y remarked;
showing that after all his thoughts were not wholly taken up with the
working of the engine at which he was gazing so proudly.

"Say, did you hear what he said about the swamp boy licking his Bob?"
demanded Larry, with sudden glee. "Don't you remember what we thought
of that big loafer; and how he seemed to lord it over all the other
boys of the town, when they came out in a bunch to see what our boat
looked like? I'm awful glad he got his, ain't you, Phil?"

"Sure I am," grinned the other. "Thought at one time I'd have to
tackle Bob on my own account, when he got so sassy; but I knew his dad
would make it rough for us, and I managed to hold in. Yes, he got only
what he deserved, I guess. And if I ever meet up with that swamp boy,
I declare I'd like to shake hands with him, and tell him he is all
right for doing what he did. It took some nerve to tackle Bob--just
like a little rooster going next door and licking the cock of the
barnyard."

"Would you really like to tell him that?" exclaimed Larry, as he
clutched the shoulder of his chum; and Phil, looking up was astonished
to see how his eyes danced.

"Give you my word I would," he declared, vehemently.

"Good!" ejaculated the other, with a nervous laugh; and springing over
to a spot nearer the stern of the boat he called out: "You might as
well come out now. The colonel and his crowd are far away, and we want
to see what you look like!"

Thereupon, to the immense amazement of Phil Lancing, the blankets began
to heave; and being speedily tossed aside, behold there came forth the
figure of a tattered, half-grown boy--a boy with a face as brown as
that of an Indian, and with a pair of defiant black eyes that flashed
fire as he looked straight at the owner of the motor boat.

And Phil realized that he was gazing upon the boy belonging to the
terrible McGee tribe from down-river, who had just licked the big
Brashears cub in his own home town!

CHAPTER II

A BOY OF THE SWAMPS

"Well, if this don't beat all creation!" exclaimed Phil, as he
continued to stare at the uninvited passenger on board the Aurora.
"See here, Larry, own up now that you saw him crawl aboard our boat?"

"That's just what I did," chuckled the other, as though he enjoyed the
joke. "If you hark back a bit, perhaps you'll remember my calling out,
just at the time you discovered moving figures through the trees? That
was because I had caught just a glimpse of something