the shore unable to go further. It required nearly all of Walter's
remaining strength to drag his insensible chum over the roots and lower
him into the canoe. Precious as was each moment lost, Charley demanded
instant attention, his wound had broken open again from his exertions
and his tattered shirt was wet with blood. Walter stuffed bits of
cloth into the hole and bound it up as well as he could in the
darkness. This labor completed, he cast loose the canoe, and with a
few strokes of the paddle sent her over to the other side of the
stream. Here he laid aside his paddle and sank back to rest and think.
The friendly darkness completely hid them from the gaze of anyone on
the point. Until the moon rose they were as safe there as any place on
the river. The plucky lad sorely needed rest and refreshment. For two
days and a night he had been without sleep and for twenty-four hours
without food. This, with the strenuous labor and excitement through
which he had passed, had rendered him nearly as weak as his unconscious
companion. Sleep was out of the question until they were safe from
their enemies, but food was handy and he lost no time in making a
hearty meal on a can of corned beef, crackers and a tin of milk. The
repast brought fresh strength and courage, although his head felt very
heavy and he could hardly keep his eyes open.

With the outlaws ahead and behind them, there was little choice of the
direction in which they should flee, and Walter paddled steadily on up
the river, keeping close to the opposite shore from the convicts.

Hour after hour passed and found him still paddling wearily onward,
every muscle and nerve in his body aching with fatigue. At last a
brightening of the sky in the east warned him of the rising of the
moon. As its bright beams lit up the gloomy river and desolate
marshes, Walter gave a cry of joy; directly ahead, right in the middle
of the stream, lay a small island, its shores fringed with a dense
growth of mangroves. As the canoe drew nearer, Walter surveyed it with
increasing delight. Here was surely a safe place of refuge where they
might stay as long as their provisions lasted and until their enemies
tired of the pursuit. Where the island lay, the river had widened out
into a fair sized lake and the nearest shore was out of gunshot. There
was no way that the outlaws could reach them except by boat, and they
had none with them.

With lightened heart, Walter ran the c