thing that
suddenly turned up an ugly head, with bulging eyes, which looked fishily
at the girls in the boat.

Then, with a swirl of its tail, the creature sank below the surface.

"Yes, that was an alligator," said Betty quietly.

"I told you it was," spoke Grace. "And to think I nearly had my hand on
it. Oh, I don't want to remember it."

"But it didn't bite you," said practical Mollie.

"If it had--well, the less said the better," remarked Betty. "Now let's
forget all about it and enjoy ourselves. Maybe there are only a few of
them here in the river."

"I wonder what alligators are good for, anyhow?" came from Amy, as she
resumed her seat. "They don't seem fit for anything."

"You forget about alligator bags," corrected Mollie. "What would we do
for valises and satchels if we had no alligators, I'd like to know?"

"That's so," admitted Amy.

Grace was looking over the surface of the river as though to see if any
more of the ugly creatures were in sight, but the water was unruffled
save by the wind.

Not knowing the character of the stream Betty did not want to venture to
far. So, after going down about a mile or so, she turned the boat and
headed up stream. They passed a number of small boats, manned by
colored boys who were fishing, and the youngsters suspended operations
to gaze with mingled wonder and fear at Betty's swiftly-moving craft.

They tied up at the small dock which extended out into the river at the
foot of the orange grove, well satisfied with their first trip, even
though they had been frightened by the alligators.

"Yes, you will find one or two 'gators, now and then," said Mr. Hammond,
the overseer, when told of the girls' experience. "But they won't bother
you, especially in a big boat. Don't worry."

But Grace was so nervous that night that she did not sleep well, and
Mrs. Stonington grew quite alarmed. Perhaps it was as much worry over
the fate of Will, as the recollection of her escape from the alligator,
that disturbed Grace.

For no good news had come from Mr. Ford. He had set many influences at
work on the case, but so far nothing had come of his inquiries.

Will seemed to have been taken into the interior of Florida, and there
lost. There were so many turpentine camps, or places where contract
labor was used to get out valuable wood, or other products, that a
complete inquiry would take a long time.

Mrs. Ford was as well as could be expected, Grace's father wrote,
though