large and
small, and water-courses shallow and deep, grass-choked and clear.

After exploring its mazes for miles, Dick and Ned found, near the
northeast end of the bay, a tiny key marked by two tall palmettos,
on which were the signs of an old Indian camp. Here they roasted a
mess of clams and spent the night. An entire day was wasted in
following creeks that led nowhere and blind trails. That night they
slept again at the Indian camp and on the following day found a
small channel which, through twisting creeks and crooked waterways,
led to the broad waters of the upper section of Harney's River,
which they followed until they were stopped by the Everglades. They
made their camp by a lime tree which was burdened with fruit, and
went out from it each day to hunt fish or explore and to study and
chart the country about them. The waters of the streams were all
flowing clear and fresh from the Everglades. The creeks were alive
with fish of many kinds, and their surfaces dotted with the heads of
edible turtles.

Alligators were abundant and otters could often be seen sliding down
the banks, or in families, playing together in the water. Ned had
seen a pet otter at Myers and wanted one for himself. He had brought
with him an otter trap, with smooth jaws instead of the cruel teeth
which are customary, and he set it near an otter slide. The next day
as the canoe approached the point where the trap had been set the
rattling of the chain that held it told of the victim it had made.
The hind leg of the otter was held firmly by the trap, but he sprang
fiercely at Ned as he came near, and the sharp teeth snapped
together within a few inches of the boy's face as the short chain
straightened out. The boys went back to their camp, where Ned made a
cage out of the box in which they kept most of their stores, and
then returned to their captive.

"How are you going to get him into the cage, Ned?"

"Hold his head down with a forked stick, take him round the neck
with my hand so he can't bite, take the trap off of his leg and poke
him in the cage."

"Ned! He'll eat you up. I'd rather tackle a wildcat."

"Just watch him eat me up. You stand by, when I've got a good hold,
and take off that trap quick as you can. Then I'll drop him in the
box and--there you are."

"No, we won't be there--not all of us. I wish I was the otter. He'll
have all the fun."

Ned got his forked stick and, after a long struggle, in which Dick
had to help