, and they kept
it up while Frank smiled and remained silent.

At length, Scotch took in his paddle in disgust, groaning:

"We're lost!"

"I am inclined to think so myself," admitted Frank, cheerfully.

"Well, who's to blame, Oi'd loike to know?" cried the Irish lad.

"You are!" roared the professor, like a wounded lion.

"G'wan wid yez!" exploded Barney. "It's yersilf thot is to blame!
Frankie wanted to go the other woay, but ye said no."

"Me! me! me!" howled the professor. "Did I? You were the one! You
insisted that this was the proper course to pursue! You are to blame for
it all!"

"Profissor, ye're a little oulder thin Oi be, but av ye wur nigh me age,
Oi'd inform ye thot ye didn't know how to spake th' truth."

"Do you mean to call me a liar, you impudent young rascal?"

"Not now, profissor; but I would av ye wur younger."

"It's all the same! It's an insult, sir!"

"Well, pwhat are yez goin' to do about it?"

"I'll make you swallow the words, you scoundrel!"

"Well, thot would be more av a male thin the rist av ye are loikely to
get th' noight, so it is!"

"Come, come," laughed Frank; "this is no time nor place to quarrel."

"You're right, Frank; but this ungrateful young villain makes me very
tired!"

"Careful, professor--slang."

"Excuse me, but you know human beings are influenced by their
surroundings and associates. If I have----"

"Professor!" cried Frank, reproachfully. "You would not accuse me of
having taught you to use slang?"

"Ah--ha--ahem! No, no--that is, you see--er--well, er, that Dutch boy
was always saying something slangy."

"Hans?"

"Yes."

"Professor! professor! He's not here to defend himself."

"Oh, well! Oh, well! Ha! ha! ha! Quite a joke--quite a little joke, you
know! You always appreciate a joke, Frank. You are full of fun
yourself."

As under the circumstances there was nothing else to do, they finally
paddled slowly forward, looking for a piece of dry land, where they
could stop and camp for the night.

They approached a small cluster of trees, which rose above the rushes,
and it was seen that they seemed to be growing on land that was fairly
high and dry.

"We'll stop there," decided Frank. "It's not likely we'll find another
place like that anywhere in the Everglades."

As they came nearer, they saw the trees seemed to be growing on an
island, for the water course divided and ran on either side of them.

"Just the place for a camp!" cried Fran