[Illustration: Cover art]

[Frontispiece: "Now, we are in for it, " said Charlie, as he found aseat in the fork of a limb. Page 229. ]

The Boy Chums

In the Forest

OR

Hunting for Plume Birds in the Florida Everglades

BY WILMER M. ELY

 Author of "The Boy Chums on Indian River, " "The Boy Chums on Haunted Island, " "The Boy Chums' Perilous Cruise, " "The Boy Chums in the Gulf of Mexico. "

[Illustration: Title page art]

A. L. BURT COMPANY

NEW YORK

Copyright 1910

BY A. L. BURT COMPANY

Under the Title of The Young Plume Hunters

THE BOY CHUMS IN THE FOREST

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

 I. [Transcriber's note: no title] II. ON THE WAY III. WOODCRAFT IV. A LESSON V. THE 'GATOR HUNTERS VI. SOME SURPRISES VII. THE QUAGMIRE VIII. THE BATTLE IX. THE BEES AND THE BEAR X. SHOOTING A THIEF XI. THE PAWPAWS XII. CHARLEY'S MISTAKE XIII. THE BATTLE XIV. THE VICTIMS XV. A FLAG OF TRUCE XVI. THE RETREAT XVII. THE FLIGHT BY NIGHT XVIII. CAPTURED XIX. THE SWAMP XX. SAVED XXI. THE TREASURE XXII. DISAPPOINTMENT XXIII. MORE MYSTERY XXIV. MORE SURPRISES XXV. THE CHAPEL XXVI. PREPARATIONS XXVII. A TERRIBLE NIGHT XXVIII. PREPARATIONS XXIX. THE ENEMY XXX. THE ATTACK XXXI. THE PARLEY XXXII. HELP XXXIII. THE SEMINOLES XXXIV. THE RETURN

THE BOY CHUMS IN THE FOREST

OR

Hunting for Plume Birds in the Florida Everglades. 

CHAPTER I. 

Night had fallen upon a wild Florida forest, and all was still save forthe hooting of a distant owl and the occasional plaintive call of awhip-poor-will. In a little clearing by the side of a faintbridle-path a huge fire of fat pine knots roared and crackled, lightingup the small cleared space and throwing its flickering rays in amongstthe dark, gloomy pines. 

At the edge of the clearing, two wiry little Florida ponies, tetheredwith rawhide ropes, browsed upon the short, dry wire-grass. 

Nearer to the fire lay a neatly done-up pack, and beside it ahigh-pommeled Mexican saddle, while the firelight gleamed on thepolished barrels of a fine shotgun and rifle leaning against the pack. 

Close to the blaze a heap of glowing coals had been raked a little toone side, and upon them rested a coffee-pot and large frying-pan fromwhich stole forth appetizing odors of steaming coffee and frying bacon. 

The man bending over the coals was heavily bearded and past middle age, but his broad shoulders and huge frame still gave evidence of greatstrength and endurance. There was about him an air of anxiousexpectancy, and from time to time he rose from his crouching positionand with hand to ear listened intently. 

"I sort o' wonder if they'll all fail me, " he muttered, as he removedthe frying-pan from the coals but set it near enough to keep thecontents hot. 

As if in answer to his soliloquy, there rose above the crackling of thefire, the muffled distant thud of galloping hoofs. A few moments latera well-built, sturdy lad astride a mettlesome pony dashed into thecircle of firelight. 

Throwing the reins over the pony's head, the rider leaped from thesaddle and with a rush had the elderly man clasped in his arms in anaffectionate hug. 

"Captain Westfield!" he shouted in boyish delight. 

"Charley West, " cried the man, "glad to see you, lad, glad to see you. My! you have grown. How are you, boy?"

"Fine, Captain, couldn't be better. But wait 'till I 'tend to my pony, and we will have a good, long powwow. "

With sure swift movements, the newcomer removed saddle, pack, and guns, and staked his pony out near the others. This done he returned to thefire. 

"What's in the wind?" he began, firing in the questions with the speedof a Maxim. "Something worth while, judging from that mysteriousletter of yours. What is the scheme? Why this secret meeting in theforest instead of in town? Why"--but the man he called captaininterrupted him with a chuckle. 

"Hold a minute, lad. Just bowse your jib for a bit. You must behungry, boy. "

"Starved as a wolf. I could even eat a razorback, if I didn't have tosee it before it was cooked. "

The captain forked out a quantity of crisp bacon upon a tin plate andfilled a big granite cup with fragrant coffee, for Charlie West, andfrom his saddle-bags brought out a bag of hardtack. Helping himselfalso, both fell to with a will. 

"What were you doin' when you got my letter, Charley?" asked thecaptain between mouthfuls. 

"Nothing, just kicking myself and brooding away in the city. " Thelad's bright, clear eyes looked frankly into the captain's as hecontinued. "I have been making a fool of myself, Captain. Got intosome mischief with a crowd of fellows at school. Of course, I gotcaught and had to bear the whole blame for the silly joke we hadplayed. The faculty has suspended me for a term. I would have got offwith only a reprimand if I would have told the names of the otherfellows, but I couldn't do that, you know. "

"No, " nodded the captain, approvingly, "that would have been sneakish. But how are you fixed for money, Charley?"

The lad's face fell. "I spent it at first as though there was no endto my little pile, " he said. "I had pulled up when your letter came, but I only had enough left to pay my way back to Florida, buy thispony, and the outfit you suggested. There's nothing left. The fellowstried to get me to stay and work in the city until the next school termopens, but I told them, no! that I was going back to the best friend aboy ever had, back to the man who had been just as good as a father tome ever since my own folks died and left me a young boy alone inFlorida. I told them of some of the adventures we had been throughtogether, and what dandy chums we've been for such a long time. "

"You told them city fellows all that?" exclaimed the delighted captain, "you talked to 'em like that, Charley?"

"Certainly, it was only the truth, " said the lad, stoutly. "But it isyour turn now, Captain. I am wild with curiosity. "

"Lay to for a while, lad; I am expectin' another member for our crewany time now, and it's no use spinnin' the same yarn twice. "

Charley's open face clouded a trifle, and he hesitated before he said, "I am not questioning your judgment, Captain, but you and I have campedout enough to know that a good camp-mate is about the scarcest articleto be found. If we take in a stranger on this trip, which I surmisefrom the outfits is going to be a long one, the chances are more thaneven that he will turn out a quitter or a shirker. "

The captain knocked the ashes from his pipe as he inquired, "Now whowould you select for a third member, Charley?"

"I do not know anyone in Florida I would want to take a chance on for along trip. I only know two fellows I would like to have along, and wecan't get them. One is Walter Hazard, the Ohio boy who chummed with usdown here for so long. The other is that little Bahama darky, Chris, whom Walter insisted on taking back north with him and putting in aschool. There wasn't a yellow streak in either one, and Chris was awonderful camp-fire cook. "

"I wrote to Walt two days afore I wrote to you, " observed the captain, calmly. 

Charley stared at the simple old sailor in frank amazement. "Yousurely don't imagine he'll drop whatever he is doing and travel athousand miles just for a trip with you and I?" he at last recoveredhimself enough to demand. 

The captain nodded complacently. "I've sort of got a feelin' that way, an' if I ain't mistaken, them's his pony's hoofs comin' now--somewaythey sound different from what yours did, though. "

Both adventurers rose to their feet and stood eagerly peering into thedarkness from which there came the thud of rapidly approaching hoofs. 

A moment later and two ponies were reined up in the circle offire-light. As Charley recognized one less robust than himself, hegave a shout of delight and with a rush dragged him from his saddle inan affectionate embrace, while the captain, his eyes dancing withpleasure, was wringing the hand of a widely-grinning little darky whohad dismounted from the other animal. 

"Go easy, Charley, " said the newcomer with a happy grin, "you'resqueezing all the wind out of my body, and that is all there is in itnow. Chris and I had to hustle to make connections and get here ontime. We haven't had a bite to eat to-day. "

"Walter Hazard, you are the one person I would have picked out for thistrip, " Charley cried joyfully, "and Chris, too, it seems almost toogood to be true. But come over to the fire, and we will cure thatempty feeling in a minute. The captain is helping Chris put the poniesup. "

Charley quickly routed out a clean plate, and heaped it up with baconand hardtack, reserving, however, a generous portion for Chris. 

"Fall to and don't wait, " he commanded, and Walter lingered for nosecond bidding. 

In a few minutes they were joined by the captain and the little negro, who was quickly helped to the balance of the bacon and coffee. 

As the two munched away, the captain and Charley plied them withquestions which the hungry newcomers answered between mouthfuls. 

"How was you gettin' along when that thar letter of mine reached you, Walt, " asked the captain, gravely. 

"Good and bad both, " said the youth, draining his cup with a sigh ofsatisfaction. "Some time before I had bought up the mortgage on thefarm without saying a word to father or mother. I was selfish, Iguess, but I wanted the pleasure of their surprise. " His eyes sparkledmoistly. "My! it was great. It was worth every cent, although it tooknearly every dollar of my little pile. You had ought to have been upthere to see them the morning the mortgage fell due. Their faces weresad, enough to have made you cry. Thirty years they had worked andlived on that farm, and I guess there is no spot on earth quite thesame to them. When mother lifted up her plate and saw the canceledmortgage underneath, it was some time before she grasped its meaning, and then she just broke down and cried. There were tears of joy infather's eyes, too, and I began to feel a lump in my throat, so I justgot up and streaked it out for the barn, where I stayed until thingscalmed down a bit. But I am making a long story out of how my moneywent. I went to work in a store after that, but it wasn't long beforeI began to run down and the doctor would have long talks with fatherand mother. Then your letter came, and--well, here I am. "

"And Chris, how did he happen to come?" inquired Charley. 

"Trace chains couldn't have held him back when he heard I was comingback to join you. They wouldn't give him a vacation, but they wouldnot keep him in the school after he began to have regular violentfits, " said Walter, dryly. 

"Fits, " exclaimed Charley, with a glance at the grinning ebony face, the very picture of health. "He never had a real fit in his life. "

"Maybe not, Massa Charley, " admitted the vain little darky, "but, golly, I couldn't let you chillens go off alone widout Chris to lookafter you. Dey was powerful like real fits, anyway. I used to getberry sick, too, chewin' up de soap to make de foam. Reckon dis niggermade a martyr of hisself just to come along and look out for you-alls. "

Charley turned to the captain to hide his grin. "It's your turn now, Captain. We've all showed our colors, even to Chris. It's up to younow to explain this business. "

The captain knocked the ashes from the bowl of his pipe beforeremarking sagely, "I've noticed as how fish will bite at a good manykinds of bait, but if you want to make sartin sho' of a boy, thar'sonly one bait to use, and that's a good big chunk of mystery. "

He glanced around at the suddenly crestfallen faces about him, andhastened to continue, "Don't look so down, lads. I ain't brought allof you so fer just for a joke. I just wanted to make sure of you and Ididn't want the town people nosin' around and askin' questions, that'swhy I named this meetin' place. "

The three faces brightened again. "Go on, Captain, come to the point, "urged Walter, eagerly. 

But the captain was enjoying their suspense, and with a twinkle in hiseye proceeded slowly, "I was sort of loafin' around town one day abouttwo weeks ago when I come across a Seminole, who, I reckon, had beensent in by his squaw to trade for red calico and beads, " he paused fora moment and Charley exclaimed impatiently--

"Bother the Indian, we are not bound for the Everglades to fight them, are we?"

"He was about the drunkest brave I ever saw, " continued the captain, calmly ignoring the interruption. "When I came across him he wassittin' on the end of a waterin' trough declaimin' what a great Injunhe was, givin' war-whoops, an' cryin' by turns. One of his remarkssorter interested me and I didn't lose no time in makin' friends. Lads, I couldn't have stuck no closer to that redskin if he had been mylong lost brother. I kept him away from other folks, an' by an' by Itipped him into the waterin' trough, kinder accident-like. The watersorter sobered him up a little an' pretty soon he began to want to hitthe trail for home. I helped him out of town an' started him back forcamp, where, I reckon, his old lady was waitin' to give him fits forforgettin' the calico and beads. " The captain paused as if his talewas completed. 

"For goodness' sake, Captain, what has your drunken Indian got to dowith us?" demanded Charley, his patience at an end. 

The captain lowered his voice dramatically. "Lads, that Seminole wascarryin' around on him over five hundred dollars' worth of white andpink aigret plumes. "

"Whew!" whistled the boys, half incredulously. 

"Yes, " affirmed the captain, "an' I found out where he got them, too. He let out that he bagged them all out by the Upper St. John's River, due west of here. He declared the birds were as thick as the stars atnight, but I reckon some allowance has to be made for poetic licenseand the red liquor he had in him. "

Three boyish faces were shining, now, and questions and answers mingledin eager confusion. 

"How far is it to the river?"

"Two long days' travel. "

"What kind of birds bear the plumes?"

"The blue heron, and the pink and white egret. "

"What are the plumes worth?"

"Five dollars an ounce for perfect ones. "

"Whew, it will be just like finding money. "

Likely the eager young hunters would have talked the entire night away, but the captain soon interrupted their flow of questions. 

"Plenty of time to talk to-morrow, lads. Get to bed now, for we wantto start at daybreak. "

The boys promptly obeyed. Blankets were spread out near the fire, andwith their saddles for pillows the little party were soon in the landof dreams, blissfully unaware of the terrible experiences through whichthey were soon to pass. 

CHAPTER II. 

ON THE WAY. 

It seemed to the boys that they had only just fallen asleep when acrash like that of mighty thunder brought them startled out of the landof dreams. Instinctively both reached for their belts and pistols, which they had placed close to their hands on retiring. There was noneed for their use, however, for the author of the deafening racket wasonly Chris who, with a grin on his face, was beating on a tin-pan closeto their heads. 

"You little imp, I thought it was an earthquake, " cried Charley as hehurled a shoe at the little darky, who dodged it nimbly. 

"Just couldn't wake you no other way, " grinned Chris. "Time to get up, Massas, daylight dun come. "

The sky in the east was glowing rosy-red, and the boys lost no time inslipping into their outer clothes and strapping on their pistol belts, which completed their attire. 

The captain was already astir, busily engaged in strapping the packs onthe animals, while, early as it was, Chris had breakfast ready. 

"I tell you what it is, " declared Charley, while munching his hardtackand bacon, "we'll soon tire of this fare. We must get some fresh meatvery soon. "

"A wild turkey roasted over the coals would go pretty well, " suggestedWalter. 

"Deer foah dis nigger, " declared Chris, "you-alls just ought to tastede venison steaks when I dun broil 'em. "

"I like bear steaks, sizzling brown, " said Charley, thoughtfully. 

"Oh, keep still, you gluttons, " laughed the captain. "We ain't likelyto get any of those things unless we stop and have a regular hunt, an'I don't like to take the time for it. Maybe we'll pick up somethin' orother on our way. But now hurry up, boys, it's time we were startin'. "

After taking the precaution to cover their fire with sand, all weresoon in the saddle, and with Charley in the lead, took up the trailjust as the sun rose above the distant tree-tops. 

After half an hour's riding, Charley reined in his pony. "Trail's cometo an end, " he announced. 

"Good!" cried Walter, with all of a boy's delight in the unknown, "thatmeans we are getting beyond the range of hunters. Hurrah for the landbeyond. "

The captain produced a small compass and handed it to Charley. "Steerdue west as near as you can, " he directed. 

Then followed hours of twisting and winding in and out amongst the bigtrees, now headed one way, now another, but keeping the generalwesterly direction. All hands kept their guns ready, but, althoughthey saw evidences of big game on every hand, the noise of theiradvance must have frightened the wild creatures to their hiding-placeslong before our hunters came in sight. 

As the party advanced the forest grew denser, the trees closertogether. At last, when they began to fear that further progress wouldbe impossible, they burst suddenly into a stretch of open countryextending as far as the eye could see. 

"Isn't it great!" exclaimed Walter; "just look at those pretty littlelakes, you can see one no matter in what direction you look. "

"It is pretty, " agreed Charley, "but I am thinking more of dinner thanscenery. I suppose it has got to be bacon and hardtack again. I'm--"but Charley did not finish the sentence. His pony had put its foot ina hole and stumbled, while Charley, taken unawares, pitched over theanimal's head and landed on all fours in a little heap of sand besidethe hole that had caused the mischief. To the surprise of hiscompanions, he did not rise, but remained in the position in which hehad fallen, staring at the hole. 

"Are you hurt, Charley?" cried the captain, anxiously. 

"Not a bit, " grinned Charley as he regained a sitting position on thesand-heap. "I'm just holding down our dinner, " he added calmly. "Getoff, gents, and help me finish the job. "

"Now, Chris, " he directed, when they had dismounted, "do you see thattall slender sapling over there? It's just the thing I want. Pleasetake the axe and get it for me, and don't cut off all the limbs. "

Chris obeyed with alacrity, for experience had taught him that Charleynever made useless demands. In a few minutes he was back dragging thesapling after him. 

With a few strokes of the axe, Charley lopped off all the branches saveone close to the small end of the trunk. This one he cut off so as toleave a projecting stub of about four inches, thus making of the end ofhis sapling a sort of rude harpoon. 

His companions looked on with curiosity, but asked no questions, forthey knew their chum delighted in surprises. 

The pole finished, Charley poked the barbed end down into the hole. Down, down it went, fifteen, twenty feet, then struck with a dull thud. He began twisting the sapling over and over, then drew it slowly andgently up, but the end came into view with nothing adhering to it. Again and again was the fruitless operation repeated, and a look ofdisappointment had begun to settle on Charley's face when at last hisharpoon came into view with a dark mass clinging to it. 

"A turtle, " exclaimed Walter in delight. 

"No, a gopher, but I'll admit it is a kind of land turtle, although itfeeds entirely on grass and never goes near the water, " explainedCharley, proud of his capture. "Chris, ride on to that first littlelake yonder and get a fire started. We'll be there in a few minutes. "

Charley fastened a buckskin thong to one of the gopher's flippers andhung it from his saddle-horn, then all remounted and turned theirponies toward the place where Chris had disappeared among the treesfringing the lake. 

They had covered part of the distance when there came a yell and Chris'pony broke from the trees and bore down upon them at a run. The littledarky was clinging to its back, his face ashen and his eyes bulgingwith terror. 

"Go back, Massas, " he shouted, "hit's a lake of blood, hit's a lake ofblood!"

Walter grabbed the flying pony's rein and brought the animal to a halt. "Nonsense, " he said, roughly, "you're crazy, Chris. Come on all, let'ssee what's scared him so. " He spurred forward followed by the othersand still retaining his hold upon the bridle of Chris' pony, in spiteof the little darky's chattering, "Let me go, Massa Walt. Please letme go. "

In a few moments the little party entered the fringe of timber andreined in their horses on the shore of the tiny lake. For a momentthey sat speechless in their saddles, and truly there was in the sightexcuse for Chris' chattering teeth. The little wavelets which broke attheir feet were the color of blood, while the lake itself lay like agiant ruby in its setting of green; glistening and sparkling in thesun's bright rays. 

Charley dismounted from his horse and from his saddle-bags produced asmall medicine glass, which he filled with the liquid and held up tothe light. The fluid sparkled clear as crystal and of a beautifulcrimson hue. 

"It beats me, " he announced, "I thought it might be the bottom gave itthat color, but whatever it is, it is in the water itself. "

Walter wheeled his horse and studied the encircling trees carefully. "I've got it, " he announced, "do you notice all these trees are of onekind?"

"You're right, " Charley exclaimed, "they are all red bays. It's theirroots that color the water. "

The boys turned to chaff Chris, but he had slipped away at the firstwords of the explanation. Soon he reappeared with an armful of drywood. His face was still ashen, but his teeth had stopped chattering. 

"Golly, " he exclaimed, pompously, "reckon dis nigger had you-alls scartdis time. Dis nigger shore had de joke on you dis time. "

The boys glanced at each other and grinned. "I wouldn't try it again, Chris, " Charley chuckled; "you might throw a fit next time, you act soreal. "

While Chris was making a fire and preparing a bed of coals, Charleycleaned the gopher. 

This animal is very much like a turtle, but the tissue which unites theupper and lower shells is so hardened as to be impervious to a knife. Charley solved the problem by wedging it in the fork of a fallen tree, and after two or three attempts he succeeded in separating the shellswith an axe. 

"Let me finish hit, Massa Charley, " pleaded Chris; "dis nigger knowsjust how to fix him now you got him open. "

Charley was nothing loath to turn over the disagreeable task ofcleaning to the little darky, who swiftly completed it. He removed themeat from the shell, skinned the edible portions, and threw the offalfar from the fire. Next he washed both meat and shells carefully, salted and peppered the meat, and replaced it in the shell, laying ontop of it a few thin slices of pork. Then, he bound both shellstightly together with wisps of green palmetto leaves. Lastly, hewrapped another green leaf around the shell and buried it in the bed ofglowing coals now ready. 

"That's a new idea, " grinned Walter, "making your game supply its owncooking-pot. My! but it smells good, though. "

In a very short time, Chris pronounced the gopher done and it waslifted from the coals and the shells cut apart revealing the steaming, juicy meat within. 

Our hungry party pronounced the meat far sweeter and more tender thanchicken, and the empty shells soon bore evidence to their sincerity. 

After a brief rest, they mounted and again took up the trail, soonleaving behind their halting-place, which the boys named LakeChristopher, much to the vain little darky's chagrin. He had a shrewdsuspicion that he would not hear the last of his fright for many a day. 

CHAPTER III. 

WOODCRAFT. 

For a while the little party rode forward in silence, winding in andout between pretty lakes and bunches of timber, with no path to guidethem, but with the help of the compass, managing to edge slowly to thewest. Charley still maintained the lead, but in the open countrythrough which they were traveling it was possible to ride abreast, andWalter soon spurred up beside his chum. 

"Do you know, Charley, I begin to feel like a babe in the woods, " heconfessed. "I suspect you are the only one of us who knows anythingabout woodcraft. I know nothing about it, I am sure Chris doesn't, andI suspect the captain is far more at home reefing a top-sail. You havegot to be our guide and leader, I guess. "

"I have hunted a good deal, and a fellow can't help but learn a fewthings if he is long in the woods, " said Charley, modestly, "but I'venever been so far into the interior before. I wish, Walt, " hecontinued gravely, "that there was someone along with us that knew thecountry we are going to better than I, or else that we were safely backin town once more. "

"Why?" demanded Walter in astonishment. 

"I dread the responsibility, and, " lowering his voice so the otherscould not hear, "I have seen something I do not like. "

"What?" queried his chum, eagerly. 

Charley produced a square plug of black chewing tobacco from hispocket. "I picked that up in the edge of the clearing this morning, "he explained. "It wasn't even damp, so it must have been dropped afterthe dew settled last night. "

"Some lone hunter passed by in the night, " suggested Walter, cheerfully. 

"I wish I could think so, " said Charley anxiously. "But you know aswell as I that there are some gangs of lawless men in Florida, gatheredfrom all quarters of the globe, and, Walter, " lowering his voice to awhisper, "I saw signs that there was more than one man near our camplast night. "

"What kind of signs?" his chum demanded. 

"Broken bushes, the marks of horses' hoofs, and a dozen other littlethings of no importance when considered separately. "

"A fig for your signs, you old croaker, " laughed Walter, "you'll beseeing ghosts next. I didn't see any of the signs you talk about. Besides, if anyone had wished to do us harm they could have done sowithout hindrance last night. "

"I know it, " Charley admitted, "and that's what puzzles me. As for thesigns, your not noticing them proves nothing. It's the little thingsthat make up the science of woodcraft. The little things that one doesnot usually notice. "

"My eyes are pretty good, and I don't go around with them shut all thetime, " began Walter hotly, but Charley only smiled. 

"Look around and tell me what you see, Walt, " he requested. 

"A flat, level country, covered with saw palmetto, dotted with prettylittle lakes, what looks like a couple of acres of prairie ahead, and, oh yes, a lot of gopher holes all around us like the one you robbedthis morning. "

"We'll begin with the gopher holes, " Charley said with a smile. "Tellme what is in each hole as we pass it. "

"Why, gophers, I suppose. "

Charley reined in his horse before four large holes and pointed at themwith his riding-whip. "Gopher in that one, " he declared withouthesitation. "Mr. Gopher is away from the next one, out getting hisdinner likely; a coon lives in the next, but he is away from home. Rattlesnake, and a big one, lives in the fourth, but he is also awayfrom home, I am glad to say. "

Chris and the captain had ridden up to the boys, and they with Walter, stood staring at Charley in silent wonder. 

"It's easy to see, " explained the young woodsman. "When a gopher goesdown his hole, he simply draws in his flippers and slides, but when hewants to get out he has to claw his way up. You'll see the first holehas the sand pressed smooth at the entrance, while the sand in theother hole shows the mark of the flippers. That third hole is easy, too; you can see the coon tracks if you look close, and you will noticethat the claws point outward. The last hole is equally simple, you cansee the trail of the snake's body in the soft sand and those littlespots here and there made by his rattles show which way he wastraveling. "

The captain brought his hand down on his knee with a hard slap. "Ireckon I can handle any ship that was ever built, " he said, "but I'm alubber on land, boys. Charley's our pilot from now on, an' we mustmind him, lads, like a ship minds her helm. "

"If I'm going to be pilot, I'll make you all captains on the spot, "laughed Charley, as he spurred forward again into the lead. 

"Do those wonderful eyes see anything more?" mocked Walter, as he oncemore ranged alongside. 

"Don't make fun of me, Walt, " said his chum, seriously. "What I havedone is nothing. It's just noting little things and putting two andtwo together. You can easily do the same if you will train yourself toobserve things closely. "

"Do you really think I could?" asked Walter, eagerly. 

"Certainly you can, and now for the first lesson. Look closely at allthe bushes as we pass them and see if you notice anything out of theway. "

They rode on in silence for a few minutes, Walter scanning the scrub inpassing with a puzzled expression growing upon his face. 

"Well, what do you make of it?" Charley asked. 

"I don't know what to make of it, " Walter confessed. "Every fewhundred feet there are branches partly broken off and left hanging. Queer, isn't it?"

"Look closer and see if you can notice anything peculiar about thosebranches. "

"They haven't been broken off very long, for they are not very muchwithered. I should say it was done about ten days ago. "

"Good, " exclaimed Charley, approvingly, "notice anything else?"

"Yes, " declared Walter, his wits sharpening by his success, "althoughthose boughs seem to be broken accidentally, yet all are caught inamongst other twigs so that each one points in the same direction--theway we are going. What does it mean, Charley, if it means anything?"

"My color is wrong to tell you all that those broken branches mean, butI can tell you a little. About ten days ago a party of Indians passedthrough this way bound in the same direction we are. They expectedanother party of their people to follow later so they marked the wayfor them as you have seen. If I were a Seminole, I could tell fromthose broken twigs the number of the first party, whither they werebound, what was the object of their journey, and a dozen other thingshidden from me on account of my ignorance of their sign language. "

"Indians, Seminoles, " said Walter, bewildered, "I had almost forgottenthere were any in the state. "

"There isn't, legally. Years ago the United States rounded them all upand started to transport them out west to a reservation. But at St. Augustine a few hundred made their escape and fled back to theEverglades, where they have lived ever since without help orprotection, and ignored by the United States government. "

"What kind of a race are they?" asked Walter, curiously. 

"The finest race of savages I ever saw, " declared Charley, warmly;"tall, splendidly-built, cleanly, honest, and with the manners ofgentlemen--look out!" he shouted, warningly. 

Walter's horse had reared back upon his haunches with a snort ofterror. Walter, though taken by surprise, was a good horseman, andslipped from the saddle to avoid being crushed by a fall. 

A few feet in front of the frightened pony lay coiled a giganticrattlesnake, its ugly head and tail raised and its rattles singingominously. Two more steps and the pony would have been upon it. 

"Don't shoot, " pleaded Walter as Charley drew his revolver. "I knowwhere I can sell that skin for $25. 00, if there's no holes in it. "

"Let me shoot it, Walt, " pleaded Charley, anxiously, "they're awfullydangerous. "

"Aye, lad, " seconded the captain, who, with Chris, had reached thespot, "better let him shoot it, those things are too dangerous to takechances with. "

But Walter's obstinacy was roused. "Keep back, I'll fix him, " hedeclared confidently. "I'm going to have that skin and that $25. 00. "

Breaking off a dead bough from a scrub oak he approached the snakecautiously while the rest sat in their saddles silently anxious, andCharley edged his restive pony a little closer to the repulsive reptile. 

Slowly Walter moved forward, his gaze fixed intently upon the slowlywaving head before him with its glistening little diamond eyes. Nearerand nearer he crept till only a few feet separated him from thatvenomous head with its malignant unwinking eyes. 

"Strike, boy, strike, you're getting too close, " shouted the captain. 

"Oh, golly, " shrieked Chris, "look at him, look at him. "

Walter had stopped as though frozen in his tracks. His face had gonedeathly pale, and great drops of sweat stood on his forehead. The handthat held the stick unclasped, and it rattled unheeded to the ground. 

"He's charmed, " cried the captain. 

"Jump to one side, Walt, jump, " Charley shouted, "for God's sake, jump. It's going to strike. "

CHAPTER IV. 

A LESSON. 

The reptile's swaying head had drawn back and the huge snake launcheditself forward from its coils straight for the dazed lad only a fewfeet in front of it. 

Quick as was its spring, Charley was quicker. He dug his spur cruellyinto his little pony's flank. With a neigh of pain the animal leapedforward. For a moment there was a tangle of striking hoofs andwriggling coils of the foiled reptile, while Charley leaning over inhis saddle struck with the butt-end of his riding whip at the writhingcoils. Though it seemed an eternity to the helpless watchers it wasreally only a few seconds ere the pony sprang away from its loathsomeenemy and Charley with difficulty reined him in a few paces away. Thesnake with a broken neck lay lifeless on the ground, while Walter, sobbing dryly, had sunk into the arms of the captain, who had flunghimself from his horse with surprising agility for a man of his age. 

With a glance at the group, Charley dismounted, and petting andsoothing his trembling horse, ran his keen eyes over the animal's legsand flanks. From the little pony's left foreleg trickled a tiny streamof scarlet. 

"Bring up the packhorse, quick, Chris, " he commanded, with a break inhis usually steady voice. 

Quickly he removed pack, saddle and bridle from his mount. Rapidly ashe worked, he had only just removed the bridle when the pony sank toits knees, struggled for a moment to rise, then sank slowly to theground, where it lay looking up at its master with dumb appealing eyes. 

Something welled up in Charley's throat. He flung himself on theground beside his pony and put his arms around its neck. 

"Good-bye, Billy, " he whispered. "We haven't known each other long butI've got mighty fond of you, Billy, and when the time came you didn'tfail me. You acted like a gentleman, old man. "

Poor Billy's legs kicked restlessly to and fro as the tremors wentthrough him. 

With a mist in his eyes, Charley arose and looked down on the faithfulanimal. The wounded leg had already swollen to twice its natural size, the body was twitching with spasms, and the large brown eyes wereeloquent with pain and suffering. 

"I've got to do it, Billy. It's to save you torture, old fellow, justto save you useless suffering, Billy. " He drew his pistol from hisbelt, took careful aim just behind the pony's ear, and, turning hishead away, pulled the trigger. 

With never a backward glance at the still form, he strode over to thepack pony and removing the pack transferred his own saddle to theanimal. 

The pack was quickly broken up into smaller packages and distributedequally amongst the party, and soon all were moving forward again ontheir westerly course. 

It was a still, white, and shaken Walter who once more rode beside hissilent chum. 

"You saved my life, Charley, and it's a poor return to merely thankyou, " he said earnestly. 

"Don't say anything about it, " protested Charley, cheerfully. "Theshoe may be on the other foot next time, and I know you will do thesame for me then. "

But Walter had not finished. "I want to say, " he continued, "that youare the only one of us qualified to lead this party. Hereafter, whatyou say goes with me. I know it will with Captain Westfield too. "

"There's Chris, " said Charley with a smile. "I fear he will have tohave his little lesson before he gets in that frame of mind. Walt, " hecontinued earnestly, "I do not want the responsibility but I am notgoing to shirk it now that it is thrust upon me. Frankly, though, Ican't help wishing that this trip was over and we were safe back intown once more. "

"Thinking about our visitors of the other night!" Walter inquired. 

Charley nodded. "If they meant any good to us, why did they not maketheir presence known to us, " he reasoned. "Mark my words, we have notseen the last of them, --but hush, here comes the captain and Chris, there is no need to worry them with vague conjectures. "

"See that prairie ahead, Charley?" asked the captain. "Chris saysthere's a big bird in the middle of it, but I can't see anything butgrass. "

The party was now only a few hundred yards from the small prairie-likepatch. Charley rose in his stirrups and scanned it carefully. 

"Chris is right, " he said. "It's a big sand-hill crane. "

"Good to eat, Massa Charley?" demanded the little darky, eagerly. 

"I have eaten some that were equal to the finest turkey. "

"Dat settles it, " Chris shouted. "Golly, I reckon dis nigger goin' toshow you chillens how to shoot some. My shot, I seed him first. "

"Don't shoot, Chris, " said Charley, gently, "you can't get it and itwon't be fit to eat if you do. "

But Chris' obstinacy and pompous vanity were aroused. "Tink dis niggercan't shoot, eh? You-alls just watch an' Chris will show you chillenssomfin'. "

Charley said nothing more but his mouth set in a grim line. "Time forhis lesson, " he murmured to Walter. 

Chris waited until they had come within a hundred yards of the cranewhen he unslung his rifle and dismounted while the others reined in towatch the outcome. 

The little darky rested his gun on his saddle and took careful aim. The crack of his rifle was followed by a hoarse squawk and the tallbird tumbled over lifeless. 

Chris danced with delight. "I got 'em, I'se got 'em, " he cried. Likea flash he was on his pony and galloping towards the dead bird. 

"Come back, Chris, " shouted Charley, but the little darky galloped onunheeding. 

And now the rest of the party beheld a curious thing. Chris' pony hadreached the edge of the grass and had stopped so suddenly as to nearlythrow its rider over its head. In vain did the little negro apply whipand spur. Not a step further would the animal budge. They saw Chrisat last throw the reins over the pony's head and leaping from hissaddle plunge into the grass. Only the top of his head was visible butthey could trace his progress by that and it was very, very slow. Atlast he reached the crane and slinging it over his shoulder began toretrace his footsteps. His return was infinitely slow, but at last heregained his pony and dragging himself and his burden into the saddleheaded back towards the group of curious watchers. As he drew nearerthey stared in silent amazement. He was wet from head to foot, hisclothing was in tatters, and the blood flowed freely from a hundredcuts on face, hands and arms. 

He rode up to Charley with a sickly smile. "I got 'em, Massa Charley, "he boasted weakly. 

Without a word Charley reached over and took the crane from him. Stripping away the feathers, he exposed the body of the great bird andheld it up to view. The captain and Walter gave an exclamation ofdisgust. The body was merely a framework of bones with the skinhanging loosely from it. 

"It's their moulting season, " he explained simply. 

"Why you doan tell me dat place full of water, dat grass cut likeknife, an' dat ole mister crane wasn't no good nohow, " Chris demanded, hotly. 

Charley gazed at the pathetic, wretched, little figure and hisconscience smote him. 

"I told you not to go, Chris, " he said gently, "but you would do it. This time there was plenty of time to explain to you that what youthought was merely a plot of grass was really a saw-grass pond, andthat sand-hill cranes are not fit for use this season of the year; butsuppose that a danger suddenly threatened us. Is it likely, Chris, that I would always have time to stop and explain just why I wanted youto do this or that?"

But Chris was suffering too much pain and humiliation to be soothed byCharley's explanation. With a snort of anger he dug the spurs into hispony's flanks and soon was far ahead of the rest of the party. In afew minutes he came tearing back to them, his face shining withexcitement. 

"River ahead, river ahead, " he shouted. 

"It's the St. Johns, " declared Captain Westfield, scarcely lessexcited. "There's no other river in these parts. "

Although they spurred forward their jaded steeds the animals were soworn out that it was dusk before they reached the river bank, and theywent into camp immediately. 

After the supper was over, Chris approached Charley, who was sittingapart from the rest, grave, silent, and evidently buried in deepestthought. The little darky began awkwardly, "Massa Charley, Massa Capsay you de leader an' he going to do just what you say widout axin' noquestions, Massa Walt say same ting, an' I guess Chris better say same, now. Golly, I jus' reckon dis nigger made a big fool of hisself overdat bird. "

But although he answered Chris lightly and kindly, Charley was notelated over his unsought leadership. Vague suspicions were flittingthrough his mind, and his new responsibility was weighing heavily uponhis young shoulders. As the evening wore on he still sat silent, buried in thought. The captain was reading aloud from an old newspaperhe had brought along. Suddenly Charley straightened up, and a swiftglance passed between him and Walter. 

CHAPTER V. 

THE 'GATOR HUNTERS. 

The captain was laboriously spelling out the scare-head articles by theflickering firelight. 

"Desperadoes at large. "

"Last night twelve convicts, all of them life prisoners, escaped fromE. B. Richardson's turpentine camp near Turnbull. The escape waseffected by their overpowering the guards while their supper was beingserved them. One guard was killed and the balance were gagged and tiedup to posts in the barracks. The revolters stripped their prisoners ofarms, ammunition and what money they had. Next they broke into thecommissary, taking a large amount of clothing and provisions andwantonly destroying the rest. They then made their escape on horsesbelonging to the guards. As soon as their absence was discovered, bloodhounds were put upon the trail which led towards the interior. The dogs were soon completely baffled, however, for the fugitives hadevidently taken to water whenever they came near a pond or creek. Thisruse, as well as the whole uprising, is believed to have been theheadwork of 'Indian Charley, ' one of the escaped prisoners, who, itwill be remembered, was drummed out of his tribe and sentenced by thecourts for the murder of a white settler last spring. Small outlyingsettlements will rejoice when this body of hardened desperate men areonce more in the grasp of the law. "

"I've got it!" exclaimed Charley, so suddenly that the captain lookedup in mild surprise. 

"Got what?" he inquired. 

"A pretty bad attack of sleepiness, " Charley said with assumedlightness. "I feel all done up to-night. Guess I'll turn in. "

But although he was first to turn in, it was along in the wee smallhours of morning before slumber crept in on his tired brain. 

He was awakened by Walter shaking him vigorously. 

"Get up, you lazy rascal, get up. The sun is half an hour high, andbreakfast is ready. Get up and gaze upon the beautiful St. Johns. "

"What does it look like?" inquired Charley, sleepily, as he buckled onhis heavy leggins and strapped on his pistol belt. 

"For a dismal, wretched, man-forsaken stretch of country it beatsanything I ever saw, " Walter exclaimed in disgust. "The river itselfis about a half mile wide, but it twists, turns, and forks every fewyards so as to puzzle a corporation lawyer. The shores for half a mileback from the water are nothing but boggy marsh, with here and there awooded island. Ugh, the sight of it is enough to make a man homesick. "

"Not giving out already, Walt, " Charley said, cheerfully, as he madehis way through the boggy marsh to the water to wash, followed by hischum. 

"Not much, " said Walter grimly, "I for one am not going backempty-handed after coming so far. But I'm beginning to realize thatthis is not going to be all a pleasure trip. You noticed the articlethat the captain read last evening about the convicts escaping. Can itbe they are the party you saw signs of?"

"I believe they are, " agreed his chum as they turned back towards thecamp where the captain and Chris were patiently waiting breakfast. "Imay be wrong, but I thought it all over last night and I decided it wasonly fair to tell the others what I suspect. "

"The captain will want us all to pack right back home, " said Walter, glumly. 

His fears proved true, for when Charley related his suspicions over thefrugal breakfast, the captain was visibly worried. 

"I'm the cause of leading you into trouble again, boys, " he reproachedhimself. "However, I reckon thar ain't nothing to be gained byregrets. As soon as we have finished eating, we'll pack up and headback for the coast. "

But Charley opposed the plan of returning decidedly. "They have hadplenty of chance to kill us off easily on the way here if they hadwanted to, " he argued. "Why they haven't done so puzzles me. Perhapsthey fear a searching party would be sent after us if we do not returnpromptly. I have a feeling, though, that they are after bigger game, although I have not the slightest idea what it can be. Anyway, I amnot going back, now, empty-handed, if there were twice as manyjail-birds at my heels. "

"I am with you, Charley, " Walter said quickly. 

"Me too, Massa, " grinned Chris, who was plucky enough when heunderstood the nature of the threatened danger. "Golly, I jest reckondis nigger got to stay and look out for you chillens. "

The captain, whose only concern had been for the boys, brought his handdown on his knee earnestly. "Then I'm with you, lads, till the lastmast carries away. You're the pilot in these waters, Charley. Whatcourse shall we steer now, lad?"

"I think, " suggested Charley, modestly, "that the first thing is to fixup a shelter in case of rain. We must be careful, and if we come intocontact with any of those fellows we must not let them see that wesuspect what they are. That would cause trouble right away, I am sure. "

"Go ahead and give your orders, lad; we will carry them out. "

"Then I'll deputize Chris to see if he can't get us some fresh fish, "said Charley with a smile. 

Chris, his face beaming, darted away to his saddlebags after hisfishing-tackle. If there was one thing the little darky liked aboveall others it was fishing, and wherever he might be, his tackle wasnever far away. 

As soon as he had departed, Charley, accompanied by the others, setabout selecting a site for their permanent camp. 

"You see, " Charley explained, "we want a place that we can stand a showof defending if we should be attacked, and at the same time a placefrom which we can escape by water if we have to. "

They did not have to go far before they found the very place they werehunting for, a long, narrow, scantily grassed point that penetratedthrough the marsh far out into the river. 

"It's just the thing, " Charley declared. "We will lead the ponies outto the end and then fell a few pines across the neck here. That willform a kind of a fence and keep them from straying away. There's grassenough on the point to keep them busy for a week at least. "

Within half an hour the three eager workers had felled enough pinesacross the neck of the point to form a kind of rude stockade. Thenthey moved out to the end of the point and began the erection of theirshelter. It was quite primitive and simple. Two saplings about twelvefeet apart were selected as the uprights, and to them, about eight feetfrom the ground, two poles were lashed securely with buckskin thongs, the other ends of the pole being imbedded in the ground. Other smallersaplings were trimmed and laid across the slanting poles, and on themwere piled layer after layer of fan-like palmetto leaves. In a shortspace of time they had completed a lean-to which would protect themfrom any storm they were likely to experience at this season of theyear. 

"Have you noticed that, Charley?" inquired Walter, as they placed thelast leaves on the lean-to. He pointed to a point, similar to theirown, scarce two thousand yards away, from which rose a thick column ofsmoke. 

"Yes, I've been watching it for some time, " Charley said. "I guessit's our friends, the convicts. They are late risers. Somehow orother, Walt, I've got what prospectors call a 'hunch' that they are notafter us and will not bother us as long as they think we are ignorantof their true character. "

"I'll never trouble trouble 'till trouble troubles me, " hummed Walter, cheerfully. 

"A good motto, " said his chum gravely, "but nevertheless it's betterstill to be ready for trouble if it does come. Now we must provide ameans of retreat. Come, let's open packs one and two, we'll need theircontents soon anyway. "

Packs one and two, when opened, revealed bundles of numbered pieces oftough, thin flexible steel and packages of thick water-proofed canvas. Under the captain's skilled direction, the steel was quickly framedtogether, the canvas stretched over it, and in a short time two canvascanoes were floating lightly at their painters at the end of the point. 

All had been too engrossed in their labors to note the passage of timeuntil the captain snapped open his old-fashioned silver watch. 

"One o'clock, " he exclaimed in surprise. 

Charley and Walter looked at each other apprehensively. "What can bekeeping Chris?" Walter cried. 

"Maybe he is having good luck and hates to quit, " suggested Charley. "Let's give him a while longer. "

But two o'clock came and no Chris appeared. 

"Get your guns, boys, " commanded the captain. "We must go hunt him. Something's the matter. "

CHAPTER VI. 

SOME SURPRISES. 

Loosening their pistols in their holsters, and grabbing up their guns, the little party struck out in the direction in which Chris haddisappeared. 

They were proceeding almost at a run when Charley checked theirheadlong speed. 

"Let's go slow, " he panted, "it may be that the convicts have got himand we may be running right into an ambush. "

He but voiced the fear in the minds of the others, and they slackenedtheir advance to a slow walk, keeping a cautious eye on every bush ortree large enough to conceal an enemy. 

Trampled marsh grass and broken twigs gave them an easy trail tofollow, and in a few minutes they were in sight of the river bank. Charley, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped short with anexclamation of relief and disgust. 

"Just look at that, " he said. 

On a little grassy knoll close to the water was Chris flat on his back, his mouth open, fast asleep. A half dozen fine bass lay on the grassbeside him, the end of his fishing line was tied to one ebony leg, anda coil of slack line lay upon the turf. 

"Let's give him a scare for causing us so much worry, " Walter suggested. 

"Wait a minute, " cautioned the captain, "he's gettin' a bite, let's seewhat he will do. "

The little party drew in behind some bushes, where they could peep outat the slumbering little darky. 

The slack was running out rapidly, and at last the line tauted with ajerk on the sleeper's leg. 

Chris sat up with a start, rubbed his eyes and looked at the sun, thenat the pile of fish beside him. The continued jerking of the line athis leg seemed to bring him out of his drowsiness. With a broad grinhe began pulling in the line, hand over hand. 

The three watchers stood peeping eagerly through the bushes, expectingto see another fine bass appear. 

As the hooked victim was drawn in close to the knoll, Chris gave ahearty yank and landed it on the grass beside him. 

But the result was not what the watchers expected. With a howl ofterror the little darky leaped to his feet and dashed away at abounding, leaping run, breaking through the undergrowth as though itwere reeds. One glance, as he flew by the watchers without seeingthem, caused them to hold their sides and double up with laughter. Theline was still fastened to Chris' leg, and drew after it the captive ofhis hook. One glance behind and Chris began to holler, "Help, help, Massa Walt, help, Massa Charley. De snake's goin' to get dis nigger. Oh golly, oh golly!"

The line caught on a bush and broke short off, but Chris was making forthe lean-to with championship speed and knew it not. 

Charley picked up the severed line and held up the prize to view. 

"The biggest, fattest eel I ever saw, " he declared exultantly. "Guessit must have been the first one Chris ever saw. They certainly do looklike snakes. "

"Keep it out of sight till we hear what he says, " Walter said, andCharley with a smile agreed. 

The captain gathered up the fish and stringing them upon a cord slungthem over his shoulder. 

In a few minutes they were back at the camp, where they found Chrisstretched out on the ground breathing heavily, his face an ashen hue. 

"Why you-alls doan come when Chris hollers for help?" he demandedindignantly. "'Pears like you don't care if dis nigger's killed. "

"We came as soon as we could, Chris, " said Walter, soothingly, "whatwas the trouble, anyway?"

Chris, mollified, sat up. "Done got into nest ob snakes, " he declared, "reckon I killed fifty of 'em, but more and more kept coming so I hadto run. Golly, I 'spect thar was mighty nigh a hundred chased me mostto camp. Dat's why I yells for you-alls. "

The captain smilingly laid down the string of fish, and Chris'countenance fell. 

Charley swung the eel into view. "It isn't a snake, Chris, " heexplained, "it's an eel; they are not poisonous, and are mighty goodeating. "

For once the little darky was fairly caught without chance of evasion. Without a word he started building a fire, gutted the fish, washed themclean, and without removing head or scales, thrust them into theglowing coals. In twenty minutes they were done, the heads were cutaway, the skin with its load of scales peeled off, and our hungryhunters sat down to a dish fit for a king. 

They were in the midst of the meal when Charley arose and getting hisrifle put it down by his side. "Get your guns quick and keep themclose to you. We are going to have visitors, " he said. 

The bushes were crackling loudly at the neck of the point and a momentlater a body of men came into view. As they clambered over thebarricade, Charley counted them. They were twelve in number, one ofthem an Indian, his face disfigured by a long scar that gave to it asinister, malignant expression. 

"Keep close together and your guns handy, " counseled Charley, as theband approached. "I declare, if they aren't all unarmed, " he added. 

"What in the world is the matter with them?" whispered Walter inamazement; "see, some of them can hardly walk. "

As the men drew nearer, our little party's wonder grew. Most of themdragged themselves forward with stumbling footsteps. Their faces werehaggard, their hands moving restlessly and their features twitching. They looked like men who had been for days undergoing severe mental andphysical strain and were on the verge of collapse. 

Our hunters drew close together with their guns, close to hand andawaited the convicts' coming with lessened apprehension as they sawthat they carried no guns. 

The leader staggered in front, the balance following him like starvedsheep. He stopped before the captain and sank to a seat on a stump. The perspiration stood in great drops on his face and he was breathingheavily. 

"Strangers, " he said hoarsely, "if you've got any tobacco, fer mercy'sake, loan us some. We haven't had a scrap for two days. "

The boys had hard work to restrain a laugh, but the captain hastilyunbuckled the flap of his saddle-bags and brought out a huge package ofplug tobacco which he passed over to the spokesman. 

"I brought it along to give to the Indians in case we met any, but Ireckon you need it a heap sight worse, " he said mildly. 

Without a word of thanks the man tore the package open and distributedthe plugs amongst his followers, and in a moment jaws and pipes weregoing vigorously on the enslaving weed. 

In five minutes a change was visible; slouching backs began tostraighten, dull eyes commenced to brighten, and the color to stealback into haggard faces. 

"I'm glad I never got into the habit of using it, now I have seen whata slave it can make of a strong man, " whispered Walter in disgust. 

"Some of our soldier boys in Cuba went crazy for a while when deprivedof the use of it, " said Charley. "None of it for me. It doesn't do ayoung growing fellow any good. "

As his muscles and nerves relaxed under the influence of the powerfulnarcotic, the leader of the convicts removed his pipe from his mouthwith a sigh of relief. 

"You sho' saved our lives that time, partner, " he cried; "we doneforgot the bacca when we wus getting up our supplies, an' didn't findit out until we'd come too far to go back. Jim thar, " (with a glare atthe culprit, ) "had a sizeable piece, but he had to go and lose it onthe way. "

"Out for a hunt?" inquired the captain politely. 

"'Gators. We're just plain, honest 'gator hunters, working powerfulhard for a mighty poor living, " declared the ruffian. "An' you-alls, Ireckon one guess will hit it, arter plumes, I allow. "

"We haven't said so, " said Charley quickly. 

The ruffian favored him with an appraising leer. "Don't have to sayso, " he drawled, "if you ain't, what have you-alls got them dinkylittle canoes for, an' if you were after 'gators you'd be packing bigrifles 'stead of them fancy guns. You ain't got no call to deny it, for I was aiming to give you a bit of neighborly advice. "

"What is it?" inquired Walter curiously. 

"That it ain't no use for you-alls to stop here. The Injuns have gotthis section combed out clean. You couldn't get enough plumes aroundhere to pay for your bacon. Now, I knows of a tidy little island 'bouttwelve miles south of here where there's stacks of the birds. If youstart right now you'll hit it before them pesky varmints of redskinsfind it. I'm telling you in pay for that tobacco. Max Hilliard ain'tthe kind of man to take nothing without paying for it, " he concluded, grandly. 

"Them Indians don't seem to be bringing many plumes into town, " saidthe captain. 

"'Cause why? 'Cause they have to turn the bulk of what they get overto their chiefs for tribute, an' them varmints are getting so foxy theyjust hoards 'em up. They know the price is goin' up right along. Oh, them pesky varmints are getting cunning these days. But come, boys, wemust be getting back to camp. "

The reinvigorated gang of cut-throats arose and with awkward, surlythanks stamped away. 

Their leader lingered behind for a moment. "Better pack right up andget out for that island right now, partners, " he advised. "Thar's agang of Injins coming down the river day after to-morrow, an' they'llbe sure to clean it out. " His voice grew low and menacing. "Anyway, you fellows want to get out of here afore day after to-morrow. "

Before any of the hunters could question him, he was gone. 

"He seems set on our leaving here, " said Walter, anxiously. 

"I reckon it was sort of an error of judgment that we didn't tie themfellows up while we had the chance. They was too plum wore out to putup much of a fight, " said the captain, regretfully. 

Charley said nothing, but his expression was that of one who after longpuzzling has solved a troublesome problem, and has found the solutionnot that which he desired. The outlaws' statement that there was aparty of Indians on their way _from_ the Everglades had given him thekey. 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE QUAGMIRE. 

It was already late when the convicts departed, and our huntersimmediately began their preparations for their first trial with theplume birds. 

"I wonder where we had better strike in at first, " said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of them islands, an' they 'pear to mepretty much alike. "

"I have been keeping a kind of eye out all day, " Charley answered, "andit seems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around thatlittle island of dead trees in the marsh right across from us. Supposewe try that first. "

The others readily agreed, and, while Chris was cooking supper, theboys prepared a number of torches from fat pitch pine and looked overtheir fowling-pieces carefully. 

As soon as it was dark, Charley and Walter entered one of the canoesand the captain the other. Chris begged hard to be taken, but Charleywas firm in his refusal. 

"We will have to take turn about at tending camp, and you'll have tostay to-night, Chris, " he said. "It won't do to leave the camp alone. You'll have to keep a sharp lookout to guard against any possiblesurprise from wild animals or men. Keep up the fire so we can find ourway back, and have some hot coffee ready. We'll need it when we getback. Keep a sharp eye out, Chris, " he concluded. "It isn't everyoneI would choose for such a responsible place. "

"Golly, Massa Charley, " exclaimed the little darky, the bald flatterytickling his great racial vanity, "I jus' reckon nothin' goin' to getpast dis nigger, though I sure 'spects I'd ought to go along so as towatch out for you chillens. "

"We'll be careful, " Charley assured him gravely. "If anything troublesyou or you see anything wrong, fire off your gun twice, and we willhustle back. Shove her off, Walt. "

Walter obeyed with a vigor that nearly upset their frail craft. "My, but she's cranky, " he exclaimed. 

"She is pretty ticklish, " Charley admitted, "but just the craft for ourpurpose. She's so light she will float on a good heavy dew, and thenshe's so easy to take to pieces and pack away. But we'd better stopour chattering, for we are getting near the island now. "

The moon was shining brightly, giving to the dead whitened trees on thelittle island a peculiar ghostly appearance. The canoes soon groundedin the marsh grass, and, fastening them to paddles, stuck down in themud, our hunters shouldered their fowling-pieces and trudged aheadthrough the mire. They had prepared themselves well for the trip andeach wore a pair of rubber boots reaching to the hip drawn on overtheir rawhide boots and legging. 

"I guess we are on the right track, " grinned Charley, ere they hadproceeded far. 

"Goodness, it's awful, " exclaimed Walter. "I wish I had a clothes-pinon my nose. Smells just like as island of Limburger cheese set in alake of broken spoiled eggs. "

"I reckon that's comin' it a little strong, Walt, " chuckled thecaptain. "I guess though we've stumbled onto a good big rookery forsure. That smell comes mostly from the dead baby birds, broken eggs, an' such like. But let's keep quiet, lads, we're nearly there now. "

A few minutes more and the hunters entered the fringe of dead trees. By the time they reached the center of the little island where the deadtrees were thickest, the little party was nearly overcome by thehorrible stench. At every step they crushed in nestfuls of decayedeggs which sent up their protests to high heavens. 

At last Charley commanded a halt. "We've gone far enough, " hewhispered. "Let's light up our torches together and make as short workof it as possible. Gee, but I'm sick for a mouthful of sweet, freshair. "

The fat pine-sticks flared up as though saturated with oil, theirflickering blaze lighting up a weird scene; the gaunt, bare, whitetrees, ghosts of a departed forest, the miry ground strewn with eggs ofall sizes, shapes and colors, and dead birds of many kinds, in amongstwhich writhed and twisted dirty-looking, repulsive water moccasins andbrilliant yellow and black swamp snakes, while overhead on the whitenedlimbs, roosted hundreds of birds partly roused from their sleep by theglare of the torches. 

"We'll have to shoot with one hand and hold our torches with theother, " said Charley. 

The guns were very light fowling-pieces, and the birds were clusteredtoo thickly together to be easily missed. The three guns belched outtheir deadly message almost together and a score of birds fell to theground. Again and again were the volleys repeated before the dazedbirds recovered their senses enough to take to their wings. 

The hunters paused only long enough to pluck from the backs of thefallen birds the long, silky plumes, which they carefully placed in astiff leather valise, then hastened on to another part of the islandwhere the same performance was repeated. 

At first all three hunters stuck close together, but they soonseparated, each picking out for himself what seemed to be choice placesin the little wood. Yielding to the incessant firing the birds beganto desert their roosts in great flocks until at last but few lingeredon the barren limbs. Charley was about to call his companions togetherand propose a return to camp when a sudden cry sent the blood tinglingthrough his veins. It was Walter's voice, and its tone was that offear and horror unutterable. Pausing a second to locate the directionof the sound, Charley bounded away for it at the top of his speed. Ashe passed a thick clump of trees the captain broke out from among themand lumbered on in his wake. 

"What's the trouble, Charley?" he panted. 

"Something's happened to Walt, " he shouted back, "something terrible, too--just hear him calling. "

The cries rose again with redoubled vigor, a world of dread in theircadence. 

The island was small, and in a few minutes Charley was close to thescene of the cries with the captain right at his heels. Suddenly theybroke out of the underbrush into a small open space perhaps forty feetacross. Near the center of this place was Walter, waving his torchfrantically back and forth. He ceased his cries as their lightsflashed into view. "Stop, stop!" he shouted, "don't come a stepfurther. I am sinking a foot a minute. The ground is rotten here. Iguess it's up to me to say good-bye, chums, " he continued in a voice hestrove vainly to make steady. "You can't help me, and I'm sinkingdeeper every minute. "

"Cheer up, lad, we'll find a way, " declared the old sailor, with ahopefulness he was far from feeling, for he knew well, by hearsay, ofthe terrible swamp quagmires that swiftly suck their victims down to ahorrible death in the foul mud. 

Already Walter had sunk to his waist, and it was only a question ofminutes ere the slimy ooze would close over his head. It was asituation that demanded instant action. For a moment Charley stoodsilent beside the captain gazing hopelessly at his doomed chum. Thenhe turned swiftly and darted away like an arrow. 

"Throw branches, boughs, anything that is light, " he shouted back; "Iam going to get the canvas painters. "

Frantically the old sailor tore down dead limbs and flung them to theentombed lad. His labor was in vain, for as each branch struck thequagmire its own weight sunk it out of sight in the liquid mud. 

"Better give it up, Captain, " advised Walter, cheerfully. "They aredoing no good, and Charley will soon be back with the ropes. "

The captain measured the distance to the helpless lad with a practisedeye, and groaned in despair. "They'll fall short by a dozen feet, " hemurmured hopelessly. "God forgive me, for bringing him to this plight. "

In a moment Charley was back with the painters from the two canvascanoes knotted together. His first toss confirmed the captain's fears, the rope foil ten feet short. 

Charley's face grew sickly pale under the torch light, and he stood fora space like one in a daze. The captain near him was kneeling prayingfervently. 

Of the three, Walter was the coolest. He had resigned himself to hisfate at the failure of the first cast of the rope. Already the mirehad sucked him down so that he had to throw his head far back to keepthe filthy stuff from entering his mouth. 

"Good-bye, old chums, " he called cheerfully, "we've made our last camptogether. Don't feel too down, Charley. Remember what the jockeyssay, 'There's nothing to a race but the finish. '"

Charley roused from his momentary trance. "You shan't die, " he criedwildly, "you shan't, you shan't, --you shan't. "

CHAPTER VIII. 

THE BATTLE. 

All around the quagmire were the skeletons of what had once been greatlusty trees with far-spreading limbs. As Charley uttered his defiance, his glance rested for a moment on the most advanced of these and agleam of hope lit up his face. Although this dead giant of the islandwas many feet from the sinking lad, yet in its youth it had sent outnearly over him one long, slender, tapering limb. In a secondCharley's quick eyes had taken in the possibility and the risk, thenext moment he had skirted round the quagmire at the top of his speedand was swinging up the giant trunk. 

The captain was not slow in divining his intention, "Come back, Charley, " he called wildly. "It'll break with you, lad. Come back, come back. "

Walter managed to twist his head around until he obtained a glimpse ofwhat was going on. "Don't try it, Charley, " he implored, "or therewill be two of us gone instead of one. "

But Charley was smiling now and confident. He knew the kind of tree hewas climbing up. It was a black mangrove and among the toughest ofwoods when well seasoned. To him it had become merely a question ofreaching the end of that limb before the mire closed over his chum'shead. Never did sailor go aloft more quickly than he swung himself upfrom branch to branch. Quickly he reached the overhanging bough. Atits juncture with the trunk he paused for a second to catch his breath, then swung himself out on it cautiously, hand over hand. The boughcreaked and cracked ominously, but did not break. Near the end of thelimb he stopped, and throwing a leg over to free his hands, he knottedone end of the rope to the branch and flung the other end to his chum. 

"You'll have to pull yourself out, Walt, " he sang down cheerily, "thislimb will not bear two. "

Fortunately Walter had managed to keep his arms above the mire. Hecaught the rope and began to pull. He had occasion now to bless theyears of hard work that had made his body vigorous and his muscles hardand strong. Slowly he drew himself up out of the clinging ooze whichclosed behind him with a sickening, sucking sound. Once clear of themud, it was an easy feat to go up the rope hand over hand and soon hewas standing beside Charley at the foot of the tree where they werespeedily joined by the delighted captain. 

"Let us thank God, boys, for your wonderful escape. He put that planinto Charley's head and gave him the courage and daring to carry itout, " the captain said. 

Devoutly the two boys knelt at the foot of the tree, while the oldsailor in simple, uncouth speech, offered up a little prayer of humblethanks for the deliverance of the two lads he loved so well. 

As they arose from their knees, Walter caught Charley's hand and wrungit vigorously. "You saved my life again, old chum, " he cried. 

But Charley, embarrassed and blushing like a girl, pulled his handaway. "I guess we'd better be getting back to camp, " he stammered, eager to change the subject. 

"Ever modest are the brave, " quoted Walter with a laugh. "But you areright about getting back to camp. I, for one, have had enoughslaughter and adventure for one night. "

The guns and plumes were quickly gathered together and, guided by thelight of the camp-fire, the two canoes were soon made fast again at thepoint and their occupants were soon busy removing their rubber bootsand drying themselves before the roaring fire. 

Chris' eyes shone with delight when they spread out to view thebeautiful feathery pink, white and blue plumes. 

"Sixty-three of 'em, " he announced after a hurried count. "Golly, guess dis nigger goin' to be a rich man afore we get back home. "

The captain rummaged in his saddle-bags and brought out a small pair ofsteelyards. The plumes were tied carefully together in a bunch andsuspended from the hook. 

"Twenty ounces, " he announced. "At five dollars an ounce that makesone hundred dollars, lads. That ain't half bad for our first night'swork. "

But in spite of their success the boys' faces were grave and depressed. 

The captain glanced shrewdly from one to the other. "I reckon you-allsare thinkin' now of just what I've been studyin' on. You're thinkin'of all them poor innocent birds we've killed to get them feathers. You're thinkin' of them and of the dozens you only wounded which arebound to die a lingerin', sufferin' death, poor things. "

Charley shuddered, "I killed one and it didn't fall, " he explained, "Iclimbed up and looked, and it was resting on a nest containing five, cute, little fluffy ones. "

"We can't go on with it, " declared Walter with deep feeling. "It's fitwork for brutes like those convicts but not for us. "

"Pulling out the plumes won't kill 'em, an' I don't think it hurts 'emmuch, " said the captain, thoughtfully. "Maybe we can rig up some sortof trap that will do the work without killin' 'em. It's time for bed, now, lads, but think it over and, perhaps, we can hit on some scheme. Had we better take turns at keeping watch, Charley?"

"I don't think we'll be bothered for a while yet, at any rate, " saidCharley, thoughtfully, as he stretched out on his couch and pulled hisblanket over him. "Good-night, all; here goes for the land of dreams. "

Although he closed his eyes and endeavored to sleep, it was a long timebefore it visited his excited brain. He was only a boy in years andthe responsibility for the safety of the little party now trustfullythrust upon him bore heavily upon his young shoulders. It would nothave been so bad were it not for the close proximity of that band oftwelve, armed, desperate, escaped murderers. Their attitude towardsthe hunters, together with scraps of conversation they had uttered, hadbred in Charley's active mind a theory for their actions and object, atheory involving a crime so vile and atrocious as to stagger belief. 

"I'll be getting flighty if I keep brooding on this thing by myselfmuch longer, " Charley mused. "I am beginning to fear my own judgmentis wrong. I'll confide it all to someone else to-morrow and see iftheir opinion agrees with mine. " With little reflection, he decided onWalter as the fittest one to tell. This resolve lifted a burden fromhis mind and he soon drifted off into healthy slumber. 

"I've got something I want to talk over with you, Walt, " he found achance to whisper while breakfast was cooking next morning. "Let's getaway somewhere where the captain and Chris will not hear us, " hecautioned. 

Their chance came soon after breakfast while Chris was cleaning up thethings and the captain was engaged in sorting out and packing away theplumes in the tin boxes they had brought with them. 

The two boys strolled off slowly and carelessly together, but did notstop until they had reached the grassy knoll by the river. 

"Hurry up, tell me what it is, you have got me half wild withcuriosity, " cried Walter, flinging himself at full length upon the turf. 

Charley smiled as he pointed at a thin wisp of smoke rising from theconvicts' camp. "It is about our neighbors, " he said. 

"Have you learned anything new?" Walter demanded eagerly. 

"No, but I've been putting two and two together concerning them againand again until I'm uncertain whether I've got the proper answer orhave got everything distorted by long brooding over them. I want toknow what the conclusion would be to a mind that is fresh. "

"Good, " said Walter, gleefully, "sounds just like a lawyer, go ahead, I'll be the judge. "

"First, " said Charley, gravely, "we can admit as an undisputed fact, that those fellows over there were either close behind or ahead of usat least part of the way here. "

Walter nodded assent, too interested to interrupt. 

"From the closeness with which they tally to that newspaper account, even down to the renegade Indian, we are, I think, justified inassuming that they are the escaped convicts. "

"Their faces would convict them without any evidence, " Walter declared. 

Charley was now so absorbed in his chain of reasoning that he scarcelyheeded the interruption. "Twelve life convicts, which by the laws ofthis state means twelve murderers, men without mercy, who wouldhesitate at nothing, are for several days and nights close to a partyof four who do not even keep a watch at night. Why do they not killoff the four and help themselves to several things that would make themmore comfortable?"

"I give it up, " said his puzzled chum. 

"Again, " said Charley following his line of reasoning, "what do bodiesof men who have broken prison always do when they escape? Separate assoon as possible, and scatter in all directions, make their way tosmall, isolated places, change their appearance as much as possible, and each shift for himself. To remain together increases the risk ofcapture for each and all. There must be some powerful motive to makethem take such risks. Such men risk nothing except for money. Butthere are no banks here to be looted, no strangers to be waylaid indark alleys, not even a blind beggar to steal pennies from. "

"Then, for goodness' sake, what is their object?" demanded themystified Walter. 

Charley's voice lowered in its seriousness. "I know there is a partyof Indians on the river now. I found traces on the shore, where theyhad embarked in boats, they are likely the same party that were huntingin the woods and have now returned to the Everglades. By the signs Ipointed out to you there is another party following. I told you Icould tell but little from the signs, but there is among the convictsone of their race who can read their signs like an open book. "

"But the Indians are poor, " Walter objected. "I don't see theconnection. "

"Remember what the leader of the convicts said yesterday, that eachIndian had to give the larger portion of his plumes to his chief astribute. Consider a party of expert hunters after a long hunt ofweeks; why, the chief's share must run up into the hundreds of dollarsto say nothing of each brave's individual portion. "

"What a diabolical scheme!" cried Walter in horror, "they mean toslaughter the Indians for their plumes as they come down the river fromthe 'Glades. '"

"That's the conclusion I reached, " said Charley coolly. "I am gladthat you prove I am not going crazy brooding over the matter. "

CHAPTER IX. 

THE BEES AND THE BEAR. 

Walter's first feeling was of horror and indignation, mingled withfrank admiration for the cleverness with which Charley had reasoned thematter out to its logical conclusion. 

"You have got a great head on you, old chap, " he said, affectionately. "It certainly seems as though you have hit the nail on the head thistime. I understand, now, why their leader was so anxious to have usmove away. They expect to encounter the Indians somewhere in thisneighborhood and they do not want any witnesses. What shall we do, Charley?"

"We are in an unpleasant fix, " said his chum, musingly. "The only safething to do, I guess, is to take that convict's advice and move away atonce. If we interfere with their plans or even let on that we knowwhat they are, it will mean fight, with us outnumbered three to one. "

"But we can't leave here and let those fiends ambush and murder thoseunsuspecting Indians, " said Walter indignantly. 

"Certainly not, " said his chum, heartily. "But we must be prepared totake some risks. We can't fight that crowd in the open, they are toomany for us. We'll have to outwit them and put the Indians on theirguard without letting the convicts suspect that we have had a finger inthe pie. It would be an easy trick to turn if it were not for thatrenegade Indian with them. I guess there isn't anything much thatescapes those black, beady eyes of his. "

"You have a plan then?" said Walter eagerly. 

"One, such as it is. You see, we are between those fellows over thereand the Everglades. A party of savages coming from the Glades wouldhave to pass us before coming in rifle range of the convicts' camp. Now we could halt them here and explain matters, but that would give usdead away to the enemy. "

Walter's face fell. "They would be sure to catch on, " he admitted. 

Charley pointed far to the south where, half a mile distant, anotherlong point jutted out through the marsh into the river. "That is thekey to the situation, " he declared. "The Seminoles are not expecteduntil to-morrow, if that man's remarks are true. Well, beginningto-morrow morning early, one of us will be on that point while daylightlasts, --Indians do not generally travel at night, and when we sightthem we will signal and warn them, and the convicts will be none thewiser. The Seminoles are no cowards and we can join them and wipe thatscum of humanity off the face of the earth. "

"Splendid, " approved Walter enthusiastically. "But let's head for campnow. The others will be wondering what has become of us. "

At the camp a surprise awaited the two boys. The captain was stumpingback and forth near the fire, his usually good-natured face nearlypurple with suppressed anger, while, squatting on his heels before thefire, sat Indian Charley, his face impassive but his keen beady eyeswatching the irate sailor's slightest movement. 

At the sight of the boys, the captain lumbered towards them, waving adirty piece of paper. "Read that, " he roared, "just brought in by thatcopper-faced, shoe-button-eyed son of a sea cook. "

It was a piece torn evidently from a paper bag and on it was scrawledin big, almost undecipherable characters. 

"The shootin' an' racket you-alls are doin' air drivin' the 'gatorsaway. You-alls have got to move. This is our huntin' ground. Forsake of that tobacco, which comes mighty handy, we'll give you-alls'till to-morrow noon to move peaceable afore we comes down on you, hands and feet. "

"How's that for gall?" demanded the captain, his wrath increasing, butCharley silenced him with a shake of his head and turned to theimpassive redskin. "Tell your leader, that we are figuring on making amove to-morrow, " he said, courteously. The Seminole's beady orbs methis in a suspicious glance, then he turned without a word and glidednoiselessly away among the bushes. 

Walter and Charley exchanged significant glances. "That means they donot expect them before to-morrow afternoon, " Charley commented. 

"Who! expecting who? Don't talk in riddles, lads, " exclaimed thecaptain, testily, his temper still suffering from the unaccustomedrestraint he had put upon it. 

In a few words Charley related his suspicions to him and Chris, anddetailed the plan he and Walter had agreed upon. 

The captain's face beamed with unenvious admiration as he gave Charleya hearty thump on the back that well-nigh drove the breath out of thelad's body. 

"Reasoned out plain an' fair as day, " he exclaimed, "I reckon you'vehit it right plum center first shot, lad. You bet we'll be on thewatch to warn them poor Indians, an' if there's any fightin' we'll sho'help to rid this country of them ornary, low-down, murderin', cut-throats. It's a great head you've got for young shoulders, Charley. You've reasoned it out like a detective and made your planslike a general. "

Charley blushed with pleasure. "It looks logical and I hope it willwork out all right, " he said, secretly pleased at the tribute to hismental powers. But, as a great detective or general sometimes does, Charley had passed over the simple, vital, obvious point that was themost important of all and from its omission, destined to be farreaching and terrible to hunters, Indians and convicts. 

"There's nothing special to do this morning, " said Walter, "so let usmake a trip to that point and pick out a good place for our lookout. "

"Judging from their actions and their note, our neighbors don't intendto make a move against us until to-morrow, so I guess it will be safefor all of us to go, " said Charley. "We will take the guns and make akind of all day hunting trip. "

"Den, I spect dis nigger's got to rustle around an' fix up some lunch, "said Chris, his face falling. "Golly, I spect you-alls going to bepowerful hungry nigh noon. "

"No, this is going to be a holiday for all of us, " declared Walter withboyish enthusiasm. "For one day let's all be just like the Indians, get our food with out guns and not even take a frying-pan with us. "

To Chris' great delight the others gave ready assent to the plan. Thehorses were watered and staked in fresh spots, and, with guns overshoulders, our party followed their point in to shore, then struck offsouthward along the margin of the marsh toward the distant point, destined to be Point Lookout. 

They found it much like their own point, but somewhat more heavilywooded. 

"Here's the very place for our lookout, " exclaimed Walter, pausingbeside a clump of great oaks. "See, it couldn't be better if it hadbeen made to order. This knoll commands a good view of the marshes andriver towards the Everglades, while those trees will hide the watcherfrom our point, and of course from the convicts' camp. I have got abig, red, bandanna handkerchief which we can use as a flag. When theone on watch sees the Indians coming, he can fasten it to that deadsapling further out. That will be a signal to those in camp to getready for a hot time. "

"Bravo, " said the captain approvingly. "You have got the right courselogged out to a point by the compass. Steer as you are going, lad, andyou'll have stored in your head as well packed and sorted a cargo asgood as Charley's here. "

"Or me, or me, Massa Captain, " chimed in Chris. "Golly, I reckonyou-alls don't know what a smart nigger I is when I gets de chance. "

"We are all wonders, in our own minds, " laughed Charley. "We have gota chance to show our smartness right now. I, for one, am gettingmighty hungry and we haven't bagged anything for dinner yet. "

"We are for the woods, then, " cried Walter, "on, noble leader. Shallwe separate or go together?"

"We must stick together, provided you will try to keep that mouth ofyours closed and quit guying me, " Charley retorted. "If not, I shallfeel it my duty to take you across my knee and give you a goodspanking. "

Walter checked the ready sally which was on his tongue's end, for theyhad been moving on while talking and Charley was now leading them intothe dense forest where silence was absolutely necessary if they hopedto secure any game. 

For some time they picked their way carefully through the forest, warily avoiding dry twigs, and maintaining an absolute silence. Butalthough they saw numerous signs of game, both large and small, not aglimpse of even a rabbit or squirrel rewarded their eager watchfulness. 

At last when all were beginning to get a bit discouraged, Charleycalled a halt. "Now, all of you listen hard as you can for a fewminutes and then tell me what you hear, " he said. 

For a full minute his companions listened intently, then the captaingave an exclamation of disgust. "Can't hear anything out of theusual, " he declared. 

"Once or twice I thought I heard something, but I guess it was only myimagination, " said Walter. 

"And you, Chris?" inquired Charley of the little darky, whose face worea puzzled expression. 

"Golly, dis nigger hear something powerful plain but he can't just makeit out. Don't sound like anything he ever heard, afore. Now hitsounds like a big dog growling an' then again hit sounds like onewhinin'. "

"Your ears are pretty good, Chris, " Charley commented. "I guess we'llfollow up that sound for a little while. "

CHAPTER X. 

SHOOTING A THIEF. 

"Are you working one of your little surprises on us?" Walter inquiredeagerly of his chum as the little party again advanced in the directionChris indicated. "Come, confess now that you know what is ahead of us. "

"I am all at sea this time, " admitted Charley. "I heard just whatChris described, but I can't fit the sounds to any animal I know. It'sgetting plainer now, surely you can hear it. "

"Yes, " said Walter, with a puzzled frown, "but what under the sun, moon, and stars can it be?"

"A few minutes will settle the question. It's only a little ways offnow. My! it's getting to be a terrible din, we must be close at hand. "Charley's prophecy soon proved true for they suddenly came out of theforest into a space which had evidently been fire-swept years before, for it was bare of undergrowth and of the former mighty pines nothingremained but the white, lifeless trunks. 

For a moment the hunters stood in the edge of the clearing, gazing inspeechless astonishment at the sight before them. 

Close to one of the largest of the dead pines was a large black bear, reared back on his haunches and striking with both paws viciously atsome unseen foe. The hair of muzzle, head and paws was matted andplastered with some thick liquid, giving him a curious frowsyappearance. He was evidently in a towering rage but it was alsoapparent that he was suffering great pain, his ferocious growls beinginterspersed with long, low, pathetic whines. 

"He acts as though he had gone crazy, " exclaimed Walter, recovering hisspeech. 

At sound of his voice, the bear's head turned in their direction. Witha growl of fury he dropped to all fours and with incredible speed madefor the hunters. 

Charley had been quick to take in the meaning of the strange scene. 

"Shoot and run, " he shouted, as the maddened animal charged. 

He, Walter and the captain shot almost at once. The shots struck homebut the sorely wounded beast still lumbered forward at a rapid pace. 

"Run, " shouted Charley, striking into the forest at the top of hisspeed, closely followed by the captain and Walter. They had run but afew paces before Walter, who was in the rear, stopped suddenly. "Chrishas stayed, " he shouted to the others, "we can't leave him. "

Almost as rapidly as they had fled, the three retraced their steps tothe edge of the clearing. 

"Stay where we are and watch, " commanded Charley, with a grim smile. "The bear's too badly hurt to be dangerous. Watch him, fellows, justwatch. "

Chris had knelt where he had been standing when the bear charged, hadrested his rifle on his knee, and was taking careful aim at theadvancing beast. There was a look of stubborn determination on hislittle ebony face while his heart was beating with pride andexultation. Here was his great chance to turn the tables on his whitecompanions. No longer would they dare tease him about running from theeel or about his adventure after the crane. He would be able now totwit them all, even the captain, with running away while he, Chris, stood his ground. 

"Run, Chris, run, " shouted Charley from the edge of the clearing, butthe little darky ignored the warning. 

His keen eyes could see that the bear was badly wounded and liable todrop at any minute. Already it was swaying drunkenly from side to side. 

Now it was forty feet away, now thirty and almost ready to drop. Tenfeet more and he would fire, Chris resolved. But that ten feet provedthe ambitious little darky's undoing. A concentrated drop of buzzingliquid fire struck him above the eye, while hand and legs seemedsplashed with molten fire. Down went the rifle with a thud and with ashrieked "Oh golly, oh golly, oh golly!" a black streak cleared theopen ground with kangaroo-like leaps and shot into the forest. 

"Run for the marsh and roll in the mud, Chris, "' shouted Charley afterthe streak. 

The bear stumbled forward a few feet further, then sank slowly to theground. Charley looked after the flying Chris, shaking with laughter, while the others stood beside him in silent amazement. 

"Hold on a minute, " said Charley, as the captain stepped forward towardthe bear which was kicking, out in the last convulsive throes of death. 

"Aye, aye, " agreed the captain cheerfully, stopping short, "you're thepilot in these waters, lad. "

"I promise you I will not keep you at anchor long, Captain, " laughedCharlie, as with his hunting-knife he began hacking at a clump ofscrub-palmetto. 

A few minutes was all the time needed to accumulate a heap of the big, fan-like leaves. These Charley made into three torch-like bundles, taking care to place a dead dry leaf between each two green ones. Binding each bundle together with a wisp of green leaf, he struck amatch and lit up the three, passing one to the captain and Walter, andkeeping one himself. 

The dry leaves blazed up like tinder but the green ones only smoldered, sending forth a volume of black, thick pungent smoke. 

"Keep waving them about you, " he cautioned, "that's the way. Now allready. Forward, march. "

As they drew nearer to the carcase of the hear, they became aware of acurious humming sound in the air. The cause was soon apparent and themystery that had puzzled them was solved when they reached the beast. The carcase was covered with bees while close above it hummed a swarmof others watching for an exposed place to plant their stings. 

A few minutes beating about with the smoking torches cleared the sceneof the vicious little insects, those not stupefied by the smoke beatinga hasty retreat back to their home in the hollow log which bruin hadtried to despoil. 

The hunters had now a chance to view their prize without beingmolested. It was only a common, black Florida bear, weighing not overfour hundred pounds, but fat and in the pink of condition. Its thick, glossy fur had protected its body from the bees' assault, but swollenmuzzle, eyes, and ears, told of the penalty it had paid in playingrobber for its favorite food, --honey. 

All fell to work with their hunting-knives and speedily had the heavyskin removed. 

Walter smacked his lips as he cut away a couple of huge steaks with athick rim of fat. "Gee, those are fit for a king, " he exclaimed. "Iwonder where our cook is. Do you suppose he has stopped running yet?"

Charley chuckled. "It's mean, " he admitted, "but I can't help butlaugh when I think of how he looked kneeling there in stern resolve tobe covered with glory, and the transformation when he was covered withbees. "

The three laughed heartily at the recollection, but Walter's laughended in a hungry sigh. "I wish he was here to cook these steaks. Ifhe comes back, don't let's tease him, fellows. He's suffered enoughfor one time. "

"I bet he will be back by the time we get this fellow cut up and a firegoing, " Charley said. 

But the big animal was all cut up, what was not wanted for immediateuse cut into thin strips for drying, and a roaring fire going, andstill no sign of the missing one. 

"Well, I guess we will have to cook some of it the best we can, although I expect we'll make a sorry mess of it without Chris. I guessbroiling some of it will be the easiest way. "

Each cut himself a long, green palmetto stem which would not take firereadily and sharpened one end to a point upon which he impaled agenerous slice of steak. With flushed faces and singed fingers theykept turning the meat over and over before the blaze. It was anunsavory mess, burnt and ash covered, which they at last pronounceddone and deposited upon a clean palmetto leaf. Hungry as wolves, eachcut off a generous mouthful and began to chew. They chewed and chewedlooking at each other with keen disappointment on their faces. 

Walter at last spat out his mouthful in disgust. "It's tough as soleleather and about as tasteless. We even forgot the salt, too. "

A little figure lurking behind a tree on the edge of the clearingevidently deemed this just the proper time to make its presence known, for it stepped boldly out from behind its shelter. Its right eye wasclosed tight by an enormous swelling, and its nose was twice itsnatural size, but it strode forward with head up and dignity in itstread. 

"Chris, " shouted in delight the three beside the fire. 

The little darky looked down on the pile of burnt and ruined meat indisgust. "I knowed you chillen's would go an' spoil de best part ob mybear. Now you-all jis get out ob de way an' dis nigger goin' to showyou how to cook b'ar meat. "

"But it's so tough, Chris, that we can't chew it, " Walter objected. 

"You chillens jes get out of de way like I tells you, " said the littlenegro vaingloriously. "Just come back in forty minutes an' dinner willbe ready. Leave dis nigger alone 'till then 'cause he's powerful crossto-day. "

Charley nudged the captain and Walter and the three withdrew to alittle distance, leaving Chris in possession of the field. 

"Chris will fix it up all right, " Charley assured them. "While he's atit, let's have a try for some of the honey the bear was into, " hesuggested. 

His two companions gave an eager assent. 

CHAPTER XI. 

THE PAWPAWS. 

Three more torches of palmetto leaves were quickly made, lighted up, and, with extra handfuls of the green leaves, our party advancedtowards the tree where they had first seen the bear. They were met bya buzzing horde of the workers who swarmed out to defend their homes, but these were soon silenced by the pungent smoke of the torches andour hunters soon stood by the tree where bruin had met his Waterloo. 

A few feet from the ground was a massive limb and a little above it wasa cavity in the trunk itself, around which more bees buzzedindustriously. A few waves of the smoke torches quieted these, andCharley swung himself up on the limb beside the hole. A little moresmoke completed the job and with his hunting-knife he dug out greatsquares of the clear, dripping comb, which he passed down to hiscompanions who had stripped off a slab of hickory bark for itsreception. 

"That is more than we can eat, " he at last declared, slipping to theground, "besides I've got a 'hunch' that Chris has got that bear meatready for us and I am hungry as a wolf. "

"It may be cooked all right but it will still be too tough to eat, "mourned Walter. 

"Don't you believe it, " chuckled Charley, "those bear steaks are goingto be as tender as chicken. If you will not give me away to Chris, Iwill show you the reason why. "

The captain and Walter eagerly gave the promise of secrecy. 

"See that shrub?" said the instructor, pointing to a banana-like stalkof a tree-like shrub without branches, but from which protruded large, round glossy leaves with short stems. Close to its trunk near thecrown hung a close cluster of golden fruit about the size of an apple. 

Walter plucked one of the ripe fruit and bit into it hungrily, but spatout the mouthful in disgust. 

"You have to acquire a taste for it, the same as you have to for turtleeggs, olives, and a dozen other things that taste unpleasant at first, "Charley said. "You'll find that little tree scattered all over Floridawhere the soil is at all rich. It is called pawpaw by the natives, whoregard it highly for the sake of its one peculiar virtue. A few dropsof the juice of its ripe fruit spread over a tough Florida steak willin a few minutes, make it as tender as veal. The same results can beattained by wrapping the steak in the leaves and letting it lay aslightly longer time. The best of it is that meat treated in thismanner is not injured in the slightest. In fact it seems to gain inflavor from the treatment. But there is Chris waving to us. Keepquiet about the pawpaws. I want to hear his explanation. "

They were too hungry to lose any time in obeying Chris' signals. Thelittle darky had arranged a kind of tablecloth of moss on the groundand had put upon it slabs of clean cut bark for plates, while upon eachrude plate reposed a thick, juicy, bear steak, done to a turn. Thesteak was delicious and tender as chicken and with a taste all its own. 

"You're a born cook, Chris, " declared Walter, as he paused to take afull breath. "What makes it so tender, now? that which we cooked wastough as leather. "

"You chillens doan know how to cook like dis nigger, " declared the vainlittle darky, proudly. "Hit's all in de cookin', Massa Walter, hit'sall in de cookin'. "

Charley turned over a morsel of his steak, examined it closely andsniffed it critically, while Chris watched him with anxious suspicion, and Walter with mischief dancing in his eyes. 

Slowly Charley's eyes took on an absent, far-away look, his arms andlegs seemed to stiffen, and a tremor ran through his limbs. Chriswatched him with distending eyeballs. 

"I see, " Charley said, in a low, hollow voice, "I see a tree, not a bigtree, but a small one. It has round, green leaves and a cluster ofgolden fruit near the top. What is it I see creeping toward the tree, a monkey? No, not a monkey, though it looks like one. It's a boy, asmall black boy. He nears the tree. He looks around to see if anyoneis watching. He shins up the tree and breaks off several of theleaves. I see him again near a big fire. He still has the leaves. Heis wrapping them around pieces of meat. As he does it, I can hear himchuckling to himself. I see----"

"Oh golly, stop him, stop him! He's got de 'haunts'!" cried Chris interror, as he grabbed Charley by the shoulder and shook him wildly. 

Charley seemed to come to with a start. "Where was I, what was Isaying?" he murmured. 

"You was filled wid de haunts, " declared Chris solemnly. "You was jes'tellin' to yourself how dis shiftless, lying nigger got dem pawpawleaves to make dis bar meat tender. "

Walter and the captain were roaring with laughter, but Chris went onsolemnly with his confession. "Golly, but dis nigger's been a powerfulliar lots ob times, but you doan ketch him at it any more. You sho' isgot de conjerer eye, Massa Charley, else how you know dat lake wid decrane on it was full of grass like knives, else how you see bees rounddat bear when you is too far off to see 'em, else how you see Chrisgetting dem pawpaw leaves when you is clean out ob sight. I guess disnigger doan lie any more when you is round, Massa Charley. "

"Well, if you are all through, we had better make back for camp for thesun is getting low, " said Charley, hurriedly, to forestall a lecture onthe wickedness of lying, which he saw by the working of the captain'sfeatures, he was preparing to deliver to the little culprit. 

Their things were quickly collected together and they were soon headedback to their point. With the passing of the excitement of the day, they all began to have vague alarms as to what might have happenedduring their absence, and to reproach themselves for leaving the placeso long unguarded. 

Their reproaches were wasted, however, for they found everything asthey had left it, save stuck in the bark of a pine tree near the fire, was the badly scrawled notice. "Don't forget to pull out from thesediggin's afore to-morrow noon. "

"They evidently mean business, " said Walter, as the hunters stoodtogether reading the dirty, ill-written paper. 

"And I'm not so sure but what we would be wiser if we obeyed theirwarning, but I hate to run away from such a crowd, " observed Charleygravely. 

"I feel the same way, " agreed Walter, "but it would be cowardly to gonow and leave the Seminoles to their fate. "

"Aye, aye, lad, truly spoken, " said the captain, firmly, "stay we must. "

"Golly, I jis guess dis nigger ain't none scairt of theirthreatenings, " chimed in Chris. 

"Well, we seem to be pretty well agreed, " Charley said, trying in vainto shake off the vague feeling of impending evil, that had suddenlysettled over him. "Speaking for myself, I feel too keyed up andanxious to do anything much until we get this thing over with. I movewe get all our gear into shape and try to plan some way to get theplume birds hereafter without killing. That will take us until dark, Iguess. Then let's quietly take our blankets and move back into theforest a ways. Our neighbors may take a notion to pay us a visitwithout waiting for to-morrow. "

The others readily agreed to this proposal and were soon busy trying toscheme out some means to take their feathered prey alive. 

It was Chris who at last solved the problem. 

"You know dat stuff we used puttin' dem boats together?" he demanded. 

"A quick drying glue, " exclaimed Charley, catching the idea at once. 

"Golly, I should say hit was, " grinned Chris, "hit dun stick my fingerstogether so tight that it peared like I'd never get 'em apart. Nowdoan you reckon by spreading hit thick-like on dem limbs whar dem birdsroosts dat hit would hold 'em down till we-alls got ready to pry 'emoff?"

"The lad's got the right idea, I reckon, " allowed the captain. "Wecould fix the limbs up just before dusk and needn't bother about 'emany more until it was broad daylight. "

The boys were unstinted in their praise of Chris' suggestion until thelittle darky forgot the humiliation of the day and was once more hisbright, vain, cheery self. 

As night shut down on the point, more wood was heaped upon the fire, ahasty lunch was made from the remains of dinner, and, taking their gunsand blankets with them, our hunters stole off into the depths of thewood. They soon reached a little open spot that they had noted duringthe day. Their blankets were spread out upon the moss-covered groundclose together so as to be encircled with the hair rope which Charleyhad brought to protect them from snakes while sleeping. 

Before they wrapped themselves in their blankets, the captain offeredup a fervent, simple prayer of thanks for past protection and a pleafor blessings on the work before them on the morrow. 

"How much of that glue stuff is there, Chris?" whispered Walter as theystretched out to rest. 

"'Bout two quarts, I reckon. "

"Pshaw, that will not last us any time, " said Walter in disappointment. "It will be all gone in a week. "

It was well for the lad's peace of mind that he could not look forwardinto the future and see how little of Chris's discovery was destined tobe used. 

CHAPTER XII. 

CHARLEY'S MISTAKE. 

All were awake early next morning, in fact, the captain and Charley hadslept but little during the night. They were worried and anxious as towhat the coming day would bring forth. As he lay awake during the longsilent hours, Charley felt his burden of responsibility grow heavyindeed and doubts began to assail him as to the wisdom of the course hewas pursuing. After all, there was yet time to retreat. He had onlyto say the word and his companions would willingly follow. His plansin remaining were built largely on guesswork and theory. If theyworked out as he had reasoned, the Indians would be warned. With theiraid the convicts could be surrounded, captured, and sent back to acoast town under guard. Some blood would likely be shed but not asmuch as if they were left free to run at large. But if his reasoningwere wrong, if his plan for some unforeseen reason, failed, --the boyshuddered as he thought of himself and three companions pitted againsttwelve desperate ruffians, far away from any help or assistance. Deepdown in his active brain some awakened cell was trying to send amessage of warning, but it would not rise to his consciousness, hecould not quite grasp it or its meaning. Thus tortured and worried, our young leader passed a weary night, and was relieved when dawn beganto break and his companions to awaken. 

As soon as it was light enough, they made their way back cautiously tothe camp, where they found everything as they had left it. Evidentlythey had had no visitors during the night. 

"Well, it was just as well to be on the safe side, " Charley announced, "anything is liable to happen now. I guess while you make some coffee, Chris, I will stand guard at our wall. Walt, you make up two packagesof provisions, say enough to do for a couple of days and put one ineach of the canoes. Captain, if you will, please look over the outfitsand pick out what we will be able to carry and what would be mostuseful to us if we should have to take to the canoes in a hurry. Don'tbe alarmed, " he said cheerily, noting the grave look on the others'faces. "Things are going to go all right, but a good general alwayslooks to it that he has a way of retreat ready. Now, as soon as Chrishas coffee ready, we will have one last talk together about thisthing. " Shouldering his rifle, he made his way to the breastwork offallen trees, where he paced back and forth until Chris came to relievehim for breakfast. 

During the meal, Charley went over the whole puzzle again, explainingfreely his doubts and fears, and the possibility of his whole chain ofreasoning being wrong. "Now you know all I know about it, " heconcluded. "There is yet time to escape. If you say the word, we'llstart in half an hour. "

The captain shook his head gravely. "Your reasoning seems clear asprint to me, lad. You have just brooded over it so long that it'snatural you should begin to have doubts and fears. To me it's as soundas when you first gave it. That being so, we can't run an' leave thempoor ignorant savages to be shot down maybe like snipe. It wouldn't beChristian like to go when that chance remains. "

"Those are my sentiments exactly, " said Walter eagerly. 

"Good, " Charley sighed in relief, "this shifts at least part of theresponsibility from my shoulders. Now for our plans. Walter, I amgoing to put you to watch at Lookout Point to-day. If you see theIndians, signal them in and tell them of the whole plot againstthem, --there's sure to be one or more of them who understands English. As soon as you make them understand, lead them back through the woodstill you get to the neck of the convicts' point, then post them behindtrees and stumps so the convicts cannot get by them. Then fire twoshots close together and we will be with you in ten minutes, and ourbirds will be caged. Have Chris fix you up a lunch, for the Indiansare not likely to pass the point until afternoon. " His voice sank fromthe crisp tone of command to a softer note, and his hand for a momentrested affectionately on his chum's shoulder as he continued. "I hateto send you out there alone, old chap, but I have got to stay here. The convicts may try to drive us out of this place this morning. Nomatter how much shooting you may hear, don't desert your post. "

"But, if for some reason you want me, how am I to know?"

Charley reflected for a moment. "I have a couple of rockets in mysaddle-bags, " he said; "if I send up one, you may know it's a signal tocome back. Now be sure to keep your eyes out for trouble as you nearthe point. No one can tell, now, what the situation may be. "

The two chums silently clasped hands in a hearty, farewell grip, andWalter, picking up his rifle and some of the remnants from breakfast, vaulted the tree breastwork and with a cheery nod and wave of his handto those left behind, quickly vanished in the forest. 

Charley stood for a moment gazing after him with something like a mistin his honest brown eyes. "Dear old fellow, " he murmured, "God grantthat all will turn out well and that we may be safe together againbefore night falls. "

The captain's voice brought him back from his musing. "Well, Charley, "he sung out cheerily, "I've got together the things we can't well spareand distributed them between the canoes. I reckoned that was where youwanted 'em. What's the next orders, General?"

"Nothing, but to get our guns and all the spare ones, and take standsalong the wall. Those fellows may try to drive us off this morning. "

The captain grinned with satisfaction as he took his place behind thebarricade. 

"I reckon they'll have to be pretty smart to get on this point, " hecommented. "There's a tidy stretch of right open ground to be crossedbefore they reach here. "

"I picked it out just for that reason, " Charley admitted. "We canstand them off here during the day, but at night we cannot stop them, Ifear. "

"Aye, aye, " nodded the captain thoughtfully, "that's the reason forfixing up the canoes. "

Charley nodded in turn. "I hope we won't have to take to them, " hesaid. "It would come hard to lose our ponies, our packs, and all thathelps to make our camp life comfortable. "

"We won't lose 'em, " declared the captain, cheerfully. "This timeto-morrow night we'll be safe and hearty sitting around the firefiguring up our share of the rewards they must be offering by this timefor those pretty jail-birds. "

This ended the conversation, for each took his position behind the treebarricade with all senses alert for any indications of an attack. 

For long Charley kept shifting his gaze from the woods before him tothe tall sapling on Lookout Point. At last a smudge of red showed nearthe sapling's top for a minute, then disappeared, and he gave a shoutof relief. "Walter's there all right, " he called to his companions, "Isaw his signal. "

The morning wore slowly away without a sign of their enemies. 

"What have you figured out is the reason they ain't troubling us, Charley?" the captain called when the noon hour was at last reached. 

"I have been studying over it for a long time, sir, " the lad answered, "and have come to the conclusion that they have decided to postponefinishing us up until they have disposed of the Indians. I guess theyare afraid that the noise of firearms would put the Seminoles on theirguard if they happen to be within hearing. Anyway, I guess, we canspare Chris long enough to get us a lunch. "

Chris lost no time in getting together a hasty dinner, which was asquickly disposed of by the sentinels. 

From now on Charley kept his eyes anxiously on the distant point andsapling, hoping, longing, and expecting to catch a glimpse of thefluttering square of red which would wave the welcome news that Walterhad sighted the Indian fleet. 

One o'clock passed, two o'clock, three, and still no signal. 

"Take it calm, lad, they'll be along soon, " the captain saidsoothingly, to Charley, who was nervously pacing back and forth, hisface drawn and anxious. 

"For de Lawd sake, look over there by dem convicts' point. Oh, golly, oh golly!" cried Chris, suddenly. 

Charley gave one glance and buried his face in his hands to shut outthe coming horror. "Fool, fool that I was, " he moaned. "Not to knowthat it would be the home-bound Indians loaded with plumes they wouldbe laying for, not the empty handed ones coming out of the glades. "

The captain was by his side in a second. "Don't take it hard, lad, " hesaid, gently. "You done your best. We all stumbled into the samemistake. Look away for a minute, lad. It will soon be over, I daresay. "

But Charley, though torn with regrets, took his hands from his face andgazed steadily at the tragedy nearing its climax. 

Winding past the convicts' point in single file, came a long line ofsome thirty canoes, uncouth, shapeless things, each hewed out of agreat cypress log. In the end of each an Indian stood erect plying along pole which sent their clumsy looking crafts forward at surprisingspeed. Magnificent savages they were, not one less than six feet tall, framed like athletes, and lithe and supple as panthers. 

One man in each boat was the rule, but in the leading canoe a youngIndian lad was also squatted, in the bow. 

With breathless suspense our hunters stood helpless to warn or help asthe long line glided on to its fate. 

Ten, twelve, fourteen, fifteen stole past the point. Then the horrorof horrors happened. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

THE BATTLE. 

From the point burst out a sudden cloud of flame and smoke. Six of thecanoes in the lead and six in the rear of the long procession came to asudden halt. Of their occupants, some crumpled up where they had stoodlike bits of flame-swept paper. Others pitched forward in the bottomof their crafts, while still others stood for a minute swaying fromleft to right like drunken men, to finally crash over the sides likefallen trees, taking their cranky crafts over with them in their plungeof death. 

Only for a second was there confusion amongst the remaining canoes. Before the volley could be repeated, they had drawn closer together. Each Indian had dropped his pole, and seizing his rifle crouched low inthe bottom of his craft, his keen eyes searching the point. 

"They're heroes, that's what they are, " cried Charley, his eyesflashing and cheeks aflame, "they are as good as dead if they stay, andyet they will not flee. "

"Suicide, I call it, " said the captain harshly, to conceal his emotionof horror and admiration. "But there's one there who is going to savehis skin. See that young lad who was in the first canoe. He is polingaway now that his companion has fallen. "

"But not willingly, " said Charley, who had been watching the littleby-play, "did you see him pick up his gun? He wanted to fight, but therest shouted and made signs to him till he put it down. I've got it, "he exclaimed, "it was the chief in that canoe. They are trying tocover his retreat, poor fellows. They are what I call men. "

There had been no cessation in the fighting while the captain andCharley were talking; flame and smoke continued to burst out from thepoint in almost a continuous stream, while those in the canoes were notinactive. Where an arm or leg showed to their hawk-like eyes, theirrifles cracked sharply, to be generally rewarded with a howl of painfrom some cutthroat who had been winged. But there could be but oneend to such a battle. The convicts were well protected behind bigtrees, while the flimsy sides of their canoes afforded the brave littleband of Seminoles almost no protection. Still they fought stubbornlyon, answering shot with shot until the point and canoes were shroudedin a fog of smoke. 

"They see the young Indian, they see him, " cried Charley in an agony ofsuspense. "Look, look, they are all shooting at him. "

The young Indian had passed out of the smoke pall, but his flight hadnot been undetected; some of the convicts, with an eye out for justsuch escapes, had drawn back to higher ground where they could seeabove the smoke which hung close to the water. These at once gave thealarm, and a shower of bullets began to rain around the dugout. 

The Indian lad stood stoically at his poling, not even glancing back, and paying no more attention to the hail of bullets than if they wereso many flies. The little Seminole seemed to bear a charmed life, bullets struck the pole he was handling, and again and again they sentout splinters flying from the sides of the dugout itself, but still heshoved steadily ahead. 

"By the ghost of the Flying Dutchman, " shouted the captain, "he isgoing to get away from them. Two hundred feet more and their bulletswon't hurt if they hit. "

"He's hit, " cried Charley, a second later; "watch him. "

The Indian lad had given a sudden, involuntary start and one hand wentto his head, he sank to his knees, struggled to rise, then slowly andgently slipped down; a huddled heap in the bottom of his canoe, whilean exultant yell rose from the convicts' camp. 

Charley's face was white and haggard, but his voice was steady and coolas he turned to the captain. "Please go to my saddle-bags. You'llfind two rockets there. Set them both off; that will bring Walter, andwe will have need of him soon. I am going after that Indian and bringhim in dead or alive. You and Chris had better mount guard again atthe wall; those cut-throats will be here soon. "

One look at Charley's face convinced the captain that remonstranceswere useless, so, with a hearty squeeze of the lad's hand, he turnedaway to his duties. 

Charley unmoored one of the canvas canoes and, taking his place in thestern, with a mighty shove of the paddle drove it far out into thestream. 

"Massa Charley, my own Massa Charley, going to be killed, " wailedChris, giving way to his fears and grief with the emotionalism of hisrace. 

The captain shook him vigorously. "Shut up, " he said, roughly, partlyto hide his own feelings, "Charley's comin' back without a scratch. The good Lord, I reckon, don't make lads as true and white as he to bekilled off by a pack of jail vermin. Come to the wall as he told usto. Maybe we'll get a shot at those murderers before the day is done. Come along an' stop that blubberin', " and he grabbed the soft-heartedlittle darky by the arm and dragged him to the post. 

The convicts were quick to see and interpret Charley's action, andtheir guns were quickly turned upon his frail craft. As he drew nearerthe drifting dugout and came within range, a perfect hail of bulletssplashed the water into foam around him. He did not falter orhesitate, but with long clean strokes of the paddle, sent his lightlittle craft flying towards his goal. Perhaps it was this very speedthat saved his life. Bullet after bullet pierced the thin canvas sidesand one struck a corner of his paddle, tingling his arm and side likean electric shock. A few minutes of this furious paddling brought himto the bow of the dugout. Seizing its rawhide painter, he fastened theend to a seat in his own boat. Then taking the paddle again, he headedback to the point. The leaden hail fell as thickly as ever, but bycrouching low he was shielded somewhat by the high sides of his tow. His return progress was now slow, but gradually he worked the twocrafts out of the range of the convicts. 

Walter had lost no time in getting back to camp at the call of therockets, and was waiting at the water's edge to receive his chum. 

"Haul both boats in and make them fast, " Charley ordered as he wearilypaddled in. 

Walter waded out knee deep, and seizing the bow of each boat as it camein reach, drew it up on the shore, and taking the painter, quickly madethem fast to a nearby pine. 

"We have got some heavy, quick work ahead of us, " Charley said quicklyenough to forestall the volley of eager questions on the tip of hisexcited chum's tongue. "Every minute counts now. I dare not calleither Chris or the captain away from their posts. Help me into thelean-to with these poor fellows, then get your gun and join thecaptain. Those murderers may be over here any minute now. They arebound for their own safety to let no witness of their horrible crimeescape. "

As he rose from his cramped crouching position, Charley got his firstglance of the interior of the dugout and his face grew dark with angertowards those who had brought this thing to pass. 

Prone on his face in the bottom lay a magnificent specimen of savagemanhood. His height, when standing, could not have been less than sixfeet three. His shoulders were broad and clothed with great, powerfulmuscles. His body sloped away gracefully to a slim waist and straight, muscular limbs--the ideal body, striven for by all athletes. His dresswas that usual to Seminoles on a hunt--a long calico shirt belted in atthe waist, limbs bare, moccasins of soft tanned deer-skin, and ahead-dress made of many tightly-wound crimson handkerchiefs boundtogether by a broad, thin band of polished silver. In the turban, nowdyed a richer hue from the blood flowing from the warrior's shoulder, was stuck a large eagle feather, the insignia of a chief. At his feet, where he had crumpled down under the enemy's bullets, lay the Indianlad in a huddled heap. It did not need the tiny eagle feather in thediminutive turban to convince Charley's observant eye that it was acase of father and son, a chief and son of a chief. 

All that we have taken so long to describe, Charley had taken in at oneswift glance. 

"Both are still living, " he declared. "Run to the lean-to, Walt, andget a blanket. We will have to drag that big one up to the camp. Itwill be pretty rough, but it's our only way. We cannot carry him. "

In a minute Walter was back with a thick, strong horse-blanket, whichhe spread out on the turf close to the water. 

It took every ounce of strength the two lads possessed to lift theheavy body from the dugout to the blanket, then each taking a forwardend of the blanket, they drew it gently after them sled-wise up to thelean-to, avoiding rough places as much as possible. There, they had toexert themselves to the limit of their strength to lift their burdenfrom the blanket to one of the couches. 

Their second trip was easier. The Indian lad, though showing promiseof great future strength, was still only a stripling, and they bore hislimp body in their arms without difficulty. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

THE VICTIMS. 

"Hurry back to the captain, Walt, " urged his chum as soon as the Indianboy was laid on another conch. "He may need you any minute. Thosedemons will be here as soon as they finish off the Seminoles. Thankthe Lord, the firing is still going on. I will do what I can for thesepoor chaps and be with you as soon as possible. " His eye flashed andhis face darkened as he added, "Tell the captain everyone must shoot atanything that shows itself--and shoot to kill. "

As soon as his chum had gone, Charley turned his attention to theSeminole chief. From the clotted mass of blood, he guessed thelocation of the main wound, and with his hunting-knife he rapidly cutaway the shirt, exposing the warrior's chest and back. As he drew backthe blood-soaked cloth, he gave a sigh of relief. The bullet hadpassed clear through the body close to the lungs, --a serious wound, butone which perhaps with proper care need not prove fatal. The amateursurgeon had no antiseptic except common salt, but with that and waterhe quickly cleansed and sterilized the wounds and tearing up one of hisown clean shirts, he first scraped a strip with an old case knife untilhe had a quantity of soft lint with which he stopped both the uglyholes made by the bullet, and then with other strips of the same, heneatly bandaged the wounds. Next he drew on one of the captain'sshirts in the place of the one he had cut away. Lastly, he broke opena pack and took out a quart bottle of brandy. Pouring out a largedrink he let it trickle slowly down between the Indian's set teeth. 

The effect was noticeable at once. Slowly the warm blood flowed backinto the dusky cheeks, the limbs began to twitch, the breathing grewaudible, and the wounded man began to show signs of returningconsciousness. 

Before turning to his other patient, whom he reckoned as good as dead, Charley stepped outside the wigwam and cast a quick look around. Asmile of satisfaction parted his lips as he noted the distant figuresof his companions behind the tree barricade, each at his post, gun inhand, nervously alert. From them, his glance went on to the point, where the battle was still going on. To even an unobserving person, itwas clear that the firing from the canoes was slackening rapidly, andwith a sigh of regret and anxiety, the lad turned back into the lean-to. 

When he bent over the Indian lad, he uttered an exclamation of joy;from the matted hair and abundance of blood he had believed him shotthrough the head. A closer examination showed, however, that thebullet had only ploughed a neat little furrow down to the skull. Charley washed the wound clean, forced some of the brandy down theboy's throat, and dashed a cup of cold water in his face. The effectwas startling. In a few minutes the little Indian was sitting up, swaying drunkenly and in a half dazed way staring about the littleshelter. 

"You arc coming around all right, old chap, " said Charley, cheerily. 

His voice and face brought back to the Indian lad with a rush thememory of the recent ordeal he had been through. He gave one glance atthe unconscious form on the other couch and his hand darted to thehunting-knife at his hip as he staggered, dizzily, to his feet. 

"Stop, you are among friends, " cried Charley, holding up both emptyhands palm upward as a token of peace. "You were grazed on the head bya rifle bullet and it knocked you out for a few minutes, so I went outin my canoe and towed you in. Your father is hurt pretty bad, but Ihave fixed him up good as I can and I think he will pull through withcare. "

The little Indian lad's keen, beady eyes searched the white lad's open, smiling face, his hand dropped from his knife, and he sunk back weaklyon the couch. 

"My father over there, heap big chief, " he declared proudly, inguttural English. "Name Big Tiger. Me, they call Little Tiger. " Ashade of suspicion crept over his face. "You white you say you friend. More whites hid behind trees and shoot and kill many of Big Tiger'sbraves, " he said with an ironical smile. 

Charley saw that now, if ever, was the time to clear his little partyfrom the natural suspicion of the Seminole. He sat down on the couchopposite and his honest blue eyes met the other's keen, black onesunwaveringly. "The Seminoles, once a mighty people, have grown as fewin number as the deer in the forest, " he began, falling naturally intothe speech of the Indians. "Yet, few though they became, there walkedamong them, at least, one of their race whose heart and mind was likethe night when the moon shines not and clouds have hid the stars. Oneday this evil one rose up and slew a harmless white settler. The wisemen of the tribe took counsel together, saying, 'times are changing, wewill turn him over to the law of the white men. ' The ears of theLittle Tiger may have heard whispered the name of the white settler'sslayer. "

The Indian's eyes were gleaming with scorn and hatred. "InjunCharley, " he hissed. 

"The white men judged the slayer of the settler according to theirlaws. They sent him to ha shackled with chain and iron ball and doheavy, squaw-work in misery the balance of his years. They did not saybecause this Indian was bad that all Seminoles were slayers of whitemen. "

The young Indian started up and began to speak, but Charley silencedhim with a gesture and gravely continued. 

"No, these judges were not fools to believe that a whole people shouldbe judged by the crimes of one, or a few of its race. Among thepaleface race were brother, squaw, and father murderers, in greatnumbers, not because the white race is worse than the red, but becausethey exceed the red men in number as the leaves exceed the trunks ofthe tree. "

"With the bad Indian, serving out a lifetime of work and exile, wereeleven white men just as bad. When those that watched them had theireyes turned away, the twelve plotted. One night they rose up andmurdered the guards, took their guns and ponies, and, under the lead ofthe bad Indian, came as the crow flies for here, where were campedmyself and three companions, seeking only the bird that bears plumesupon its back. The balance you know, " he concluded, gravely. "Asbrother to brother, should the Seminoles be judged by the slayer ofwhites, or the white hunters by lawless murderers whose color is thesame as theirs?"

During Charley's short argument, the suspicion had fled from the youngchieftain's face. At the conclusion, he drew himself up proudly erectand extending his hand spoke the one English word he knew that stoodwith him for friendship and confidence, --"How. "

"How, " said Charley cheerfully, giving the offered hand a hearty shake. "Now let's get outside and take a look. As soon as they have finishedwith your followers, I expect the bad men to come down upon us. "

Short as had been the time they had spent in the lean-to, a greatchange had taken place at the scene of the battle. The firing hadceased from all the canoes but one, and even as they looked, a riflecracked, the canoe's occupant half rose, then crashed down over itsside, and the last Seminole rifle was silenced. 

The pall of smoke had drifted away from the point, revealing a terriblesight, twenty-nine canoes or dugouts drifted on the quiet water at themercy of wind or current, some floated bottom upward, others' sideswere punctured and splintered with innumerable bullets. Here and therewas one splotched and spotted with the crimson life-blood of its heroicdefender. Not a sign of life was visible amongst the little squadron. As Charley looked, one of the convicts ventured out from his place ofconcealment and with a long branch, drew the nearest canoe in to shore. With a coil of rope in one hand, he jumped in and shoved out amongstthe drifting craft. His errand was easy to be guessed, to make fast tothe drifting canoes and tow them all in to shore. 

At the sight of the wiping out of the last of his comrades, the youngIndian had sunk to a seat on a log and buried his face in his hands. Now, Charley tapped him gently on the shoulder. "It is not a time forthe son of a chief to be grieving like a squaw, " he said, "hisfollowers are gone, but they died like brave men. Paleface historytells of no braver stand than they made to-day. It's not meet for theson of a chief to sit repining. His thought should be of punishmentfor the doers of the evil. "

The young Indian sprang to his feet, his eyes gleaming fiercely. "How?" he demanded. "They have slain the pack. Will they not sooncome for the leaders? Has the young white chieftain magic to workagainst their many guns and canoes?"

"When the blood runs hot is not the time to reason coolly, " saidCharley, calmly. "I go now to help my comrades. Go you into thewigwam and watch by your father; when he awakens tell him all. As soonas we may, we will all meet here in council, and the counsel of a chiefwill shed a light in the dark around us. "

Without a word the young Seminole whirled on his heels and disappearedin the lean-to, while Charley hurried in to the barricade, where hispresence was now sorely needed. 

CHAPTER XV. 

A FLAG OF TRUCE. 

From the woods beyond the barricade the convicts were pouring in arapid fire upon its defenders. Luckily the little band of hunters wereso placed that the shower of bullets pinged harmlessly against thethick logs. Whenever a convict showed an arm or leg one of thedefenders' rifles cracked and a howl of pain from the forest sometimesfollowed the report. 

Charley crept to where Walter was crouching, his face flushed and eyesshining as he peered eagerly through a crack between the logs watchingfor a chance to shoot. "Gee, this is great sport, " he exclaimed as hecaught sight of his chum. "They are afraid to cross that open spaceand are hiding amongst the trees just wasting powder and lead on theselogs. "

Charley looked up thoughtfully at the sun, which was now less than twohours high. "You saw the killing of those innocent Indians, " he saidgravely. "It was terrible. "

"It was grand the way they stayed to the last man and died that theirchief might escape, " declared Walter with boyish enthusiasm. 

"Grand but terrible, " his chum agreed. "But we must look out forourselves, now. They are not going to let us get back to town, now, with our tale of their crime and whereabouts. We can keep them offfrom this barricade until night, but what then? They have boats now, and can attack by land and water at the same time. We are too few innumbers to defend both ends of the point. "

"What can we do, then?" demanded the other. 

Charley smiled grimly. "I am not going to trust my own judgment alonethis time, after the terrible mistake I've made. We must scare thosefellows off for a bit and then hold a council to decide on the wisestcourse. Thank goodness we have cartridges to burn. Fill your magazinefull, and when you see me raise my hand pour all sixteen shots into thewood. I'll have the captain do the same at the same time. Chris and Iwill fire while you two are reloading. If we keep that up for a fewminutes, I think we will drive them off long enough to talk over thesituation. "

Walter nodded comprehension and began stuffing shells into the magazineof his Winchester. 

From him, Charley passed on to the captain and Chris, to whom he gavethe same explanations and instructions. As he took his own placebehind the barricade, the young Indian crawled quietly up beside him. 

"Why did you not stay with your father?" said Charley, impatiently. The little Indian drew himself up proudly and recklessly to his fullheight, inviting a storm of bullets, all of which happily missed theirmark. Before the volley could be repeated, Charley pulled him down onthe turf beside him out of danger. 

"The chief has awakened from his sleep, " said the young Seminole withdignity. "Of the things you had told me and I had seen, I told him alland he believed. Then he bade me come forth, saying, 'Where thebullets sing is the place for the son of a chief. '"

"Then keep close to me and shoot when I do, " Charley ordered. Heraised his right hand in the air and the captain's and Chris' riflessent thirty-two bullets zipping and singing in amongst the trees. Before the convicts recovered from their surprise, forty-eight moreleaden messengers whined through the air above them. The effect wasmagical, the convicts ceased their fire, and puzzled and alarmed by thesudden leaden hail, sought shelter behind the largest trees they couldfind. 

For ten minutes the hunters poured volley after volley of lead into theforest. Suddenly a white rag tied to a stick was thrust out frombehind a tree. 

Instantly Charley gave the signal to stop firing. As it ceased, a manstepped out into the open, bearing the flag of truce in his hand. 

Charley laid down his smoking rifle and leaped lightly over thebarricade. 

"Don't go to meet him, Charley, " Walter implored, "anyone of thosemurderers are likely to take a pot shot at you. Do come back. "

"Better listen to the lad, Charley, " said the captain, earnestly. "Youcan't count on that gang respecting a truce flag. Don't go, my boy. "

But Charley only smiled determinedly. "I want to hear what he has tosay, and I don't want him to see the weak points in our barricade, " hesaid, "besides, the other day, I was noticing that fellow coming. Criminal he may be, but he is far too good for the company he's in. I've got a feeling that he would not stand to be a decoy. Here goes, anyway. Don't worry. "

Midway of the open space the two met. The convict was a young man, with a dark, handsome face and bold, reckless eyes. He greeted theyoung hunter as coolly as though they were meeting for a pleasantsocial chat. 

"I came because the rest were afraid, " he explained, cheerfully, eyeingthe other from head to foot with cool assurance. "They are so crookedand treacherous themselves that they think that your companions will doas they would do, --not hesitate to fire on the bearer of a white flag. "

"They have a good chance at me now, " said Charley with a smile. 

The stranger grinned as he skilfully rolled a cigarette with one hand. "I gave them to understand before I left that they would have to reckonwith me if they tried any such trick, " he remarked, cheerfully. "Iguess that will keep the brutes quiet for a while. But let's get downto business. I have, " he said ironically, "the distinguished honor tobe their messenger, but first let me say that, although with that gangof beasts, I am not of them. I've killed my man, but it was in fairfight, and not by a knife in the back. I have no kick coming over whatthe law dealt out to me. Furthermore, if I had known the animals, Iwould have to travel with, I would not have let my longing for freedomdraw me away from the turpentine camp. Lord knows, I wish I was backthere now. " His voice, which had grown earnest, dropped again into asarcastic note. "But I am wandering, as I said before, my noble, gallant friends have made me their messenger and agent. It will helpyou to understand their demands if I state that the afternoon's workhas been far from satisfactory. So many of the canoes were overturnedthat the plumes secured will not amount to more than seven hundreddollars where my friends expected to reap as many thousand as the fruitof their labor. "

"Come to the point, " said Charley, impatiently, his eyes shiftinganxiously to the declining sun. 

The other's tone grew still more bitterly sarcastic. "We have beenbitterly disappointed, " he declared. "My brave, valiant companionshave suffered sorely in body and spirit. You saw them engage a mightyfleet of a race whose color was an offense in their eyes. It was alsorumored that the fleet contained many thousands of dollars in birdplumes which it was clearly wrong to leave in the possession of thosewho would not know how to spend the money intelligently. 

"It is true my dear companions kept in the shelter of the largesttrees, but the incautious ones, --there was an arm barked here and a legscratched there, and pain stalked abroad in our midst. Then, when thebattle was over, judge of the bitterness of mind of my noble comradeswhen they searched the canoes not overturned and found less than sevenhundred dollars' worth of plumes, barely enough for one good right'sdrunk and carouse in town. "

Charley was interested in spite of himself in this gay, humorous youngoutlaw, who was so evidently superior to his brutal companions, and hewould have liked to let him come to the point in his own amusing way, but the sun was getting low, and he feared to waste more time. "Cutout your nonsense and come to the point, " he said curtly. "What do youwant with us?"

The other dropped his mocking tone. "We want that chief and his boy, whom you are harboring in your camp. According to our Indiancompanion, they own, or know of the hiding-place of, a fortune inplumes. If the plumes are not to be easily reached, we can still holdthe chief and boy for a big ransom. His people will raise it quickenough, for he is a big man among them. " He hesitated and then wenton. "The gang said for me to tell you, if the chief and boy were givenup, your party would not be troubled further. "

Charley smiled incredulously. "And what do you say?" he demanded. 

"That whether you give them up or not, you are all as good as dead, "exclaimed the other in a burst of frankness. "Good Lord, boy, do youdream that they figure on letting any eyewitness escape to a town andset the officers of law on their trail? You can hold them off hereuntil night, but when darkness comes you'll be wiped out like theblowing out of a candle. "

Charley laid his hand on the other's arm. "You are too good for thatgang, better come over to our side, " he said, earnestly. 

The young outlaw hesitated for the fraction of a second, then shook offthe hand roughly. "No matter how bad they are, they are my comrades, and I am no traitor, " he said curtly. "Your answer, please. "

"Tell them we will not give up the chief or boy, " said the young envoyearnestly. "Tell them that they have not got us yet by a long shot. Tell them that the one object we are going to work for from now on, isto get them back into the hands of the law. "

The young outlaw gave him a look of admiration. "You've got the nerve, all right, " he said. "Well, so long, till we meet again, " and whirlingaround he sauntered slowly off in the direction of the forest, merrilywhistling as he went. 

Charley for a moment looked after him regretfully, then turning, hequickly rejoined his companions behind the barricade. 

CHAPTER XVI. 

THE RETREAT. 

A few words gave his companions the substance of the conversation. "Now, " he continued, "I wish we could all get together in the camp fora few minutes to talk this thing over, and decide on our next move, butit's too risky to leave the wall unguarded, although I don't believethey will try another assault before dark. "

The young Seminole spoke up, "when the Big Tiger speaks, the whelp issilent, I will stay. "

"Golly, I reckon dis nigger ain't no good at planning, spec I betterstay here, too, " observed Chris. 

A parting volley was fired into the forest, and under cover of thesmoke the rest retired quickly to the lean-to. 

The wounded man was lying awake on his couch, his keen, black eyesburning with an unnatural light. 

Although he must have been suffering intense pain from his wound, hisfeatures were calm and composed. He tried to rise as the huntersentered, but could not raise himself even on his elbow. 

"Don't try to move, " exclaimed Charley, hurrying to his side. 

"How, " said the sufferer, in greeting, extending a hand surprisinglysmall and well-formed for a man of his size. 

Charley gave it a hearty shake and his companions crowding around, gravely followed his example. 

The wounded man lay silent for a moment surveying the little party withshrewd, appraising eyes. A friendly gleam shone in his beady orbs asthey lingered for a second on the captain's kindly, weather-beatenface. He looked a trifle longer at Walter's eager, open countenance, but his glance came back to rest on Charley's face, and to him hiswords were addressed. 

"He, whom his people call the Big Tiger, was made as weak as a tinypapoose by the bullet of a jackal, " he began in broken English. "TheLittle tiger has told me all; how the jackals would have taken theirprey but for your coming in the canoe of cloth and bringing thehelpless ones here. The jackals' bullet has sped true, and the BigTiger will lead his followers no more in the hunt, but the son of achief will remain and his life will be at the young white chieftain'scommand. "

The stricken man burst into a fit of coughing, and Charley noted withpity that flecks of scarlet stained the sufferer's lips. "Shot throughthe lungs, " he decided, but he allowed no trace of pity to show on hisface. 

"A chief of the Seminoles must be wise with the wisdom of the owl incouncil, " he said, as soon as the fit of coughing had left its victim. "Payment from father or son we desire not, only the counsel of wisdomnow. We are but braves in the hunt or fight, and great dangerthreatens, now, but the ripe wisdom of a great chief may be able topoint out a path to safety. "

Clearly and in few words, he described their present desperate positionand the demands and threats of the outlaws. 

The Indian listened in impassive silence and for some time afterCharley finished, remained buried in profound meditation. 

"The young white chief carries an old head on young shoulders, " at lasthe said approvingly. "He speaks truly when he says that the air isthick with danger. When the blackness of night comes, then will come, also, those who make war from behind the trees of the forest. In thedarkness, how is the young white and his friends to tell enemies fromfriends? The jackals will wriggle through and over the wall of treeslike snakes through tall grass. After what they have seen, can mywhite friends expect mercy at hands already stained red?"

Charley shook his head. "Thou speakest my thoughts, but are we to bemurdered in the dark by creatures such as those?"

"The mind of the young is ever quick and hasty in its flights, "reproved the wounded chief, gravely. "What use for the medicine man topoint out the sickness, unless he has the proper barks and plants?"

"Well, " said Charley, "let the wisdom of one grown wise in councilstell us of the cure for this disease. "

The wounded savage was again seized with a fit of coughing, and it wassome moments before he could reply. "Between the glades and here--aswift half day's journey--a small island lies in the middle of theriver. There, four men could stand off an army. If I commanded thepaleface friends as I do my tribe, I would say, bury all things tooheavy to carry away in the canoes of cloth, while it is yet light, turnthe ponies loose that they may not starve. Put all else in the clothboats. Let some keep up a noise and fire from the wall of trees toconvince the white men without hearts that you are going to stay andfight. With the first darkness of night let all take to the boats. Iwith the Little Tiger will lead the way, then may come him you callcaptain with the little one whose face is like the night, lastly, maycome you and the one with the eager face (Walter). Without noise mustwe go, and keep close to each other, for the river has many armsstretched out for the unwary stranger. At the island of which I spoke, you may camp in safety while we go on alone. I stop at my wigwam todie, alone, in peace and quietness with the great spirit, as becomes achief of a long line of chiefs, but he, who will soon he chief, willtravel quickly on gathering together my people. With them he willreturn, and of the twelve who murder from behind trees not one shallreturn to boast of his deeds. When the buzzards are feeding off theirbones, then, may you return and secure that which you have buried, theponies, and all of that which is yours. That is the counsel of one ofa race of chiefs. What is the answer of the young white chief?"

"I must consult with those who share my dangers, Chief, " said Charleygravely. "We talk not like squaws, and in five minutes you shall haveour answer. "

The Seminole rolled over on his side exhausted from his long speech andfrequent coughing spells, while Charley beckoned the captain and Walterout of earshot. 

"You have heard it all, now I want your opinion, " he said simply. "After this last terrible mistake of mine, it will be long before Itrust to my judgment again. "

"We all fell into the same error, lad, " said the captain, kindly. "Theblame, if any, belongs to us all. Forget it, Charley, and don't let itweaken your self-confidence. Now what do you think of the plan of ourred-skinned friend?"

"I believe it's our only chance for life, " he answered regretfully, "those cut-throats have got us foul. It's run away or be killed. "

"Then I'm for running. But, think you, he can be trusted to pilot usaright?"

"He will not pilot us far, I fear, " said Charley, sadly. "I doubt ifhe will reach his wigwam. That bullet touched a lung all right. If hedies on the way we must look to the son; he is of the same spirit asthe father, or I am no judge of character. "

"They both speak English wonderfully well, " said Walter musingly. 

"So do most of the Seminoles, " explained Charley. "They come in to theoutlying towns at rare intervals to exchange their venison and skinsfor ammunition and cloth, and it's wonderful how quickly they pick upthe language. But I am rambling. The question before us is, shall weabandon all our things and run away with a fair chance of escaping withwhole skins, or stay and fight it out with the certainty of beingkilled, sooner or later?"

"Run, " said the captain decisively, "and trust to luck and the chief torecover our things. "

"Retreat, " voted Walter regretfully. 

Without another word, Charley turned back to the bedside of thesuffering savage, whose pain-tortured eyes had never strayed from theirfaces during the conference. 

"Chief, we have decided that your plan is the only one to follow, "Charley said, simply. 

Exultation showed for a second on the Indian's, set features. "Good, "he exclaimed, "listen, young white chief. Do not mourn the loss ofponies and things such as you must leave behind. To-day you riskedyour life to save a stranger Indian and his boy. Great shall be yourreward when this trouble is over. That with which to trade for manyponies shall be yours. "

In his excitement the wounded man had partly raised himself on hiselbow, but the exertion was too much; there was a rush of blood fromhis lips and he sank back on his couch in a dead faint. In a secondCharley was by his side forcing down more brandy between the clenchedteeth. The powerful stimulant acted quickly. In a moment the suffereragain opened his eyes to consciousness. Charley beckoned to his chum. "Go relieve his boy, " he whispered, "and send him here. I want him toget his instructions from his father before there comes another attack. The captain and I will fix for our departure. "

"Good, " exclaimed the chief, whose keen ears had caught thelow-whispered conversation, "we won't die yet, though. Die in our ownwigwam when Great Spirit tolls the bell of mystery. "

Walter was off like a shot, and the young Seminole soon stood by hisfather's couch. While the two indulged in earnest conversation intheir own tongue, the captain and Charley worked hastily, for the sunwas already setting. What things they dared risk carrying were hustledinto the frail canoes. One of the couches was conveyed to the dugoutand spread out in the bottom and two of the thickest blankets spread ontop of the leaves. The ponies were cast loose to shift for themselves. Their remaining stuff was shoved into the water-proof bag and buried ina high spot. By the time this was done, the first shades of night hadfallen. At Charley's suggestion, all hurried into the barricade, andfor fifteen minutes poured a hail of bullets into the forest toconvince the outlaws that they were still there and on the alert. 

Then all hurried back to the camp. Many hands made easy and gentlework of conveying the wounded man from his couch to the comfortable bedin the dugout. The young Indian took his place in the stern of theticklish craft, and with a single shove of his long pole sent it farout into the stream. The captain, with Chris, followed a few yardsbehind, paddling with soft noiseless strokes. A few yards in theirwake came the last canoe containing Walter and Charley, and quickly theoutline of the point was lost in the darkness behind. 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE FLIGHT BY NIGHT. 

As the canoes glided silently towards the convicts' camp the paddlestrokes of the fugitives grew slower and more guarded, the blades ofthe paddles were no longer lifted clear of the water lest the fallingdrops from them should be heard by those on shore. The river narrowedsuddenly opposite the point, and the canoes would be compelled to passwithin a hundred feet of the enemy's camp. All of the convicts mightbe in the woods surrounding the hunters' camp, waiting to close in ontheir supposed victims, but there was a chance that they had had theforesight to count upon this very attempt at escape and had left someof their number on the point to cut off the retreat. 

Charley thought of all this as he knelt in the stern of his littlecraft and plied the paddle slowly and with infinite caution, his everynerve tense, and sight and hearing strained to catch any sound ofmovement on the rapidly nearing point. Were it white men only thatthey were seeking to elude, he would have felt far less apprehension, but he recognized that in the person of Indian Charley they had to dealwith a mind crafty and cunning, that would be likely to provide againstthe very move they were making. Even in his anxiety, Charley could notbut notice and admire the marvelous skill with which the young Indianin the dugout handled his clumsy craft. He hugged close to the farthershore and glided along its border as noiselessly as a shadow. Thecaptain, although but little used to the paddle, was also doingsurprisingly well and was following closely in the wake of the dugout. Silently the dugout at last glided past the dangerous point, and amoment later the captain's canoe also slipped gently by. 

Charley gave a sigh of relief. They were safely past and could laughat any attempted pursuit in the clumsy dugouts the convicts possessed. 

But that one unguarded moment of relief was disastrous in its result. In a deep, careless stroke, his paddle struck a submerged log and theslender blade snapped short off with a loud crack, the ticklish canoecareened suddenly to one side, then righted again with a sullen splash. At the sound the silent point quickly stirred with life. There was thehum of excited voices and a blinding flash of flame lit up thedarkness, followed by the sharp crack of rifles and the hum ofbullets, --they were discovered. 

"Give way all, " shouted Charley, as he fumbled in the darkness for thespare paddle, which he at last succeeded in finding. "Are you hurt, Walt?" he called anxiously to his companion. 

"Not a bit, " answered his chum cheerfully, "but hurry up or we will begetting another volley. "

The canoe had drifted beyond the point before her way died out, but wasstill less than a hundred yards from it. By the splashing of water theboys could tell that the convicts were launching one of the dugouts inpursuit. With vigorous strokes Charley sent their light craft flyingahead; a few minutes and they would be out of rifle-shot and out ofdanger, but again there was the crack of rifles and Charley called tohis chum with a voice hoarse with pain, "You'll have to take her, Walt, they got me that time. "

"Bad?" cried Walter anxiously, as they changed places. 

"In the shoulder, " weakly, "but don't mind about me. Shove her aheadas fast as you can, the others have got quite a start of us, and we'vegot to catch them. "

For half an hour Walter paddled silently on, putting all his strengthinto the strokes that sent the light craft leaping ahead, leaving thepursuing dugout far behind. 

"Charley, " he called at last, "isn't it time we were up with at leastthe chief's dugout?"

But only silence greeted his question, his plucky chum had fainted frompain and the loss of blood. 

For a few moments Walter let the canoe drift, while he pondered as towhat he should do. He felt sure that they had passed the captain andhis companions--but how? In the excitement of the pursuit he must havepassed unnoticed a point where the river branched and had taken thewrong fork. There were, he knew, dozens of such forks to the river andthe mistake was one that might easily have been made under anycircumstances. The question now was what to do about it. To returnwas to run the risk of falling into the hands of the convicts, and thechance of finding the stream the others had taken was exceedinglysmall. There might be a dozen tributaries between him and theconvicts' point, and how was he to tell which was the right one? Indesperation he crawled forward to his unconscious companion andsprinkled his face again and again with water from the river. 

At last Charley opened his eyes with a moan of pain. 

"We're lost, " shouted Walter eagerly. "I can't find the captain orchief, what shall I do?" He bent his head to catch the feeble answerfrom the wounded lad's lips. 

"Keep on, keep on. When the river forks, take the largest stream, and--" but Charley had fainted again. 

With a heavy heart, Walter crept back to his place in the stern andresumed the paddle. It was a terrible situation for a young, inexperienced lad; lost on a great river in a frail canoe, pursued byrelentless enemies, and alone, except for a wounded, and perhaps dyingcompanion. It was enough to strike terror into one much older than ourboy hunter. 

Throughout the long night the despairing lad paddled steadily on, praying for the day to break. At last it came with a blaze of glory inthe east. When it grew light enough to see, he rose cautiously andgazed around him. 

The prospect was disheartening enough. The river had narrowed to lessthan a hundred yards in width and wound and twisted amongst the wasteof marsh that stretched desolately ahead and astern as far as the eyecould see. To the east and west the marsh extended back at least amile before it met solid timbered land, here and there, and anoccasional long point jutted out until it met the stream. Although theweary lad strained his eyes in all directions, not a sign could he seeof the other canoes or of any human life. With a sigh of despair, hesank again to his knees and crawled forward to where his chum lay halfunconscious and moaning in pain. 

Dipping his handkerchief over the side, he gently sponged Charley'spale face with it. 

The contact of the cold water seemed to revive the wounded lad. Heopened his eyes and attempted to smile, although his lips weretwitching with pain. "What a nuisance I am, old chap, " he said faintly. 

"Not a bit, " declared Walter, cheerfully, overjoyed at his return toconsciousness. "Here, take a drink of this cold water, and then I amgoing to have a look at your wound. "

With his hunting-knife, Walter cut away the bloody shirt from theshoulder and exposed the gaping hole to view. It was still bleedingslightly, but he noted with satisfaction that the bullet had passedcompletely through the fleshy part of the shoulder without touching thebone, a painful wound, but not a fatal one. He washed it clean withriver water and bound it up with strips from his own shirt. "You'll beall right in a few days, " he declared cheerfully. "Now just lay quiet. I am going to paddle in to the nearest point and start a fire and makeyou some broth. "

Walter's heart was lighter than it had been in many hours as he againresumed his paddle. Day had brought fresh hope and courage. Charleywas getting along far better than he had dared to hope during thenight. He soon would be well enough to take command, and then, thoughtWalter, they would soon find their friends. He had great confidence inCharley's ability to get them out of their present predicament. 

Suddenly Walter paused in his paddling and sat staring at the point, which was now scarce a hundred yards distant. A thin wisp of smokecurled up above the thick growth of palmettos with which the point wascovered. 

"Charley, " he called softly, "there is someone on the point; they havejust started up a fire. "

"Better sheer off and give it a wide berth, then, " counseled his chum. "If it were the captain or the chief, you would see the canoes. "

"But the boats may be pulled up among the mangrove bushes, " Walterobjected. "If it should be the captain and Chris, just think what ourpassing by them would mean. We might never see them again, Charley. Iam going to have a look. "

"All right, " agreed his chum, "but be very careful, Walt. "

The fire was located well in on the point, and Walter steered to landsome distance out from it. A few strokes of the paddle sent the lightcanoe gliding in amongst the mangrove bushes that fringed the shore. Climbing out upon the curious gnarled roots, Walter pulled the canoefar enough in to effectually screen it from sight. Next he examinedhis pistols to see that they were properly loaded, and with a partingword of cheer for his chum, he made his way slowly and cautiously overthe intervening roots to the shore. 

He soon found that it was no easy task he had set himself. Betweenhimself and the fire fifty yards away, intervened the heaviest growthof timber he had ever seen; palms, sweet gums, satinwoods, and pinesmingled in close and wild confusion, while the ground beneath them wasa matted mass of vines and creepers. 

For a moment Walter hesitated. Some of the vines and creepers, heknew, were poisonous. To touch them meant sores, swellings, andsuffering. But it was only for a moment he paused. The thought of howmuch might depend on his errand drove him on. Tearing two strips fromhis already tattered shirt, he wrapped them around either hand, anddropping on hands and knees he cautiously wound his way towards thefire. 

His progress was slow and painful. Dangling brier vines drew bloodfrom arms and face, and sharp thorns repeatedly lacerated hands andknees. At each move forward he had to pause and remove the deadbranches and twigs from his path lest their cracking should betray himto the campers. At last, however, he could catch the sound of voices, and wriggling forward with infinite caution, he reached a place fromwhich he could get a glimpse between the trees at the group gatheredaround the fire. 

The sight was not reassuring. Near the blaze a half dozen of theconvicts lay lounging at their ease, while another one was busilyengaged in making coffee and frying bacon. The neighing of ponies inthe background told the watcher how they had arrived at the pointbefore him. They must have ridden most of the night to have coveredthe distance, and Walter felt a sinking of heart as he realized thedetermination of their pursuit. The conversation that came to his earsdid not tend to reassure him. 

The convicts were evidently tired and in bad humor, and a hot argumentwas raging. 

"I tell you it's all foolishness, this losing sleep and wearingourselves out, " declared a tall, thin, pasty-faced individual. "Here'smy plan: just break up into parties of two or three and each partystrike out for a different town and catch a freight out of the state. I 'low we're just wasting time and making trouble for ourselves byfollowing up them chaps. "

"Bill Salino, you've got as little sense as courage, " declared a manwhom Walter recognized as the leader of the gang. "The time forscattering and getting out of the state has gone by. There will be menwatching for us at every point, and to be caught means hanging for allhands now. We've got to lay quiet here for six months or so until theygive up watching for us. We're safe enough here unless them chaps getaway and bring the Indians or a sheriff's posse down on us; and theywon't get away if I have to follow them into the heart of theEverglades, " he declared vindictively. 

CHAPTER XVIII. 

CAPTURED. 

From the expression on their faces, Walter judged that the other fourconvicts were in doubt as to which of the two plans they should lendtheir support to. "Are you sure we'll catch 'em, Cap?" inquired one, doubtfully, "there are so powerful many forks to this river, it's likehunting for a needle in a haystack. "

"If we don't get 'em, Injin Charley will, " declared the leader, confidently. "I wouldn't be surprised to see him show up with 'em anyminute now. He's an Injin and knows just what course them redskins inthe dugout will be likely to take. "

Still the outlaws seemed to waver, and the leader shifted hisarguments. "If you fellows take up with Salino's fool idea, just thinkwhat shape you'll be in, even if you don't get caught. You won't haveno money and will have to go around like a hobo until you make astrike. Now if we catch this chief, I reckon we can torture him, tillhe tells us where his plumes are hid. Then when things have quieteddown a bit we can send a man in to dispose of 'em and walk out of herelike gentlemen with money in our pockets. "

This argument seemed to appeal to his companions, and the murmuringceased. 

Walter decided that he had heard enough, and turning, started toretrace his way back to the canoe. His second movement forward, however, was his undoing. A large limb upon which he had trusted hisweight broke noisily under him, and he was precipitated forward into ahuge clump of briars. Before he could regain his feet, strong handsseized him and dragged him, still vainly struggling, out into theclearing. 

"One of 'em, " cried the leader triumphantly, "I reckon the rest ain'tfar off. Scatter and search the point for 'em, boys, --but wait a bit, maybe this young cub can save us trouble. "

But Walter had been thinking rapidly. If he was to save his chum itwas no time for nice scruples. With a silent prayer for forgiveness, he waited the outlaws' questions. 

The leader drew a revolver, cocked it, and presented it at the lad'shead. "You can tell me the truth now or I'll blow your head off, " hegrowled. 

Walter's face took on an expression of fear and cringing terror fargreater than he was really feeling. The brutal ruffian eyed thisappearance of fear with every evidence of satisfaction. "Now I guessyou'll answer my questions truthfully, " he said threateningly. "First, where are your companions?"

"They left us in the darkness and we could not catch up with them. They must be way up the river by now, " Walter stammered. 

His questioner swore loudly. "Got past us, did they? Well, no matter, we'll get them easily now, we know for sure which stream they took. "

Walter could hardly conceal his delight at having put the ruffian upona false trail, but he was ready for the next question, which camequickly. 

"How did you get here?"

"The canoe struck a log, capsized, and sank. I swam ashore. "

"What became of the fellow in the boat with you?"

"Drowned, I guess, " said Walter with a sob. 

The leader turned to the others. "I reckon he's too scairt to belying, " he said, "however, you had better take a look around the point. Be quick about it, though, for we will have to hurry to catch up withthose other chaps. Here, tie this fellow up before you go. "

Walter was seized, his hands tied behind him, and he was lashed withhis back to a small satinwood tree. 

He watched the departure of the ruffians with sinking heart. If theysearched thoroughly, Charley and the canoe were sure to be discovered. 

The outlaws soon returned, however, after a very careless search andreported nothing in sight. Truth to tell, tired as they were, they hadquickly wearied of trying to force their way through the dense jungle. 

After a hasty breakfast, the leader gave the order to mount. "You twostay here and wait for Injin Charley, " he commanded, indicating two ofthe gang. "We have got to let him know what we've learned. I reckonwe'll be back by night, if we ain't, you follow us in the morning. "

"What shall we do with the kid?" inquired one of the men. 

"Turn him over to Injin Charley when he comes in. I reckon he'll knowwhat to do with him, " said the leader with a grin so evil andsuggestive that it made the helpless lad's blood run cold. 

The four outlaws and their leader mounted their ponies and soon werelost to sight among the trees. The two left behind proceeded to makethemselves comfortable without a thought for the exhausted lad whosetight bonds cut cruelly into arms and legs. They raked up beds ofleaves upon which they spread their blankets and then proceeded to makeup for the sleep they had lost during the night. 

Walter was not only suffering much physically, but was in great mentaldistress as well. He feared that at any moment Charley, alarmed by hislong absence, might call or fire off one of the guns and bring theoutlaws to his hiding-place. How could he warn him of the danger hewas in? Suddenly the bound lad was seized by an ingenious idea. Assuring himself by their deep breathing, that his captors were fastasleep, he began to whistle, softly at first, then gradually louder andlouder till the weird, mournful strains of the "Funeral March" filledthe air. 

One of the guards tossed restlessly and woke up cursing. "Shut up thatwhistling, " he shouted, "that blooming thing gets on my nerves. "

Walter had no option but to obey, but the awesome tune had carried itsdoleful message. The mournful notes had reached the ears of thewounded lad in the canoe. Its message was plain to him. Walter was acaptive, or in great danger. And now began a contest betweenwill-power and pain and weakness from which many a man would haveshrunken. 

Three times Charley struggled to rise to his feet, only to sink backexhausted with great beads of sweat standing out on his brow. At last, abandoning the attempt, he began to wriggle back towards the stern ofthe canoe. His progress was slow and painful, and even in the shortdistance to be covered, he had often to lay quiet and rest. At last hesucceeded in reaching the stern, but here his difficulties were by nomeans ended. Working awkwardly with his left hand he managed to drawhis hunting-knife and slash open the pack of provisions they hadbrought with them. From these he selected a can of milk. It was slowwork opening it with one hand, but at last he succeeded in removing thetop. Part of the contents he swallowed as it was, the balance hediluted with water and broke hardtack up in it. By the time he hadfinished the food, a little color had crept back into his face. He wasstill very weak, however, and another attempt to rise met with failure. For a few minutes he lay quiet thinking, then rummaging in the pack hebrought forth a pint bottle of brandy. With repugnance written on hisface, he took several swallows of the fiery liquor. It ran through hisveins like fire. Shoving the bottle into his pocket, he succeeded instaggering to his feet and slowly pulled himself up on one of themangrove's roots, and, pausing frequently to rest, gradually worked hisway to the shore. 

Walter's captors slept heavily until the noon hour, when they awoke, stirred up the fire, and prepared some dinner; but they offered none ofit to the unfortunate lad, who watched its preparation with hungryeyes. Their repast finished, the two ruffians enjoyed a long smoke, after which they played a few games of cards which ended in a violentdispute that nearly resulted in blows. 

As the afternoon wore on without the appearance of the party they wereexpecting, they again composed themselves to slumber. Slowly theafternoon wore away and the two outlaws still slept on. The sun wentdown and night began to fall and still the two showed no signs ofawakening. 

Suddenly Walter felt the bonds that held him slip to the ground andCharley's voice whispered, "Drop on all fours, Walt, and work your wayback into the thicket. "

Walter did as he was bid as quickly as his stiffened limbs would permitand soon caught up with his chum, who had begun to retrace his steps assoon as he had severed the captive's bonds. In fact, he dared not waitor tarry, for the false strength engendered by the brandy was fastleaving him. To give out on the way would be fatal to both. He mustreach the canoe before the last remnant of his strength gave out or allwas lost. 

Slowly the two boys wormed their way through the jungle, expectingevery second to hear the sounds that would indicate that the prisonerwas missed and pursuit begun. 

At last they reached the clump of mangroves that concealed the canoe. Here outraged nature claimed its due and Charley sank on the edge ofthe shore unable to go further. It required nearly all of Walter'sremaining strength to drag his insensible chum over the roots and lowerhim into the canoe. Precious as was each moment lost, Charley demandedinstant attention, his wound had broken open again from his exertionsand his tattered shirt was wet with blood. Walter stuffed bits ofcloth into the hole and bound it up as well as he could in thedarkness. This labor completed, he cast loose the canoe, and with afew strokes of the paddle sent her over to the other side of thestream. Here he laid aside his paddle and sank back to rest and think. The friendly darkness completely hid them from the gaze of anyone onthe point. Until the moon rose they were as safe there as any place onthe river. The plucky lad sorely needed rest and refreshment. For twodays and a night he had been without sleep and for twenty-four hourswithout food. This, with the strenuous labor and excitement throughwhich he had passed, had rendered him nearly as weak as his unconsciouscompanion. Sleep was out of the question until they were safe fromtheir enemies, but food was handy and he lost no time in making ahearty meal on a can of corned beef, crackers and a tin of milk. Therepast brought fresh strength and courage, although his head felt veryheavy and he could hardly keep his eyes open. 

With the outlaws ahead and behind them, there was little choice of thedirection in which they should flee, and Walter paddled steadily on upthe river, keeping close to the opposite shore from the convicts. 

Hour after hour passed and found him still paddling wearily onward, every muscle and nerve in his body aching with fatigue. At last abrightening of the sky in the east warned him of the rising of themoon. As its bright beams lit up the gloomy river and desolatemarshes, Walter gave a cry of joy; directly ahead, right in the middleof the stream, lay a small island, its shores fringed with a densegrowth of mangroves. As the canoe drew nearer, Walter surveyed it withincreasing delight. Here was surely a safe place of refuge where theymight stay as long as their provisions lasted and until their enemiestired of the pursuit. Where the island lay, the river had widened outinto a fair sized lake and the nearest shore was out of gunshot. Therewas no way that the outlaws could reach them except by boat, and theyhad none with them. 

With lightened heart, Walter ran the canoe far up into the mangrovesand fastened it securely to a large root. Making his way ashore hesoon found a small space of cleared ground, to which he speedilyconveyed their blankets which he spread out on the dry sand. Returningto the boat he endeavored in vain to rouse Charley from the stupor intowhich he had fallen. At last he gave up the attempt and half carriedand half dragged his chum ashore and laid him on his blanket, thenquickly stretching himself out by his side, was soon fast asleep. 

Once in the night Walter was awakened by a loud splashing. With pistolin hand he stole to the water's edge. Many dark masses were slowlygliding to and fro on the surface of the stream. "Alligators, " heexclaimed with a sigh of relief and returned to his blanket and sleep, from which he was only aroused again by the rising of the sun. 

CHAPTER XIX. 

THE SWAMP. 

Walter's first thought on awakening was for his chum. Charley wastossing restlessly on his blanket, his face and hands flushed and hotwith fever. All of Walter's attempts to rouse him met only withunintelligible words and phrases. The exertion of the previous day inhis weak state, the opening of his wound afresh, and the unhealthyriver water he had drank, had all combined to bring him to a dangerouscondition. 

Walter removed the bandages and looked at the wound. It was of anangry red and greatly swollen, and its changed appearance frightenedhim. "Charley, " he called, shaking him gently, "don't you know me?"

Reason gleamed for a moment in the sufferer's eyes. "Sure, it's Walt, "he muttered. 

"Listen and do try to understand, " begged Walter, earnestly. "We aresafe, Charley. The convicts cannot get at us now. We can stay hereand rest up as long as we want to and you can lay quiet and get wellagain. Now, I am going to light a fire and get you some broth andstrong coffee, and, after you have taken them, I am going to heat somewater and give that wound a good cleansing. Do you understand, oldchap?"

"Yes, " murmured the sufferer, wearily. 

After putting his own blanket under Charley's head for a pillow andmaking the sick lad as comfortable as possible, Walter began hispreparations for breakfast. Selecting a spot where the ground seemedsoft and free from roots, he dug a hole about two feet deep to containhis fire. It required only a few minutes to make one large enough forhis purpose, and his next step was to bring up the provisions andcooking utensils from the canoe. 

It was only a short distance to where the little craft lay mooredamongst the mangroves and a few steps carried Walter to the spot, buton the edge of the bank he paused with a cry of surprise and dismay. 

The canoe lay bottom side up in the water. 

With the strength of despair, Walter succeeded in righting theoverturned craft and pulled it up on shore where he quickly tipped thewater out of it. 

One glance at the interior confirmed his worst fears, nothing remainedinside but the paddle, which had been wedged under the seats;provisions, guns, and ammunition were all gone. 

Walter sank down on the bank in despair and buried his face in hishands. He understood now, the meaning of the splash he had heardduring the night. A curious alligator had upset the light craft withits nose or a flirt of its powerful tail. 

For a long time Walter sat silent and still, pondering on their nowdesperate situation. One fact stood out clear in the mind of thesorely tried and unhappy boy; they must, without delay, leave theisland, which only a few hours before had promised them a safe andcomfortable refuge. Their only chance lay in finding their friendsbefore he became helpless from lack of food. It needed no greatmedical knowledge to tell him that Charley was fast sinking into acritical condition. Without food or proper medicine, the injured ladwas not likely to last long and every moment they tarried on the islandlessened their chances, which were already very slight, of escapingwith their lives. 

When he had arrived at this conclusion, Walter arose and made his wayback to his companion, who was lying as he had left him, tossingrestlessly from side to side. 

"I'm sorry, Charley, but you'll have to wait a little longer for yourbroth, " he said, cheerfully. "I have decided we had better waste nomore time here but hurry on and catch the captain; he has medicinesthat will soon fix you up and make you all right again. "

His explanation was wasted so far as Charley was concerned, for thewounded lad was beginning to rave in the delirium of fever. After afew unsuccessful attempts, Walter abandoned the effort to rouse him toconsciousness, and, leaving him as he lay, proceeded to make ready fortheir departure. He cut a pile of small myrtle boughs which he carrieddown to the canoe and spread out upon the bottom and upon these hestretched their blankets, making a soft and comfortable bed for hischum to lie upon. Now came his hardest task, the getting of the sickboy down to, and aboard of, the canoe. Fortunately the hearty meal andrest of the night before had so far restored his strength, that he wasable, by half carrying and half dragging him, to get Charley, at last, upon the bed prepared for him. Then pausing only long enough to gethis breath again, Walter took his old place in the stern and paddledout into the stream, where he headed once more for the south, and withlong, steady strokes sent their little craft flying towards the unknown. 

As they slid over the water, leaving the miles rapidly behind them, Walter kept a sharp watch on either bank for signs of the outlaws. That they were still hunting for him and his friends, he felt no doubt, but he cherished faint hopes that he had distanced them during thenight. He consoled himself with the thought that even were theycaptured, death by a bullet would be far quicker and less painful thana slow, lingering death from fever and starvation. 

All day the despairing lad paddled ahead, pausing only at noon for abrief space to rest his wearied arms and drink sparingly of the riverwater, which, black and foul as it was, reeked with fever. 

Charley, on his bed in the bow, tossed and muttered incessantly. Everyonce in a while, Walter would crawl forward and sprinkle cold water onthe lad's hot face; it was all he could do to relieve the sufferer, whose ravings fell heavily on his anxious heart. 

As the afternoon wore away, Walter's strength began to fail; the mentalstrain, steady work, the blistering sun, and lack of food, were fasttelling on him. The temptation to stop and rest and sleep grew almostirresistible, but he bravely fought off the weakness. Their only hopelay in pushing on and on until they found their friends or came outupon civilization. Whither the river led he knew not, but was in hopesthat it might at last bring them out into a settled country. To stopnow meant certain death. 

As night settled down, his tired eyes caught the gleam of a fire on theshore not far ahead. A wild hope possessed him that it might prove tobe the captain and his companions, but, warned by his previousexperience, he approached the blaze cautiously. 

Slowly he drifted in towards the fire, against which he could soondistinguish moving figures. At last, he approached near enough torecognize the forms against the bright firelight, and hope fled. Itwas another party of the outlaws, four in number, and, the disappointedlad swung the canoe around to the further shore and paddled safely pastwithout being discovered. 

The night passed slowly away, and through the long hours the lad in thecanoe urged it steadily forward into the darkness. His tired, achingbrain was now possessed of but one thought, to paddle on, and on, andon. His hands had cramped to the paddle handle, and the strokes werefeeble as a child's, but the blade still rose and fell regularly, andthe canoe still moved slowly ahead. 

Daybreak found him in the same position, the paddle still slowlymoving, and his bloodshot, staring eyes still fixed ahead. 

The rising sun brought him staggering to his feet, a cry of hope on hislips. 

Dead ahead, and more than a mile away, the river disappeared in a greatforest of strange-looking trees. Amongst its shelter might be foundfood and friends, thought Walter, and the hope gave him fresh courageand strength. 

Before sinking back into his seat he carefully surveyed the furthershore. His gaze was arrested at a point about a mile behind the canoe. There for about a half mile, the shore lay comparatively clear oftimber, very likely having been swept by fire at some time in the past. It was not the character of the shore, however, that arrested Walter'sattention. His gaze was fixed upon four objects moving swiftly acrossthe open space and headed towards him. It required no great reasoningto tell him that the four figures wore mounted outlaws and that theyhad sighted the canoe. It was to be a race between ponies and canoe, as to which should reach the forest first. 

With the strength born of desperation, Walter forced the light canoeahead. Behind him the riders spurred their ponies on at the top oftheir speed. Walter could see, by glancing over his shoulder from timeto time, that the outlaws were steadily gaining, but the canoe wasmoving swiftly, also, and was rapidly drawing near to the strangeforest, and Walter decided with a thrill of joy that the enemy wouldnot arrive in time to cut him off from the shelter of the trees. 

The outlaws were not slow to recognize this fact. Their rifles beganto crack and the bullets to whistle around the canoe. Fortunately themotion of their mounts made their aim uncertain, and the bullets didbut little damage, only one touching the canoe, and it passedharmlessly through the side far above the water line. Before thepursuers could draw near enough to make their fire certain, the canoehad passed in amongst the trees and the outlaws reined in their mountsswearing loudly. 

As he neared it, Walter had watched the forest with growing amazement. The river seemed to end at its edge, but as he drew closer the reasonfor the anxiety of the outlaws to prevent his entering it was plain. No horse could travel through that dark, gloomy expanse. It was afloating forest. Great cypress and giant bays reared their mightystems from the surface of black scummy water. Amongst their boughsbloomed brilliant orchids and from limb to limb stretched tangledmasses of creeping vines and briers. 

The trees with their huge spreading roots grew so closely together thatit was with difficulty that Walter forced the canoe in and out betweenthem. His exultation at his escape from their enemies had given way toa settled despair. From descriptions he had heard, he recognized thismighty floating forest as the fringe which surrounds that greatest ofall mysterious, trackless swamps, the Everglades. Before him lay themighty unknown, unexplored morass, reeking with fever, and infestedwith serpents; behind him waited sure death at the hands of the outlaws. 

One faint hope alone remained to him. If his strength held out, hemight in time come upon a camp of the Seminoles, the only human beingsin this unknown land. 

Considering the small numbers of the Indians and the vastness of theswamp, it was a faint chance indeed that he or his companion would liveto see any of the tribe, but, faint as it was, no other hope remainedand Walter sent the canoe onward with feeble strokes. 

Gradually the trees grew further and further apart until at last thecanoe passed out from their shadows into a lake, surrounded by tallgrowing grass and reeds. Far as the eye could reach stretched thedismal swamp, broken here and there by lakes or creeks and now and thenby an island of higher ground rising from the rotting mud. 

Under the heat of the blazing sun there rose around the canoe thickvapors from the scum-covered water and rotting vegetation, bearing intheir foul embrace a sickening, deadly stench. 

The paddle strokes grew slower and slower, and gradually ceased, Walter's eyes slowly closed, and he sank down unconscious. His paddlefell from his nerveless hand and floated away on the stagnant waterjust as a dark, shapeless mass crept out of a bunch of reeds and struckthe canoe with a gentle thud. 

CHAPTER XX. 

SAVED. 

Darkness, black as night, floated over Walter's reeling brain;darkness, pierced by a thousand gleaming, twinkling lights, brilliantas stars, then came a void and nothingness. Slowly at last he felthimself struggling up out of the void, battling, fighting forconsciousness, then came a delicious sort of languor. If this wasdying, it was very pleasant. Forms seemed to be flitting before hishalf-opened eyelids and the hum of voices seemed to float in his ears. One voice irritated him greatly; it was faintly familiar in its loudjoyousness. What was it saying?

"Golly, Massa Captain, bless de Lawd, he ain't dead. "

Another voice responded, "No, thank God, he's goin' to live, Chris. Bear a hand and we'll get him into the wigwam. "

There was a sensation of being home through the air, and Waltersurrendered to the delicious languor, --and slept. 

When he opened his eyes again an ebony face was bending over him andChris' voice demanded, "Golly, don't you know me, Massa Walt?"

"It's Chris, " Walter said, smiling feebly, and the little darky dancedabout in joy. 

Walter raised his head with an effort and looked about him. He waslying on a bed of soft moss with a pillow of blankets under his head. He seemed to be surrounded by walls of bark which met in a point farabove his head; opposite him lay another figure on a bed similar to hisown. 

"Where am I, and how did I get here?" he demanded confusedly, "the lastI remember was being in the canoe a few minutes ago and everythinggetting dark before me. "

"A few minutes ago, " cried Chris, excitedly. "Why, it's dun been twodays since Massa Captain come on you when he was paddlin' around thelake. You was layin' in the bottom of the canoe like you was dead. "

"Two days, " exclaimed Walter in astonishment; then, with a sudden noteof dread in his voice, he cried, "Charley!"

"He's gettin' along pretty well, " said the little darky cheerfully, "he's lyin' right across from you thar. Now you jus' keep still an'doan' talk no more, " he commanded. "Massa Captain out fixing up somesoup. Reckon he'll let you talk some more after you drink it. "

The captain soon appeared with a gourd full of steaming liquid. He wasoverjoyed at finding Walter conscious, but firmly insisted that heshould remain quiet, and he fed him liberally with the hot soup. Indeed, Walter felt little desire to talk; a few swallows of the warmliquid made him very drowsy, and he quickly sank into a deep sleep fromwhich he awoke feeling much stronger and almost like his old self again. 

To his great joy, he found Charley conscious, and without fever, although still very weak. He sat down on the edge of the invalid's bedand the two talked over the thrilling adventures through which they hadpassed. 

They were interrupted by the entrance of the captain and Chris, thecaptain bearing an armful of yams and Chris a string of fresh fish. "We are layin' in a stock of provisions against the appetite I reckonyou lads will have now you are gettin' better, " explained the captain, cheerfully. 

Walter caught the old sailor by the sleeve and held him tightly. "Nowyou have got to sit right down and tell us your story before I will letyou go, " he said. "First, Charley and I want to know where we are. "

The captain filled his old black pipe, and got it to drawing goodbefore he answered. 

"You're on an island about two miles inside the Everglades, as near asI can calculate. "

"Did you build this shelter since you have been here?" asked Charleyeagerly. 

A shade of sadness passed over the captain's open face. "No, " he saidslowly, "this island belonged to the chief an' this wigwam was where helived, an' it was here we brought him to die. "

"To die?" echoed both boys together. 

"Aye, lads, he passed away the same day we reached here, " said thecaptain, sadly. "He was a white man clean through, if his color wasred. I got to know him powerful well on the trip here, an' he sure hadall of a white man's feelings. "

The boys remained silent in face of the captain's evident grief, andthe old sailor, after a pause, continued. "We buried him under a bigoak tree, with his gun and plenty of food by his side, just as he haddirected, an' I reckon his spirit is up in his happy hunting-groundsnow. "

"And the young chief, his son, what has become of him?" Walter askedafter a pause. 

"Gone to gather his people together an' swoop down with them on themurderin' convicts. He found out from signs, that I couldn't makenothin' of, that his tribe had divided into two parties, one goingtowards a hunting-ground called Big Cypress, an' the other to anotherplace where deer an' bear are thick. As soon as the chief was buried, he jumps into his dugout an' starts to round 'em up. If he gets backwith them in time to catch them outlaws, may the Lord have mercy ontheir murderin' sin-stained souls, for the young chap will have 'emslowly tortured to death if he catches them. "

"Tell us all about your trip, " Walter urged, "how did we get separated, I wonder?"

"It puzzled me for a bit as to what had become of you, but the chiefsoon explained it by saying that you likely had taken another stream. Chris an' I was for turnin' back an' huntin' you, but the chiefreasoned us out of it, by saying that you might have taken any one of adozen forks and that there would be mighty little chance of our hittingon the right one, while we would be almost sure to run right into theconvicts' hands again. But what influenced us most, was his explainin'that all streams thereabout ran into, or from, the Everglades, an' thatall we had to do was to get here first and keep a sharp lookout alongthe cypress for you, and you'd soon show up. The chief had greatconfidence in your good sense, Charley, an' seemed to feel certain thatyou would reason that the only safe thing to do was to keep right on upthe stream you had taken. 'Course, we never suspected that you hadbeen shot. "

"Well, I guess my successor in command did all I would have done andperhaps more, " remarked Charley with a smile. 

"It was just by luck that I happened to do the right thing, " saidWalter, modestly. 

"You didn't appear like as though luck had helped you much when I foundyou, Walt, " remarked the captain, dryly. "It sorter looked to me likeonly hard work an' an amazin' lot of pluck an' grit had brought youthat far. "

"Now don't you go trying to make a hero out of me, " said Walter, hotly, "I won't have it. I only did what anyone would have done, and I made awhole lot of foolish blunders besides. "

"Well, you can have it your own way, lad, " agreed the captain, with aglance of affection at the embarrassed young hunter. "I reckon that'sabout all of our story worth tellin', " he concluded. "We made the bestspeed we could so as to get here before you. We caught sight ofparties of the convicts searchin' for us now an' then, but the chiefwas more than a match for them an' they never caught sight of us. Since we got here, Chris and I have patrolled the rivers' mouths forsight of you every day, but we had begun to despair when we came uponyour canoe day before yesterday. And now, that's all, my lads, exceptthat I feel we had all ought to join in thankin' our Heavenly Fatherfor deliverin' us from our enemies an' bringin' us together again. "

With hearts full of gratitude, the young hunters sat with bowed headswhile the kindly old sailor offered up a simple, fervent prayer ofthanksgiving for the mercies they had received from the One who heedseven the sparrow's fall. 

"Thar's one thing more to tell you, an' then I'm through, " said thecaptain, breaking the thoughtful silence that had followed the prayer. "The chief seemed to set great store by you, Charley. I reckon it camefrom your savin' his life at the risk of your own. Anyway, he spokeright often of the 'young white chief', as he called you, an' once hesaid you should be honored with riches. Not an hour before he died, hegave me this an' charged me to give it to you. "

Charley took with wonder the object the captain handed him. It was apiece of exquisitely dressed doe-skin about six inches square. On thesmooth side was traced in a reddish sort of ink a kind of rude sketchof a lone palm tree, amongst the leaves of which a large bird wasperched. Resting against the foot of the palm was an object that borea faint resemblance to a paddle. 

"It is sign language, but I cannot make out what it means, " saidCharley in perplexity. "I wonder why he wanted me to have it and whathe wanted me to do with it. "

"I've puzzled over it some myself, " said the captain slowly, "an' Ican't make anythin' out of it. From what the chief let fall from timeto time, though, I gathered he wanted to make you a valuable present, an' I've been kinder thinkin' that picture tells what an' where it is. "

Charley folded the piece of doe-skin and put it carefully away in aninner pocket. "I will try to find out what it means when my head isclearer, " he said. "Just now, all I can think of is something to eat. "

"And you shall have something to eat right off, " said the captain, heartily, "it's about time for supper anyway. Hustle up, Chris, an'get them fish cleaned. I reckon it won't hurt the lad to have a bit ofsolid food, now, providin' it's well cooked. "

The sun was just setting when the captain and Chris reappeared bearinggourds full of smoking fish, and sweet sugary yams, and ears of curioussmall kernelled Indian corn. 

The boys made merry over the delicious meal, but a curious constraintseemed to rest upon the captain and Chris. Once Walter surprised themexchanging glances full of a strange, expectant uneasiness. Thecircumstance aroused his curiosity, but he refrained from asking anyquestions, deciding that the captain would explain the trouble in hisown good time. 

As the evening wore away, the change in the captain's manner becamemore and more marked. All his cheeriness of the day had departed, leaving him glum and silent. He took no part in the livelyconversation going on between the boys, but sat apart answering theirquestions in monosyllables. His manner, Walter decided, was that of aman who faces some great impending evil. 

With the coming of darkness the air was filled with the noises of theswamp; the croaking of multitudes of frogs, the hooting of owls, andthe hoarse bellowing of many alligators. 

Suddenly the boys sat up erect and stared at each other in amazement. "What is it?" Walter cried. 

Clear and sweet above the noises of the night rang the tolling of asilver-toned bell. 

"It's the bell of the spirits callin' us, " said the captain gloomily, while Chris sat ashen-faced trying vainly to control his terror. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE TREASURE. 

"Nonsense, there are no such things as spirits, " cried Charley, hotly. "That tolling is made by a big bell, and a remarkably sweet-toned one, too. "

"It's over a hundred miles to the nearest settlement, " said the captaingloomily, "do you reckon you could hear the biggest bell made that far?"

"No, " the lad admitted, "but that bell is not over two miles away. Some Indian has traded for a bell and tolls it for his own amusement. "

The captain lowered his voice to a superstitious whisper. "It's amystery to the Indians, " he declared, "and they avoid the sound like itwere an evil spirit. Even the chief could not tell me what it was, although all his life he had heard its tolling. He wasn't so muchafraid of it as are the other Indians an' he built this wigwam here soas to be within sound of it. " The captain's voice dropped still loweras he added impressively, "It tolled all the night after he died. "

"Have you tried to follow up the sound and discover where it comesfrom?" demanded Charley, sharply. 

"Not me, " declared the captain, solemnly, "I ain't got any call tointerfere with the doings of the dead. I tell you, lad, this is a landof mystery, an' a man's got no call to fool with what he can'tunderstand. "

Charley checked the angry reply rising to his lips. He bethoughthimself that the captain had spent his life in a calling that oftenmakes the strongest minded superstitious, while Chris inherited abelief in ghosts and spirits from his race. Though he lapsed intosilence, Charley resolved that as soon as he was able to get around, the mystery should be solved. 

For about an hour the air rang with the sweet chiming notes, then theyceased as suddenly as they had begun and the boys dropped off to sleepto dream of this strange incident in this mysterious swamp. 

Walter was astir early, apparently as well as he had ever been. Hastily dressing he lifted up the bark flap which covered the doorwayand stepped out of the wigwam. 

The captain was busy cooking breakfast over a rude fireplace of stones, a few feet away, while Chris on the bank by the water was industriouslyfishing. 

The island upon which they were camped was only a couple of acres inextent but rose high above the water. It was barren of timber, exceptfor a large live oak and one lonely palm which Walter noted with anincreasing interest. Some attempt had been made to cultivate the loamysoil, and flourishing little patches of yams, sugar-cane, gourds, andIndian corn testified to its fertility. 

"Well, Captain, it doesn't look as if we ran much risk of starving todeath, " remarked Walter, approaching the old sailor. 

"No, thar ain't much danger of that, I allow, " said the captain with aheartiness from which all depression of the night before had fled. "Over thar is the place you come in at, Walt, " he continued, pointingto the distant fringe of cypress. 

Walter looked long and earnestly in the direction indicated. "I cansee a thin line of smoke above those tree-tops, " he declared finally. 

"Aye, I noticed it too, " agreed the captain. "'Pears like them friendsare going to hang at our heels until they get another chance at us. Iwouldn't borrow any uneasiness if it weren't for that Injin bein' inthe party. I warrant he's found out already that the Injins are allgone, an' is layin' his plans accordingly. "

"Well, they can't get to us without boats, " said Walter, hopefully. 

"No, but they can make one if they are determined enough, " observed thecaptain, gravely. "I sorter calculate to paddle up near enough to themto-day to learn what kind of mischief they are up to. "

"I'll go with you, " said Walter, eagerly. 

"No, you ain't strong enough yet. Jes' keep quiet for a day or two, Ireckon that will be a plenty to keep you busy. Wall, I guess this stewis done an' we might as well have breakfast. "

The kettle with its contents was carried into the wigwam, and from acake, made of pounded Indian corn, and the stew, our hunters made ahearty breakfast. 

After the meal, a council of war was held. The captain outlined theirsituation in a few simple words. "We are fairly comfortable here atpresent, lads, but it's goin' to be a week or ten days before YoungTiger gets back with his people. We've got plenty of food to last agood while, but I reckon this swamp is about the most unhealthy placeon earth an' we run a good big risk of being sick with fever before theIndians come. On the other hand, it's risky to try to get out of hereany way but the one we came in. We'd be about sure to get lost in theswamp, an' there's no tellin' what might happen to us. We can't getout the way we come in as long as those fellows are standin' guardoutside waitin' for us. "

"I vote to stay where we are, " said Walter, promptly. "We may be ableto escape the fever if we take good care of ourselves. "

Charley and Chris quickly agreed with Walter. 

"I guess it's the wisest thing to do, " admitted the captain, "althoughI will be mighty glad to get out of this creepy place. I tell you thisain't no place for white men, lads. But I've got to leave you now, boys. Make yourself as comfortable as you can, an' keep out of the sunduring the heat of the day. I reckon I'll be back long before sundown. "

Walter accompanied the captain down to the canoe and begged hard to gowith him, but the old sailor was firm in his refusal and Walter watchedhim paddle out of sight with a dim foreboding of evil at his heart. 

On his way back to the wigwam, Walter paused a moment on the island'shighest elevation to take a more careful survey than he had yet done ofthe surrounding country. He discovered nothing new, however, save whatwas apparently a large island lying some two miles to the west of theirown. It seemed to rise far above the surrounding swamp and wasevidently very heavily timbered. 

Passing on into the wigwam, he was greeted with an exultant cry fromCharley. 

"I've solved it, " he shouted. 

"Solved what?" demanded Walter in amazement. 

"This, " cried his chum excitedly, extending the square of doe-skin withits red ink tracings. "It's really absurdly simple, " he continued. "According to the captain, the chief talked about leaving me riches ofsome sort. I took that circumstance for my key and tried to think whata race as poor as the chief and his people would consider as riches. The picture of that bird answered the question. Plumes are their onlyform of wealth, hence plumes must be the treasure of which he spoke. "

"Reasoned like a detective, " approved Walter, scarcely less excitedthan his chum. 

"The rest was simple. The picture of the tree was to show where it washidden and the object at its base is intended as a shovel to tell thatI would have to dig for the treasure, but, " and his face fell, "how arewe to find that identical tree?"

"There's only one palm on the island, " Walter assured him. 

"Then all we have to do is to go there and dig and we'll find thetreasure, " Charley declared. "But we must wait for the captain, wemust all be present when it is unearthed. "

The morning slipped away quickly, the boys amusing themselves byexploring their little island, fishing from the bank, and loafing inthe shade of the solitary palm, at whose base was supposed to lie theburied treasure. 

Dinner time came and the meal was eaten without the captain, who hadnot returned. As the afternoon wore away without any sign of the oldsailor, the boys began to feel a vague uneasiness which increased asthe sun set and night began to fall. Walter, who alone knew the realobject of the captain's trip, was greatly worried. Long after theothers had retired to the wigwam for the night, he sat alone strainingeye and ear for sight or sound that would herald the absent one'sreturn. As the night wore away, anxiety deepened into certainty withthe troubled lad. Something must have happened to the captain. Impatiently the lad waited for daylight, determined to set off at thefirst break of dawn in search of the missing one. Suddenly, the ladstarted up from the reclining position weariness had caused him toassume. Full and deep upon the still night air rang out the tolling ofthe mysterious bell. To the anxious watcher, its tones no longer rangfull and sweet as upon the previous evening, but sounded slow andthreatening, as if freighted with an ominous meaning. 

A step sounded behind him and the overwrought lad sprang to his feet, every nerve a-tingle. 

"Where are you, Walt?" called Charley's voice from out of the darkness. 

"Here, " answered Walter, with a sigh of relief. 

"The captain not here yet?" asked his chum, fearfully, as he found hisway to his side. 

"No, " said Walter sadly, "and I am sure something must have happened tohim. I am off to search for him as soon as it's light enough to see. "

"And I am going with you, " Charley declared. 

"You are not, " said his chum, decidedly. "You are too weak for such atrip yet. You would only make my task harder. You have no businesseven to be out in this night air and dew. It may bring your fever backon you. "

"I could not rest inside when I saw your bed and the captain's emptyand heard the tolling in the air. "

"What do you suppose it really is, Charley?" asked his chum, eagerly. "It cannot be produced by anything human. Remember the captain'ssaying that it had been tolling this way longer than the oldest Indiancould remember back. "

"It's a bell, " declared his chum, a trifle uneasily. "Nothing elsecould produce those tones and that regular tolling. "

"Charley, " and Walter's voice lowered with the horror of the thought, "the captain said it tolled all night when the chief died, and now thecaptain himself is gone and the awful thing goes on as though it wouldnever stop. "

Charley, with an effort shook off the feeling of dread that was faststealing over him. 

"Nonsense, " he said, cheerfully, "you are getting as bad as Chris andthe captain. I repeat, it is a bell: listen how regularly it tolls. "

As though in mockery at his words, the long, even reverberationschanged to a quick, harsh, discordant clatter and suddenly ceased. 

For awhile both boys sat silent, Walter striving to overcome thesuperstitious dread tugging at his heart, and Charley searching hisactive brain for some explanation of the mysterious sound, that wouldharmonize with common sense and reason. 

At last Walter, by sheer will, regained his mental balance. "I amtired and nervous, or I would never imagine such foolish things, " hesaid. "Of course it is as you say, produced by natural causes, and Iwill likely laugh at my fears as soon as we stumble on the key to themystery. And now I am going to insist upon your going back inside, Charley. It won't do for us to have you down with the fever again. For our sakes, as well as your own, you must be very careful. "

Reluctantly, Charley retired to the wigwam and Walter once more wasleft alone. 

With the first hint of gray in the east, he began to prepare for hisdeparture. What cooked food was on hand he stored in the bow of thecanoe, and casting off the painter took his seat in the stern. Then hepaused for one last look around before dipping his paddle. 

Away in the distance a moving speck on the water caught his eye. For afew minutes he watched it in suspense, then gave a cheer of delight. 

It was the captain's canoe. 

CHAPTER XXII. 

DISAPPOINTMENT. 

As the speck drew nearer all doubt vanished, it was the captain's canoewith the old sailor himself in the stern paddling with slow, wearystrokes. 

Walter's cheer had brought forth his companions from the wigwam, andall now gathered on the bank to welcome the wanderer. 

Slowly the canoe drew in to the shore, and Walter at last was able tocatch the painter and haul the light craft's bow up on the sand. Itsoccupant sat still in the stern unable to move. His clothes werestained and tattered, his hands torn and bleeding from many scratches, and his pale, haggard face told of hardship and suffering. 

"Don't look scairt, lads, " he called out cheerily, "I ain't hurt none;jes' scratched up a bit, an' powerful tired. I reckon you'll have togive me a hand to get me out. I'm cramped that bad I can't move a leg. "

Walter and Chris flew to the old sailor's help and between themassisted him out of the canoe and up into the wigwam. Then Chrisquickly kindled a fire and soon presented the weary man with a gourd ofsteaming coffee and the cold food which Walter hastened to bring fromthe canoe. 

The captain ate like one famished, while the boys stood around eager tohear his story. 

"I'll spin my yarn as soon as I've rested a hit, lads, " he said, as hefinished the last morsel of food. "I'm clean spent, now, and want tostretch out for a while. "

The boys helped him up and onto his bed, which he had no sooner touchedthan he was fast asleep. 

It was noon before the old sailor awoke to find a hot dinner ready andthe boys patiently waiting. He was surprised to find that hisstiffness had nearly all disappeared, and, except for the cuts on handsand face, he was as well as ever again. 

"My, this grub tastes good, " he exclaimed, attacking the smoking fishand yams. "I didn't have a bite to eat all day yesterday. But Ireckon I had better start at the beginning of my yarn. I reckon youboys are some curious how I happened to turn up again in such shape. Wall, after I left here I paddled on, till I came to that fringe ofcypress right opposite where the smoke was curling up. When I got thatfar I got mighty careful, an' the way I coaxed that little craft inbetween them cypresses was so quiet that I didn't even wake up thewater moccasins asleep on the roots. When I came near the outer edgeof the cypress, I fastened the canoe to a root and crept forward onhands an' feet from one cypress tussock to another, sorter calculatin'that I'd make less noise that way than in the boat. At last, I gotwhere I could glimpse out between the trees and get a view of the fire. There was the whole twelve of them rascals workin' away as hard ashonest men. I watched them quite a while afore I caught on to whatthey was doing, an', when I found out, it didn't make me feel anyeasier. Lads, they was hollowing out the biggest dugout you ever seed. They had got a giant of a cypress chopped down, hewed it sharp at bothends and were burning it out inside with fire. While I was watchin', that varmint of an Injin, Charley, left the gang an' struck into thecypress an' passed by so close to where I was hid that I was sartinsure he'd see me, but he didn't. I lay still there for hours, afeardto move for fear I'd meet him comin' back. It was most sundown when hereturned, and I stayed on quite a bit after that listenin' to theconversation. As I guessed, he had been out scouting an' had found outthat we were on the island an' that his tribe was too far away tointerfere with any plans he had in his head. Cute as he was, though, he hadn't learned that the old chief was dead and the young one gonefor help. When I had learned all I could, I crawled back to the canoeand struck out for the island. It was being cramped up so long in oneposition in the cypress and in the canoe, that made me so stiff andsore. "

"They surely can't be so reckless as to think of entering this swamp!"exclaimed Charley. 

"'Tain't so very reckless, the way they look at it, " observed thecaptain. "You see they think that the Indians are all far off an'ain't likely to come back for some weeks. When the redskins started ontheir hunt they left plenty of signs behind to tell where they hadgone, and them signs are plainer than print to Injin Charley. Now, them fellows figures they can drop down on this island, kill off allhands but the chief, an' torture him 'till he gives up the plumes he'scounted on havin', an' be off, an' safe out of reach afore theSeminoles return from their hunt. No, it ain't such a foolish sort ofundertaking after all. "

"How long will it take them to finish the canoe?" Walter inquired. 

"I calculate it will take at least three days more, " said the captain, reflectively. "You see, the cypress is green an' burns pretty slowly. "

"Three days, " mused Charley, "and it will be at least a week beforehelp can come. We have got to count on meeting this danger byourselves. "

"I don't see nothin' to do but push on into the swamp, " said thecaptain disconsolately. "They outnumber us three to one. An' thisisland ain't got no shelter for us to find cover behind. "

"Let's not worry about it now, " urged Walter cheerfully. "The captainsays it will be three days at least before the canoe is finished so wehave plenty of time. If we decide to leave the island, we can easilykeep ahead of a clumsy dugout in our light canoes. "

"I am of Walter's opinion, " agreed Charley. "Something may turn up inthe next two days, and, anyway, there are some things I want toinvestigate before I vote to leave this neighborhood. I can promiseyou one thing, captain, those fellows will never handle the plumes thatbelonged to the chief. "

The captain listened in admiring astonishment as Charley recounted hissolution of the chief's legacy. "We have been wild to dig for thetreasure, " Charley concluded, "but we would not touch a spadeful ofearth until you could be with us to share in the excitement. "

"Then you needn't wait another minute, " cried the old sailor, who wasnearly as excited as the boys. "Get your spade an' we'll start rightin. "

"We haven't got one, " confessed Charley, suddenly crestfallen. "What afool I was not to think of that. "

"Golly, I reckon dis nigger goin' to fix up somethin' to dig withmighty quick, " cried Chris, whose eyes were sparkling with anticipation. 

Running down to the canoe, the little darkey was back in a moment withone of the paddles. "Reckon dis will do, " he said, "got to be mightycareful not to break it, though. "

Armed with the implement, which Chris' thoughtfulness had provided, they lost no time in making their way to the lone palm. 

The next perplexing question was on which side of the tree to dig. 

"It's as likely to be on one side as the other, " Charley declared. "Wemight as well start in at random and dig a circle around the tree untilwe come to it. "

The others had no better plan to suggest, and Walter, seizing thepaddle, began to throw the dirt away. Luckily the soil was not packedhard, for even, loose as it was, progress was very slow with the rudeimplement he was wielding. At the end of an hour, he was content tosurrender the paddle to the captain, who, when tired, turned it over toChris. 

It was slow work and the sun was getting low in the west when thecircle around the palm was at last completed, and the diggers stoodlooking at each other with disappointment written on their faces. 

"We must go deeper, " Charley declared, "I am certain that this is theright spot, and the chief would have had no interest in deceiving ormisleading us. "

"We have gone down two feet already, " said Walter, in a discouragedvoice, as he started wielding the paddle again. "I guess there issomething wrong with our calculation, Charley. " He stopped suddenlyand looked up with a comical look of surprise and anticipation. 

"I struck something, " he announced breathlessly, "something kind ofsoft and yielding. "

"Go on, " Charley shouted in his excitement, and Walter bent to his taskagain. 

The removal of a few more shovelfuls of earth exposed to view a large, dark, hairy object. Stooping, Walter with difficulty lifted it out ofthe hole. 

All clustered close around it in their eagerness. 

What had looked at first glance like a large, dead animal, proved to bea deer-hide stretched on framework, the hairy side out. A few slashesof Charley's hunting-knife laid open this rude leather box and revealedto their eager gaze a smaller similar box inside. Charley lifted itout and cut away the top. 

By the now dim light, they could only see the tapering shapes ofhundreds of long plumes carefully packed inside. 

"There must be all of fifty pounds of them, " said Walter, in anawe-struck voice, "why, they'll make us rich men. "

"Give me a hand to carry them up to the wigwam, " said Charley. "Runahead, Chris, and stir up the fire so we can see what we have got. "

The excited captain swung the box upon his shoulder and strode forwardhard upon Chris' heels. He laid his burden down close to the fire andall crowded around. 

One look and a loud murmur of disappointment broke from every lip. 

What the dim twilight had hid, the firelight revealed in all itsdisheartening truth. What had been once a beautiful heap of valuableplumes, now lay an ugly mass of mildew and mould. 

For a moment no one spoke, so keen was their disappointment. At last, Charley summoned up a feeble smile. 

"Well, we are no worse off than we were before, " he remarked with avoice that he endeavored to render cheerful. 

"That's the way to take a disappointment, lad, " said the captain, heartily. "A pound of meat is worth more to us now than a hundredpounds of plumes, anyway. Now, Chris, quit your grieving an' see ifyou can't rustle up some supper. I reckon we'll all feel better aftera warm bite. "

"What shall I do with them, Charley?" asked Walter, who had remainedkneeling by the ruined treasure. 

"Throw them away, they are valueless, " exclaimed his chum somewhattestily, for his disappointment was almost more than he could bearcheerfully. 

Walter lifted the leather box and disappeared in the darkness towardthe water. He did not throw it into the stream, however, but after amoment's hesitation on the bank, descended to his canoe and, shovinghis burden far up under the stern deck, retraced his steps to the fire. 

In spite of their attempts at cheerfulness, the gloom of theirdisappointment hung heavy upon them, and it was rather a silent groupthat gathered in the wigwam after supper. Chris and the captain soonsought their beds and ere long their loud, regular breathing told thatthey had found solace for the disappointment of the day. The two boysfelt too excited to sleep and sat long talking over their stillperilous situation. 

Suddenly, as on the other two nights, began the now familiar tolling ofthe mysterious bell. 

The captain stirred uneasily in his sleep and Chris opened his eyesdrowsily but soon fell off to sleep again. 

"Come outside, Walt, where we can talk without the chance of beingoverheard, " Charley whispered. 

The two lads stole softly out of the wigwam and down to the water'sedge where they sat down on the grassy bank. 

"Now listen closely, " Charley commanded. 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

MORE MYSTERY. 

The two boys remained quiet for several minutes listening to the bell'sdeep toned tolling. At last Walter remarked, "It don't sound as thoughit was very far away from us, not over two miles, I should say. "

"Good, " exclaimed Charley with satisfaction, "I was about to ask youwhat you thought the distance was. Two miles is about what I hadestimated. We can't say very exactly, for sound is likely to travelfar in this still air. But let us make a liberal allowance for thestillness. I think we are safe in saying that the sound comes from apoint not more than four miles distant from this island. Now, the nextquestion is, from what direction does it come?"

"It's hard to tell exactly, the sound seems to fill the air so, but Ishould say that it came from the westward, " said Walter after anothermoment of careful listening. 

"We agree again, " declared Charley, "it is not likely that we are bothmistaken. Now that we have settled the distance and the direction fromwhich the sound comes, what do you say to starting out in the morningand trying to solve the mystery?"

"The captain will not let us go, " Walter objected. 

"For this once, I do not intend to consult him, " Charley said. "Wewill get off before he is awake. We can leave a note saying that wewill be back before dark. "

"Good, " exclaimed his chum, "even if we accomplish nothing else, we mayfind an island that can be defended better than this one. "

So it was settled and the boys crept back to bed eager for the comingof the morrow. 

The eastern sky was just beginning to lighten a little when the boysgot up and dressed, collected what cold food they could find, and, leaving a note where the captain could not fail to find it, stole downto the canoe and quietly embarked. 

Charley's shoulder was still too sore to permit of his using the paddleso he made himself comfortable in the bow while Walter in the sternwielded the blade. 

The canoe was headed around to the westward, as near as they coulddetermine, for the point from whence had come the tolling of the bell. "I noticed what looked like a large island, from our camp, about twomiles off and in the direction we are headed, " observed Walter as theyglided swiftly away. 

"I noticed it too, " Charley answered, "and I do not think we can dobetter than start our search there, if it proves to be an island. Wewill be there in an hour at this rate. I wish I could spell you, Walt, but it don't seem right for you to be doing all the work. "

"Nonsense, I am enjoying it, " his chum protested, "everything aboutthis swamp is so novel and strange. See those cute little turtles onevery log, and those curious looking smoke-birds, and did you ever seeanything more beautiful than those trees with their hanging moss andwith every bough full of orchids of every color of the rainbow?"Walter ceased his paddling for several minutes and the canoe driftedslowly on while the two boys gazed with delight at the novel beautythat surrounded them. The dark, stagnant water through which theydrifted was nearly hidden from view by great white and goldwater-lilies and the butterfly flowers of water hyacinths, the trees oneither side stood like beautiful gray ghosts under their festoons ofSpanish moss through which flashed the blazing hues of floweringorchids. Brilliant-hued paroquets and other birds flitted amongst thetree-tops, while to finish the delicious languor of the scene the airhung heavy with the subtle, drowsy scent of wild jasmine. 

"It is the great swamp in its happiest mood, " observed Charley, "buteven here under all this beauty are hidden countless serpents andcrawling things, while everywhere under this fair appearance lurksfever and disease. "

Walter resumed his paddle with a sigh of regret and sent the canoeflying around a point and away from the scene of beauty. Here thestream widened out to about half a mile in width and increased inbreadth as they advanced. Half a mile ahead lay the island they wereseeking, its banks rising high above the great lagoon in which it lay. It was about four hundred acres in extent and its shores were coveredwith a dense tropical growth. Between it and the canoe was anothertiny island about two hundred yards distant from its big sister. Between the boys and the smaller island floated a score of dark masseslike the roots of trees. 

"Alligators, " declared Walter as they drew nearer to the floatingobjects. 

"I am not so sure about that, " said Charley, who was watching theobjects with closest attention. "Sheer off, Walt, and give them aswide a berth as possible. "

He watched with anxiety as two or three of the strange creatures, asthough impelled by curiosity, swam lazily out towards the canoe. "Giveway, Walt, " he cried, "paddle as fast as you can. "

Under Walter's vigorous strokes the canoe shot past the lazily swimmingcreatures whose curiosity did not appear to be great enough to inducethem to increase their exertions. 

When they were left behind Charley heaved a sigh of relief. "They arecrocodiles, " he explained, seeing his chum's look of surprise. "Alligators are harmless, generally speaking, but if one of thosefellows should upset you, you'd be chewed up into mince meat in ajiffy. But here's island number one. I guess we do not care aboutlanding there now, do we? The bigger one looks far more promising, let's try it first. "

Walter gave ready assent, and they passed by the little island withonly a casual glance. 

In a few minutes more they had left it behind and had drawn close toits bigger sister. Choosing a place at which the timber seemedthinnest they ran the canoe up on shore and fastened it securely. 

With guns in hand they scrambled up the high bank and stood for amoment surveying the surroundings. From that elevation, they could seequite clearly for a couple of miles in each direction. Save for thelittle island they had passed they could see no other solid land withinthe range of their vision. 

Charley noted the fact with satisfaction. "The solution of our mysterymust lie on one of these two islands, " he declared, "and the chancesare in favor of this one, so here goes to discover it, " and he plungedinto the timber with Walter close at his heels. He had taken no morethan twenty steps when he stopped with an exclamation of surprise andastonishment, his way was barred by a great wall of stone that toweredseveral feet above his head. It had once been a fortification ofconsiderable strength, but growing trees had made breaches in it hereand there, their thrusting, up-growing trunks tumbling its blocks tothe ground, where they lay hidden by covering vines. 

"Whew, " whistled Walter as he readied his chumps side, "who could havebuilt this? It could hardly have been done by the Seminoles. "

"No, " said Charley, who was examining the strange wall carefully, "thisstone is all limestone, which is found only along the coast or at agreat depth. It has been brought here from a considerable distance. Indians may have done the work, but they never did it willingly. Ifthey did it at all, it was as slaves. But we have no time for idlespeculation. Let's walk along it and see how far it extends. "

But after forcing their way along the wall for almost a quarter of amile, at the expense of a good deal of exertion, they gave up the task. 

"I believe it extends clear around the island, " Walter declared, "wecan't spare any more time to follow it up; it's noon already. Let'ssee what is inside. "

Charley offered no objection, and the two boys climbed through a gap inthe wall and reached the great enclosure. 

At first glance, they could see but little difference between the densegrowth amongst which they stood and that outside the wall, but a closerexamination showed that, while the timber was very thick, it was ofsmaller size than that which they had left behind. 

"This was a clearing at one time, years and years ago, " Charley said, "see, there is an ironwood stump there that still shows the signs of anaxe. It takes generations and generations for one of those stumps torot. "

"Look, Charley, " cried his chum who had pushed a little ahead, "justsee this. "

A couple of strides brought Charley to his side, "A road, " he cried inamazement. 

Straight as an arrow, it extended before them into the depth of theforest. So well and carefully had its smooth surface been laid thateven the assaults of time and the forest had been unable to dislodgethe great blocks of stone of which it was composed. Vines and creepershad grown over its surface and the forest trees had met in solid massabove it, but still it lay intact, a triumph of road building, as solidand strong as when built. 

With a feeling of awe, the boys moved forward over its hard surface. They had to stoop continually to avoid branches and the tangled vinesand briers had often to be cut away, but their progress was easier andfar more rapid than it would have been through the forest itself. 

They had proceeded perhaps a quarter of a mile when the road endedsuddenly at the base of another wall. A break in the wall told of anancient gateway but the gate itself was gone, probably rotted into dustby the passage of time. 

The boys pushed through the gap and stopped short with a cry of wonder. Before them lay an inclosure of perhaps two acres, and in its centerstood a half dozen buildings of stone, all in a fair state ofpreservation. Near the building closest to the boys, a sparklinglittle spring gushed forth and flowed away down a gentle inclinetowards a corner of the wall. 

"Someone must be living here, " Walter cried, "see, there are no treesor vines growing here. "

But Charley stooped and scratched away the dead leaves blown in fromthe trees of the forest. "As I suspected, " he said, after a moment'sinspection, "this enclosure is paved like the road. My, what workmenthose fellows that did this job must have been for their work tocontinue so perfect down to this day! I tell you this thing makes mefeel creepy, Walt. "

"And me too, " agreed his chum. "Instead of solving a mystery, we havediscovered a greater one. "

But the young hunters were not the kind of boys to remain long under asuperstitious dread, and they were soon approaching the buildingsbefore them. 

The first building was the largest of the group. It was constructedentirely of stone and had been little hurt by the passage of time. Itsdoors and windows had, of course, rotted away, but otherwise itappeared uninjured. Passing through the arched doorway the boys foundthemselves in a large apartment divided into two by a stone partition. Small holes here and there in the walls left little doubt as to thecharacter of the building. 

"It was their strong house or fort, " Charley declared, as he gazedaround. "Here was where they used to gather when danger threatened. The other buildings are no doubt dwelling-houses where they lived intime of peace. You take one side and I will take the other and we willsearch this one over carefully. "

But although the boys searched closely they could discover nothing totell them who had been the builders of this little city in the swamp. 

By the time they had completed their search of the larger building, itwas nearly noon and they sat down in the shade in the great archeddoorway and ate the lunch they had brought with them. 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

MORE SURPRISES. 

"What do you make of it, Charley?" Walter inquired, as he munched awayat his fish and yams. 

"The roads, walls, and these buildings were undoubtedly built by theSpaniards, " said his chum, decidedly. "I have seen lots of their workin St. Augustine, and the West Indian islands, and there is nomistaking its character. They are the greatest road-builders since theRomans. "

"But history contains no mention of such a place as this, " Walterobjected. 

"Yet here it is, history or no history, " Charley replied. "Perhaps allthe voyages of gentlemen adventurers following Columbus were not knownto the historians of the time. Perhaps this place may have been builtby a detachment of De Soto's expedition. We must bear in mind thatFlorida was long the favorite land amongst the Spaniards. From thesmall number of buildings, I should say that this place was very likelybuilt by a comparatively small party, using, no doubt, the Indians forslaves. "

"And the slaves at last destroyed their masters, " Walter suggested. 

"I am not so sure about that, " replied his chum. "I expected to findbones in the fort but we discovered none. Perhaps the buildersabandoned this place even after going to so much trouble to fortify it. "

"Maybe we can find something to throw light upon it in the otherbuildings, " Walter remarked. "While you are finishing your dinner, Iam going to see where that spring goes to. "

Walter followed the little rivulet to where it disappeared in a smallgully under a corner of the wall. Climbing the stones the lad droppeddown lightly on the other side. 

Charley finished his lunch, washed his hands at the spring, andresuming his seat in the doorway, leaned back upon one of the greatpillars to wait for his chum. The air was soft and warm and the noisesof the swamp stole to the tired lad's ears with a gentle lulling sound. His eyes slowly closed and his head dropped forward upon his breast andhe slept. 

Quickly the hours slipped away and the sun was getting low in the west, when Charley awoke. One glance at the declining sun brought him to hisfeet, anxiety and dread in his heart. What could have become ofWalter? It took the thoroughly alarmed lad but a moment to reach thewall where his chum had disappeared. He swarmed up it like a monkeyand dropped down on the other side. But no solid ground met hisdescending feet. Instead, he crashed through leafy boughs and landedin a tangled mass of vines. In the second before the vines gave wayunder his weight, Charley succeeded in grasping a limb and swinginghimself in to the trunk of the tree where he found a safe resting-placebetween two branches. Below him yawned a gigantic pit, its edge hiddenfrom view by the clustering trees. 

"Walter, " he called anxiously, "are you down there?"

"Yes, " growled his chum's voice, "and I have been here for hours. You're a nice companion for a man when he gets in trouble. "

"I fell asleep, " confessed Charley, sheepishly. 

"Well, don't sleep any longer, " said his chum sharply. "Help me out ofthis, quick. It is awful down here. "

"All right, be patient a minute and I will have you out, " Charleyanswered as he climbed nimbly up his tree and reached the edge of thepit. A moment's search and he found what he wanted, a long, stoutgrape vine strong as a rope. He cut off a piece some forty feet inlength, fastened one end to the tree, and dropped the other down intothe pit. "You'll have to pull yourself out, Walt, " he called. 

With the help of the grape vine and the aid of foot holds on the treesgrowing up from the sides of the pit, Walter succeeded in scramblingout. His face was pale and there was a look of horror in his eyes. 

"I believe I would have died if I had been compelled to stay down thereall night, " he declared in a voice that trembled. 

"What is there down there?" asked Charley regarding his chum curiously. 

"The demon work of the fiends who built this wall, " said Walterfiercely, "It's their old stone quarry. They didn't bring rock fromthe coast, they just dug down till they found the kind they wanted. And Charley, all around the sides, chained to the solid rock, are theskeletons of the workers. "

"I am right about the Spaniards building this place then, " Charleyobserved. "That's the way that most Christian nation always used totreat its captives. "

"Let's go, " his chum urged, "I guess my nerve is shaken from being downthere with those skeletons so long. The sun is getting low, anyway. We will not have time to more than get back home before dark. "

"You're right, we must go, but I wish we had time to go through thebalance of those buildings, " said Charley, regretfully. 

The two boys soon regained the canoe and paddled safely past thefloating crocodiles. 

"We haven't solved the mystery, after all, " remarked Walter, as heurged the canoe forward. 

"No, but we have done far better, " declared Charley, enthusiastically, "we have found a place where we will have ample protection in case weare attacked by the outlaws. I am in favor of moving our camp thereto-morrow morning. "

"Of course that is the wisest plan, " Walter agreed, "but since myexperience in that pit I have a dread of the place. "

"That will wear off in time. Hallo, there's our island and there's thecaptain and Chris on the bank waiting for us. "

"I expect we will get a good lecture, " grinned Walter, "I guess wedeserve it, too. "

But the captain was so delighted over their safe return, that he letboth off with a light scolding. 

Over the supper, the boys related the story of their discoveries amidexclamations from the captain and Chris. 

The captain readily agreed to their proposal to move camp to the largerisland. "The young chief showed me how to fix signs that would tellhim which way we had gone in case we left the island before hereturned, " the captain observed. 

This removed the only possible objection to the plan, and early nextmorning the hunters prepared to shift camp. 

The little patch of yams was dug up, yielding several bushels of thesugary tubers, the remaining ears of Indian corn were plucked from thestalks, and a large quantity of dry gourds gathered, these, togetherwith the little that remained of their stock of provisions, wereconveyed to the canoes and our hunters were ready to depart. Beforeleaving, the captain arranged the signs agreed upon with the youngchief. These were very simple, consisting merely of twigs partlybroken off and laid to point in the direction they had gone. 

"I reckon he'll see those, " observed the captain, "The worst of it is, though, that Injin Charley ain't likely to overlook them either. "

"That can't be helped, " said Charley, "and once we are in our new home, we will stand some show of being able to defy them. I only wish we hadthe two rifles that were lost when the canoe upset. I wouldn't fearthe outlaws at all then. "

"I wish we had more provisions, " Walter added. "Chris used the last ofthe coffee this morning, and there is not much of anything else left. "

"It ain't no use wishing, lads, " declared the captain, "we had ought tobe thankful for what we have. The Lord will provide. Jes' think ofthe trials an' dangers He has brought us through already. "

A thoughtful silence, that continued until they reached the island, followed the old sailor's gentle reproof. 

Although they had been partly prepared by the boys' account of theirdiscoveries, the captain and Chris were astonished at the sight of thegreat wall, the road, and the group of stone buildings. It was plain, too, that there was a good deal of superstitious dread mingled withtheir wonder. 

Charley was quick to note this in their faces and gave them no time tobrood upon their fears. "We have got a lot of work to do, " hedeclared, as they deposited the loads they had brought up from thecanoes. "I think, we will get along better if we divide it up and goat it with some system. Now, the captain and I will bring up thebalance of the things, and the canoes, --it will not do to leave themwhere the outlaws can find them if they pay us a visit. While we aredoing that, Walt, you pick out one of the buildings for us tooccupy--the fort is too big, we would be lost in it; and you, Chris, light up a fire and get us something to eat. "

The two addressed, accepted Charley's suggestions, cheerfully, and heand the captain departed to carry out their own task. When theyreturned laden with the balance of the canoe's cargo, Walter wasstanding idly by the fire watching Chris prepare the dinner. 

"What, through already?" demanded Charley in surprise. 

"No, just resting, " smiled his chum. But the moment the captain's backwas turned, his face became grave, and he gave a warning shake of hishead in Chris' and the captain's direction. 

Charley was quick to catch its significance. "I am afraid thatcarrying is too much for my shoulder, " he said, quietly, "Chris, yougive the captain a hand with the canoes, and I will look after thedinner. "

No sooner had the two disappeared, than Charley turned to his chum. "What's the trouble?" he demanded eagerly. 

"Come and see, " said Walter soberly. 

He led the way quickly to the first building and entered the opendoorway, followed closely by Charley. At the threshold, Charley pausedin horror. The room in which he looked was about twenty by fourteenfeet in size. In the center a great slab of stone rested on four largeblocks of the same material. It had evidently once done duty as atable for at one side of it was a bench of stone, and upon the benchsat, or rather lolled, four white, ghastly, grinning skeletons. Deathhad evidently come to the sitters like a bolt from the sky. Onerested, leaning forward, with the bony claws clinching the table, whileyet another held a pewter mug as if about to raise it to his grinningjaws. They had evidently been feasting when the grim visitor came, forbefore them on the table sat a great stone jug and dishes of crockerystained and discolored with age. 

"You acted wisely, Walt, " declared Charley, recovering his composure. "If Chris and the captain had caught sight of them, we would never havebeen able to keep them on the island. We will have to work quickly andget them out of sight before they return. "

With deep repugnance the boys immediately began the grewsome task ofremoving the bodies. 

"We have no time to bury them now, " said Walter, "let's lower them intothe pit; they will not be seen there, and we can bury them at the firstopportunity. "

The lads did not linger any over their task, but quickly bore theirghastly burdens to the wall. With the aid of grape vines, the whitenedbones were hoisted to the top of the wall and lowered into the pit. 

They had only time to get back to the fire and pretend to be busy withthe dinner when the captain and Chris appeared bearing the first canoe. 

"Now for the other buildings, " said Charley, sharply, as the two againdisappeared, "we have got to work lively if we are to finish beforethey return. "

From building to building the lads swiftly passed. In all but one theyfound ghastly occupants, some stretched out in the posture of sleep, some sitting at table like the first seen, but all showing that deathhad come suddenly and unexpectedly. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

THE CHAPEL. 

The boys worked with the utmost swiftness, expecting every moment tosee the captain and Chris appear, but, luckily, those two, wearied bytheir hard work, had paused to rest before returning with their load. 

"Thirty-one, " counted Walter as he lowered the last grinning skeletoninto the pit. "There seems a kind of stern justice in their presentposition, Charley, " he continued. "Now, they are resting side by sidewith those whom they tortured and enslaved while living. "

"They paid terribly for their cruelty, " said his chum, fingering theflint arrow-heads he had found by the skeletons. "The whole story isas plain as print. The thirty men whose bones we have just disposedof, enslaved and tortured members of what was at that time a greatrace, working them as slaves in building these walls, and in thatterrible quarry. I confess to a feeling of admiration for them, inspite of their cruelty. They must have been great warriors, though sofew in numbers, to hold at bay one of the bravest of the Indian tribes. "

"I wonder why they remained in this awful swamp, " said Walter, musingly. 

"Case of necessity, perhaps, " Charley replied, thoughtfully. "They hadprobably lost many men by the time they reached this island, and hadconcluded that to continue on meant utter annihilation, while herethey, with their superior arms and suits of mail, could stand off theenemy. So they decided to remain and make the best of it. With thelabor of the Indians they captured from time to time they proceeded tofortify the island and make it more secure. "

Walter gazed at his chum admiringly. "You talk as though you saw itall in front of your eyes, " he declared. 

Charley did not heed the interruption. "Years went by, " he continued, musingly, like one in a dream, "years in which they grew more and moreconfident of their own power, and learned to despise their red foes. But the Seminoles were only waiting with the patience of their race. Mark the cunning of the savage. There comes a day and night offeasting and rejoicing in the Spaniards' religious calendar. Work andworry is laid aside and they gather in their homes to feast andrejoice. Night comes and as the sun sets the sentries cast a lookaround. Nothing is in sight. There is nothing to fear. They join themerry-makers, and care and their suits of mail are laid aside, andmerriment prevails. The Indians' hour has come. Over the walls swarma red horde, creeping towards the unsuspecting feasters. One longwar-whoop, a shower of arrows, cries of agony, and all is over. "

Charley stopped. "I've been talking like a five cent novel, " he said, sheepishly. 

"I'll bet that is just the way it really happened, " his chum declared. "That explains why the fort was empty. "

"Perhaps, " Charley said, "but here comes Chris and the captain, andwe'll have to change the subject. "

"I 'spect you-alls don't pay no 'tention 'tall to dis dinner, " grumbledChris. "De fire's all out, mighty nigh. "

"We are not good cooks like you, Chris, " said Charley soothingly, andthe vain little darky grinned at the compliment. 

"Golly, I reckon dat's so, " he declared pompously, "you chillens sho'don't know nothin' 'bout cookin'. Spect you-alls mighty near starve todeath if it warn't for dis nigger. You chillens jes' get out, an' I'llfinish gettin' de dinner. "

The boys, relieved of the cooking, turned their attention to othertasks. They carried the two canoes into the empty fort and placed thembottom up in one corner. The other goods they piled up in the shade ofa tree. 

Charley then disappeared but soon came back with a large kettle he hadnoticed when removing the skeletons. "It's copper, " he said, exhibiting it proudly, "with a little cleaning it will be as good aswhen it was made. We need it for boiling water, for we have got toclean house this afternoon. "

While he carried the copper to the spring and scrubbed lustily awaywith sand to remove the green verdigris with which it was thicklycoated, Walter attempted the manufacture of a mop. Selecting astraight piece of the root of a scrub palmetto, which grew in abundancearound the wall, he trimmed it with his knife into the desired shapeand size. Laying the piece, thus prepared, upon a large stone, hepounded one side of it lustily with a piece of rock. A few minutessufficed to pound out the pith and leave the harsh fiber exposed. 

By the time the two lads had completed their respective tasks, Chrisannounced that dinner was ready and all fell to with appetitessharpened by the morning's work. 

As soon as dinner was finished, the copper kettle was filled with waterand placed upon the fire. By the time the water had come to a boil, the party was sufficiently rested to attack the house cleaning. 

The building nearest the fort was selected as their future abode, andnever did mansion receive a more thorough scouring. Walter plied thebrush, while the captain dashed the water about, and Chris wiped thefloor dry with armfuls of Spanish moss. Charley, on account of hisstill lame shoulder, was excused from this labor. 

Leaving his companions thus busily employed, Charley took his way tothe building that had aroused his curiosity in the morning, the one inwhich they had found no skeletons. 

This building was a trifle larger than its fellows and differed verylittle from them in external appearance, except that from its roofprojected a little tower. It was the inside, however, which hadexcited our young hunter's curiosity. At one end was a kind of raisedplatform and the space between it and the entrance was filled withbenches of stone. Charley reverently removed his hat ad he entered, for he had guessed the character of the place during his morning visit. It was a chapel that the hardy adventurers of long ago had erected forthe worship of their Maker. 

Upon the stone altar stood several vessels, likely of gold or otherprecious metal for they were apparently untouched by the ravages oftime. Charley gave them hardly a glance but passed on to the end ofthe building until he stood beneath the tiny tower. 

One glance upwards, and he uttered an exclamation of satisfaction. Directly above his head in the little tower hung a large ship's bell. A part of the mystery of the tolling was solved, but the most puzzlingpart remained. 

Charley sat down on one of the stone benches and fell into a deepstudy. There was the bell but where was the mysterious ringer? Thebell rope had long ago rotted away. The walls had once been plasteredand were still too smooth to offer a foothold to the most expertclimber. How then to account for the regular nightly tolling? Themystery had in reality deepened instead of lightened. 

When Charley at last left the building, he was still puzzled in mindand had decided to say nothing about his discovery to his companions. Chris and the captain would be sure to view the matter in its mostsupernatural light. 

On his return, he found the house scrubbed sweet and clean and theworkers taking a rest after their labors. Feeling that he had notperformed his just share of the work of the day, Charley took uponhimself the carrying in and arranging of their possessions. With theseunpacked and arranged, the room looked less bare and much more cozy andhome-like. 

But Charley viewed their scanty possessions with a trace ofdissatisfaction. Two rifles, two shotguns, a half of their ammunition, and a half of their scanty stock of provisions had been lost when thecanoe upset. Of their original outfit, the two boys retained onlytheir pistols and ammunition and the tattered clothes they werewearing. The captain and Chris still had their four guns but theirclothing was as rent and tattered as the two boys'. Of the provisionsthere only remained a little sugar, a few pounds of flour, and a smallstrip of bacon. 

"I tell you what it is, " said Charley, as he joined his companionoutside, "we have got to do some tall hustling the next two days. Wehave got to lay in a stock of food sufficient to last us for at least aweek, and we have got to make some kind of windows and doors for thatbuilding, besides, which, we have got to manufacture some kind ofclothing for ourselves--mine are almost dropping from me. "

"My, what a list of impossibilities!" groaned Walter. "Frankly, I donot feel as though I could do another stroke of work to-day. "

"No, we are all too tired for further effort to-day, " Charley agreed, "but we must get an early start in the morning. We will get someboughs for beds, have supper, and knock off for the day. "

"I know just the stuff we want for beds, " Walter declared, "there arelots of the bushes growing just outside the wall. "

The bush Walter referred to, proved to be a species of myrtle withsmall leafy boughs of a delicious, spicy fragrance. It grew soabundantly, that in a few minutes the boys had gathered a largequantity, which they carried back to the building and spread in fourgreat heaps on the floor. Upon these their blankets were spread, andthe room took on a cozy, homelike appearance. 

Supper was cooked over the camp-fire outside and by the time it waseaten, night had begun to fall. The little party at once repaired totheir room. They know that the night air of the great swamp waspeculiarly unhealthy. Already they had exposed themselves far too muchto its baneful influence. 

They stretched out on their soft, fragrant couches and talked cheerilyover the events of the day and their present situation. Not since theyhad left the camp on the point, had the boys felt so bright andhopeful. They were well housed, none were sick, they were all togetheronce more, and even the threatened danger from the convicts did notcause them great uneasiness. They felt confident of their ability nowto keep the outlaws at bay until help arrived. 

But their content was not to last long, for soon, harsh, and menacingin its nearness, rang out the tolling of the bell. 

The captain, brave as the bravest in most any kind of danger, turned asickly white and sunk to his knees in prayer, while Chris, trembling inevery limb, buried his face in the blanket to shut out the awful sounds. 

"Come, Walt, " whispered Charley, and the two boys stole out into thedarkness of the night. A few steps brought them to the chapel, andpistols in hand they circled around it in opposite directions, buttheir eager eyes caught no sight of moving forms. 

"It must be on the inside, " declared Charley, as they met near thedoor. "Let's go in and see. "

It took all their courage to venture into that dim, mysteriousinterior, but the boys never hesitated, but stepped boldly in. Backand forth they paced the grim interior, searching every nook andcorner, and found nothing. Not even a sound fell on their strainedhearing, save only the strong, steady tolling above their heads. 

Charley stood under the little tower and gazed longingly up into itsdarkness where the bell, under some mysterious power, swayed steadilyto and fro. 

"I wish I could get up there, I'd tie the thing down, " he declared. "If this keeps up, we will have our hands full to keep Chris and thecaptain on the island. "

"Come away, Charley, " said Walter, nervously, "this thing is gettingpositively uncanny. I declare I am beginning to feel a sympathy forChris' terrors. "

The two lads retraced their steps to the hut where they found thecaptain, in spite of his superstitious fears, preparing to sally out insearch of them. 

For long the two boys sat trying to argue the captain and Chris out oftheir superstitious fears. They might as well have tried to argueagainst fate itself. 

"Aye, lads, " the captain would say in reply to their logic, "I knowspirits seem against reason to shore-staying folks, but sailors knowbetter. Now there was Tom Bowling who took to hearing bells during hiswatch on deck, an' not two days later, poor old Tom was missing. "

"Went crazy and jumped over-board, " muttered Charley, but the captainshook his head with the air of a man who had no doubt as to the natureof his friend's fate. 

It was not long after the bell ceased tolling that the last of thelittle party fell into a troubled sleep. 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

PREPARATIONS. 

At dawn Charley arose, feeling unrefreshed after his broken rest, litthe camp-fire, started breakfast, and then awakened the others. 

"We had better divide the duties for the day, " he said, as theydispatched their light breakfast. "The two things most pressing, areto secure more food and make our windows and door bullet-proof. Isuggest that we divide into two parties for the day, one to hunt, andthe other to keep camp and work on our building. Suppose we call forvolunteers for each party. "

"I stay an' do de cookin', an' maybe catch some fish for supper, " saidChris, promptly. 

"I reckon I had better stay with Chris, " decided the captain, who hadin a measure recovered from his scare of the night. "You lads arenimbler an' better shots, an' consequently, likely to have better luckin the hunting. "

This arrangement delighted Charley and Walter who were eager to explorethe island. Pistols were oiled, cleaned and carefully examined. Theirown guns being at the bottom of the river, the boys had to borrow armsof Chris and the captain. 

Walter took Chris' light shotgun while Charley shouldered the heavyrifle belonging to the captain. Thus equipped they were prepared foreither small or big game. 

Leaving the clearing, the boys plunged into the forest and headed forthe interior of the island. Their progress was at first very slow, theforest being almost as tangled and thickly grown as that which they hadencountered near the water. As they advanced, however, the treesgradually grew fewer and further apart until, after a half hour's slowtraveling, they emerged from the forest into a kind of prairie country, consisting of stretches of flat grassy land broken by clumps of timber. 

"This is just the place for game, " declared Charley, "this grass seemsto be a kind of wild rice, there had ought to be birds here withoutnumber. "

As he spoke there was a whirl of wings, Walter's shotgun spoke twice, and a brace of plump partridges struck the ground with a thud. 

The report of the firearm woke the prairie into life. Hundreds ofbirds rose from amongst the tall grass. For the next few minutes, Walter was busy with his gun, while Charley with his heavy rifle couldonly stand idle watching. 

"Never mind, my turn will come, " he declared. "That little popgun youhave will not be any good against big game. "

When the frightened birds had at last passed beyond range, the boysgathered up those that had fallen victims; four partridges, threedoves, and a full dozen of black and red rice-birds. 

"Good, " approved Charley, as he surveyed the feathered heap. "Thoseare all fine eating and will provide us with a couple of dandy meals. The only fault I have to find is that they use up too much ammunition. If we use it up at this rate, we will have none when the outlaws come. "

"We can make traps for the birds, " Walter suggested. "I know how torig up a figure-four trap that will fool the wisest of them. "

"Well, we will not bother with traps this trip, " Charley said. "Wehave got enough birds for the present. We can come again to-morrow andfix up for them. "

"What shall we do with these?" Walter inquired. "We don't want to turnback yet, and they are too heavy to carry with comfort. "

"Leave them tied up in the first tree we come to and get them on ourway back, " his chum answered. 

With this object in view, the two boys turned their steps towards thenearest clump of timber. At their first step amongst its dry twigs andbranches, there was a crash amongst the bushes and a form of yellowishbrown shot past them like an arrow. 

Charley's rifle flew to his shoulder and its sharp crack woke theechoes in the little wood. "It's a deer and I have got it, " heexclaimed, dashing off after the animal which was staggering andwavering as it ran. 

Walter paused only to hang his birds high up in the crotch of a bigtree, and followed after his chum. 

But the deer, though wounded and losing blood at every step, was reallyrunning faster than either of the boys calculated. It soon becameevident to both that they would have to work hard to overhaul thewounded creature before it entered the main forest on the other side ofthe prairie. Once amongst the dense growth, it would soon lose itspursuers. 

Walter was only a few feet in the rear of his chum and running at thetop of his speed when Charley stopped so short and unexpectedly that hecollided with him with such force as to bring both to the ground. 

"Look, " exclaimed Charley breathlessly, as he pointed ahead, "did youever see such a repulsive sight?"

Charley had stopped just in time, not fifteen feet from where the twohad fallen, was a deep, saucer-like depression in the ground. In itscenter, where the ground was soft, and muddy, was a writhing, twisting, tangled mass of snakes of dozens of kinds, though the dirty, sickening-looking, stump-tailed moccasin predominated. There must havebeen thousands of serpents in the mass which covered a space twenty bythirty feet, from which came the sibilant hiss of puff adders, and astrong, nauseating odor. 

"It's an awful sight, " shuddered Walter after one glance, "and justthink how close you were to running into that mass. You would neverhave got out alive. "

"I would never know what struck me, " Charley agreed. "I expect there'sa full quart of the deadliest of poisons distributed among thosebeauties. "

"Ugh, " said Walter, "the sight of them makes me sick. Come away, Charley. "

"They have done us considerable damage anyway, " Charley said, as theypressed on giving the snake-hole a wide berth. "I cannot see anythingof the deer, can you?"

"No, I expect he got safe into the forest while we were delayed. Wemight as well follow up his tracks for a ways although I guess it's butlittle use. "

The fugitive had left a thread of scarlet blood behind him so the boyshad no trouble in following the trail. 

At the very edge of the forest, the boys stopped with a cry of delight. A motionless heap of yellowish brown lay half in half out of the fringeof trees, the shelter of which the poor creature had striven sogallantly to gain. 

The boys wasted no time in rejoicing but at once fell to work withtheir hunting-knives to remove the skin. This done, they cut off thevaluable parts of the carcass and bound them up in the hide fortransportation back to camp. When the task was completed the noon hourhad been reached and the boys kindled a fire and broiled some of thevenison. 

"That was a lucky kill for us, " observed Charley as he attacked anotherjuicy steak. "It will give us fresh meat for several days. What wecannot use before it spoils, we can cut thin and dry. The hideproperly prepared will furnish us with a couple of stout fishing linesand a shirt for one of us. "

After a brief rest the boys resumed their exploration. They had nopresent need for more game and were loath to waste any more ammunition. The wild folks of the forest seemed to be aware of the fact and showedthemselves fearlessly. 

"We won't starve for lack of game, " declared Walter, "in the last halfmile, I have seen coons, possums, deer, and a wild-cat, to say nothingof the thousands of birds. "

"Yes, it's a sportsman's paradise, " agreed Charley, "it has probablynot been hunted since the Spaniards' time. Likely these wild creatureshave never seen a human being before. "

The boys had been pushing onward into the forest as they talked. Bythe growing denseness of the jungle they surmised that they wereapproaching the island's shore. This surmise proved correct, for abouta quarter of an hour after leaving their lunching place, they came outon the bank directly opposite where they had landed on the island. 

This shore was very much like the other and the boys soon began toretrace their steps. 

As they neared the place where they had left their venison hung in atree, their ears were greeted with a curious sound of mingled grunt andgrowl. 

With their guns ready for instant use, the boys crept cautiouslyforward. An exclamation burst from them as they came in sight of thetree. Squatted round it in an angry, eager circle was a drove of atleast twenty wild boars; great, fierce-looking animals with dangerouslooking tusks. They were sniffing longingly, and looking up at thesuspended meat. 

"Don't shoot, Walt, " cried Charley, but his warning came too late. 

Without pausing to think, Walter had discharged both barrels of hisshotgun at the huddled animals. 

The effect was not what he had anticipated. The shot glancedharmlessly off their thick hides, and with grunts of rage, the wholedrove charged for the smoke and sound. 

"Get up a tree, " shouted Charley, as he noted the effects of the shot. 

Walter did not wait for a second bidding but swung himself up thenearest tree which happened to be a huge spreading live oak. Charleyswarmed up after him in such haste that he dropped his rifle at thefoot of the tree. He was not a moment too soon for a large boar made alunge for his legs just as he drew them up. 

"Now we are in for it, " he exclaimed in disgust as he found acomfortable seat in the fork of a limb. 

"Oh, I guess they'll soon get tired and go away, " Walter saidcheerfully. 

But the boars seemed to have no such intention. They ranged themselvesaround the foot of the tree as they had around the venison and satlooking longingly up among the branches. 

"I am going to try a shot at that big fellow that seems to be the bossof the gang, " said Walter after an hour had dragged away without theanimals showing any signs of leaving. 

"Don't do it, " Charley advised, "you can't kill him with that smallcalibered revolver, and it will only make them madder than ever. "

Walter put back his revolver with a sigh. "I guess you're right, " headmitted, "but, I declare, it makes me mad the way that big brute isleering up at me. "

Wearily the hours dragged away, the boys getting cramped and weary inthe tree, and the besiegers showing no sign of abatement in theirinterest. 

The darkness found two, very tired, hungry boys seated in the treewhile the boars still grunted in a circle around them. 

With the rising of the moon came the distant tolling of the chapel belland the boys looked worriedly at each other. 

"The captain and Chris will be frightened to death with that thingtolling and we absent, " Walter said. 

"Yes, the captain will be sure to believe that we are all dead, "Charley agreed. "There is something unearthly about that ringing, butof course there is a natural cause for it if we could only discover it. "

"After our experience last night I am almost ready to agree with thecaptain and Chris, " said Walter. 

"Except for its worrying those two, I would not mind it in the least, "Charley declared. "I am more upset by our position here. I guess wewill have to stay all night, those fellows below show no signs ofleaving. "

"What's that?" cried Walter, excitedly. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

A TERRIBLE NIGHT. 

A shrill piercing scream, like the cry of a tortured soul, rang out ofthe forest, rising clear and trembling above the tolling of the belland the noises of the night. 

The boys looked at each other with white, frightened faces. 

"A panther, " Charley cried, "a panther, and we penned up here helplessas babes. "

"Look, " said Walter, eagerly, "look at the boars. "

The great animals were stirring uneasily and their hoarse, threateninggrunts had dropped to a kind of frightened whine. Again the screamrose shrill and clear, and, with a grunt of fear, the big leadercharged into the forest followed by the rest. 

"They are afraid of the panther, and I don't blame them, " Charleyexclaimed. "Come, we must get out of here in a hurry. "

The boys slid to the ground as fast as their stiffened limbs wouldpermit, picked up Charley's rifle, and hastily cutting down thevenison, plunged out of the forest onto the prairie. 

The screams, rapidly drawing nearer, hastened their footsteps, but, fast as they traveled, the sound continued to draw closer. 

"It has got a sniff of the venison and is following us up, " Charleydeclared. "We can never get away from it, and there is small chance ofour being able to kill it in the dark. We may as well stop right herewhere there is a little wood and build a fire, that is our only chance. "

Charley had chosen this halting place wisely, for a large dead tree layon the ground, where he had stopped. 

Hastily the boys tore up a heap of dry grass and piling broken limbs onit, lit the pile with a match. 

The dry stuff roared up with a flame not a minute too soon, theflickering light revealed a crouching form not thirty feet away. Witha snarl of rage the creature retreated from the blaze and begancircling the fire from a distance. The soft pattering footfalls couldbe easily heard. 

The boys crouched close to the fire filled with apprehension thatgradually decreased as they saw the panther feared to approach. ThriceCharley fired at the dim skulking form, but, in the darkness, hisbullets went wide of the mark, and he stopped wasting more ammunition. 

"Let's set fire to the tree itself, " Walter suggested, "it will make abigger fire, last a long time, and save us the trouble of gatheringwood. "

"Good, " exclaimed Charley, and seizing a couple of blazing brands hethrust them under the tree's trunk. The dry wood caught like tinderand soon the whole tree was aflame. 

"I hope they will see it at the camp, " Walter said. "If they do, theywill know we are still alive. "

As their fear of the panther decreased, the boys began to feel hungryand tired. The venison was unwrapped and some thick steaks were cutoff and broiled over the fire, and from them the lads made a heartymeal. 

They felt greatly refreshed after their hearty repast but they werestill very tired and sleepy. They strove to converse together and keepawake but the fatigue of the day, the heavy meal, and the warmth of thefire proved too much for them and every now and then one would catchthe other nodding. 

"There's no use of both of us sitting up all night, when one is allthat is necessary to keep an eye on the fire, " said Charley, sleepily. "Let's make up a bed of the prairie grass and take turn about sleepingand keeping watch. "

Walter heartily agreed to the suggestion and they proceeded to make uptheir couch without loss of time. They did not have to go outside thecircle of firelight for their mattress, for the wild rice grew allaround the blazing tree. All they had to do was to pull it up in greathandfuls and stack it before the fire. 

Suddenly Charley gave an exclamation and leaped back out of the grass. "Come out of that grass, Walt, " he cried, "I have been bitten by a puffadder. I heard it hiss. "

"Oh, Charley, " cried his chum in terror, "what can we do?"

"Quick, " commanded Charley, "open one of your shotgun shells and takeout the shot. " While he had been speaking the lad had slipped one legout of his pants and exposed the wound to view. It was only a tiny redpuncture of the skin midway between knee and hip, but the bitten oneknew that tiny place was more dangerous than a rifle ball. Like aflash, he drew his hunting-knife and cut out a chunk of flesh as big asa hen egg where the wound had been. "Give me that cartridge, " hecommanded, his teeth gritting with pain. 

Walter passed over the open shell and Charley emptied its contents ofpowder into the open cut. Quickly, he applied a match to the blackgrains and they caught with a hiss, there was a tiny cloud of blacksmoke and a whiff of burning flesh. 

Walter sprang to his chum's side and caught him, as he staggered andreeled under the awful pain. 

"Gee, but that was a plucky thing to do, " he cried. 

"I guess I got it done in time, " murmured Charley, through pale lips. "It was the only thing to do. I would have been dead in half an hourotherwise--and such a death. But I guess I've got the best of it, Icut out that piece before the poison had a chance to get into thecirculation, I think. Give me a hand to bind up the cut beforeanything gets into it. "

Walter hastened to comply and bound up the gaping cut as well as hecould with the means at his command. While Charley lay back andgritted his teeth to keep back the moans of pain. 

"Strange the place don't bleed any, " said Walter, curiously. 

"The heat of the powder flash cauterized the cut ends of the veins andclosed them up, " Charley explained. "I have seen the same thing donebefore and the wound never bled. "

"Is it always a good thing to do?" his chum inquired. 

"It is useless in some cases. It all depends upon the kind of snakeand where the person is struck. I never knew a case of a personrecovering when hit by a genuine Florida rattlesnake. Puff adders andmoccasins are deadly enough, but they are mild beside the rattler. Therattler's fangs are so long that they strike deep and the quantity ofvenom injected is enormous, some of it is almost instantly taken up bythe veins punctured. I do not believe that anything but instantamputation would save the life of one struck. But all bitten do notdie equally soon. I have known a man struck in the ankle where thecirculation was poor, to live for several hours, while another struckin the neck while bending over a flower, died almost instantly. Thepoor fellow did not have time to straighten up even. But he was luckyin dying quickly. There is no death more painful and horrible thanthat from a rattlesnake bite. "

"What loathsome creatures, " shuddered Walt, "and the state is accursedwith them. "

"They are few in number compared with what they used to be, " Charleyremarked, "and I'll bet you can't guess what has thinned them out so. "

"The clearing up of the state and their wholesale destruction bysettlers, " Walter suggested. 

Charley smiled in spite of his pain. "What settlers destroy in a yeardo not amount to a ten thousandth part of the number born. Each mothersnake has upward of twenty-five little ones at a time. Birds, especially the blue jay, kill a great many but their worst enemy is theFlorida hog. "

"The hog?" exclaimed Walter, in surprise. 

"Yes, " Charley affirmed. "If you want to clear a patch of ground ofsnakes, just turn in a drove of hogs, they will do the work for you inshort order. They kill and eat the most poisonous snakes without theslightest hurt to themselves. Either their thick hide saves them, orelse they are immune from the venom. "

"No more Florida pork on my bill-of-fare, " declared Walter in disgust. 

Pain and excitement had driven all thought of sleep from both boys'minds and they sat close together by the fire and talked the night away. 

As the slow minutes slipped away, Walter watched his chum's face in anagony of apprehension for any sign that the subtle venom was getting inits deadly work. But the hours passed by and, although Charley wassuffering considerable pain, there was no indication that any of thepoison had passed into his system--the lad's prompt act had saved hislife. 

Dawn came at last and found two weary waiting boys, one of them weak, pale, and haggard. 

As soon as it was light enough to see, Walter made his way back to theedge of the forest, and cut a strong forked limb to serve as a crutchfor his chum. 

Before leaving the fire, the boys cooked and ate a couple more venisonsteaks which gave them fresh strength and courage. 

Walter shouldered the guns and venison and staggered on in the leadunder his heavy load, while Charley hobbled painfully on behind. 

They had just crossed the remainder of the prairie and were resting abit before plunging into the forest on the other side, when Chris andthe captain broke out from the clump of trees and hailed them withshouts of joy. 

Chris relieved Walter of a part of his load while the captain assistedCharley forward, and the little party made good time on their homewardway and before long reached the clearing. 

Chris' and the captain's haggard faces showed they had passed assleepless a night as the two lads. 

"Golly, " said Chris, gravely, "when night comes an' you chillens don'tshow up, an' de haunts begin a-tollin' dat bell, I spects Massa Captainan' dis nigger went most crazy. When we seed you-alls' fire a littlelater, we feels some better, but, Massas, I jes' tell you dat daylightseemed powerful long comin' to dis nigger. "

Amid the others' breathless interest, Walter related the adventures ofthe night. When the captain learned of Charley's accident, he broughtout the brandy bottle and insisted on his drinking what remained of theliquor. His wound was then bathed, clean and bandaged again and he wasmade to lay down upon his couch in the hut, while Walter stretched outon his own bed for a nap. 

"Good, " exclaimed Charley, as he caught sight of the windows and door, "you and Chris made a good job of those, captain. "

The captain nodded in satisfaction. "I reckon it will take somebattering to get in there, " he observed. 

Inside the hut, the two workers had planted large posts of palmettothat effectually blocked the windows save for the cracks between theposts. The door was similarly barricaded, save for one post left outfor present ingress and egress. It stood close to hand, however, readyto be slipped into the hole provided for it, at an instant's notice. 

Charley suddenly staggered to his feet. "I can't waste time lyinghere, " he exclaimed. "Why, this is the day we expect the outlaw. "

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

PREPARATIONS. 

"Sit down, Charley, " said the captain sternly, "are you crazy, lad?You can do nothing in your present state, and if you go and makeyourself sick, you will cause us all a deal of trouble and worry. "

Charley sank back upon his couch. "But there is so much to be done, Captain, " he protested. 

"Now look here, lad, " said the old sailor, "say those fellows have gottheir boat finished and start for that island we left this morning, itwill take them quite a while to get there and I expect they will lookit over a bit before following us. Take the time spent there and thetime it will take them to reach here, an' I reckon it will be late inthe afternoon before we see anything of them. "

"It won't do to take any chances, Captain. We had ought to be readynow. "

"Go ahead and say what you want done and we will do it while yousleep, " said the captain. "But if you persist in getting up, I'll behanged if I'll do a stroke of work, outlaws or no outlaws. "

"Me neither, " chimed in Chris. 

"Better go to sleep, Charley, " advised his chum. "I am going to get anap, myself. I know I'll be able to work better for it. "

Charley gave in with an unwilling sigh. "All right, I suppose I'llhave to do as you all say. "

"Tell us your plans and we will see that they are carried out, " thecaptain said. 

"We cannot keep those fellows from landing on the island, " said theyoung leader, thoughtfully. "There are so many places where they cancome ashore, and we are too few to guard the entire coast. I do notthink we can even hold the walls against so many. There are more gapsin them than we could defend. I have thought it all over and I believethat all we can do is to confine the defense to this house. We oughtto be able to hold this place until the Indians come. "

"My ideas exactly, " approved the captain. 

"It's the only sensible thing to do, " Walter agreed. 

"To be successful, it is necessary for us to have a good supply of foodand water. I intended to dry the venison, but there is not time to dothat, you will have to cut it into thin strips and smoke it, that willnot take long and it will keep for several days. That big copper andall the gourds should be filled with water and brought inside. Whenthat is all done, we will have food and drink to last us a week withcare. "

"Chris and I will see to it all, " said the captain arising. "Is thatall, lad?"

"We had ought to keep a lookout at the landing so as to know when theycome and be ready for them. "

"We'll 'tend to that when we get the other chores done. It's too earlyto expect them yet, anyway. Now you lie down and get a nap, lads, anddon't worry, Chris and I will look out for everything. "

Charley laid back and closed his eyes, obediently, while Chris and thecaptain passed out of the hut to attend to the tasks set them. 

The two boys were soon fast asleep. 

It was noon before Walter awoke, sat up, and looked around him. Henoted that the workers had already completed their tasks; long stringsof smoked venison strips were hung down from the roof, gourds andcopper kettle were brimming full of sweet, clean water, and all of theguns had been freshly cleaned and oiled. 

Treading softly so as not to awaken his chum, Walter passed out of thehut. 

The captain and Chris were busily engaged in trying to dispatch a potof venison stewed with yams, and Walter lost no time in joining them. 

"Well, we are all through, " observed the captain as he took a secondhelping of stew. "We would have called you to dinner, but I reckonedthe sleep would do you more good. How do you feel now?"

"All right, " Walter answered. "You should have left some of that workfor us to do, Captain. "

"I reckon you will have enough to do before we get a chance to leavethis island, " said the old sailor with a sigh. "If you are through, Chris, take your gun and go down to the landing and keep a sharplookout. Those fellows had ought to be here this afternoon, some time. I will come down and spell you in a couple of hours. "

"You had better go in and get a nap yourself, Captain, while there isnothing doing, " said Walter. "It may be all hands on deck to-night. "

"I reckon I'll take your advice, lad. I was awake all last nightworrying about you boys and I can't stand loss of sleep now like youyoung fellows. I will just take forty winks. Call me when it is timeto spell Chris. "

Walter sat waiting until the old sailor's loud snoring proclaimed hewas asleep. Then filling a small gourd with water from the spring, hemade his way into the fort, where he righted one of the overturnedcanoes and fished out a large package from under the stern and undidits fastenings. "I wonder they did not notice it when they carried thecanoe up, " he muttered. 

For a long time he was busily engaged with the contents of the packageand the gourd of water. At last he gave a sigh of triumphantsatisfaction which died away as he heard Charley's voice calling hisname from the hut. 

With an exclamation of impatience, he emptied out the water, quicklybound up the package again, and thrust it back in its old place underthe canoe's stern deck, then turning the canoe again bottom up, hepassed out of the fort whistling, carelessly. 

Charley in the door of the hut eyed him curiously as he approached. "What has happened to you?" he exclaimed, "you look as happy as if youhad discovered a gold mine. "

"Well, I haven't, " laughed his chum, "how's your leg now?"

"Stiff as a ramrod, and, whew, how it hurts, " Charley said with agrimace of pain. "I can't bear my weight on it. "

"You don't want to try to, " said Walter, severely. "Just go back toyour bunk and keep still. All the work is done, now, and I am goingdown to the landing right off to relieve Chris so that he can get alittle sleep. "

Charley obeyed and Walter made his way down to the landing where hefound Chris sitting on a log watching intently. 

Walter took the gun from the tired little darky and sent him up to thehut to rest. 

The hours passed swiftly by without any signs of the outlaws. Whendarkness fell, Walter abandoned his now useless post and made his wayup to the hut where he found his three companions gathered around thecamp-fire outside. 

"Have you seen anything of them?" Charley inquired anxiously as he camein sight. "Not a sign, " Walter answered. "I think you have done wrongin lighting that fire, " he continued gravely. "There was a bare chancethat they would have given up the chase after not finding us at thechief's island. If they are anywhere near, though, that fire will giveus dead away. "

"They would not have given up the chance of getting the plumes theyhave worked so hard to obtain as easily as all that, " said his chumdecidedly. "Remember, they believe that Big Tiger and his son arestill with us and that the rest of the Indians are far away. No, theywould not have given up so easily after the trouble they have been to. "

Walter said no more but helped himself to an ear of corn and a piece offish and fell to eating. 

The silence that had fallen upon the party was broken by an exclamationfrom Chris. 

"Golly, dar dey is, " he cried. 

Far off in the direction of the chief's island, a tiny shaft of lightpierced the darkness. 

"They are on the island we left, " exclaimed Charley, "that's theircamp-fire. "

"No, no, " said Walter. "See, it is getting bigger, I bet they havefired the wigwam. "

In a few minutes all the party agreed with Walter, there was nomistaking the cause of the pillar of flame that rose high in the air onthe distant island. 

They watched it in silence until it died down and nothing remained buta faint glare. 

"Let's go to bed, " said Charley at last. "If they are on the chief'sisland, they will not bother us to-night. "

But after a short discussion, it was decided to stand guard and watch, Charley and Walter to stand on guard until midnight, and then to berelieved by Chris and the captain. 

The two sentinels climbed up on a portion of the wall that lay in theshadow of a big tree and from which they could command a good view ofthe rest of the wall and inclosure itself. 

"I have been thinking that the unsavory reputation of this island maykeep those fellows from coming here, " Walter observed in an undertone. 

"It will likely keep Indian Charley away, and I am more afraid of himthan all the balance. I do not think it will stop the rest though, "Charley answered, and they lapsed again into cautious silence. 

The minutes had lengthened into an hour when there fell upon their earsthe now familiar tolling of the bell. 

"I am going to have another look in that chapel, " declared Walter, ashe slipped down from his perch. 

"I'd like to go with you, " said Charley, wistfully, "but my game legwon't carry me that far. " He watched his chum until he disappeared inthe shadow of the church. 

Walter hesitated for a moment at the chapel doorway. It required morecourage to enter that gloomy, black, mysterious interior, alone, thanit had when he and Charley were together. Summoning up all hisresolution he passed through the gaping doorway into the blacknessbeyond. All was dark and still inside, the bright moonlight shiningthrough the high little windows threw patches of ghostly light upon thewhite, ghastly walls. Walter felt his flesh creep as he made his waythrough the darkness up towards the bell. 

He stumbled often and bruised his knees against the stone seats but atlast he reached the little platform and stood beneath the little tower. He could not see up into its gloomy interior, but the great bell abovehim tolled mournfully on. 

For a space Walter stood silent, a superstitious dread creeping overhim. "Dreaming, dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before. " Ahorror grew upon him, a feeling that something, some beingantagonistic, repugnant to his very nature was sharing the darknesswith him. The strokes of the bell above him seemed to grow horriblymenacing to his feverish fancy. He struggled with himself to throw offthe mantle of terror descending upon him but the feeling grew and grew. With a rush of unreasoning anger he flung up his gun and fired at theswaying bell. 

A shrill, human-like cry rang out, the bell ceased tolling, and a heavybody crashed down at the terrified lad's feet. 

Throwing out his arms Walter sank to the floor in a dead faint. 

He opened his eyes again to see Charley bending over, examining him bythe light of a flaring torch. 

"What, what was it?" he whispered. 

Charley shifted the torch and held it close to a dark figure stretchedout on the stone floor. 

Its glare lit up a face strangely human, and bearing the apparent markof centuries in its furrowed features and wrinkled skin. 

"A big monkey, " gasped Walter in astonishment. 

"Yes, " said Charley gently, "an old man monkey, old, old, very, veryold. "

CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE ENEMY. 

Walter broke into a weak, hysterical laugh, "and I took that for aspirit, " he exclaimed. "Well, our mystery is solved now. "

"Yes, " his chum admitted, looking down at the dead bell-ringer with akind of regret, "still there are some points about it which stillremain a mystery, and always will. There is no record of there everbeing monkeys found in this state. It must have been brought here byone of the Spanish gentlemen as a pet and taught the trick of ringingthe bell, and yet, that theory is unbelieveable. Consider, Walter, ifsuch is the case, this creature has reached an incredible age. "

Walter bent down and flashed the torch in the monkey's face. "He looksas though he had lived for centuries, " he exclaimed, "his face is likethat of a shriveled mummy, and see, that look of cunning andaged-wisdom in his features. Charley, " continued the tender-heartedboy with a break in his voice, "I feel as badly about it as I would ifI had shot a man. Think of the poor, harmless creature, remaining trueyear after year to the one task he knew how to perform, and then to beshot down at last while doing it. "

"Nonsense, this is no time for sentiment. We must get back to ourpost, we have left it altogether too long. You will have to help meback, I guess, Walt, " Charley said. 

"How did you get here?" demanded his chum, the current of his thoughtssuddenly changed. "Why, your trousers' leg is wet with blood and youare as pale as a ghost. "

"I couldn't have walked a hundred feet under ordinary circumstances, but that scream brought me here on the run. Now that the excitement isover I feel weak as a kitten, " Charley answered. 

"You're going back to bed and stay there until that wound is completelyhealed, " declared Walter as he put his arm around his chum and assistedhim out of the chapel. 

Before he could get the exhausted lad to the hut, he had become a deadweight in Walter's arms. Walter let him down gently upon the groundand ran to the hut where he aroused Chris and the captain, and thethree bore Charley inside and laid him on his couch. 

Captain Westfield bathed the wound and bandaged it afresh. His facewas very grave as he examined the unconscious lad's skin and pulse. "He has a high fever, " he declared anxiously. "I thought yesterdayfrom the way he was yawning and stretching that he was in for an attackof swamp fever. With a dose of it on top of this hole in his leg it islikely to go hard with the poor lad. I'd give a sight now for somebrandy and quinine. " He glanced up at Walter's haggard face. "You getto bed this minute or we will have two on our hands, " he commanded. "Chris and I have had a good nap and we'll keep watch the balance ofthe night, though, I 'low, there ain't much use in doing it. "

Walter was too near collapse, himself, to offer objections and droppingdown on his couch was soon sleeping the sleep of exhaustion. He wokeagain just as the sun arose feeling rested and quite his old vigorousself, but his spirits soon fell as his chum's meanings fell upon hisears. 

Charley was tossing restfully upon his couch in a high fever and thewounded leg was greatly swollen and flushed an angry red. 

There was nothing he could do to relieve the sufferer, so Walter with aheavy heart stole out of the hut. 

The captain and Chris were busy over the fire preparing breakfast. They greeted Walter with grave faces for Charley's condition wasresting heavily upon them. 

"If I only had some quinine I could check that fever, " sighed the oldsailor. "He is healthy and clean-blooded and I reckon he'd get overthat bad leg in time, but he can't fight them both. How in the worlddid he come to start the wound to bleeding again?"

Sadly Walter recounted the adventures of the night. He told of theirprevious discovery of the bell, their first fruitless search of thechapel, and of his venturing in alone and the shooting of thebell-ringer. 

As he proceeded with his narrative the captain's face grew crimson withmortification and chagrin, as he saw his much-asserted ghostly theoriesshattered. 

The effect on Chris' humorous nature was different. The firstexpression of relief on his little ebony face was succeeded by a broadgrin. 

"Golly, " he giggled, "an' me an' Massa Capt was scart nigh to death bya poor ole harmless monkey. "

Few men like to be placed in a ridiculous position and the captainturned on the little darky in a rage. 

"Shut up, you grinning little imp, " he shouted, "or I'll thrash you soyou can't sit down for a week. What call have you got to be gigglingover the death of one of your ancestors?"

Chris checked the flow of words on his tongue, but sat rocking back andforth in glee muttering, "Golly, only a monkey. A poor, old, he-monkey, " until the irate captain chased him out of ear-shot. 

Leaving the captain and Chris to the settlement of their trouble, Walter took one of the canoes' paddles and proceeded to the chapel. Just outside its wall he dug a deep grave, and carrying the faithfulold monkey to it he lowered him gently to the bottom and filling up thegrave again, heaped a little pile of stones on the mound. 

To the tender-hearted lad there was something pathetic and touching inthe way the poor creature had met its death. 

Charley's illness cast a gloom over even the irrepressible Chris, andbreakfast was eaten in sad silence. 

As soon as he had finished, Chris shouldered one of the rifles andheaded for the landing to watch for the outlaws, while the captain andWalter repaired to the hut to attend to the stricken lad. 

There was little they could do to relieve his sufferings beyondsponging his hot body with a wet cloth and giving him sparingly of thewater that he called for incessantly. At last he sank into a kind of astupor and the heavy-hearted watchers stole outside for a breath offresh air. 

Walter at last broke the silence that hung like a cloud upon them. "I've been thinking, " he said, "that it might not be a bad plan to meetthe outlaws at the landing. We could dispose of several before theycould get on shore. "

"No, " said his companion decidedly, "they would only land in some otherplace and maybe cut us off from the hut. You mark my words, lad, Charley thought over every side of this question before he laid hisplans an' we can't do better than follow them. The most we can hope todo is to hold this hut until Little Tiger comes with his people. "

Their further discussion was cut short by the sudden appearance ofChris. 

"Dey's comin', Massa, dey's comin', " shouted the excited little darky. "Dey ain't more dan a half mile away. "

Gathering together the cooking utensils scattered around the fire, thethree entered the hut and soon had the last post secured in its hole, effectually barring the doorway. 

Through the cracks in the windows and door, the hunters watched for theappearance of the foe. 

An hour of suspense passed slowly by, then suddenly there came thenoise of a falling stone and an evil face peeped cautiously over thewall. 

Walter fired quickly but missed, and the face disappeared withludicrous haste. 

For some minutes the outlaws remained quiet, no doubt conferringtogether, then a tiny square of white was hoisted above the wall, to bequickly followed by the youngest outlaw who dropped coolly down intothe inclosure bearing the flag in his hand. 

"We can't fire upon him, " declared Walter as Chris raised his gun. "Hebears a truce flag and is unarmed. You keep a sharp watch on theothers and I will talk with this fellow. If I am not mistaken, it isthe one Charley was so impressed by. "

The young outlaw approached the hut at a careless sauntering walk, waving the flag jauntily in his hand. He noted the barred openings andprotruding rifle barrel with a cool smile and strolled around to thedoor. 

"Hallo in there, " he called, cheerfully. "I want to talk to you. "

"Go ahead, " Walter answered grimly, "we're listening. "

"Come now, that's no way to receive a visitor, " said the young fellow, lightly. "I want to talk with that bright-eyed chap I talked withbefore. "

"You can't, " Walter said, sadly. "He's dying of fever. "

"Why don't you cure him up?" demanded the envoy, sharply, "the swampfever is nothing if it's treated right. "

"We haven't a grain of medicine, " Walter replied. "But state yourerrand, " he added sharply. 

"Look here, " said the young outlaw after a short pause. "I talkedthose fellows into this conference idea so as to get a good chance tospeak with you fellows. I am sick of that gang. I am not as bad asthey, and I am clean disgusted with them. I want to join forces withyou fellows. I know they are bound to finish you sooner or later, butI would rather die with gentlemen than to live with murderers. "

"We cannot afford to take any chances, " Walter said decidedly. 

"But you are taking chances, chances on the life of your friend, " saidthe outlaw sharply. "I can cure him, I tell you. I studied medicineand I have a few things in my bag. "

"Can we risk it?" said Walter, wavering, and turning to the captain foradvice. 

"We can risk anything for Charley's sake, " said the old sailor, eagerly. "We can shoot him at the first sign of treachery. Let himin, Walt. "

"I have got to go back for my things, " interrupted the outlaw, whosekeen ears had caught the low conversation. "I'll be back again in aminute. I'll fix up some excuse to return. I guess pretending thatyou are considering surrendering will do as well as anything else. "

Walter gazed after the young fellow's retreating form with reluctantadmiration. "He moves like a trained athlete and he hasn't got a badface, " he admitted. "I pray he does not prove to be our undoing. "

"We must take the chance, lad, " said the captain. "Better remove thepost so he can get inside quick. "

In a few minutes the outlaw strolled carelessly back towards the hut. A yell of rage went up from the convicts behind the wall as he dartedthrough the opening into the building. 

Walter quickly replaced the post and turned to watch the newcomer. 

Without a word, he had marched over to where Charley lay and knelt byhis side with his finger on the lad's pulse and his keen eyes searchinghis face. 

After a moment's examination he turned to face the others. "Yourfriend is nearly dead, " he said quietly. 

CHAPTER XXX

THE ATTACK. 

"He has a bare chance yet, " declared the outlaw, noting their looks ofgrief. "I will do what I can for him, but I wish I'd been here an hoursooner. "

He took a little package from the bosom of his shirt and spread thecontents out upon the table. "I couldn't bring much without arousingsuspicion, " he said regretfully, "but I guess I can make out with whatI've brought. "

With deft fingers, the newcomer measured out a powder from one of hispackages and administered it to the unconscious lad and next turned hisattention to the wounded leg. Emptying a spoonful of liquid from oneof his bottles into a gourd of water he began to bathe the inflamedlimb. 

The hunters could not but admire the deftness and skill with which thestranger worked. His long tapering fingers seemed to have thesuppleness and deftness of a woman's and his whole attention seemedconcentrated upon his patient. 

The hours passed slowly away, each seeming a day in length to theanxious hunters. The convicts remained hidden behind the wall andthere was nothing to do but to keep a sharp lookout. At noon thewatchers made a light lunch on the smoked venison and water, but theyoung outlaw waved away the offered food and remained engrossed by thepatient's side. At intervals of a few minutes all during theafternoon, he administered medicine to the sufferer and repeatedlybathed the wounded leg with the solution he had prepared. 

The sun was barely an hour high, when he arose from the side of thecouch with a weary sigh. "I think he will live, " he announced, "he wasalmost gone for a while, though. I gave him enough strychnine duringthe first few hours to have killed a normal man, but his heart hadweakened so that the stimulant hardly raised his pulse a single beat. The heart action is better now, and with close attention he had oughtto pull through. "

"How can we ever repay you for what you have done?" said the oldsailor, with tears of thankfulness in his eyes, while Walter wrung thestranger's hand warmly. 

"The saving of many lives will hardly atone for one I took once, thoughthe deed was done in self-defense, " said the outlaw gravely. "I amglad to have been of help in this case. " He glanced around the roomwith a return of his former light careless manner and noddedapprovingly as he noted the stores of provisions and water. "Good, " heexclaimed, "you are better prepared than I expected and certainly inmuch better shape than my former gentle companions dream. Why, it willbe impossible for them to take this place by force. "

"Can you tell us of their plans, Mr. ----, " inquired Walter, hesitatingfor want of a name. 

"You may call me Ritter, James Ritter, " supplied the outlaw promptly. "I am not ashamed of my real name but my relatives had cause to beashamed of its owner in his present condition. Their plans are almostself-evident, my lad. They will wait until dark and then slip over thewall, some will stop in that big building while the balance will maketheir way around to a building on the other side of you. They willthen have you surrounded and have only to watch and wait to starve youout. They have plenty of provisions with them and can get that springbehind the fort without exposing themselves. It is only a question oftime before you will have to give up, and then may the Lord grant usall a speedy death. "

"Don't be too sure of it, friend, " observed the captain. "The Lordnever deserts those who fully believe and trust him. Those villainsmay be defeated yet. "

The outlaw grinned as he looked around the room. "My dear friends arebadly fooled, " he chuckled with glee. "They believe the chief is withyou, and he is not here. Why, they have already spent, in imagination, the money that they are going to derive from the sale of his plumes. What a shock it will be to them when they learn that the bird hasflown. I wish I could see their faces when they hear the news. "

"The chief is dead, " said Walter, "do you think they would go away ifthey knew the truth?"

"No, I do not, " replied Ritter, after a moment's thought, "in spite ofall you might say, they would have a suspicion that you had secured theplumes yourselves, and, anyway, they are so mad that they will notleave until they have finished the job. "

The hunters were favorably impressed with the frankness of the formeroutlaw. He had the speech and the manners of a gentleman, and hisearnestness and apparent sincerity went far towards removing theirsuspicions, and, much to their surprise, they found themselves soontalking to him with the freedom of old acquaintances. 

Ritter chuckled with delight when they told him of the young chiefgoing for aid. "That gives us a fighting chance, " he declared, joyfully. "We must put ourselves on short rations and try to hold outuntil they come. "

"Where is Indian Charley?" asked Walter, "is he with the others?"

"No, they could not induce him to set foot on the island. The placeevidently has a bad name among the Indians and I am not surprised afterwhat I have seen. Even the convicts are puzzled and a little alarmedby the walls, courts, and buildings. They none of them know enoughabout history to lay them to the Spaniards as you folks have probablydone. Charley, the Indian, swears that there is a mysterious bellwhich tolls every night. Have you heard anything of the kind?"

Walter briefly related their adventure with the bell-ringer, omittingany reference to the captain's superstitious fears, much to the oldsailor's relief. 

Further conversation was interrupted by darkness and preparations forthe night. 

Chris built a little fire near the door where the smoke would pass outthrough the cracks and prepared a stew of venison and some broth forCharley. 

Taking turns the besieged made a hearty meal which did wonders inrenewing hope and courage. 

It was decided that they should take short shifts of watching duringthe night, two in each watch. It fell to Walter to share the watchwith the young outlaw, for which he was not at all displeased, for hewas greatly interested in the strange character, and their turns at thewatch passed quickly in pleasant conversation. 

The outlaw spoke freely of the incident that had brought him to theconvict gang, claiming firmly that the deed which had made him a felonhad been done in self-defense, but, owing to lack of witnesses and to awell-known enmity between him and the dead man, the jury had brought ina verdict of murder in the second degree. 

Walter, under the spell of the man's attractive, strong personality, could not but believe his assertion. 

At the end of their watch, Walter awoke Chris and the captain andstretched out for a nap, but the outlaw never closed his eyes duringthe long uneventful night. When not watching, he was hovering overCharley's bedside administering medicine or working over the bittenleg. Yet daylight found him as cool and fresh as ever, apparentlyunaffected by his long vigil. 

To the hunters' great delight, day found Charley visibly improved. Hehad fallen into a deep sleep, his body was wet with profuseperspiration, and the swelling of the limb had greatly decreased. 

They showered thanks upon the outlaw until he was visibly embarrassedand begged them to say no more. 

The morning passed as had the night, without any hostile demonstrationby the convicts. Smoke curling up from the fort and from a building onthe other side of them told the besieged that the enemy had taken uptheir positions during the night as Ritter had prophesied. Evidentlythey were willing to wait for their triumph rather than risk any livesby trying to take their victims by assault. 

When Chris started to make a stew for dinner, Ritter stopped him. "Wecan't spare any more water for cooking, " he declared. "I have used agood deal on the patient, and the gourds are already almost empty. Ouronly hope of life is in husbanding our water and it would be wise toput ourselves on an allowance now. I figure that there is enough inthat big copper to allow each of us a pint and a half per day for tendays. "

The others saw the wisdom of his proposal and immediately agreed to it, and they made their dinner of roasted yams, smoked venison broiledbefore the fire, and a few swallows of water. 

Once during the afternoon a convict tried a shot at a crack between theposts barricading the window. The bullet passed through, missingRitter's head by a scant two inches. The former outlaw never wincedbut began singing mockingly, "Teasing, teasing, I was only teasing you. "

A perfect storm of bullets answered his taunt. 

"The rascals don't appreciate good singing, " he said with a grin. 

Charley's condition continued to steadily improve under the outlaw'scareful ministrations and by nightfall, he was conscious once more andcomparatively free from pain. 

Night brought no change in the condition of the besieged. Watches werearranged as on the night before, and those off duty retired as soon asdarkness had fallen. 

"Do you believe in premonitions, " asked Ritter, gravely, as he andWalter stood peering out of the windows. "Do you believe that comingevents cast their shadows before them?"

"I hardly know, " answered Walter, thoughtfully, "sometimes I almostbelieve that we are given warnings of coming events, but I can neverquite convince myself that the happenings confirming, for instance, saya dream, are anything more than coincidences. "

"A few days ago I would have laughed at such an idea, but all day Ihave had a vague presentiment of coming evil which I have foundimpossible to shake off, " explained his companion. 

"It's your liver, I dare say, " said Walter cheerfully, "for my part, Ifeel that we are going to get out of this hole all right, and livehappy ever after as the story books say. "

"There can be but little happiness for me in the future, however, if wecome out of this affair, " said his companion sorrowfully. "Death, Isometimes think, would be the best thing that could befall me. I am alife convict, you remember, found guilty by a jury, and condemned topass a life at hard, degrading labor in company with ruffians of thelowest, most debased type. It is not a future to look forward to withpleasure!"

Walter remained silent, he could not but admit the truth of the man'swords and reflect upon the misery of such a life would naturally bringto a man of education and refinement like this one. "You might escape, go to some other state, and begin life anew, " he at last suggested. "After what you have done for us, and believing you innocent as we nowdo, we should do all we could to help you to get away. "

"The life of a fugitive would be worse than that of a convict, "declared the other bitterly. "In every face I would read suspicion, and dread of detection and arrest would haunt me all the time. "

Walter could say nothing more to encourage this strange, unfortunatecharacter, and with an effort the other shook off the black mood thathad fallen upon him. 

"I guess you're right, it must be my liver, " he said lightly. "Afterall there is something in the old jockey saying, "There is nothing to arace but the finish. " If I live a convict I can at least die agentleman. "

A sympathetic silence fell upon the two that lasted unbroken untiltheir watch ended. 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

THE PARLEY. 

Only once during the night were the watchers disturbed. Two convictsendeavored to worm their way up to the hut unseen but were quicklyspotted by the captain who emptied his revolver at them without anyother effect than to cause them to take to their heels. Aside fromthis incident the besieged were not disturbed. 

The convicts were evidently keeping as keen a watch as the besieged toguard against the possibility of any of them escaping. A hat whichChris squeezed out through a crack between the posts was promptlyriddled with bullets. 

Morning found the hunters and their new friend weary with suspense andtheir long inactivity. All longed for a stroll in the open air, achance to stretch their legs, and an unlimited supply of water todrink. It almost seemed that their meager allowance of a pint and ahalf each for the twenty-four hours did little more than increase theirthirst. They could not safely alter their unpleasant situation, however, and they wisely made the best of it and did not grumble. 

They had one great consolation in Charley's rapid progress towardshealth. He was gaining with astonishing rapidity and bid fair to becompletely recovered in a few days. 

With the coming of another day, the convicts opened an irregular fireupon the doors and windows of the hut. Many of their bullets passedbetween the cracks in the post barricades and imbedded themselves inthe walls. The defenders husbanded their ammunition, firing only whena convict exposed arm or leg. They were satisfied now of theimpregnability of their building and their main concern was to keep outof the way of chance bullets. 

The morning was well advanced when Walter, who was watching at awindow, felt a curious sensation in the soles of his feet, and, startled, looked down to find that he was standing in a tiny pool ofwater. With a cry of alarm he sprang to where the big copper sat. Aglance confirmed his worst fears; a stray bullet had torn a great holein the vessel near the bottom, and of their precious store of waterbarely a cupful remained. 

It was a staggering blow to all. Food they could exist without forseveral days, but in that warm, humid climate life could not besustained without water for any length of time. Before forty-eighthours had passed they would be confronted by the alternatives ofsurrendering to the convicts, or to suffering the awful tortures ofthirst. 

"We must hold out as long as we can, " declared Ritter, "something mayturn up. Even death by thirst would be better than torture at thehands of those fiends. What little water is left, I would suggest thatwe save for the sick lad. We can stand thirst longer than he. "

The rest agreed heartily to this proposal and the little waterremaining was poured into an empty gourd and placed where it would besafe from bullets. By tacit consent they agreed that their loss shouldbe concealed from Charley, who had slept throughout the incident. Theyknew him well enough to be sure that he would not touch the littlewater remaining if he knew they were suffering from thirst. 

To add to the troubles of the little party, the day proved very hot andsultry, not a breath of air stirring. By noon all were very thirsty, and when night came without bringing any relief from the heat, theybegan to suffer severely for lack of water. 

The hot night dragged slowly away to bring another breathless sultryday, the close of which found the little party almost at the limits oftheir endurance. Since the night before they had been unable to eatthe dry venison as it greatly increased their thirst. Their tonguesand throats were dry and swollen and every nerve and atom of theirheated bodies clamored for water. 

As night fell, Ritter got out the punctured copper and busied himselfin plugging up the hole. 

"What are you doing that for?" Walter inquired. 

"I'll tell you when the rest are asleep, " whispered the young outlaw, "there is no use alarming them. "

It was late in the night before the others, tortured by fear andthirst, fell into uneasy slumber, and Walter and Ritter were free tocontinue their conversation. 

"We are in a desperate condition, " declared Ritter. "In this heat wecannot exist very much longer without water. Something has got to bedone at once if we are to hold out another forty-eight hours. "

"But what can we do?" said Walter, hopelessly. "It's sure death toventure outside. "

"I am not so sure about that, " said the other, "anyway, I am going totry it, anything is better than the tortures we will soon be suffering. "

"You'll be killed, " exclaimed Walter. "I'll go, Ritter, I can bespared better than you. "

"Death by bullet is better than death by thirst, " said his companioncoolly, "and you cannot be spared as well as I. Your companions arefond of you and your death would be a terrible blow to them, while I amonly an unknown convict whom no one will miss. But I am gettingtragic, " he continued, lightly. "I really think there is a good chanceof success, the night is dark, and the very boldness of the attemptwill be in its favor. They will not dream of one of us venturing rightunder the shadow of their fort. "

Although he spoke with apparent sincerity, Walter was not deceived. Both knew the hopelessness of such an attempt. In vain did Walterattempt to dissuade the other, Ritter remained firm. 

"We will remove a post from the doorway as quietly as possible and youdo your best to protect me with your rifle, " he said. 

With a heavy heart, Walter assisted the other to remove the post. Hehad grown very fond of Ritter in the few days they had been together. He admired him for his bravery and the cheeriness and sweetness of hisdisposition under trials and suffering. He gave the outlaw's hand along, friendly clasp at parting. 

"May God bring you back safe and sound, " he whispered, brokenly. 

With a return pressure of the hand, Ritter dropped to his hands andknees and wound his way out of the doorway into the darkness. Walterwatched his progress from the doorway with an anxious heart. He sawhim crawl a considerable distance from the hut, then rise to his feetand saunter carelessly towards the fort. The very boldness of the actmade it successful. The convict on guard no doubt thought the figureone of his companions, needlessly exposing himself to a bullet from thehut, and only wondered vaguely at his taking needless risks and perhapsspeculated dully as to what was the nature of the large object he bore. 

Carelessly, Ritter sauntered slowly past the fort and approached thespring. There was no guard posted on that side of the fort and hepartly filled the copper and kneeling by the cool water took a deepdrink and bathed his feverish face in the refreshing liquid. Half ofhis mad task was performed, but, as he fully realized, the riskiestpart was yet to come. 

Taking another long drink, he lifted the heavy copper and, bearing itin front of him so as to conceal it as much as possible by his person, he walked slowly back towards the hut. 

Two-thirds of the return was covered in safety when the convict guardshouted with an oath, "Come back, you fool, do you want to get thedaylights shot out of you?"

Ritter's answer was a taunting laugh as he bounded towards the hut. 

The guard's rifle cracked and the fleeing man staggered drunkenly butsped on, while the convict working the lever of his Winchester withremorseless cruelty, emptied its contents after the fleeing figure. 

At the doorway of the hut, Ritter crumpled to his knees. 

"Take the copper, " he cried to Walter, "I'm hit. " Walter quicklyplaced the vessel inside, then, heedless of the rain of bullets, dragged the wounded man inside. 

The others had been awakened by the noise and were quickly at his side. 

"Chris, give me a hand to lay him on my bed; Captain, replace the postin the doorway, " Walter commanded with heartsore calmness. 

The wounded man opened his eyes as they laid him gently on the couch. 

"It's no use bothering with me, old chap, " he said, quietly. "I'm hitin a dozen places and I'm doctor enough to know that I'm going fast. "

Walter buried his head by the dying man's side and sobbed dryly. 

"There, there, " the other said, soothingly, "don't feel bad about it. It's just what I wished for. I'm going to die like a gentleman. "

Walter hushed his sobs with an effort to catch the feebly spoken words. 

The wounded man's eyes closed, and Walter held his breath for a secondthinking him dead, but in a moment he opened them again and smiledfaintly, "There's nothing to a race but the finish, " he whispered. 

A little longer he lay still breathing heavily. Suddenly by a mightyeffort he raised himself on his elbow, his eyes shining with a strangelight. "Not guilty, your honor, " he said in a firm voice, then sankback still and white. 

"He's dead, " said Walter, brokenly. "He had his wish; he died like ahero. "

They covered the still form reverently with a blanket, and the silenceof bitter grief settled on the little party. The others had not becomeso intimate with the dead man as Walter, but they had grown to admirehim greatly, and the thought that he had given up his life in theirservice added to their grief. 

Walter's suffering was intense and it was well that his mind was ofnecessity soon forced into other channels. 

The convicts, exasperated at the way they had been outwitted, opened aheavy continuous fire upon the hut, under cover of which severalattempts were made to carry the hut by assault. But the assaultingparties were easily discouraged by the steady fire that met them ateach attempt. 

"It looks as if they were getting desperate, " said the captain. "Ireckon they know now that we can hold out for a long time yet, and theyare gettin' discouraged, " and his companions agreed with him. 

Towards morning the convicts' fire slackened and gradually ceased. 

Just as day was breaking, the distant report of a rifle was borne tothe ears of the besieged. 

Charley, who was now able to leave his bed, listened eagerly. "It'sIndian Charley's rifle. I know the sound, " he declared, "ten shots; Iwonder what it means. "

From the fort, came an answering volley of ten rifle shots. 

"It's a signal, " cried Walter. "I wonder what it's for. "

"Hallo there in the but, we want a parley, " hailed a rough voice fromthe fort. 

"All right, " answered Charley, "send forward one man, unarmed. "

A convict emerged from the fort and advanced towards the hut withfearful, hesitating footsteps. 

"Don't be afraid, we won't hurt you, " Walter called to himencouragingly. 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

HELP. 

"Say what you want and be quick about it, " said Charley sharply, as theconvict halted close to the hut. 

"Me and my mates want to know if you are ready to call this thingquits, " the man growled. "We agree to leave you the island all toyourselves right off if you won't fire on us while we are leaving. "

Charley turned to the others for counsel. 

"There's something in the wind, " he declared in a low tone. "Thisproposal coming so soon after that signal means something. Maybe theIndians are coming. "

"We can't bank on that, it's hardly time for them yet, " observed thecaptain. "Better agree to their offer, lads. I guess they are justtired of the game. "

"We can't well stop them if they have taken a notion to leave, " saidWalter. "I agree with the captain. Let them go. "

Charley turned to the man. "We agree, provided you leave at once, " hesaid. 

The convict, with a surly growl, turned and rapidly retraced his stepsto the fort. 

The convicts were in evident haste to be gone, for their envoy hadhardly got inside before they began to file out, each bearing his gunand other belongings. 

Within ten minutes from the envoy's visit the last of the outlaws hadscaled the walls and was lost to sight. 

The hunters waited for half an hour before they removed the barricadefrom the door and let the fresh cool morning breeze into their stuffyprison. Even then they did not venture outside, for they still fearedsome trick on the part of the convicts. As the moments, passed quietlyby, however, without any sign of their foes, their fears began todecrease. 

"I am going to find out what has become of them, " Walter at lastdeclared. "Unless we make certain now of what they are up to, we willbe afraid to venture outside for a week to come. "

His companions in vain tried to dissuade him from his rash project, hismind was made up and he turned a deaf ear to their words. 

Shouldering one of the rifles, he made his way to the wall, clamberedover it nimbly and disappeared on the other side. 

It was over half an hour before Walter returned. His companions hadbegun to feel uneasy about him when he appeared on the top of the walland dropped down inside with a hearty cheer. 

"Come out, all of you, " he shouted, "there's nothing more to fear fromthe convicts. "

The little party crowded around him with eager questions. 

"I followed them down to the landing, " he said. "They had just shovedoff in their dugout and were headed back for their old camp andpaddling away for dear life. 

"I had not long to wait before I discovered the reason for their haste. Far up the stream was a big fleet of Indian dugouts coming down, theremust have been forty of them at least. Then all was as plain as print:the convicts were aiming to get back to their ponies and make theirescape on them. Likely they would have done so if Indian Charley hadonly warned them a little sooner, but they were too late. "

"Go on, " said Charley, eagerly, as Walter paused in his story. 

"They had only got as far as that little island near this one, whenanother big fleet of canoes appeared just ahead of them. I guess theyrealized that they stood no show to make a successful fight for it, crowded up as they were in the dugout; anyway, they ran ashore on thatlittle island and threw up mounds of sand and are lying behind them. "

"Have the Indians attacked them?" Charley demanded. 

"Not a shot has been fired. The Indians have formed a circle aroundthe island with their canoes just out of good gunshot and seem to bewaiting. "

"Let's all go down to the landing, " proposed Charley, eagerly, asWalter concluded his account. 

The others were as excited as Charley and readily agreed to theproposal. 

They found the situation just as Walter had described, the littleisland with the band of convicts on it with the circle of canoes aroundit. 

"They won't stand much show if the Indians attack them in earnest, "observed the captain, "there ain't a bit of shelter on that island andit ain't hardly a foot above water. "

As the little party gazed eagerly upon the scene, the next act in thegrim tragedy occurred. 

"Look, " exclaimed Charley, "they didn't fasten their canoe and it isdrifting away. They are so busy watching the Indians that they haven'tnoticed it yet. "

A yell of dismay from the convicts soon told that they had discoveredtheir loss. A few dashed down to the water as though they would plungein after the drifting craft, but they evidently lacked the courage toface the bullets that would surely greet them if they ventured the act, for they stopped at the water's edge and soon returned to thebreastworks of sand. 

An Indian paddled out from the circle of canoes and securing thedrifting craft, towed it back to the others. 

"Just look, " exclaimed Walter, "I wonder what the Seminoles mean bythat move. "

The others gazed eagerly with many exclamations of astonishment. 

The circle of besieging canoes was breaking up, first one dropped outof the circle, then another, until the whole fleet had formed in onelong, unbroken line. Paddles flashed in the water and the long linecame sweeping gracefully on past the little island. 

"You may hang me to the cross-trees, if they ain't agoin' to let themscoundrels go, " cried the captain in disgust. 

"It certainly looks like it, " admitted Charley, sadly. "All they haveto do is to swim to shore and make their way out on foot. "

The big fleet came sweeping steadily on, headed directly for thelanding where the little party stood. 

An exultant yell burst from the convicts as they saw the dreaded attackso quickly abandoned. 

A hundred yards from the landing, the fleet of canoes seemed to slackenspeed, many of the Indians stopped paddling, and the long line wasthrown into confusion. 

An Indian in the leading canoe stood up and seemed to be haranguing theothers. 

"That's Little Tiger, " said Walter eagerly, as he recognized theorator. "He's making a speech. "

The hunters could, of course, make nothing of the speaker's words, butthe tone of his voice told him that the young Indian was terribly inearnest. His clear, resonant voice seemed to now ring with despairingscorn, now sink to touching appeal. 

"My, but he's a born orator!" exclaimed Charley in admiration. "Itsounds as though he was lashing them up to some desperate undertaking. "

The Indian at last ceased speaking and resuming his paddle sent hiscraft forward, his companions following in his wake. 

He grounded his rude canoe at the hunters' feet and sprang out with thelight, lithe leap of a panther. 

"How, " he said, gravely, extending his hand to each in turn. 

The hunters shook the small, shapely hand with genuine pleasure. Theywere all struck by the change in the young Indian. In the short timesince they had seen him last he had changed from a care-free striplingto a thoughtful chief whose word was law with his people. His mannerhad become grave and reserved, and there was about him an air ofconscious power that well became his manly bearing. 

He glanced from one to the other of the little party with keen eyes. "It is well, " he said, in his clear, musical voice. "All here, nonemissing, not even the little one with a face like night. The LittleTiger's heart was heavy with fear lest he should come too late. Butneither the jackal's tribe nor the spirits of the night have harmed hisfriends. "

"Did not the young chief fear to land on the island of the spirits?"asked Charley with a smile. 

The Indian drew himself up proudly. "Shall a Seminole fear to followwhere the paleface dares to tread?" he demanded. 

"Even the palefaces were filled with fear, " said Charley, quickly, regretting his attempt at pleasantry, "but they found that they hadbeen only children frightened at shadows. They have slain that whichmade the noises full of mystery. "

"Does the young white chief speak with the tongue of truth?" asked theSeminole, eagerly. 

"Even as he would be spoken to, " answered Charley, gravely. "If theLittle Tiger will come with his paleface friends, they will show himmany wonderful things. "

For a moment the young Indian hesitated, the fears bred in him bytradition struggling with his curiosity, but curiosity conquered. Turning to his followers, who had all drawn in to the landing, he gavesome sharp commands in his own language. They stepped ashore withevident reluctance and there was considerable murmuring amongst them. The chief looked them over with a scornful eye. 

"Some of my warriors are not men, but squaws in men's clothing, " hesaid, bitterly. "Their blood is like water in their veins with fear. "

The murmuring Seminoles grew silent under their chief's scornful gaze, and when he moved forward with his white friends they followed closelyin the rear. 

On the way up to the wall, Charley explained to the young Indian aboutthe bell and its nightly ringer. 

The chief listened with relief and satisfaction on his face and quicklycommunicated the news in his own tongue to his followers. Immobile aswere the Indians' faces, they could not conceal entirely their reliefand pleasure at the explanation of what had been to them a life-long, fearful mystery. 

Little Tiger was astonished when he saw the ancient road through theforest, and, at the sight of walls and buildings of stone, he exhibiteda childish delight. "This is an island worthy of being the home of agreat chief, " he declared. "In the big wigwam of stone (the fort) theLittle Tiger will rest in peace when not on the hunt, and the squawsshall make of this dirt of black, great fields of yams and waving corn. It is good, that which the palefaces have done; how can their redbrother reward them?"

"By lending them one of his warriors to guide them back to where theirponies and goods are waiting, " answered Charley, promptly. 

"It shall be done, " said the chief, "though the hearts of their redbrothers will be heavy at parting. Their hearts were filled withgladness with the hope that the palefaces would bide with them and takeunto them squaws from among the Seminoles. "

The captain was on the point of exploding with indignation at thethought of an Indian squaw, but Charley spoke up quickly. 

"Little Tiger does his friends great honor, yet, though their heartsare heavy at the thought of parting, they must go. " Charley glanced atthe captain and added mischievously, "He with the gray hair on face andhead has, without doubt, many squaws amongst his people whose heartsare longing for his return. "

The old sailor glared at the speaker in speechless indignation. 

"There cannot be too many hands to till the fields, " observed thechief, gravely. "I will give him another squaw to take back with himto his wigwam. "

Charley silenced the embarrassed captain with a shake of his head. "The chief is kind, " he said, "but squaws are not as men, there wouldbe great enmity and hair-pulling between the white squaws and the red, and when squaws quarrel the wigwam is sad for the warrior. "

The chief nodded gravely. "The young white chief speaks truly, " hesaid. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

THE SEMINOLES. 

The conversation on the part of the hunters had so far been conductedby Charley. Walter had remained silent, busily thinking over thewrongs that had been done them by the convicts. He could not forgetthe still, cold form in the hut that had been robbed of life by themurderers' bullets. He was not usually a vindictive boy, but, as hethought of Ritter's noble act and sudden death, his passion steadilygrew and at last he turned scornfully to the young chief. 

"Little Tiger speaks with the tongue of a man, but his deeds are thoseof a squaw, " he declared, bitterly. "Are he and his braves afraid ofthe murderers of his people and the slayers of his father that theyleave them to escape in peace and safety?"

"They will not escape, " said the young Indian, his face darkening withanger at the savage taunt. "A man's death for a man, but jackals shalldie like jackals. With hearts of terror and blood turned to water intheir fear, they shall die a death more horrible than the palefaces cangive them. "

"You have offended him, Walter, " said Charley, as the young savagewalked proudly away. "Why couldn't you be more patient? I have feltall along that he had some plan for dealing with the convicts. "

"I suppose I have put my foot in it, " said Walter regretfully, "butit's no use crying about it now. "

The Indians were already lighting fires and preparing breakfast, butthe hunters had a task before them which they felt they must performbefore they could touch food, and they immediately set about it. 

In the shade of a majestic live oak, they dug a deep grave and in itlaid to rest the body of the unfortunate Ritter. Their eyes were moistas the earth covered the remains of the young hero. 

Little Tiger rose to meet them as they approached the group of Indians. 

Walter walked up to him with outstretched hand. "I am sorry for myangry, foolish words, " he said. "When sorrow bears heavy on the heart, the tongue grows bitter. "

The young Seminole grasped the offered hand with evident pleasure. "Even squaws forgive and forget, and a warrior should be nobler than asquaw, " he said, sagely. "The palefaces shall be seated and share thefood of their red brothers. "

The hunters would gladly have declined, but could not well do sowithout giving offense, so they seated themselves in the circlesurrounding the steaming kettle containing the food and with inwardqualms partook lightly of the stew. 

There was a kettle to every fifteen Indians, and their manner of eatingleft much to be desired. Spoons and forks they had none, but theysolved the problem by dipping their hands into the pot and fishing outthe portions desired. With true courtesy, the guests were given thefirst dip into the pot. 

As they ate, the hunters had an opportunity to study their hosts morecarefully than they had yet done. 

They were all splendid specimens of savage manhood. Not one was lessthan six feet tall, and each was shaped and muscled like an athlete. All wore the usual Seminole dress, a long shirt belted in at the waist, moccasins, and turbans of tightly wound red handkerchiefs. They wereextremely neat and cleanly in appearance, a virtue not common withIndian tribes. 

There were a few squaws among the company, but they did not tempt asecond glance. They were wooden-faced, slovenly-looking creaturesalmost disgusting in appearance. They were loaded with string uponstring of colored beads forming a solid mass, like a huge collar, fromthe point of their chins down to their chests. 

"Which one have you picked out for your own, Captain?" whisperedCharley. "That big one over there seems to have her eye upon you. "

The old sailor flushed with embarrassment. "Look out or they'll haveyou, " he cautioned fearfully, "I kinder feel that big one has singledme out, an' I don't want to encourage her none. "

The Indians seemed to regard the day as a holiday to celebrate thelaying out of the spirits and the adding of a large fertile island totheir domain. 

The morning was given over to feasting and to running, jumping andwrestling matches. Only the young Indians indulged in these contests, the warriors sitting gravely looking on. 

Our young hunters tried their strength and skill with the Indian lads, but, although they were stronger and more nimble than most boys oftheir age, they found that they were no match for the young Seminoles. 

While the boys were enjoying the contests, the captain sat moodilyapart, keeping a worried eye upon the squaws. 

With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Charley drew aside one of theSeminole lads, whom he had found could speak English, and whisperedeagerly to him. 

The Indian lad's bright, beady eyes twinkled as he listened, and, whenCharley concluded, he nodded his head and slipped away into the grouparound the fire. 

"Look, Walt, oh, look, " shouted Charley a moment later, "look at thecaptain, oh my, oh my, " and Charley rolled on the grass in wicked glee. 

The young Indian had done his work well. A dozen of the squaws hadformed a ring around the old sailor and were slowly closing in. Thecaptain had struggled to his feet and with red face and horrified eyeswas waving his arms frantically, shouting, "Go away, go away, " much asone would shoo a flock of chickens. 

"Don't be afraid, captain, " called Charley, "they only want to embraceyou. "

"I won't be embraced, I won't, I won't, " cried the old sailor, frantically. 

"Come, Captain, do the Hobson act, " said Walter, "the ladies expect it. "

"Help, help, " shouted the captain appealingly, as the circle ofgrave-faced squaws steadily advanced, "I won't be embraced, I won't. "

With a sudden howl of terror the squaws turned and fled. 

In his fear, the captain had opened his mouth a little too far and hisfalse teeth had tumbled out. The old sailor caught them in his handand continued to wave his arms. "I won't be embraced, " he shouted. 

But there was no need of the defiance; the squaws would not, for untoldbeads, have come near the strange being with the movable teeth. 

"Shame, Captain, " said Charley severely, as the two boys approached theold sailor. "You must have been flirting with those ladies to makethem act like that. "

"I guess they was just attracted by my appearance, " said the captainmodestly, "I always was a favorite with the ladies. "

"Looks as if they were headed this way again, " said Walter. 

With a cry of fright the old sailor turned and dashed away for theshelter of the hut as fast as he could run. 

The boys shouted with laughter, and even the grave warriors smiled atthe scene. 

After dinner the celebration was renewed, but this time the youthsformed the audience while their elders held shooting matches and moresober contests of skill and strength. 

The captain did not emerge from the hut until nearly sundown, and whenhe did appear he carried both upper and lower teeth in his hand. Whenever a squaw approached anywhere near him he would open his mouthto its fullest extent and wave the teeth in the air. 

"They will get used to seeing you without them and soon think you asbeautiful as ever, " Charley said to him, gravely. 

"Charley, " said the old sailor, solemnly, "for good or ill, we leavethis island to-morrow. It ain't often them Injin women meets with aman of my looks, an' it has drove 'em plum crazy. It ain't safe for meto stay longer. "

"I'm wondering what that widow lady in Shelbourne will say when shehears of this, " said Walter musingly. "She will naturally think thatyou must have given them great encouragement. "

"If either of you lads breathe a word of this in town, I'll throttleyou, " declared the apprehensive old sailor. 

"We won't say a word, " said Charley, severely, "but I must say you havebeen setting Walter and I a terrible example, captain. "

After this parting shot, the two tormentors retired quickly, for theold sailor was almost at the exploding point with indignation. 

The captain was not the only one to whom the afternoon had broughttrials. Chris had not been without his share of troubles. TheSeminoles treated him with marked disdain and would not even permit himto eat with the others. 

"The Indians consider the darky as an inferior being, " Charley hadconfided to Walter in a whisper. "There are rumors that there is morethan one negro slave in the heart of the Everglades. The Seminoleshave a proverb, 'White man, Indian, dog, nigger, ' which expresses theiropinion of the colored race. "

Chris' troubles reached their climax when the little party was seatedaround the fire with the Indians in the evening. 

The chief, who had been watching the little darky closely all day, turned to Charley: "Me buy 'em, " he said, indicating Chris with a waveof his hand. "Me buy nigger. "

"I ain't no nigger, " shouted Chris in a rage, "I'se a free-born blackEnglishman, dat's what I is. "

Charley silenced the indignant little darky with a wave of his hand. 

"He already has a master and is therefore not ours to sell, " he said, while Chris bristled with indignation. 

"Who master?" inquired the Seminole with an appraising glance at thesturdy little darky. 

"A man called King Edward, " said Charley gravely, and Chris'indignation subsided. 

"Too bad, " grunted the chief, and dropped the subject. 

"What's that?" exclaimed Walter suddenly, as distant rifle shots echoedin the air, were repeated irregularly and finally ceased. 

"The convicts, I guess, " whispered Charley, "I don't understand whythey are firing, though. All the Indians are here. "

Significant glances passed between the Indians. 

"Jackals are dead, " said the chief, a fierce exultation in his face. 

"Who killed them?" cried Charley. 

"Crocodiles, " said the Seminole, briefly. 

The little party stared at each other in horror. They understood nowwhy the Seminoles had not made an attack, and had showed so muchconfidence in the convicts not being able to escape. 

Much as the hunters hated the men who had persecuted them, they feltshocked and horror-stricken at the horrible fate that had overtakenthem. 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

THE RETURN. 

The hunters soon withdrew from the circle around the fire and madetheir way to their hut. 

"This has been a queer trip, " said Charley musingly. "I do not believeI care to make another like it. Look at all we have been through, andwhat have we gained by it? Nothing. "

"We might stop on the St. Johns on our way back and hunt again forplumes, " suggested Walter. 

But the others negatived the proposal decidedly. 

"It would be like tempting Providence, after the dangers we have beenspared from, " the captain declared. 

"Dis nigger wants to get out ob a kentry where a black Englishman iscalled a nigger, " said Chris. 

"Don't mention plumes to me, " exclaimed Charley, "I am sick ofeverything connected with this trip. "

Walter smiled. "I am quite sure that I would not feel at all bad if Iknew we were carrying back several thousand dollars' worth of plumeswith us, " he said. 

"Oh, quit your dreaming and go to bed, " exclaimed Charley, testily, "instead of carrying back a few thousand dollars' worth of plumes withus, we will all have to hunt for a job, when we get to the coast. "

But in spite of Charley's dire prophecy, Walter was smiling as heundressed in the dark. 

The hunters were astir at break of day and preparing for an earlystart. They cooked and ate a hasty breakfast and then carried theircanoes down to the water. 

The Indian whom the chief had assigned as their guide was alreadypatiently waiting in his dugout. 

It did not take the hunters long to stow away their few belongings andthey were soon ready for their departure. 

The chief followed them to the water accompanied by all his band. 

The hunters parted with the young Seminole with genuine regret, and he, for his part, seemed greatly affected. 

"The Little Tiger hopes that his white brothers will return again tothe Glades, " he said as he shook hands with each. "His wigwam will bealways open to them. Will not he with the hair like the Spanish moss, consider again, and choose from among them one of the squaws to cheerhis wigwam?"

"No, thank ye, chief, " said the old sailor hastily, "it would only makethe rest of 'em jealous. "

The rest of the Indians gathered around and each shook hands with thelittle party, gravely saying "How, " the only English many of them knew. 

The hunters stepped aboard their canoes, and took up their paddles. The Indian guide in his dugout took the lead and with flashing bladesthe hunters followed closely in his wake. 

As they passed the little island where the convicts had met theirdeath, the hunters could not repress a shudder of horror. Around itlay the repulsive-looking crocodiles, placidly sleeping on the water, and amongst them floated a man's straw hat. It was all that remainedof the cruel, merciless band. 

"They deserved death, but the death they met was too awful for anyhuman being, " Charley murmured. 

"I wonder what became of Indian Charley, " said Walter. "He was notwith the others. "

Their guide's quick ears had caught the question. "He tied to tree inswamp for mosquitoes to eat, " he volunteered pleasantly. 

"I think, " remarked Charley, after a long pause, "I think I wouldrather be a Seminole's friend than his enemy. "

"Aye, lad, " agreed the captain, "they are savages still in their lovesand hates. "

The Seminole guide led them out of the Everglades by a short cut, andthe hunters sighed with relief when the great swamp was left behind. 

For two days they traveled while daylight lasted, making camp at nighton some convenient point. On the morning of the third day they reachedtheir old camp where their things were buried. Here they went intocamp again while the Seminole scoured the woods for their ponies. Hereturned triumphant the second day riding one of the horses and drivingthe others. The animals were sleek and fat from rich feeding and longinactivity. 

The hunters made their guide presents of a couple of clasp knives and arevolver with its ammunition and sent him away delighted. 

"I wanted to wait until we got home to give you a big surprise, but Ican't keep it concealed any longer, " said Walter regretfully, as hiscompanions began to take the canoes apart preparatory to stowing themin the packs. 

While the others gazed at him in surprise, he drew out a bundle fromunder the thwart of one of the canoes. Undoing it he took out a longfeathery plume. 

"Where did you get that?" exclaimed Charley in surprise. 

"It's one of those we dug up on the chief's island, " explained Walter. "You see I used to work in a store where they used to handle suchthings, and I got an idea when we first opened the package that thoseplumes were not in as bad shape as they appeared. I did not sayanything about it, because I did not want to run the risk of possiblycausing more disappointment, but I put the box in the canoe and thefirst chance I got on the island I took a weak solution of vinegar andwater and went to work on them. I had only time to clean two or three, but I am sure that at least three-fourths of them can be made saleable. "

"Walter, you're a trump, " exclaimed Charley in delight, and the otherswere not much behind in expressing their admiration and joy. 

Owing to Walter's thoughtfulness, it was a gay, happy party that tookup the trail back for the coast. 

The return trip was made without any uncommon incident and the littleparty arrived safely at the little seacoast town of Shelbourne. Herethey sold their ponies and arms, and renting a little house, wentbusily to work cleaning and preparing the damaged plumes for market. When the task was finished and the last plume sold, they foundthemselves the happy possessors of the not insignificant sum of $3, 200, which divided between them gave each a capital of $800. 

With the first money they received from their plumes, they purchased ahandsome repeating rifle which they despatched to their friend, LittleTiger, by an Indian who had come into town to trade. 

A couple of weeks after, the hunters received a visit from the Seminolewho had acted as their guide. He was the bearer of a bundle ofbeautifully tanned deer-skins, a present from the chief. 

"The Little Tiger mourns for his white brothers, " said the chief'smessenger, "the beautiful rifle speaks to him like a message from them. He bids them when they will to return and end their days in the shelterof his wigwam. He says, if the gray-haired one desires, the offer of asquaw is still open. "

The joke on the captain was too good to keep, and the boys have told itto the widow lady whom the captain is interested in. She sometimestasks him with having given the dusky ladies too great encouragement, and the old sailor gets very red and protests that such was not thecase; that he couldn't help it; that he always was a great favoritewith the ladies. At first, he used to call upon Walter and Charley toprove the truth of his statements, but they would only shake theirheads ominously and remain gravely silent. 

Upon their return the hunters had prepared a full statement of thedeath of the convicts and mailed it to the proper authorities, but, much to their indignation, their story was not believed but wasregarded as an attempt to secure the reward money that had been offered. 

Chris is just now greatly incensed over a song that every one seems tobe humming. We believe the chorus runs, "Coon, coon, coon, how I wishmy color would fade. " He regards "coon" as a much more offensive titleeven than nigger, and contends that it is no name to be applied to afree-born black English gentleman. 

Just now all our hunters are resting up from their terribleexperiences. One would think that they had passed through enough todiscourage them from undertaking another hazardous trip, but adventuresbreed a love for adventure, and the free, open air calls loudly tothose who have followed stream and forest. 

THE END. 

THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS SERIES

By FRANK FOWLER

A Series of Stirring Stories for Boys, that not only containconsiderable information concerning cowboy life, but at the same timeseem to breathe the adventurous spirit that lives in the clear air ofthe wide plains, and lofty mountain ranges of the Wild West. Thesetales are written in a vein calculated to delight the heart of everylad who loves to read of pleasing adventure in the open; yet at thesame time the most careful parent need not hesitate to place them inthe hands of his boy. 

THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS AT KEYSTONE RANCH; or, Three Chums of the Saddle and Lariat. 

In this story the reader makes the acquaintance of the devoted chums, Adrian Sherwood, Donald McKay, and William Stonewall Jackson Winkle, afat, auburn-haired Southern lad, who is known at various times amonghis comrades as "Wee Willie Winkle, " "Broncho Billie, " and "LittleBillie. " The book begins in rapid action, and there is surely"something doing" up to the very time you lay it down, possibly with asigh of regret because you have reached the end; yet thankful to knowthat a second volume is within reach. Besides the adventure, there ismore or less rollicking humor, of the type all boys like. 

THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS DOWN IN ARIZONA, or, A Struggle for the Great Copper Lode. 

The scene shifts in this story, from the free life of the cattle range, and the wide expanse of the boundless prairie, to that ruggedmountainous section of Arizona, where many fabulous fortunes have beenwon through the discovery of rich ore. The Broncho Rider Boys findthemselves impelled, by a stern sense of duty, to make a brave fightagainst heavy odds, in order to retain possession of a valuable minethat is claimed by some of their relatives. That they meet withnumerous strange and thrilling perils while enlisted in this service, can be readily understood; and every wideawake boy will be pleased tolearn how finally Adrian and his chums managed to outwit their enemiesin the fight for the copper lode. 

THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ALONG THE BORDER; or, The Hidden Treasure of the Zuni Medicine Man. 

Once more the tried and true comrades of camp and trail are in thesaddle, bent on seeing with their own eyes some of the wonderful sightsto be found in that section of the Far Southwest, where the singularcave homes of the ancient Cliff Dwellers dot the walls of the GreatCanyon of the Colorado. In the strangest possible way they are drawninto a series of happenings among the Zuni Indians, while trying toassist a newly made friend: all of which makes interesting reading. Ifthere could be any choice, this book would surely be voted the best ofthe entire series, and certainly no lad will lay it down, save withregret. 

THE BRONCHO RIDER BOYS ON THE WYOMING TRAIL;

or, A Mystery of the Prairie Stampede. 

As the title will indicate to readers of the previous stories in thisSeries, the three prairie pards finally find a chance to visit theWyoming ranch belonging to Adrian, but which has been managed for himby a relative, whom he has reason to suspect might be running thingsmore for his own benefit than that of the young owner. Of course theybecome entangled in a maze of adventurous doings while in the Northerncattle country. How the Broncho Rider Boys carried themselves throughthis nerve-testing period makes intensely interesting leading. No boywill ever regret the money spent in securing this splendid volume. 

 * * * * *

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS SERIES

By RALPH MARLOW

A Series of Splendid Stories, in which are contained the StrangeHappenings that befell a bunch of five lively boys, who were fortunateenough to come into possession of up-to-date motorcycles. 

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS' SWIFT ROAD CHASE;

or, Surprising the Bank Robbers. 

It is doubtful whether a more entertaining lot of boys ever beforeappeared in a story than the "Big Five, " who figure in the pages ofthis volume--Rod Bradley; "Hanky Panky" Jucklin; Josh Whitcomb; ElmerOverton; and last, but far from least, "Rooster" Boggs. From cover tocover the reader will be thrilled and delighted with the accounts ofhow luckily they came by their motorcycles; and what a splendid usethey made of the machines in recovering the funds of the robbed Garlandbank. 

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS IN TENNESSEE WILDS;

or, The Secret of Walnut Ridge. 

In this story the boys with the "flying wheels" take a trip throughKentucky, and into Dixie Land. The wonderful adventures, and amusingones as well, that were their portion on this glorious spin, have beenset down by the author in a way that will be most pleasing to the boyreader who delights in tales of action. There is not a single drychapter in the book; and when the end is finally reached, the happypossessor will count himself lucky to have it handy in his library, where, later on, he may read it over and over again. 

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS THROUGH BY WIRELESS;

or, A Strange Message from the Air. 

Even in a quiet Ohio town remarkable things may sometimes happencalculated to create the most intense excitement. The five motorcycleboys were put in touch with just such an event through a message thatcame to their wireless station while many miles away from home. Whatthat "voice from the air" told them, and how gallantly they respondedto the call for action, you will be delighted to learn in the thirdvolume of this intensely interesting series. 

THE BIG FIVE MOTORCYCLE BOYS ON FLORIDA TRAILS;

or, Adventures Among the Saw Palmetto Crackers. 

Once more a kind fortune allows Rod Bradley and his four"happy-go-lucky" comrades a chance to visit new fields. Down in theLand of Sunshine and Oranges the Motorcycle Boys experience some of themost remarkable perils and adventures of their whole career. Thewriter spent many years along the far-famed Indian River, and he hasdrawn upon his vast knowledge of the country in describing what befellthe chums there. If there could be any choice, then this book iscertainly the best of the whole series; and you will put it down withregret, only hoping to meet these favorite characters again in newfields. 

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The Boy Spies Series

These stories are based on important historical events, scenes whereinboys are prominent characters being selected. They are the romance ofhistory, vigorously told, with careful fidelity to picturing the homelife, and accurate in every particular. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS. A story of the part they took in its defence. By William P. Chipman. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE DEFENCE OF FORT HENRY. A boy's story of Wheeling Creek in 1777. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. A story of two boys at the siege of Boston. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES AT THE SIEGE OF DETROIT. A story of two Ohio boys in the War of 1812. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES WITH LAFAYETTE. The story of how two boys joined the Continental Army. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES ON CHESAPEAKE BAY. The story of two young spies under Commodore Barney. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES WITH THE REGULATORS. The story of how the boys assisted the Carolina Patriots to drive the British from that State. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES WITH THE SWAMP FOX. The story of General Marion and his young spies. By James Otis, THE BOY SPIES AT YORKTOWN. The story of how the spies helped General Lafayette in the Siege of Yorktown. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES OF PHILADELPHIA. The story of how the young spies helped the Continental Army at Valley Forge. By James Otis. 

THE BOY SPIES OF FORT GRISWOLD. The story of the part they took in its brave defence. By William P. Chipman. 

THE BOY SPIES OF OLD NEW YORK. The story of how the young spies prevented the capture of General Washington. By James Otis. 

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The Boy Scout Series

By HERBERT CARTER

New stories of Camp Life, telling the wonderful and thrillingadventures of the Boys of the Silver Fox Patrol. 

THE BOY SCOUTS ON STURGEON ISLAND;

or, Marooned Among the Game Fish Poachers. 

Through a queer freak of fate, Thad Brewster and his comrades of theSilver Fox Patrol find themselves in somewhat the same predicament thatconfronted dear old Robinson Crusoe; only it is on the Great Lakes thatthey are wrecked instead of the salty sea. You will admit that thoseCranford scouts are a lively and entertaining bunch of fellows. 

THE BOY SCOUTS DOWN IN DIXIE;

or, The Strange Secret of Alligator Swamp. 

New and startling experiences awaited the tried comrades of camp andtrail, when they visit the Southland. But their knowledge of woodcraftenabled them to meet and overcome all difficulties. 

THE BOY SCOUTS' FIRST CAMP FIRE;

or, Scouting with the Silver Fox Patrol. 

This book is brimming over with thrilling adventure, woods lore and thestory of the wonderful experiences that befell the Cranford troop ofBoy Scouts when spending a part of their vacation in the wilderness. 

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE BLUE RIDGE;

or, Marooned Among the Moonshiners. 

Those lads who have read The Boy Scouts' First Camp Fire will bedelighted to read this story. It tells of the strange and mysteriousadventures that happened to the Patrol in their trip through the"mountains of the sky" in the Moonshiners' Paradise of the old Tar HeelState, North Carolina. 

THE BOY SCOUTS ON THE TRAIL;

or, Scouting through the Big Game Country. 

The story recites the many adventures that befell the members of theSilver Fox Patrol with wild animals of the forest trails, as well asthe desperate men who had sought a refuge in this lonely country. 

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE MAINE WOODS;

or, The New Test for the Silver Fox Patrol. 

In the rough field of experience the tenderfoots and greenhorns of theSilver Fox Patrol are fast learning to take care of themselves whenabroad. Thad and his chums have a wonderful experience when they areemployed by the State of Maine to act as Fire Wardens. 

THE BOY SCOUTS THROUGH THE BIG TIMBER;

or, The Search for the Lost Tenderfoot. 

A serious calamity threatens the Silver Fox Patrol when on one of theirvacation trips to the wonderland of the great Northwest. How apparentdisaster is bravely met and overcome by Thad and his friends, forms themain theme of the story, which abounds in plenty of humor, andhairbreadth escapes. 

THE BOY SCOUTS IN THE ROCKIES;

or, The Secret of The Hidden Silver Mine. 

By this time the boys of the Silver Fox Patrol have learned throughexperience how to rough it upon a long hike. Their tour takes theminto the wildest region of the great Rocky Mountains, and here theymeet with many strange adventures. 

THE BOY SCOUTS AT THE BATTLE OF SARATOGA. 

A story of Burgoyne's defeat in 1777. 

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The Boy Chums Series

By WILMER M. ELY

In this series of remarkable stories by Wilmer M. Ely are described theadventures of two boy chums--Charley West and Walter Hazard--in thegreat swamps of interior Florida and among the cays off the FloridaCoast, and through the Bahama Islands. These are real, live boys, andtheir experiences are well worth following. 

THE BOY CHUMS ON INDIAN RIVER;

or, The Boy Partners of the Schooner "Orphan. "

In this story Charley West and Walter Hazard meet deadly rattlesnakes;have a battle with a wild panther; are attacked by outlaws: their boatis towed by a swordfish; they are shipwrecked by a monster manateefish, and pass safely through many exciting scenes of danger. Thisbook should be read first. 

THE BOY CHUMS ON HAUNTED ISLAND, or, Hunting for Pearls in the Bahama Islands. 

This book tells the story of the boy chums' adventures on the schooner"Eager Quest, " hunting for pearls among the Bahama Islands. Theirhairbreadth escapes from the treacherous quicksands and dangerouswaterspouts, and their rescue from the wicked wreckers are fully told. 

THE BOY CHUMS IN THE FOREST;

or, Hunting for Plume Birds in the Florida Everglades. 

The story of the boy chums hunting the blue herons and the pink andwhite egrets for their plumes in the forests of Florida is full ofdanger and excitement. In this story is fully told how the chumsencountered the Indians; their battles with the escaped convicts; theirfight with the wild boars and alligators; and many exciting encountersand escapes. This is the third story of the boy chums' adventures. 

THE BOY CHUMS' PERILOUS CRUISE;

or, Searching for Wreckage on the Florida Coast. 

This story of the boy chums' adventures on and off the Florida Coastdescribes many scenes of daring and adventure, in hunting for shipsstranded and cargoes washed ashore. The boy chums passed through manyexciting scenes, their conflicts with the Cuban wreckers; the loss oftheir vessel, the "Eager Quest, " they will long remember. This is thefourth book of adventures which the boy chums experienced. 

THE BOY CHUMS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO;

or, a Dangerous Cruise with the Greek Spongers. 

This story of the boy chums hunting for sponges is filled with manyadventures. The dangers of gathering sponges are fully described; thechums meet with sharks and alligators; and they are cast away on adesert island. Their rescue and arrival home make a most interestingstory. This is the fifth book of adventures of the boy chums. 

THE BOY CHUMS CRUISING IN FLORIDA WATERS;

or, the Perils and Dangers of the Fishing Fleet. 

In this story Charley West and Walter Hazard embark upon a new anddangerous quest for fortune. With their old and tried comrades, Captain Westfield and the little negro, Chris, they join the great armyof fishermen that yearly search the Florida seas for the thousands ofkinds of rare fish and water creatures that abound there. The Floridawaters hide many strange and unknown dangers. The perils the chumsencounter from weird fishes and creatures of the sea and the menace ofhurricane and shipwreck, make very interesting and instructive reading. This is the sixth book of adventures of the boy chums. 

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The Navy Boys Series

A series of excellent stories of adventure on sea and land, selectedfrom the works of popular writers; each volume designed for boys'reading. 

THE NAVY BOYS IN DEFENCE OF LIBERTY. A story of the burning of the British schooner Gaspee in 1772. By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS ON LONG ISLAND SOUND. A story of the Whale Boat Navy of 1776. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS AT THE SIEGE OF HAVANA. Being the experience of three boys serving under Israel Putnam in 1772. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS WITH GRANT AT VICKSBURG. A boy's story of the siege of Vicksburg. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE WITH PAUL JONES. A boy's story of a cruise with the Great Commodore in 1776. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS ON LAKE ONTARIO. The story of two boys and their adventures in the War of 1812. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE ON THE PICKERING. A boy's story of privateering in 1780. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS IN NEW YORK BAY. A story of three boys who took command of the schooner "The Laughing Mary, " the first vessel of the American Navy. By James Otis. 

THE NAVY BOYS IN THE TRACK OF THE ENEMY. The story of a remarkable cruise with the Sloop of War "providence" and the Frigate "Alfred. " By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS' DARING CAPTURE. The story of how the navy boys helped to capture the British Cutter "Margaretta, " in 1775. By William P. Chipman. 

 THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE TO THE BAHAMAS. The adventures of two Yankee Middies with the first cruise of an American Squadron in 1775. By William P. Chipman. 

THE NAVY BOYS' CRUISE WITH COLUMBUS. The adventures of two boys who sailed with the great Admiral in his discovery of America. By Frederick A. Ober. 

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The Girl Chums Series

ALL AMERICAN AUTHORS. 

ALL COPYRIGHT STORIES. 

A carefully selected series of books for girls, written by popularauthors. These are charming stories for young girls, well told andfull of interest. Their simplicity, tenderness, healthy, interestingmotives, vigorous action, and character painting will please all girlreaders. 

BENHURST CLUB, THE. By Howe Benning. 

BERTHA'S SUMMER BOARDERS. By Linnie S. Harris. 

BILLOW PRAIRIE. A Story of Life in the Great West. By Joy Allison. 

DUXBERRY DOINGS. A New England Story. By Caroline B. Le Row. 

FUSSBUDGET'S FOLKS. A Story For Young Girls. By Anna F. Burnham. 

HAPPY DISCIPLINE, A. By Elizabeth Cummings. 

JOLLY TEN, THE; and Their Year of Stories. By Agnes Carr Sage. 

KATIE ROBERTSON. A Girl's Story of Factory Life. By M. E. Winslow. 

LONELY HILL. A Story For Girls. By M. L. Thornton-Wilder. 

MAJORIBANKS. A Girl's Story. By Elvirton Wright. 

MISS CHARITY'S HOUSE. By Howe Benning. 

MISS ELLIOT'S GIRLS. A Story For Young Girls. By Mary Spring Corning. 

MISS MALCOLM'S TEN. A Story For Girls. By Margaret E. Winslow. 

ONE GIRL'S WAY OUT. By Howe Benning. 

PEN'S VENTURE. By Elvirton Wright. 

RUTH PRENTICE. A Story For Girls. By Marion Thorne. 

THREE YEARS AT GLENWOOD. A Story of School Life. By M. E. Winslow. 

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The Girl Comrades Series

ALL AMERICAN AUTHORS. 

ALL COPYRIGHT STORIES. 

A carefully selected series of books for girls, written by popularauthors. These are charming stories for young girls, well told andfull of interest. Their simplicity, tenderness, healthy, interestingmotives, vigorous action, and character painting will please all girlreaders. 

A BACHELOR MAID AND HER BROTHER. By I. T. Thurston. 

ALL ABOARD. A Story For Girls. By Fanny E. Newberry. 

ALMOST A GENIUS. A Story For Girls. By Adelaide L. Rouse. 

ANNICE WYNKOOP. Artist. Story of a Country Girl. By Adelaide L. Rouse. 

BUBBLES. A Girl's Story. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

COMRADES. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

DEANE GIRLS, THE. A Home Story. By Adelaide L. Rouse. 

HELEN BEATON, COLLEGE WOMAN. By Adelaide E. Rouse. 

JOYCE'S INVESTMENTS. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

MELLICENT RAYMOND. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

MISS ASHTON'S NEW PUPIL. A School Girl's Story. By Mrs. S. S. Robbins. 

NOT FOR PROFIT. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

ODD ONE, THE. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

SARA, A PRINCESS. A Story For Girls. By Fannie E. Newberry. 

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THE LITTLE GIRL SERIES

By AMANDA M. DOUGLAS

A series of stories for girls by that popular author, Amanda M. Douglas, in which are described something of the life and times of theearly days of the places wherein the stories are located. Now for thefirst time published in a cheap edition. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD NEW YORK

This is a pretty story of life in New York 60 years ago. The story ischarmingly told. The book is full of vivacious narrative, describingthe amusements employments and the social and domestic life of Old NewYork. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD BOSTON

The story deals with the bringing up of little Doris by these Bostonpeople, who were her nearest relatives. It is a series of pictures oflife in Boston ninety years ago. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD BALTIMORE

This tells the story of how a little girl grew up in a Southern city ahundred years ago. A host of characters of all sorts--women, children, slaves, rich people and poor people, fill the pages. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD PITTSBURG

An interesting picture is given of the pioneer settlement and itspeople; while the heroine, Daffodil, is a winsome lass who developsinto a charming woman. 

A LITTLE GIRL OF LONG AGO

This story is a sequel to A Little Girl in Old New York. This is abook for girls and boys of the present age, who will enjoy going backto the old times. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD CHICAGO

Ruth Gaynor comes to Chicago with her father when she is but eight ornine years old. Ruth is a keen observer and makes a capital heroine. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD NEW ORLEANS

The story gives a very picturesque account of the life in the oldCreole city. It is a well told and interesting story with a historicalbackground. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD SAN FRANCISCO

This is the story of the little Maine girl who went to live in thestrange new city of the Golden Gate; she grows up a bright and charminggirl. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD WASHINGTON

This story carries one back to Washington, a city then in its infancy. The story throws a strong light on the early customs and life of thepeople. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD PHILADELPHIA

Little Primrose was the child of Friends, or Quakers. The author tellsPrimrose's experiences among very strict Quakers, and then amongworldly people. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD QUEBEC

The heroine is called "The Rose of Quebec. " The picturesque life ofthis old French city, as seen through the eyes of the little girl, ishere pictured. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD SALEM

Cynthia Leveritt lived in old Salem about one hundred years ago. Cynthia grows up, and so dear a girl could scarce have failed to have aromance develop. The book will be enjoyed by all girls. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD ST. LOUIS

This story will give a delightful treat to any girl who reads it. Theearly days of this historical old city are depicted in a manner at oncetrue and picturesque. 

A LITTLE GIRL IN OLD DETROIT

The stirring times in which the little girl lived, and the social lifeof a bygone age are depicted very happily. The heroine is a charminggirl.