uld see the stranger. He was almost up to his
shoulders in the soft, sticky mud, but when he caught sight of his
would-be rescuers, he waved a hand to them feebly.

"Step lively, boys," he implored, "I'm almost done for. I won't be able
to last long. The further I sink the faster, and this muck will soon be
over my head."

The three comrades held a hurried consultation as to the best means they
could employ to effect the man's release.

"Let's buckle our belts together," suggested Bert, hastily divesting
himself of his. "Maybe we can pull him out that way."

This was no sooner said than done, and in a twinkling the three stout
belts were fastened together. Then, following the captive's direction,
they ventured gingerly out on the narrow path, composed of quaking tufts
of soft earth that led into and presumably across the swamp. Soon they
were within ten feet or so of the unfortunate, who proved to be a well
built man of middle age. They threw him the end of the improvised rope,
which he grasped desperately. Then they bent their united efforts to
pulling him out of the clinging mire. Pull as they might, however, they
were hardly able to move him, as they could get no purchase on the soft
ground, and only began to sink in themselves. It was with difficulty
that, after giving over this attempt as hopeless, they managed to
scramble back to solid ground.

"Don't give up, boys," pleaded the unhappy man. "You're not going to let
me die here, are you?"

"Don't worry about our deserting you," said Bert. "We're going to get
you out of this, but we've got to figure out how. Can you think of
anything?"

"You might run back to where the underbrush starts and bring back a lot
of it," suggested he. "I might be able to support myself that way while
you went for help."

"That's a good idea," exclaimed Bert, and in accordance with the
suggestion they raced back to the jungle and soon returned, each bearing
a large bundle of underbrush. This they threw into the swamp in such a
way that the man could rest his arms on it. Then they waited expectantly
to see if this would "turn the trick."

At first it seemed that the plan would prove successful, but before long
it became apparent that the man was still sinking, although more slowly
than before. The brush only served to defer his fate.

"Hang it all!" exclaimed Bert, as he realized this fact, "there's nothing
we can do here alone. What we need is planks, and rop