Mango Thief: A Mango Bob Adventure by Myers Bill H

Author:Myers, Bill H. [Myers, Bill H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-04-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Five

A sign near the middle of the pier got my attention. In bright red letters on a white background, were the words, ‘Danger. Alligators and Snakes in Area.’

For those who couldn’t read, a drawing of a toothy gator with its mouth open and a coiled snake in strike mode delivered the same warning.

If you travel much in Florida, you’ll see similar signs near almost every body of water. But this one was unusual. Instead of being on the shore discouraging visitors from getting into the water, this one was midway down a four-hundred-foot pier. Well beyond the shoreline.

At first glance, the sign seemed to suggest gators and snakes could be up on the pier. That would not be good.

I didn’t see how that could be possible though. They’d have to get up on the pier the same way I did. By taking the wooden ramp at the shoreline. If they were doing that, that’s where the warning sign should be. At the pier entrance.

But there wasn’t one there, which led me to believe the sign was warning that gators or snakes could be in the water below, not up where we were walking. Still, in case I was wrong, I pointed the sign out so O'Connor wouldn’t miss it.

I kept walking, heading toward the end of the pier, ready to high-step it in case I came up on a snake or gator.

Fortunately, I didn’t see either.

At the end of the pier, I looked out over the river toward the NASA launch complex on the other side of the river. Much of it was obscured by fog rising up off the water, but the aircraft warning lights on the main launch tower were clearly visible. On a clear day, the end of the pier would be a great place to watch a launch.

Hearing a splash nearby, I turned to see if Agent O'Connor had fallen in. She hadn’t, at least not yet. She was leaning over the handrail, looking down at something.

I went over to see what it was.

When I got close, she pointed to the water below. “Maybe that’s what the sign was warning us about.”

Looking down, I could see a five-foot-long alligator gar, swimming in circles, snapping up small fish as it moved. Its long serrated snout resembled the barbs on a chainsaw.

As we watched, other gar swam into view. They seemed to be working as a pack, clearing out the schools of pin-fish living under the pier. The little fish didn’t have a chance. Nor would a human if the pod of gar attacked them with the same viciousness.

It was interesting to watch, but after a few minutes, I’d had enough. It was getting dark and neither of us had brought a flashlight. Having read the warning sign about snakes, I didn’t want to be walking around at night without one.

I didn’t tell O'Connor I was heading back. I just walked away. She followed. A lot closer than she had before. At one point she was close enough that we could have touched.

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