No, it could not have been at the flamingoes Francois had fired.

What then?
This was the question which Basil and Lucien put to each other, not without some feelings of anxiety.
Perhaps, thought they, Francois has sprung a deer, or trampled up a flock of turkeys?
So the brothers were fain to conjecture; but their conjectures were soon ended by Francois himself, who was heard far off through the woods, shouting in a fearful manner.
Basil and Lucien seized their rifles, and ran forward to find him; but before they could reach the piece of timber, Francois was seen coming up the trail between the trees, and running as if for his life! In front of him an object appeared, like a dead log, lying directly across the path.

It could not be that, for it was in motion.

It was a living animal--an alligator! It was one, too, of the largest dimensions--nearly twenty feet in length, and lay right across the path.

Basil and Lucien saw it the moment they got opposite the opening.