ime by the forelock and endeavor to learn the lay of the land
while a fitting opportunity lasted. To start out when darkness lay over
everything, with no knowledge whatever concerning the prospect before
them, would have doubled the chances for some grievous calamity
overtaking them even before they were ready to strike their first blow.

Jack had a pretty strong suspicion they were in the neighborhood of some
stretch of swampland--he was backed in this supposition by several
things--the general low lay of the ground bordering the great lake and
also the fact that snowy white egrets, as well as cranes, flew to and
fro during the early morning, as though they must have a roost not far
away and he had been told that as a rule these gathering places were to
be found in the gloomy depths of a swamp.

If they should chance to lose their way in those dark and dismal swamps
and find themselves mired in the mud holes, they would be in a sorry
fix, and they might even be forced to shout for assistance in order to
save their lives, thus revealing themselves to their enemy, for the
tenacious muck had a tendency to act in the same treacherous fashion as
quicksand, clutching the victim and dragging him down, inch after inch
into its unfathomable depths.

Hardly were they started than one pleasing discovery was made. Just as
Jack had hoped might be the case, a dim trail was struck not far back
from the border of the silent lake, that gave promise of leading them in
the course they planned to go.

Jack made certain that there were no signs of this trail having been
used by human beings--at least in recent times; possibly it may have
originally been an Indian trail in those days when Osceola and his
gallant followers dared defy the powers at Washington and declare open
war upon the few white squatters at that time in the southern portions
of the Florida peninsula. Or, what was more probable still, it might be
only the pathway used for ages by innumerable four-footed denizens of
the swamp,--deer, panthers, raccoons, 'possum, foxes, wildcats and the
like.

It was a meandering trail, evidently following the path of least
resistance for on both sides the shrubbery, together with wild
grape-vines and various other climbers, made a solid barrier that even a
weasel might have found difficult to negotiate.

Presently their road skirted the border of the swamp Jack had felt so
certain could not be far away. Here new and wonderful sights g