ety.

"Wonder what he's doing now?" said Alec.

"I'd give anything to know for sure that he's alive and safe!" was
Billy's rueful rejoinder. "I've heard all sorts of stories about
what rough-necks like those smugglers do to any one that butts in on
their game!"

"You don't believe they'd kill him?"

"No-o, hardly that. But they might----"

"The worst of it is," interrupted Alec, "we don't even know that he's
alive. He might have been drowned or-----"

"I won't believe that, Alec! I can't believe it!"

"But you said just now-----"

"I don't know what I said or what I meant!"

"Calm down, Billy, old scout! You're all upset."

"Who wouldn't be, I'd like to know?"

"I don't blame you," said Alec in genuine sympathy. "We all are, you
know; but we've got to keep our heads, and we mustn't despair."

"Yes, you're right, Alec."

There was a brief silence, while the two friends stood by the rail
watching the low-lying shore slip past them as the _Arrow_ flew
onward. Then Billy spoke again, and his voice was steadier.

"We're going to find Hugh and get him out of danger," he said quietly,
"so let's get ready to do our level best."

"I'm with you, Bill! That's the stuff. That's the way to feel! Why,
it helps a lot not to lose hope at the start! Come on, let's find out
what we're going to do first."

Mark Anderson came over to them just then, tugging at his cap to keep
it from being blown away.

"We're almost at Palmetto Key now," he said. "Whew! I'll be glad when
we're off this boat on dry land,---and _doing_ something! This
cruising-around-while-you-wait gets my nerve! I've had about enough
of the salt water, anyway. When we get Hugh back, me for the choo-choo
cars home to Santario!"

It was a natural impatience, and some of the boys shared it for the
time being. They might change their minds later, they agreed, but at
present most of them were of Dave's opinion of the cruise---"Heap
much trouble, not much fun." However, the prospect of excitement and
a possible encounter with smugglers on the outskirts of the Everglades,
cheered them considerably.

Gliding through the channels between islands and keys, and keeping
out of sight of watchers on the mainland as far as possible, the
_Arrow_ finally cast anchor off Palmetto Key nearly opposite Durgan's
cove, and the boat made two trips ashore with Norton and the boys.
Dave went with them, of course, for he was thoroughly familiar with
that sec