“Yes. Let’s run home!” shouted Jennie in fright.

But before either of them could stir a step the savage alligator, who
had escaped from the circus again, grabbed them, one in each claw, and
then, holding them so that they couldn’t get away, he sat up on the end
of his big tail, and looked first at Susie and then at Jennie.

“Oh, please let us go!” cried Susie, with tears in her eyes.

“Oh, yes, do; and I’ll give you this half of a cookie I have left,”
spoke Jennie kindly.

“I don’t want your cookie, I want you,” sang the alligator, as if he
were reciting a song. “I’m going to eat you both!”

Then he held them still tighter in his claws, and fairly glared at them
from out of his big eyes.

“I’m going to eat you all up!” he growled, “but the trouble is I don’t
know which one to eat first. I guess I’ll eat you,” and he made a motion
toward Susie. She screamed, and then the alligator changed his mind.
“No, I guess I’ll eat you,” and he opened his mouth for Jennie. Then he
changed his mind again, and he didn’t know what to do. But, of course,
this made Jennie and Susie feel very nervous and also a big word called
apprehensive, which is the same thing.

“Oh, help! Help! Will no one help us?” cried Susie at last.

“No, I guess no one will,” spoke the alligator, real mean and saucy
like.