Jim Bowie by Robert E. Hollmann Page A

opened his eyes and yawned. He looked at the two puppies watching him with wide eyes.
    “Oh, all right. Now where was I? Oh, yes. The alligator was coming right for me. I turned and tried to run up the bank, but it was wet and I slipped down toward the alligator. I turned to run again and I felt the alligator bite down on my tail. I yelped and tried to pull away, but the alligator was too strong. I felt myself being pulled toward the alligator and there was nothing I could do about it. I knew I was a goner.”
    The old dog shivered as he thought about being food for the alligator. “Just when I had given up all hope, I heard something crashing through the bushes. I looked up and saw the young man called Jim leap off the riverbank with a yell. He flew over me and landed on the alligator’s back. The alligator was surprised and opened his mouth. I jumped away, but part of my tail fell off. I ran under the bush where I had been hiding and watched as Jim sat on the alligator’s back and grabbed the alligator’s jaws, holding his mouth shut. Jim was yelling and holding on as tightly as he could, while the alligator moved his body from side to side, trying to throw Jim off his back.”
    Princess snuggled up to the old dog while Butch stood up and said, “If I had been there, I would have grabbed that alligator’s tail and bitten it clean off. That’s what I would have done.”
    The old dog shook his head and continued his story.
    “Jim was holding on for dear life, and I could tell that the alligator was getting tired. I looked up and saw Jim’s brother, Rezin, looking down at the fight….”
    “Hold on, Jim. I think he’s giving up.”
    Jim’s face was turning red and he was breathing hard, but he held on to the alligator’s jaws. The movement of the gator’s tail was getting slower and slower. All at once, Jim hopped off the alligator and turned him over on his back. Jim began to rub the gator’s stomach, and soon the alligator was asleep. Jim slowly stood up and smiled at his brother.
    “Wow, that sure was fun. That gator was strong. I was worried there for a little while.”
    Rezin walked down next to Jim. “You better be worried. That gator tore your shirt. Remember what Ma told you? ‘Don’t be wrestling alligators and don’t be tearing up your clothes.’ You’re going to be in more trouble with her than you were with that alligator.”
    Jim looked at the rip in his shirt and shrugged.
    “I’ll tell her I caught it on a tree. She can’t get mad about that.”
    “Jim, you can’t lie to Ma. She sees right through you every time. Well, we best be getting back home. I think that alligator will be waking up pretty soon.”
    Rezin walked up the riverbank. Jim looked over at the bush where I was hiding.
    “Hold on, Rezin.”
    Jim walked over to the bush and knelt down to look at me. He held out his hand.
    “Come here, pup,” he said.
    I backed further under the bush and growled, trying to sound mean. Jim smiled and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a piece of meat and held it toward me.
    “Are you hungry?” he asked. “Wrestling alligators always makes me hungry.”
    I sniffed at the meat. It had been a while since I had eaten. It smelled good. I looked at Jim. He seemed friendly. I took a step forward and licked the meat. It tasted good. I took the meat from Jim’s hand and began to chew it. It sure tasted good. Jim rubbed his hand on my head while I ate. When I was finished I licked his hand to let him know he was my friend. Jim felt my tail where the alligator had bitten it.
    “You’re sure lucky, pup. That alligator wanted you for supper.”
    “Come on, Jim,” Rezin called. “We have to get home. Ma will be mad enough about your shirt without us being late for supper.”
    Jim picked me up and rubbed my head. I snuggled against him. I felt safe for the first time in a long while.
    “You taking that pup home?” Rezin asked.
    Jim nodded.
    “I can’t leave him out here to be alligator