anoe will lure us into
this dismal swamp so far that we'll never find our way out. We'll turn
about at once."

Frank laughed.

"All right," he said. "I suppose I'll have to give up, but I do dislike
to leave without solving the mystery of that canoe."

"It may be thot we're so far in thot we can't foind our way out at all,
at all," said the Irish lad.

"I'm afraid we'll not be able to get out before nightfall," confessed
the professor. "I have no fancy for spending a night in this swamp."

Barney promptly expressed his dislike for such an adventure, but Frank
was silent.

The canoe turned about, and they set about the task of retracing the
water courses by which they had come far into the swamp.

It was not long before they came to a place where the courses divided.
Frank was for following one, while both Barney and the professor
insisted that the other was the right way.

Finally, Frank gave in to them, although it was against his better
judgment, and he felt that he should not submit.

They had not proceeded far before, as they were passing round a bend, a
cry of astonishment fell from Barney's lips.

"Howly shmoke!" he shouted. "Thot bates th' band!"

"What's the matter?" asked Frank and the professor, together.

"Thot whoite canoe!"

"What of it?"

"Look back! Th' thing is afther follying av us!"

They looked back, and, sure enough, there was the mysterious canoe,
gliding after them, like a most uncanny thing!

"Well, I like that!" said Frank, in a tone that plainly indicated he did
not like it. "This is very pleasant!"

"Pull, pull!" throbbed the professor, splashing his paddle into the
water and very nearly upsetting them all. "Don't let the thing overtake
us! Pull, pull!"

"Oi think it's a foine plan to be gettin' out av this," muttered Barney,
in an agitated tone of voice.

"Steady, there, professor," called Frank, sharply. "What do you want to
do--drown us all? Keep cool."

"It's coming!" fluttered the little man, wildly.

"Let it come. As long as we could not overtake it, let it overtake us.
That is a very good scheme."

"Th' skame won't worruck, me b'y. Th' ould thing's shtopped."

It was true; the white canoe had stopped, and was lying calmly on the
inky surface of the shadowed water.

"Well, I can't say that I like this," said Frank.

"And I scarcely think I like it more than you do," came from the
professor.

"An' th' both av yez loike it as well as mesilf," put in the Ir