e, seeking in many strange places for the young
man who had appealed to him for help. But he did not find him.

So the girls went for a little excursion. In spite of the gloom that
seemed to hang over them they had an enjoyable time.

They were scanning the shores ahead of them, looking for a suitable
place to land and eat their lunch, when Betty, who had taken the wheel,
with The Loon to stand beside and direct her steering, uttered a cry and
pointed ahead.

"See!" she said. "What is that?"

The other girls looked.

"Some sort of a raft," answered Mollie.

"And someone is on it!" added Amy.

"It's a man!" cried Grace. "A young man! Oh, maybe it's the one who
escaped from the Everglade swamp. Hurry to him, Betty!"

As she spoke the figure on the raft rose to his knees, and waved a hand
at the girls. Then the youth, for such he was seen to be, toppled over
on his rude craft, and went drifting down the current.

CHAPTER XXV

WILL FORD

"Slow up a little, Betty. Now ahead to starboard! Reverse! I have it!"

Thus cried Mollie, who stood at the bow of the _Gem_ with a boathook in
her grasp, while the motor craft approached the rude raft on which lay
the body of an unconscious youth. Mollie had caught the hook in the edge
of the boards and the motor boat was now beside it.

"What--what are we going to do with him?" asked Amy.

"Get him aboard, of course," said Betty, shortly. She was busy making
fast a line to a projection on the raft. The _Gem_ was now drifting with
the craft containing the young man.

"We never can!" cried Grace. "Oh, perhaps he's----"

She did not say what she thought.

"We've just got to get him up here, and take him to a doctor," declared
Betty, fiercely. "He looks half-starved."

There was a moment of hesitation among the girls--a natural
hesitation--and then Betty and Mollie with an understanding look at
each other climbed from the boat to the raft. It was big and strong
enough to support much more weight; for, though it was rudely made, it
was substantial, being composed of tree trunks, and boards, bound
together with withes, forest vines, and bits of rope.

"He--he's breathing--anyhow," said Mollie, softly.

"Yes, we--we must lift him up," spoke Betty. "Come on."

They exposed the pale and drawn face of the youth on the raft. At the
sight of it Grace, who with Amy was leaning breathlessly over the side
of the boat, uttered a cry.

"It's Will!" she screamed, half-hy