ly useful, once the motor
boat reached the big waters of the gulf.

"Yep!" sang out Tony, who had such keen vision that he found no need of
glasses to assist him, "they's some land thar too, which makes it right
decent. If so be yuh feel that yuh must stop, Phil, that's a shore
good place."

And so they headed in for the landing selected, after navigating the
stream for a short time longer. The sun had not yet gone down, though
under the tall cypress trees, with their great clumps of gray hanging
Spanish moss that looked like trailing banners, it was even then
beginning to grow a little dusky.

Gently running alongside the bank, the Aurora came to a stop. Larry
with his rope was quickly ashore, and securing the cable to a
convenient tree. Then they let the motor boat swing around, so that
her prow headed up-stream; after which she was apt to lie easy all
night, with the current gurgling past, and singing the everlasting song
of the running water.

Larry was for going ashore and making a fire, but Tony begged him not
to.

"They find us soon enough, without hurryin' it 'long that way," he said.

"Oh! well," Larry replied, "I suppose we can use the bully little
kerosene gas cooker tonight. It's a howling success, according to my
mind; and I'm only wondering why you didn't get a second edition while
about it, Phil."

"Because it was new to me," replied his chum; "and while I'd heard a
heap about it, I thought I'd like to try the thing out first. But I
give you my word I'm going to have another as soon as I can send for
it. And never again shall I go into camp without one along. Think of
the rainy days when I've had to go hungry because all the wood was
soaked; when with such a treasure in the tent you could cook to your
heart's content."

"Then you give in to Tony, and say no fire ashore tonight?" asked Larry.

"Well, yes," was Phil's reply. "It's pretty warm anyhow to cook over a
blaze. And perhaps after all it might be better for me to drop into
the village of the McGee, of my own free will, rather than be taken
there, apparently against it."

Again Tony sighed. Perhaps he felt that there was small chance of
their passing that night so near the settlement of his people without
having unwelcome visitors. Perhaps he knew only too well how the mute
Barker must ere now have arrived among the shanties of the
shingle-makers with his astonishing news; and that many dugouts would
soon be scouring the riv