easily,--whence,
once between these long saw-like rows of teeth, no man could have
escaped to tell how sharp they were. The creatures were so numerous
that it was impossible to thrust a pole into the mud without stirring up
one of them; but they were so terrified at the sudden attack and the
shouts of the Negroes, that they thought only of escape.

Suddenly there arose a great cry. One of the lassos had snapt and the
alligator was floundering back into the water, when Sambo rushed in up
to the arm-pits, and caught the end of the rope. At the same moment two
alligators made at the Negro with open jaws. It is probable that the
animals went in his direction by mere accident, and would have brushed
past him in blind haste; but to Martin and Barney it seemed as if the
poor man's fate were sealed, and they uttered a loud shout of horror as
they bounded simultaneously into the water, not knowing what to do, but
being unable to restrain the impulse to spring to Sambo's aid.
Fortunately, however, one of the other Negroes was near Sambo. He
sprang forward, and dealt the alligators two tremendous blows with his
pole on their snouts, right and left, which turned them off. Then other
Negroes came up, laid hold of Sambo, who would not let go his hold and
was being dragged into deep water, caught the end of the rope, and in
ten minutes hauled their victim to the shore, when it was quickly
despatched in the usual manner.

By this time about a dozen alligators, varying from ten to twenty feet
in length, had been captured; and Barney at length became so bold that
he requested to be allowed to try his hand at throwing the lasso, the
dexterous use of which by the Negroes had filled him with admiration. A
loud burst of laughter greeted this proposal, and Sambo showed a set of
teeth that might have made even the alligators envious, as he handed the
Irishman a coil of line.

"Now don't miss, Barney," cried Martin laughing heartily, as his comrade
advanced to the edge of the lake and watched his opportunity. "Mind,
your credit as an expert hunter is at stake."

The Senhor Antonio stood close behind the Irishman, with his arms folded
and a sarcastic smile on his countenance.

"Don't send it down him's throat," yelled Sambo. "Hi-i, dat's de vay to
swing um round. Stir um up, boys!--poke um up, villains, hi!"

The Negroes in the water obeyed with frantic glee, and the terrified
monsters surged about in all directions, so that Bar