their legs, and they had on all the belts and hunting-fixings that
the law allows. The lady wore yellow gloves, to match the men's boots.
As we were going up the St. John's, the two men strode about, in an easy
kind of a way, as if they wanted us to understand that this sort of
thing was nothing to them. They were used to it, and could wear that
style of boots every day if they wanted to. Rectus called them "the
yellow-legged party," which wasn't a bad name.

After steaming about twenty-five miles up the St. John's River, we went
in close to the western shore, and then made a sharp turn into a narrow
opening between the tall trees, and sailed right into the forest.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE STEAM-BOAT IN THE FOREST.

We were in a narrow river, where the tall trees met overhead, while the
lower branches and the smaller trees brushed against the little boat as
it steamed along. This was the Oclawaha River, and Rectus and I thought
it was as good as fairy-land. We stood on the bow of the boat, which
wasn't two feet above the water, and took in everything there was to
see.

The river wound around in among the great trees, so that we seldom could
see more than a few hundred yards ahead, and every turn we made showed
us some new picture of green trees and hanging moss and glimpses into
the heart of the forest, while everything was reflected in the river,
which was as quiet as a looking-glass.

"Talk of theatres!" said Rectus.

"No, don't," said I.

At this moment we both gave a little jump, for a gun went off just
behind us. We turned around quickly, and saw that the tall yellow-legs
had just fired at a big bird. He didn't hit it.

"Hello!" said Rectus; "we'd better get our gun. The game is beginning to
show itself." And off he ran for the rifle.

I didn't know that Rectus had such a bloodthirsty style of mind; but
there were a good many things about him that I didn't know. When he came
back, he loaded the rifle, which was a little breech-loader, and began
eagerly looking about for game.

Corny had been on the upper deck; but in a minute or two she came
running out to us.

"Oh! do you know," she called out, "that there are alligators in this
river? Do you think they could crawl up into the boat? We go awfully
near shore sometimes. They sleep on shore. I do hope I'll see one soon."

"Well, keep a sharp look-out, and perhaps you may," said I.

She sat down on a box near the edge of the deck, and peered into t