n the boat, and Barney shrieked with laughter. Then he
related what followed, and how his life had been saved by the locket he
carried, and the professor groaned with dismay. Following this, he
related his capture by Gage and how the young desperado flung him, with
his hands bound, into the clutch of the serpent vine.

The narrative first amused and then thrilled his listeners. Finally they
were horrified and appalled by the peril through which he had passed.

"It's Satan's own scum thot Gage is!" grated Barney, fiercely. "Iver let
me get a crack at th' loike av him and see phwat will happen to th'
whilp!"

"I hate and despise him!" declared Elsie. "He is a monster!"

Then Frank explained how he had been saved by Socato, and the Seminole
found himself the hero of the hour.

"Soc, ould b'y," cried Barney, "thot wur th' bist job ye iver did, an'
Oi'm proud av yez! Ye'll niver lose anything by thot thrick, ayther."

"Not much!" roared the little professor, wiping his eyes. "Man, give me
your hand!"

Then the Seminole had his hand shaken in a manner and with a heartiness
that astonished him greatly.

"That was nothing," he declared, "Socato hates the snake vine--fight it
any time. Don't make so much row."

When all had been told and the party had recovered from the excitement
into which they had been thrown, Barney announced that breakfast was
waiting.

Elsie, for all of her happiness at meeting Frank, was so troubled about
her father that she could eat very little.

Socato ate hastily, and then announced that he would go out and see what
he could do about rescuing Captain Bellwood.

Barney wished to go with the Seminole, but Socato declared that he could
do much better alone, and hurriedly departed.

Then Frank did his best to cheer Elsie, telling her that everything was
sure to come out all right, as the Indian could be trusted to outwit the
desperadoes and rescue the captain.

Seeing Frank and Elsie much together, Barney drew the professor aside,
and whispered:

"It's a bit av a walk we'd better take in th' open air, Oi think."

"But I don't need a walk," protested the little man.

"Yis ye do, profissor," declared the Irish boy, soberly. "A man av your
studious habits nivver takes ixercoise enough."

"But I do not care to expose myself outdoors."

"Phwat's th' matther wid out dures, Oi dunno?"

"It's dangerous."

"How?"

"There's danger that Gage and his gang will appear."

"Phwat av they do