, was it?" asked Grace.

"No. The men called him Hippity-hop, 'cause he was lame, I guess. But
maybe I could find your brother."

"I wish someone could," murmured Grace, with a half sob.

The _Gem_ chugged on through the darkness, making turn after turn,
twisting here and there in the water, The Loon seeming to know the
channel perfectly. In a much shorter time than the girls had expected
they made a turn that a few seconds later brought them out on a broad
stream.

"Now I know where we are!" cried Betty. "This is the Mayfair river--our
river; isn't it?"

"Yes," answered The Loon. "We shall soon be at your orange grove now."

A few minutes later they saw a sudden glare of light and heard the
firing of guns. Then they noticed boats here and there on the stream,
each one containing several lanterns, while the occupants were shouting
from time to time.

"Look! Look!" exclaimed Grace.

"Hush!" called Betty. "They are calling us!"

The girls could distinguish their names being spoken.

"They're searching for us!" cried Mollie. "Here we are!" she shouted,
and her voice carried to the searchers and as they saw the lights of
the _Gem_ the boats converged toward her.

Mr. Stonington and Mr. Hammond were in one, and Amy's "uncle" greeted
her and the others with alarm in his tones.

"What happened? Where were you? We have imagined all sorts of terrible
things about you."

"We got lost," explained Betty quickly, "and some men have captured Tom.
They are holding him a prisoner in an Everglade camp. This young man can
take us back there. We must rescue him," and they quickly filled in the
other details of the story.

"Well, this beats all!" exclaimed Mr. Hammond. "Those timber men are
getting worse and worse all the while. We'll have to teach them a
lesson!"

"Will you rescue them?" asked The Loon.

"Surely, Harry," spoke the foreman, who knew the simple-minded lad.
"We'll get right after the fellows. What do you say, Mr. Stonington?"

"I say yes, of course."

"And may we come?" asked Grace. "My brother may be there."

The two men did not answer for a moment. Then Mr. Hammond said in a low
voice:

"Their launch would come in useful, and really there is not much danger
in daylight."

"Very well," said Mr. Stonington. "I'll go along too."

"Aren't you going to rescue them to-night?" asked The Loon.

"It would be impossible, Harry," said Mr. Hammond, gently. "They might
escape in the darkness, and take you