he girls
were practically prisoners on what, with a rise of the river, would be
an island.

"They don't seem to be coming after us," remarked Mollie looking about
for some stones, or anything else, to use as a weapon of offense.

"No, they're just waiting their time," said Amy, who was still clinging
to Grace. "When they get ready they'll crawl out here and--and--what is
it alligators do to you, anyhow--charm you?"

"You're thinking of snakes," said Betty, narrowly watching the saurians.
"Alligators knock you down with their tails, I understand, sort of stun
you, and----"

"Spare us the horrible details," interrupted Mollie, and she drawled it
out in such a funny way that the others laughed.

The alligators evinced no intention of coming forward. They were moving
about, seeming to scoop out resting places in the hot sand, on which the
sun poured fierce rays. Then, having made themselves comfortable,
stretched out at full length, the creatures sunned themselves.

The girls were getting uncomfortable now, for they were in an exposed
position, and the day was warm. There was very little shade on that
small peninsula.

"We've got to get help!" decided Mollie at length. "For some reason our
escort has deserted us, and----"

"Oh, don't say that!" cried Betty. "I'm sure he can't have done that."

"Well, he isn't there; is he?" demanded Mollie, waving her hand toward
the distant spread on the grass. "And I'd like to know where he is!"

"Maybe some of those men who were hanging about the orange grove, or who
were after that poor, ragged young man, have taken Tom away," suggested
Amy.

"Comforting--isn't she?" asked Mollie, appealing to the others.

"Well, I mean----"

"Oh, never mind--don't make it any worse," interrupted Mollie. "The
question is what can we do?"

"Let's call for him," suggested Grace. "He can't have gone very far, and
it's a still day. He'll hear us."

"It is rather strange where he could have gone," mused Betty. Anxiously
she looked toward the main shore. There was no sight of Tom Osborne.

Together the girls raised their voices in a shout that must have carried
far. They wailed, but there was no response. Then they called again,
with like result. The outdoor girls looked anxiously at one another. The
alligators seemed disposed to maintain their position indefinitely, and
the neck of land was so narrow that the saurians occupied the entire
width of it.

"Well, here goes!" cried Betty when