the outer edge of the jungle, and, despite the darkness, had continued on through the tr

d Butler's comment as their guide rode confid

lack. He had been recommended by Major Clowney as a man who would be useful to them. Ichabod was as solemn and dignified as a

y well, but Ichabod was afraid of snakes; that was his worst failing. One afraid of snakes had better keep out of the canebrake. The dozen h

't get into the water," called th

t the firewoo

chabod. You all remain on your horses until we get

question

nt of the

The other boys laughed and

jected the Professor, who, not to be

I am responsible for these

tenderfeet, Mr. Lilly," said Tad. "If you will show me some fir

ork after we get settled to our trails. You will break your

acks, loosening the cinches, piling the packs on the ground in an orderly manner born of long experience in the woods. They did not need a light to do this work. In fact, they could j

ing to himself, the dogs were barking and the horses neighing,

ector, not having heard Chunky's

Stacy!" calle

light revealed Chunky sitting with his back against a tree, his head tilted b

manded Stacy rebelliously as he

an to lie down in a place

y n

about here. Didn't you hear the gu

rept

es

h-h,

up. Get on your horse and take a nap

want to go to sleep

is some punk, if yo

chance to

useful, especially in we

but it isn't available just now. T

the scene. The dogs were sitting about on their haunches regarding the

tch your tent, Mr.

ch your own if you wish. You know how

ening would be towards the fire, placing it as close

ioned Lilly, tugging

smoke from the campf

r w

quitoes. I hear th

h an emphatic nod. "I guess you

circle close about the fire that

firing the forest here,

part of the forest is really a swamp. Wherever y

he canebrake?"

ges, the hi

r he

fetch some of it in to show you after we have ha

tacy. "No, just e

, greedily watching the preparations for the evening meal. While this was being done, Lilly was trampling down the brush, slashi

boy under the influence of the waffles soon was stilled, his cheeks were puffed ou

ter in the darkness. I should not advise much roaming about in the night until after you have becom

Professor. "But what are those peculia

ndering about

the cypr

standing up from the ground three

ee itself. They make great hiding places for all sorts of reptiles and sm

ses would break their l

ur animals very wise. They know the game down here, though up in the Rockies t

his trade," observed the

agreed wit

ul of cane so the gentleme

the boys ever had seen. These canes they found to be hollow, having

ing feature. The canes stand so thickly that they crowd out other growths and make fine hiding places for wild animals and reptiles. They stan

ake fine fishp

out two-thirds the height of the plant, and the peculiar feature

r to be very tall here,"

by any tree in the eastern forests. The redwoods of the Sierras, of course, can't be beaten by anything else in this country. There are thousands of acres

tend to," an

the first time that we have

much fun in my life," piped Stacy. "But then there weren't an

l turned in," agr

ting swamp, the buzzing of the mosquitoes fighting to get into the tents, but driven back by the smoke, kep

m every direction at once brought the boys to a sit

, what's that?

't like anything I ever heard. I gues

he adjoining tent. "I thought their racket would

l all night?

nd sometimes in

is concerned. But I am going to sl

slapped and growled, and growled and slapped; then after a time he got up quietly, piling the bundle of cane on the fire, and placing heavier wood on top of that. Then, well satisf

the camp had been blown up, accompanied by the yells of the boy