nch
for the picnic party that was to figure in the moving pictures, had been
very liberal, otherwise there would have been no food left now. And in
the matter of coffee enough had been put in to make several large pots
full.

As for water, some had been brought along, but, luckily, after this was
exhausted Russ managed to find a spring on shore, not far from where the
boat was moored.

"We'll have to take a chance on it," he said. "Anyhow, boiling the water
for coffee will kill all the germs in it."

"And we can't be too particular," agreed Mrs. Maguire.

The embers of the camp fire kindled in the night were blown into flame,
and soon a genial blaze was leaping upward under the big trees. The
refugees gathered about it and ate the scanty meal, drinking several cups
of coffee.

"That will keep us up, and help to ward off fevers which may lurk in
these swamps," said Paul.

The girls had freshened themselves by washing at the side of the brook
which flowed from the spring, and then having arranged their hair, with
the aid of their side combs, and a pocket mirror Alice carried, they
looked, as Paul said, "as sweet as magnolia blossoms."

"Oh, magnolias!" cried Ruth. "If we could only find our _Magnolia_--the
steamer!"

"Oh, we'll find her," said Russ, easily--more easily than he felt.

"We look like wrecks beside the girls," declared Paul, as he ran his hand
over his unshaven chin.

"Don't you dare desert us to look for a barber!" commanded Ruth. "To be
left alone in these woods--ugh!" and she shuddered as she looked about.
Certainly it was very lonely.

"It isn't as bad as last night, though," said Alice. "I feel quite at
home, now. I wonder what became of that animal you shot, Russ? I'd like
to see what it was."

"I wouldn't," declared Ruth, decidedly.

Breakfast over, the blankets and cushions of the boat were spread out in
the sun to dry, for they were damp from the rain and dew.

"And now the question is--what are we to do?" asked Mrs. Maguire. "We
don't want to spend another night in the woods if we can help it."

"I should say not!" cried Russ. "We'll start off in a little while and
make our way back to the steamer."

"Can you find it?" asked Ruth.

"Well, it can't be so very far off," spoke Russ, evasively. "The trouble
is there are so many twists and turns to these creeks and rivers that we
lost our way. I wish I had thought to bring a compass but, since we
didn't, we'll have to go by the sun