It was true. The mysterious canoe had vanished from view while they were
speaking.

CHAPTER XXVII.

IN THE EVERGLADES.

"Gone!"

"Disappeared!"

The exclamations came from Frank and Professor Scotch.

Barney's chuckle changed to a shiver, and his teeth chattered.

"Th' Ould B'y's in it!" he chatteringly declared.

"The Old Boy must have been in that canoe," agreed the professor.

Frank was puzzled and disappointed. He still refused to believe there
was anything supernatural about the mysterious, white canoe, but he was
forced to acknowledge to himself that the craft had done most amazing
things.

"It simply slipped into some branch waterway while we were not looking,"
he said, speaking calmly, as if it were the most commonplace thing
imaginable.

"Well, it's gone," said Scotch, as if greatly relieved. "Now, let's get
out of this in a great hurry."

"I am for going back to see what has become of the white canoe," said
Frank, with deliberate intent to make his companions squirm.

Barney and the professor raised a perfect howl of protest.

"Never!" shouted Scotch, nearly upsetting the boat in his excitement,
and wildly flourishing his arms in the air.

"Nivver!" squealed the Irish lad. "Oi'll joomp overboard an' swim out av
this before Oi'll go back!"

Frank laughed.

"You are most amusing," he declared. "I suppose I'll have to give in to
you, as you are two to one."

"Come on," fluttered the professor; "let's be moving."

So Frank put down the rifle, and picked up his paddle, and they resumed
their effort to get out of the swamp before nightfall.

But the afternoon was well advanced, and night was much nearer than they
had thought, as they were soon to discover.

At last, Barney cried:

"Oi see loight enough ahead! We must be near out av th' woods."

Frank said nothing. For a long time he had been certain they were on the
wrong course, but he hoped it would bring them out somewhere. He had
noted the light that indicated they were soon to reach the termination
of the cypress swamp, but he held his enthusiasm in check till he could
be sure they had come out somewhere near where they had entered the
dismal region.

Professor Scotch grew enthusiastic immediately.

"Ha!" he cried, punching Frank in the back. "What do you think now,
young man? Do you mean to say that we don't know our business? What if
we had accepted your way of getting out of the swamp! We'd been in there
now, sir."