and our hunters immediately began their preparat

said the captain, "there seems a powerful lot of th

ems to me that there has been a lot of birds flying around that little island

supper, the boys prepared a number of torches from fat p

of the canoes and the captain the other. Chris begged

o keep a sharp lookout to guard against any possible surprise from wild animals or men. Keep up the fire so we can find our way back, and have some hot

his great racial vanity, "I jus' reckon nothin' goin' to get past dis nigger, t

hing troubles you or you see anything wrong, fire off you

early upset their frail craft. "M

o light she will float on a good heavy dew, and then she's so easy to take to pieces and

marsh grass, and, fastening them to paddles, stuck down in the mud, our hunters shouldered their fowling-pieces and trudged ahead through the mire. T

t track," grinned Charley,

a clothes-pin on my nose. Smells just like as island o

we've stumbled onto a good big rookery for sure. That smell comes mostly from the dead ba

the little island where the dead trees were thickest, the little party was nearly overcome by the horrible

red. "Let's light up our torches together and make as short work of

he miry ground strewn with eggs of all sizes, shapes and colors, and dead birds of many kinds, in amongst which writhed and twisted dirty-looking, repulsive water moccasi

e hand and hold our torches

The three guns belched out their deadly message almost together and a score of birds fell to the ground. Again

e long, silky plumes, which they carefully placed in a stiff leather valise, then

ks until at last but few lingered on the barren limbs. Charley was about to call his companions together and propose a return to camp when a sudden cry sent the blood tingling through his veins. It was Walter's voice, and its tone was that

rouble, Charl

he shouted back, "something terr

redoubled vigor, a world

cross. Near the center of this place was Walter, waving his torch frantically back and forth. He ceased his cries as their lights flashed into view. "Stop, stop!" he shouted, "don't come a step further. I am si

he was far from feeling, for he knew well, by hearsay, of the terrible swamp qu

e over his head. It was a situation that demanded instant action. For a moment Charley stood silent besid

hat is light," he shouted back; "I

the entombed lad. His labor was in vain, for as each branch struck

r, cheerfully. "They are doing no good, and

eye, and groaned in despair. "They'll fall short by a dozen feet," he

two canvas canoes knotted together. His first toss con

ght, and he stood for a space like one in a daze.

ailure of the first cast of the rope. Already the mire had sucked him down so that

ast camp together. Don't feel too down, Charley. Remember what

ce. "You shan't die," he cried wildly,