s.

"I don't like this," said Sam. "They may have known the way, but we
don't; and if we don't look out we'll get in so deep we'll be helpless."

"Yah, let us go back," said Hans, who had not forgotten his experience
in the bog hole. "A feller can't schwim in vater mit mud up to his
neck alretty!"

Again they had to turn back. As they did this Dick fancied he heard
a faraway cry for help.

"Did you hear that?" he asked of Tom. "What?"

"I heard somebody call, I think."

"So did I," put in Harold Bird. "Listen!"

They listened, but the cry, or whatever it was, was not repeated.
Soon they were back to the side of the houseboat once more.

"Do you think that call came from Fred or Songbird?" asked Sam.

"It might be, Sam," answered Dick. "Maybe we had better get back to
the launch."

"Yes, yes, let us go back by all means!" exclaimed Harold Bird. "If
your friends are in trouble we ought to aid them."

As rapidly as they could do so, they started back for the spot where
the gasoline launch had been left. Once they lost their way, and got
into a swamp from which it was next to impossible to get out.

"We'll have to go back!" cried Sam, after he had moved in several
directions, only to find himself worse off than before.

"Be careful," warned Harold Bird. "If you aren't careful--Stop!"

All of the boys halted, for the command was out of the ordinary. The
young Southerner was looking straight ahead of him.

"What is it?" questioned Tom, in a low tone, thinking some of the
enemy might be near.

"Am I right, and is that a snake ahead?" asked Harold Bird. "It looks
like a snake and still it may be nothing but the dead limb of a tree."

"Say, I ton't vonts me no snakes in mine!" ejaculated Hans, trying
to retreat.

All the boys gazed at the object ahead with interest. Then Tom broke
off a stick near him and threw it at the object. The latter did not
budge.

"Must be a tree limb," said Tom. "But it looked enough like a snake
to frighten anybody."

"I am not sure yet," answered Harold Bird. "You must remember that
some of our southern snakes are very sluggish and only move when they
are hungry or harassed."

"We'll give the limb, or whatever it is, a wide berth," said Sam.

They started to move to one side. But Tom was curious, and chancing
to see a stone among some bushes, hurled it at the object, hitting
it directly in the center.

Up came an ugly-looking head, the object whipped around swiftly, and