om afar had not seemed so
serious, but which now took on a more somber hue.

Tony had crawled forward, where he cuddled under his warm blanket.
Phil knew that he had taken particular pains to settle himself down, so
that he could easily stretch out his hand, and touch the new comrade of
whom he had become so fond. It was a mute expression of his devotion;
just after the same manner as shown by the favorite hound that curls
himself up at his master's feet, where he can be ready to defend him
against any ill that springs up unexpectedly.

"Oh! I never wished so much before in all my life," Phil was saying to
himself over and over, as he lay there thinking, "that things would
turn out all right; and somehow I just seem to feel, deep down in my
heart, that they must, they must!"

By degrees his eyes became heavy. He had not enjoyed any too much
sleep since the cruise had started. One thing and another had
conspired to keep him awake each night; and although Phil was a lad of
unusual will power, he had found it beyond him to altogether shut out
the possibilities that lay in wait for them in the near future.

Finally he slept.

The night wore on, so that several hours passed. From down-stream
there came a low sound that was not unlike the dip of paddles. Tony
raised his head the better to listen; and from this fact it became
evident that the devoted swamp lad had not allowed himself to secure a
minute's sleep up to that time.

He listened. Sometimes the sound seemed clear, and then again it would
die away, according to the whim of the night air. But Tony was
accustomed to judging such things. He presently made up his mind that
the dip of paddles was getting continually closer; and that one boat at
least was ascending the river, crossing from side to side, as it might
be.

Having ascertained this fact to his own satisfaction, Tony reached out
his hand, and touched the face of Phil, which was only partly covered
by the blanket.

"Yes, what is it, Tony?" whispered the other, arousing instantly,
though he had been in a sound slumber at the time.

"They come!" replied the swamp boy, in a tone inaudible five feet away.

Phil was conscious of a sudden thrill of anticipation. No one could
say what the immediate future held for himself and his chum. And the
discovery of the tied-up motor boat would now be a matter of short
duration, once those keen-eyed men from the squatter settlement arrived
on the scene.