Arkansaw Bear: A Tale of Fanciful Adventure Read online

  CHAPTER X

  AN AFTERNOON'S FISHING

  "Sitting on a bank where the bull frogs dream-- Sitting on the shore of a deep, deep stream-- Sitting on a log and waiting for a bite-- Bound to catch our supper, if we fish--all--night."

  THE little boy was holding a long cane pole that he had cut as they camealong, on the small end of which he had fastened a hook and line, baitedwith a lively worm. The Bear was leaning back against a tree andwatching him lazily.

  "Bo," said he presently, "I shouldn't wonder if that singing of yoursscared the fish all away."

  "I wouldn't say that to you, Ratio. I know if you'd wake up and take thefiddle and play some they'd walk right out on the bank."

  The Bear laughed sleepily. He was in a comfortable position and the warmafternoon sun was soothing. He hummed some negro lines he had heard:--

  "When yo' wan' to ketch fish yo' mus' jes' set an' wait-- When yo' wan' to ketch fish yo' must spit on yo' bait-- When yo' wan' to ketch fish yo' mus' git across de tide, For dey's alw'ys bettah fishin' on de oth--ah--side."

  "I shouldn't wonder if you were right, Ratio," assented Bo, anxiously."It does look better over there, only there's no way to get acrossexcept this slippery looking, rotten old log, and I don't feel much liketrying that."

  "Walk out on it a little way, Bo," said Horatio, getting interested,"and throw your line over there by that cypress snag. That looks like agood place."

  Bosephus rose cautiously, and, balancing himself with the long canepole, edged his way a few inches at a time toward the middle of thestream, pausing every little way to be sure that the log showed no signof yielding. He could swim, but he did not wish for a wetting, andbesides there were a good many alligators in these Louisiana waters andsome very fierce snapping turtles. He had heard the negroes say thatalligators were particularly fond of boys, and that snapping turtlesnever let go till it thundered. He had no wish to furnish supper for analligator and there were no signs of a thunder storm. Hence he advancedwith great prudence. When he had nearly reached the centre Horatiocalled to him.

  "Try it from there, Bo! Your line's long enough to reach!"

  The little boy steadied himself by a limb that projected from the logand swung his line in the direction the Bear had indicated. Then hewaited, holding his breath almost, and watching his float, which laysilently on the water. Horatio was watching, too, with half closed eyes,and now and then giving instructions.

  "Pull it a little more to the right, Bo--nearer that root," hewhispered.

  Bosephus obeyed, but the float still lay silently on the water.

  "Draw it a little toward you, Bo; sometimes when they think its goingaway they make a rush for it."

  Again the little boy did as directed, but without result.

  "Lift out your bait and see if it's all right. Now fling it a littlefurther toward the bank."

  Bo lifted out the bait, which was still lively and untouched, and flungit far over toward the other shore. Then he waited in silence once more,but there was no sign of even so much as a nibble.

  "Oh, pshaw, Ratio!" he said at last impatiently. "I don't believe youknow anything about fishing. Either that or there are no fish inhere--one of the two."

  He had turned his head toward the Bear as he spoke and was not lookingat his float. All at once the Bear sat straight up, pointing at thewater.

  "Your cork's gone!" he shouted. "You've got one! Pull, Bo, pull!"

  The little boy turned so quickly that he almost lost his balance andcould not immediately obey. Horatio was wild with excitement.

  "Why don't you pull?" he howled. "Do you expect him to climb up yourpole? Are you waiting for him to make his toilet before he appears?Well, talk about fishermen!"

  Bosephus was struggling madly to follow instructions. He was holding tothe dead limb like grim death and pulling fiercely at the pole with onehand. The fish must be a large one, for it swung furiously from side toside, but could not be brought to the surface. Horatio on the bank wasstill shouting and dancing violently.

  "You'll lose him!" he yelled; "you'll never in the world land him thatway. You ought to go fishing for tin fish in a tub! Just let me outthere; I'll show you how to fish!" and Horatio made a rush toward thelog on which Bo was standing.

  "PULL, BO, PULL!"]

  "Go back! Go back!" screamed the little boy. "It won't hold us both!"But the Bear was too much excited by this time to heed any caution. Hehurried to the centre of the log and seizing the pole from Bo's handgave a fierce pull. The fish swung clear of the water and far out on thebank, but the strain on their support was too great. There was a loudcracking sound, and before they knew what had happened both werestruggling in the water.

  "Help! Help!" howled Horatio. "I'm drowning!"

  "Hold to the end of the log!" shouted Bo. "I'll swim ashore and tow youin with the pole!"

  He struck out as he spoke and in a few strokes was near enough to seizesome bushes that overhung the water. Suddenly he heard Horatio giveforth a scream so wild that he whirled about to look. Then he sawsomething that made him turn cold. In a half circle, a few feet awayfrom where Horatio was clinging to the end of the broken log for dearlife, there had risen from the water a number of long, black, uglyheads. A drove of alligators!

  "Bo! Bo!" shrieked the wretched Bear. "They're after me! They'll eat mealive--skin and all! Save me! Save me!"

  The little boy swung himself to the shore and dashed up the bank. Hisfirst thought had been to seize the fishing pole and with it to dragHoratio to safety. But at that instant his eye fell on the violin. Hehad learned to play very well himself during the last few weeks and heremembered the night of the panther dance in the Arkansaw woods. Hesnatched up the instrument and struck the bow across the strings.

  "Sing, Horatio!" he shouted. "It's your turn to sing!" and Bosephusbroke out into a song that after the first line the Bear joined as if henever expected to sing again on earth.

  Music]

  "Oh, there was an Old Bear went out for a swim, And the alligators came just to take a look at him,

  "OH, THERE WAS AN OLD BEAR WENT OUT FOR A SWIM."]

  Music]

  And the Bear was glad to see 'em, and he wanted them to stay, And he sang a song to please 'em so they wouldn't go away."

  As the music rolled out on the water there rose to the surface anotherhalf circle of dark objects. The Bear shut his eyes and his voice grewfaint. They were snapping turtles.

  "Stop, Bo!" he wailed. "It's no use. It only brings more of 'em, and newkinds."

  "No, no; go on," whispered Bo, who had crept down quite to the water'sedge. "Now--ready! sing!"

  Music]

  "Then 'tis 'Gator, Alligator, we expect to see you later, If you really have to leave us--if you can't remain to tea--

  Music]

  Then 'tis Turtle, Mr. Turtle, you will notice we are fertile, In providing entertainment for our com--pa--nee."

  New arrivals appeared constantly until the water and logs and stumps bythe water's edge were alive with listening creatures. Still rememberingthe panther dance the boy called in a whisper to Horatio:--

  "Softly now; sing it again."

  They repeated the song, letting their voices and music gradually blendinto the whispering of the trees. Bo sang with closed eyes, but thewatching Bear saw the listening circle of heads sink lower and lower sogently that he could not be sure when the water had closed over them.From roots and logs and stumps dark forms slid noiselessly into thestream and disappeared. The music died away and ceased. Horatio lookedat the little boy eagerly.

  "HELP! HELP!"]

  "Quick, the pole, Bo," he called softly. "They're all gone."

  A moment later he was holding on to the cane pole with teeth and clawsand being towed to shore. As he marched up the bank he picked up thelarge fish that was still flopping at the end of the line.

  "Very fine, Bosephus," he said, holding it up. "You wouldn't have hadthat fish for supp
er if it hadn't been for me, Bosephus."