he only too gladly welcomed the opportunity
to wipe out a little of the debt.

CHAPTER XVI

UNDER THE TWISTED LIVE OAK

"Where did you ever learn that trick, Tony?" asked Phil, as they once
more went aboard the motor boat, Larry to change his clothes before
thinking of fishing, and Tony to continue the task at which he had been
employed, just as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened to
disturb him.

"I tell yuh," replied the swamp boy. "McGee, he one time think he have
to get out this part of country and locate 'way down south. Hear lots
'bout Everglades, an' go down coast with sponger on sailboat, tuh see
if worth while. I was 'long that trip down tuh gulf; an' McGee, he
send me back with other men. But I wanter go 'long an' see them
Everglades; hear heap 'bout same from one o' our men. Waited till I
get chance, an' crawl 'board sailboat, hide in locker forward. They
never find me till I get so hungry second day, have tuh come out."

Phil noticed that Tony seldom referred to the head of the clan as his
"father"; it was nearly always "McGee"; just as if he felt more respect
for him as the leader of the settlement, than regard for him as his
parent.

"I suppose your father was considerably surprised?" he remarked,
smiling.

Tony shrugged his shoulders, as though the memory were not altogether
pleasant.

"He was mad clean through," he replied. "He knock me down once, and
say he ought to throw me overboard. Then he change his mind, and larf,
tellin' me I was a chip o' the same old stick, er somethin' that way.
Arter that he act right good, an' I do the cookin' foh the lot. So
then we get tuh Everglades. But he never take tuh things down thar
like here, an' change mind 'bout leavin'."

"But about the alligator trick, Tony?" asked Larry, who was listening
eagerly all me while.

"Come tuh that now, Larry, you see," answered the other, nodding
pleasantly. "Meet Injuns down thar. Seminoles they call 'em. Wear
shirt, vest, an' a heap o' red stuff wind 'round head; that all. I
talk much with Injuns; they tell me how they many times ride on back of
big bull. I never hear such thing, an' want'er see, so they take me
out in swamp, and one boy he do same."

"Yes," broke in Phil, "I guess you wasn't satisfied to have an Indian
beat you in such a trick; and you couldn't rest until you had copied
him; isn't that just about right, Tony?"

The swamp boy chuckled as he nodded.

"Reckon I d