wn himself to be clever on the
water, much more so than the bugler of the troop.

Johnny was already showing them how to pull the skiffs in by means of a
rope attached to each. It was a good way of mooring them when not in
use.

"Yuh see the third boat was drawed up on the shore here," he remarked
in a disconsolate tone; "'cause I was ausin' her right along. I guess
that's the reason they took the best o' the lot."

When the two boats had been brought to the shore, packs were
distributed in the same, according to the directions of the leader.
These were not hastily tossed aboard, but placed where they would be
out of the way of the one who was using the long push-pole.

"Thank goodneth we've got our camp hatchet along," remarked Ted, as he
took his place, "tho even if we do lose or bweak our pole we can
alwayth cut another one."

"Yep, I never go intuh the swamp without my hatchet," asserted Johnny.
"Yuh see it comes in mighty handy when yuh want tuh make a fire, or cut
a way through sum tangled snarl o' brush. Then, besides, I find a use
fur the same in setting traps, fur mushrats ain't ther on'y kind o' fur
we bags araound these diggings."

Some of the boys might have liked keeping up the talk, especially when
it bordered on such an interesting subject. Elmer, however, knew that
time was valuable to them just then, with such a difficult task ahead.
They had to find two parties who were secreted somewhere in the swamp;
and as Lil Artha declared it was "pretty much like looking for a needle
in a haystack."

Johnny stood there on the bank, and waved his hat to the scouts as he
watched them poling away. They could almost imagine they heard the
tremendous sigh that came from his breast as he saw a glorious chance
for real fun pass from his grasp.

"Good-bye, an' good luck tuh yuh all!" he called out.

Following the serpentine passage of clear water, the two boats soon
passed from the sight of the bound boy, though doubtless he could still
hear gurgling sounds as the push-poles were worked, and the flat prows
of the skiffs passed over the numerous water-lily pads.

And now the swamp was before them.

All of the scouts surveyed the scene with lively anticipations. They
could easily understand that the immediate future might throw all
manner of strange adventures across their path, and, like most boys,
Elmer and his chums were ever hungry for exciting things to happen--it
was in the blood.

But, then, at