d, she told
the others how sorry she was that she had given way. But she just could
not seem to help it. Without reserve she sobbed on Amy's shoulder.

For a moment Mollie and Betty, looking at one another, feared that Amy,
too, would give way to her feelings, and that they would have two
hysterical ones on their hands. But the little outburst of Grace seemed
to act as a sort of tonic to Amy, who put her arms about her chum,
murmuring comforting words.

"Oh, what--what are we going to do?" sobbed Grace.

"We're not going to cry--at any rate!" snapped Mollie. "At least I'm
not."

There was an incisiveness--a sharpness--to her voice that made Grace
look up a bit angrily.

"I--I'm not crying!" she said, and there was more energy in her voice
than had been noticeable for some time.

"Well, it's a very good imitation of it then," went on Mollie. "Crying
isn't going to do any good, and it gets on the nerves of all of us."

"I'm sorry--I couldn't seem to help it," spoke Grace, in a low voice.
"I--I won't do it again. But oh, what are we going to do?"

No one knew what to answer. Certainly they were in a situation that
needed help to enable them to escape from it. They could not approach
the alligators--at least they did not think they could, though perhaps
the creatures would have fled when the girls came near. And the snakes,
while not aggressive, seemed to be numerous in the water that offered
the only ford to shore. And moccasins, the girls had been told, were
deadly poisonous.

"If Tom would only come!" muttered Betty. "I can't see what keeps him,"
and she looked anxiously toward where the luncheon was spread. But there
was no sign of the young man.

"Maybe we could drive the snakes away by throwing more stones,"
suggested Grace, who seemed to have gotten over her little hysterical
outburst. "Let's try it."

"It's worth trying," admitted Betty. "At least I don't believe the
snakes would come out to attack us, and we might be able to drive them
away."

The girls, glad of the chance to do something, collected a pile of
stones and showered them into the water. Then when the ripples had
cleared they peered anxiously at the sand bar.

"They're gone!" cried Amy joyously. "Now we can wade to shore."

"Better wait," advised Mollie.

There was an anxious pause, and then Betty said in a hopeless sort of
tone:

"No, there they come back again," and she pointed to where the writhing
serpents could be seen. Eviden