very place they were
hunting for, a long, narrow, scantily grassed point that penetrated
through the marsh far out into the river.

"It's just the thing," Charley declared. "We will lead the ponies out
to the end and then fell a few pines across the neck here. That will
form a kind of a fence and keep them from straying away. There's grass
enough on the point to keep them busy for a week at least."

Within half an hour the three eager workers had felled enough pines
across the neck of the point to form a kind of rude stockade. Then
they moved out to the end of the point and began the erection of their
shelter. It was quite primitive and simple. Two saplings about twelve
feet apart were selected as the uprights, and to them, about eight feet
from the ground, two poles were lashed securely with buckskin thongs,
the other ends of the pole being imbedded in the ground. Other smaller
saplings were trimmed and laid across the slanting poles, and on them
were piled layer after layer of fan-like palmetto leaves. In a short
space of time they had completed a lean-to which would protect them
from any storm they were likely to experience at this season of the
year.

"Have you noticed that, Charley?" inquired Walter, as they placed the
last leaves on the lean-to. He pointed to a point, similar to their
own, scarce two thousand yards away, from which rose a thick column of
smoke.

"Yes, I've been watching it for some time," Charley said. "I guess
it's our friends, the convicts. They are late risers. Somehow or
other, Walt, I've got what prospectors call a 'hunch' that they are not
after us and will not bother us as long as they think we are ignorant
of their true character."

"I'll never trouble trouble 'till trouble troubles me," hummed Walter,
cheerfully.

"A good motto," said his chum gravely, "but nevertheless it's better
still to be ready for trouble if it does come. Now we must provide a
means of retreat. Come, let's open packs one and two, we'll need their
contents soon anyway."

Packs one and two, when opened, revealed bundles of numbered pieces of
tough, thin flexible steel and packages of thick water-proofed canvas.
Under the captain's skilled direction, the steel was quickly framed
together, the canvas stretched over it, and in a short time two canvas
canoes were floating lightly at their painters at the end of the point.

All had been too engrossed in their labors to note the passage of time
unt