And now the sun was creeping closer and closer to the western horizon;
and they must soon come to a stop for the night; unless, as Phil rather
suspected, Tony had conceived some sort of wild idea as to influencing
them to keep right on, so that he could run them past the settlement of
the shingle-makers in the darkness.

Of course there was bound to be a moon, for it even now hung low in the
eastern heavens, being well on toward the full; and, as boys accustomed
to the woods well know, a full moon always rises above a level horizon
just at sunset. But clouds floated in patches across the sky, and it
might be they would obscure this heavenly luminary long enough for
Tony's purposes.

But Phil was equally determined not to let the swamp boy try to run
them past. He had come far to carry out his purpose; and could not
bring himself to believe that it might fail utterly. Much as he had
heard about the fierce nature of the giant, McGee, chief of the clan,
he had faith to believe that even such a rugged and almost savage
character might be subdued, if one went about it in the right way.

"We must be looking for a place to haul up, Tony," Phil finally said,
in his most determined tone.

The swamp boy looked almost heart-broken upon hearing him say this. He
gritted his teeth together, and frowned. Phil knew what must be
passing in his mind; and how poor Tony felt, that in obeying the wishes
of this new friend, he was acting as a decoy, to betray the son of the
hated Dr. Lancing into the hands of those who would treat him roughly.

Tony shook his head and sighed. Then, as if making up his mind that
there was no other course for him to pursue, he tried to smile
cheerfully. Perhaps he still hoped that if the worst came, he might
find another arrow in his quiver to use. Perhaps he relied somewhat on
the influence of his mother, she who had once been a school teacher in
a city, before she came to marry this chieftain of the McGee clan.

"Just as yuh say, Phil," he remarked, meekly. "If we have tuh tie up,
reckons as how it could be did 'round hyah as well as anywhar else.
Yuh see thar's swamp nigh everywhar 'bout, now--nothin' but cypress in
this part o' the kentry. So, when yuh say so, we'll get a hitch 'round
a tree, an' stop."

"Looks to be a likely place ahead there," remarked Larry, who had been
amusing himself with a pair of marine glasses Phil had brought along
with him; and which promised to be particular