royal palms. It was early afternoon when they let go the anchor and the boys lost no time in getting into the Squeegee and rowing ashore. They carried with them the Carrier Dove's water keg w

y sent for and arraigne

ftless ways. Her rigging was spliced in innumerable places and her halyards badly frayed so that they wedged in the blocks sometimes. Her paint was peeled off her sides in large flakes

ost down to the water's edge and further back were several wild banana plants with their yellow fruit hanging temptingly for the boys to pluck. And pluck it they did and declared th

the keg. He had ladled out a few dipperfuls when he started back with a yell. The others, who had been roaming about in the vicinity, hurried back and found the reporter

ed Lathrop, as he gazed at the

's a fact," remarked Frank, "But what wou

oked at him i

nk," laughed Billy. "That soun

in the southern portions of the Everglades there are snakes bigger than any known species," replied Frank, "his guide kill

nd when any such creatures as

ake stories are all right in print but

nk, after the group had strolled back to the boat la

cried th

get some duffle ashore and camp here in the jungle for a night. The

to the sloop, Lathrop and Billy Barnes set about getting in a supply of firewood and laying a fire betwe

over he promised to cook them what he called a bush supper if allowed to come ashore, so that when the b

of gratified pride. Under Ben Stubbs' orders the party had soon secured several bunches of oysters from the mangroves,-which were laden with the bivalves where they dipped into the water at low tide,-as well as half a dozen turtle

then, after cutting down the center of the lower shell, the meat was easily got at. Salted and peppered inside and out and the meat removed from the shell af

rd-baked clay casings and cracked them free with a hatchet,-which automatically skinned the birds and plucked them at the same time,-the boys were ready to acclaim him a very prince of chefs. The meal was eaten with pilot bread and washed dow

ing-knives as table utensils. The little party sat round the big camp-fire and sang songs and ta

bein' as clean craz

ankets and lulled by the croaking and snoring of a big tree lizard in a near-by custard apple-t

ning over their momentous expedition. In a few days now they would be in the Archipelago and the plunge into the unknown would have to be taken. As he gazed about him at the sleeping party-Harry and Billy, light and care

be put in operation and a permanent camp established in the 'glades he would establish communication with the Tarantula. That at least would put them in touch with powerful allies whatever foes and evil influences they might encoun

ad been. As his eyes opened, however, Frank had a queer sensation that his awakening had been d

out under his pillow where

gonized hail from over the moonlit wate

ntruder. He need not have been under any apprehension, however, for whoever the prowler was he had vanished

aboard the sl

, which was stifled as suddenly as if

murder!

ll was

powerful strokes a long, low dark body,-almost reptilian in its swift movement,-glided from the opposite side of the Carrier

g speed momentarily, tore off across the moonlit water a