n acting," remarked Alice, as she reached for
another chicken sandwich.

There was more to do after the meal, and when what food remained had been
packed up for a luncheon later in the afternoon, they entered the boat
again, and started still farther up stream.

The last film had been made and as the shadows were lengthening the start
back was made.

"My, it's getting dark very quickly, and it's only three o'clock," said
Paul, as he looked at his watch.

"Going to rain, I guess," said Russ. And rain it did a little later, the
drops coming down with tropical violence.

"Oughtn't we to be at the steamer by this time?" asked Mrs. Maguire, when
they could hardly see.

"Well, maybe we had," agreed Paul.

The light was set aglow, and then the young men shouted and called:

"_Magnolia_ ahoy!"

Echoes were their only answer, save the bellow or grunt of some distant
alligator, or the screech of some disturbed wild fowl.

"This is queer," observed Russ. "I'm sure we have rowed back far enough
to be at the place where we left the steamer. I wonder--"

But he did not finish.

"What do you wonder?" asked Alice, searchingly.

"Oh--nothing," Russ hesitated.

"Yes, it is something!" she insisted.

"Well, then, I was wondering if we possibly could have come down some
wrong creek. There were a number of turns, you know."

"Do--do you mean, we are--lost?" faltered Ruth.

"Well, I'm afraid I do."

CHAPTER XXI

THE LONG NIGHT

Ruth began to cry quietly--she really could not help it. Alice felt like
following her example, but the younger girl had the saving grace of
humor. Not that Ruth actually lacked it, but it was not so near the
surface, nor so easily called into action.

"Isn't it silly?" Alice suddenly exclaimed.

"What?" Paul wanted to know.

"Getting lost like this! It's too funny--"

"I wish I could see it, my dear," observed Ruth.

"Try to," urged Mrs. Maguire. "It does seem a bit odd to be lost like
this, and maybe the steamer only just around the corner."

"Probably she is," agreed Russ. "We must call again!"

This time they united their voices in a shout that carried far, but the
only effect it had was to disturb some of the denizens of the forest.

"But what are we going to do?" queried Ruth. "We--we can't stay here all
night."

"We may have to," answered Russ, grimly enough.

"Oh, please don't say that!" she faltered.

"Why, it won't be so bad," put in the jolly Irish woman. "We