As he spoke Bluff took quick aim.  He was only too glad to be able to make use of his gun in so good a cause.  The thief might be all they painted him, and yet he was a white man, and a minister’s son in the bargain, the sheriff had said.

With the heavy report there was a combination of sounds.  The man in the water gave a yell, as though he fancied the shot had been aimed at him.  A short distance away, the water was being threshed wildly by some unwieldy object.

“I hit him all right!” shouted the excited marksman.

Some vigorous language came floating across from where the man was now dragging himself out of the river.

“Say, Bob Young!  You didn’t think we shot at you, did you?  There was a big ’gator after you, and he’d got you, too, only for that shot.  Better make yourself scarce around these regions.  The sheriff is after you, with dogs and a posse.”

Frank called this out after the fleeing shadowy figure that was just halting on the edge of the bank opposite.

“Thanks!” came in a hoarse voice, followed by a reckless laugh.  “But he’ll find it a hard job to corner me, you bet!”

That was the last they ever saw of Bob Young.  In the morning, sure enough, the baying of a hound was heard, and presently along came the sheriff with his two dogs and the grim deputies.

“Mornin’, boys!  Reckon yuh may ‘a’ seen sumpin o’ my man this heah time, as he’s sure been close tuh yuh!” he called out while still some distance off.

“Yes.  He tried to rob us last night, and jumped overboard when discovered,” returned Frank.

“And swam across to the other side.  He was followed by a ’gator, that might have got him, too, only for our chum, Bluff, here, giving the reptile a shot,” proceeded Jerry; while aside he said:  “Get busy, Will, with that shebang of yours.  Now’s your chance to snap him off!”

“What’s that, suh?  If anybody tries to snap me off they’re sure liable tuh get punctured some!” exclaimed the sheriff, whose ears were as keen as his eyes.

Frank laughed as he said: 

“He means with a camera, Mr. Sheriff.  My friend was sorry he didn’t get your picture before, that’s all.  But if you want to cross over we can let you use our little dinghy here.”

“Now, that’s very considerate o’ yuh, suh.  I accept with pleasure, and when we round that rapscallion up, as we surely will before callin’ the game off, yuh can have the satisfaction of knowing yuh hev helped the forces of law an’ order, suh, to put an end tuh the career o’ a most notorious rascal.  I neglected tuh tell yuh before that this Bob Young is wanted fo’ many crimes.”

Frank tied a long rope to the dinghy, so that after the sheriff and his men and dogs were well over he could pull the boat back again.  The dogs swam across, and the three men filled the small craft so full that there was danger of its capsizing.

However, they managed to get over in safety, and Will took a fine view of the strange ferry, with the dogs swimming alongside, while they were in midstream.  The sheriff was so obliging as to actually pose for the picture.