rs had been camping there. Their guests all stayed to supper,
lingering long about the table to discuss Rupert's find, so that Val did
not get a chance to be alone with Ricky to demand an explanation. And
for some reason she seemed to be adroitly avoiding him. He did have her
almost cornered in the upper hall when Letty-Lou came up behind him and
plucked at his sleeve.

"Mistuh Val," she said, "dat Jeems boy done wan' to see yo'all."

"Bother Jeems!" Val exploded, his eyes on Ricky's back. But he stepped
into the bedroom where the swamper was still imprisoned by Lucy's
orders.

The boy was propped up on his pillows, looking out of the window. His
body was tense. At the sound of Val's step he turned his bandaged head.

"Can't yo' git me outa heah?" he demanded.

"Why?"

"The watah's up!" His eyes were upon the water-filled darkness of the
garden.

"But that's all right," the other assured him. "Sam says that it won't
reach the top of the levee. At the worst, only the lower part of the
garden will be flooded."

Jeems glanced at Val over his shoulder and then without a word he edged
toward the side of the bed and tried to stand. But with a muffled gasp
he sank back again, pale and weak. Awkwardly Val forced him back against
his pillows.

"It's all right," he assured him again.

But in answer the swamper shook his head violently, "It ain't all right
in the swamp."

In a flash Val caught his meaning. Swampers lived on house-boats for the
most part, and the boats will outride all but unusual floods. But Jeems'
cabin was built on land, land none too stable even in dry weather. The
swamp boy touched Val's hand.

"It ain't safe. Two of them piles is rotted. If the watah gits that far,
they'll go."

"You mean the piles holding up your cabin platform?" Val asked.

He nodded. For a second Val caught a glimpse of forlorn loneliness
beneath the sullen mask Jeems habitually wore.

"But there's nothing you can do now--"

"It ain't the cabin. Ah gotta git the chest--"

"The one in the cabin?"

His black eyes were fixed upon Val's, and then they swerved and rested
upon the wall behind the young Ralestone.

"Ah gotta git the chest," he repeated simply.

And Val knew that he would. He would get out of bed and go into the
swamp after that treasure of his. Which left only one thing for Val to
do.

"I'll get the chest, Jeems. Let me have your key to the cabin. I'll take
the outboard motor and be back before I'm mi