South. Of course we had a taste of what it was like when we went to Porto Rico. But I'd like to be so

r round, and you'd find lots of things that would be strange and interesting. I'd l

d Bobby. "What town in Loui

an a store and a railroad station. Mother and I live on a plantation. My folks have lived there for

f the name," said Bobby. "Let's see, wasn't there a Carti

ne bit of history that's been pretty well dinned into me," he added with a smile. "Our people, you know, put a lot of value on th

tion a big one

and our folk had a lot of them and thousands of acres of land. But after the war was over, a lot of the land was sold, and

?" asked Fred wit

ble to prove it, and he's making us lots of trouble. He's one of the meanest men in the parish and everybody hates and despises him. But he's got lots of money and tricky lawyers, and it looks as though he were going to get the best of us. But I don't want

med Fred. "Do you ha

d open his eyes already,

There's a big swamp on the edge of our property that th

them?" asked Sparrow

eplied Lee, "but I've gone along with

ey do it?"

a stout rope, makes a noose in it and hangs this over the entrance to the hole. Others take a sharp spear or stake, and prod into the ground above where they know the alligator is lying. That stirs him up and he crawls out of his hole to see what's the matter. As he comes out he sticks his head into the noose, and the man above tightens it before he can back out. The brute tries

ully exciting,"

badger hunting, and coon hunting with the dogs at night, and once in a while a panther comes round, and take

g way off, and I guess we'll have to take it out in wishing. I suppose we'll have to go now," he added,

"The days seem mighty long here with no one but the doctor and the

and you must hurry and get well

had brought novel ideas into his mind, and he lay awake for a lo

s soon as possible. Just as he was congratulating himself that he had gotten out of the danger zone, the water broke at the side of the boat, and a pair of great jaws appeared, above which were the menacing eyes of a big alligator. The brute made a lunge at the boat and nearly overturned it. Bobby tried to beat him off with the pole, and while he was doing so, another alligator appeared on the other side of the boat. A moment more and the water was

n only a dream, and then with a feeling of immense relief he

e contrast between the wintry storm and the hot

any alligators were up this w

like that of the snow on the windows. It sounded more like a crackling. He sat up in bed an

s room and the odor grew stronger. He traced it along the

ll back appalled. The storero