oon," said Dick joyfully.

But he was soon to be disappointed. For the little creek ended in a
round shallow pond, a hundred yards across and entirely shut in by
thick bushes. Dick became very blue and even Ned was discouraged.

"I hate to go back for miles and begin all over again, just when we
are so far along in the right direction. We can get through these
bushes and walk a mile or two, and perhaps climb a tree and see what
the country looks like," said Ned.

"I'd rather do anything than go back," replied Dick. "Let's paddle
round the edge of this pond and see where the bushes are thinnest."

They paddled along the shore of the little lake, finding the water
so shallow that it barely floated the canoe, until just where the
bushes seemed thickest it deepened to several feet, and parting the
bushes disclosed a deep but very narrow creek through which the
water slowly flowed. There was no room to paddle and for more than a
mile the boys dragged the canoe by taking hold of overhanging
branches. Sometimes they could lift branches that crossed the creek
over the canoe as they passed. Sometimes they had to lie down in the
canoe to get under the obstructions and often they had to stop to
cut away limbs of small trees. They were finally stopped by the
trunk of a large tree which had fallen across and completely blocked
up the creek. Just beyond it two palmettos had fallen in the stream,
one of which lay lengthwise in the channel. It would have taken days
to remove the obstructions and the young explorers explored the
swamp near them to find a possible carry. They found that a hundred
feet behind them the woods were thinner and they could cut a path
through which they could carry the canoe and stores.

"This is going to take all the rest of the day," said Ned, "and it
will be a dry camp after a heap of hot work. What do you say to
leaving this till to-morrow, and putting in this afternoon hunting
for the best route and looking for fresh water?"

"That's me," replied Dick. "Let's hike in a hurry. Only don't you
lose your way. We have got to get back to the canoe and you're the
guide."

"Don't you worry about that. You may have to go slow, but I won't
lose myself and I will bring you back to the canoe," said Ned.

Instead of following the creek, Ned bore off to the north where the
woods seemed more open and soon reached a stretch of dry, open
prairie. On the border of it stood a tall mastic tree with a
lightning-blast