repeated again while all stood frightened and stupefied.

"What did you say?" they asked.

"I say that there is an alligator caught in the rack," said Leon,
and sticking the handle of the net into the water again he continued:
"Do you hear that sound? That is not sand, it is hard skin, the back
of the alligator. Do you see how he wiggles the bamboo pickets in
the rack? He is struggling hard but he cannot do anything. Wait. He
is a large fellow; his body measures a palm or more in width."

"What shall be done?" was the question.

"Catch him," said one.

"Jesus! And who will catch him?"

Nobody offered to dive down to the bottom of the rack. The water was
very deep.

"We ought to tie him to our banca and drag him along in triumph,"
said Sinang. "The idea of his eating the fish which we ought to have!"

"I have never seen to this day a live alligator," said Maria Clara.

The pilot rose to his feet, took a long rope and went up cautiously to
the platform on the top of the rack. Leon gave up his position to him.

With the exception of Maria Clara, none up till now had paid any
attention to him. Now every one was admiring his fine stature.

To the great surprise of all and in spite of all their cries, the
pilot leaped into the enclosure.

"Take this knife!" shouted Crisostomo, drawing out a wide-bladed
Toledo knife.

But already a thousand little bubbles were rising to the surface of
the water, and all that was going on in the depths below was wrapped
in mystery.

"Jesus, Maria y Jose!" exclaimed the women. "We are going to have a
misfortune. Jesus, Maria y Jose!"

"Don't be alarmed, senoras," said the old boatman. "If there is any
one in this province who can do it, it is that fellow who has just
gone down."

"What is his name?" they asked.

"We call him 'The Pilot'; he is the best I have ever seen, only he
does not like his profession."

The water was being stirred violently, and it seemed that a fierce
fight was being waged in the depths of the lake. The sides of the
enclosure swayed to and fro, while the water seemed to be swirled by
a dozen currents. All held their breath. Ibarra grasped tightly the
handle of his sharp knife.

The fight seemed to be at an end. The head of the young man rose to
the surface of the water, and the sight was greeted by joyful shouts
from all. The eyes of the women were full of tears.

The pilot crawled up on the platform carrying in his hand the end of
the rope, a