These sharp ends had also been charred to harden them.
"There," said Frank, as Mark gazed at this outfit with a perplexed look, "that's my alligator line; and after dinner, if you'll help me, we'll fish for that old fellow in the cove." "All right," said Mark; "I'm your man; but where's your hook ?" "This," answered Frank, holding up the bit of sharpened stick.

"It's all the hook I want, and I'll show you how to use it when we get ready." After dinner the boys found several teams on both sides of the river waiting to be ferried across; then Mark had to go with Jan for a load of fence posts, so that it wanted only about an hour of sundown when they finally found themselves at liberty to carry out their designs against the alligator.
Frank said this was all the better, as alligators fed at night, and the nearer dark it was, the hungrier the old fellow would be.
Taking a large fish, one of a half a dozen he had caught during the day, Frank thrust the bit of stick, with the line attached, into its mouth and deep into its body.

"There," said he, "now you see that if the 'gator swallows that fish he swallows the stick too.

He swallows it lengthwise, but a strain on the line fixes it crosswise, and it won't come out unless Mr.'Gator comes with it.

Sabe ?" "I see," answered Mark; "but what am I to do ?" "I want you to lie down flat in the boat, and hold on to the line about twenty feet from this end, which I am going to make fast to the ferry post.