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diff --git a/43875-0.txt b/43875-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..62c71f3 --- /dev/null +++ b/43875-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6567 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43875 *** + +[Illustration: LIKE LIGHTNING THE HUGE BOOM SWUNG AROUND, AND THE +AVALANCHE OF MUD DESCENDED AT THE PONY'S FEET. _Page 128._ + +_The Boy Chums in the Florida Jungle._] + + + + +The Boy Chums In The Florida Jungle + +OR + +Charlie West and Walter Hazard With the Seminole Indians + + By WILMER M. ELY + + AUTHOR OF + + "The Boy Chums Cruising In Florida Waters" + "The Boy Chums In The Gulf Of Mexico" + "The Boy Chums On Haunted Island" + "The Boy Chums On Indian River" + "The Boy Chums' Perilous Cruise" + "The Boy Chums In The Forest" + +[Illustration] + + A. L. BURT COMPANY + NEW YORK + + + + + Copyright, 1915 + BY A. L. BURT COMPANY + + THE BOY CHUMS IN THE FLORIDA JUNGLE + + + + +Contents + + + CHAPTER PAGE + I. THE BOY CHUMS 3 + II. THE NEW VENTURE 11 + III. INVESTIGATING 20 + IV. BUNCOED 28 + V. THE STRIKE 37 + VI. LOYALTY 45 + VII. CHARLEY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE 53 + VIII. WALTER TAKES HIS FIRST LESSON IN RUNNING AN ENGINE 61 + IX. BOB IS SENT HOME 69 + X. WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING 76 + XI. THE CONVICTS' CAMP 83 + XII. CHARLEY GETS A NEW CREW 91 + XIII. LOOKING AHEAD 98 + XIV. SCOUTING 105 + XV. THE FIRST BLOW 112 + XVI. FIGHTING THE FIRE 120 + XVII. THE CONVICTS 128 + XVIII. THE MEDICINE MAN 136 + XIX. THE OLD FORT 144 + XX. THE HIDDEN VOICE 152 + XXI. CHARLEY GETS A TELEGRAM 160 + XXII. MOVING THE CAMP 168 + XXIII. EXCITING EVENTS 176 + XXIV. A CLEW 184 + XXV. SICKNESS IN THE CAMP 192 + XXVI. A MIDNIGHT RAID 200 + XXVII. BURNING OUT THE JUNGLE 208 + XXVIII. SHOOTING TO KILL 216 + XXIX. THE SEMINOLE LAD 224 + XXX. VISITORS 232 + XXXI. MR. JONES BUYS THE OUTFIT 240 + XXXII. THE MYSTERY SOLVED 248 + + + + +THE BOY CHUMS IN THE FLORIDA JUNGLE + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BOY CHUMS. + + +"GOLLY! I'm getting powerful tired ob dis. Fish what just clusterers +'round youah bait an' won't bite at hit noways is jest trifling and +noaccount. I reckon dey's too ornery an' too finiky anyway to be fit to +eat. Well, here goes again, though hit ain't no use. I'se dun spit on +mah bait fifty times, an' rubbed hit twice with my rabbit's foot, but +hit doan' do a bit of good. Dey jes' look at hit an' grin like white +folks at a nigger's wedding." The little ebony negro who had spoken let +drop his daintily baited hook into the water again with a gesture of +disgust. + +"Let me have a look at them, Chris," said another voice, and a white +face joined the black, as the two peered over the edge of the bridge +down into the crystal-clear depths of the water below. + +The white boy straightened up after a brief glance into the azure +waters. He was tall and sturdily built, with lines of self-reliance +and determination upon his youthful face. His mouth widened into a grin +of amusement, as he watched the little negro peering anxiously down at +the circle of black-circle-eyed fish that crowded eagerly but warily +around the baited hook. + +"You're fooling away your time, Chris," said the white lad. "Look +here." He chopped up a few pieces of bait and flung them over beside +the other's line. As they slowly sank there was turmoil and confusion +amongst the finny observers below. With swirl and splash they darted up +and seized upon the tiny fragments. + +Chris wound up his line with a snort of disgust. "Dey are conjured, +clean conjured," he declared; "going clean out ob their way to get bait +when dar was plenty right afore 'em. Them's sure some fool fishes, +Massa Charles." + +"You're wrong," said the other boy lightly. "They are mangrove +snappers, the foxiest fish that swims. Some one of them got hurt on a +hook some time, and his misfortune has become history among the tribe. +I guess that's what makes the black circles around their eyes. They +just keep worrying so about getting hold of another tempting morsel +with a hook attached that they don't eat half enough, and are fast +worrying themselves into nervous prostration." + +The little negro snorted, and continued to wind up his line, while his +white companion paused to gaze with appreciation at the beautiful scene +spread out to his view. At the shore end of the high railroad bridge +upon which they stood was Jupiter, a tiny nest of white houses, almost +lost among the glossy green palms and vivid blazing tropical flowers. +Below them flowed the blue waters of the Laxahatchu River. To the west, +the river broke into a dozen parts, each flowing swiftly between as +many shoals and islands, and finally losing itself in the distance. +To the east, it joined the sea, scarce a mile distant, the breakers +meeting the river's waters in a tumbling mass of foam. A little below +the bridge, on the opposite side of the river from Jupiter, three +government buildings rose up from a high bluff--a wireless station, +a weather bureau office, and a towering lighthouse, built long, long +before the civil war. Beyond these, down close to the inlet, the lad's +eyes focused upon a long point, jutting out into the river, upon which +stood two small tents. From the inlet a rowboat, with two occupants, +was approaching the point with the long easy strokes characteristic of +experienced boatmen. + +The lad turned to his black companion. "Come on, let's go back to camp, +Chris," he said. "The Captain and Walter are nearly there now." + +"Better look to youah line. De slack's running out like mad, Massa +Charles," chided the little darkey. "Golly! I don't know what you +white chillens would do widout dis nigger. 'Pears like you white +chillens can't even fish widout Chris along to tell you-alls when you +got a bite." + +But Charley had already sprung for the coiled-up line, which was +whizzing out at a rapid rate. Taking a turn around a post, he +endeavored to stop the hook's victim in its mad career, but, as the +long, heavy line tauted like a bar of iron, he realized that he stood a +chance of losing both line and fish, and he paid out the balance of the +line very slowly. It was not until the very end of the line was reached +that the fish suddenly changed its tactics and, turning short, rushed +for the bridge. + +Charley yanked in the slack line swiftly and called to Chris to come +to his assistance. Near the bridge the fish turned again and sped for +the far-off inlet, both boys clinging to the line in a vain attempt to +check the outward rush. + +"Golly!" panted Chris, as the line dragged slowly and burningly through +his grip. "Hit's lucky we ain't got this line tied to no post. Dat fish +would sure pull de whole bridge ober." + +"Rats!" laughed Charley, as he grabbed out his pocket handkerchief and +hastily wrapped it around one hand to protect it from the burning line, +"isn't the bridge bearing the whole strain as long as we are standing +on it?" + +"Course it ain't," maintained the little negro pantingly, "ain't my +back beginning to ache, an' my arms get lame, an' mah hands burn like +fire? Golly! You white chillens sho' don't use no logic or reason. +Maybe you ain't holdin' back hard enough to feel hit, but I'se sho' +getting de strain, not dis pesky ole bridge." + +"Well, you will not have to bear it much longer," Charley grinned. +"Don't you notice that the strain is getting weaker all the time? +He's a monster, but he's evidently swallowed the hook clean down, and +that's why he is giving up so fast. We'll have the best of him in a few +minutes." + +The lad's prophecy proved true, for, long before the end of the line +was reached, the fish began circling in ever-narrowing circles until, +at last, the two boys were able to tow it up slowly to the shore. + +"Golly!" exclaimed Chris, as the fish's huge bulk came into view. +"Dat's de biggest an' ugliest fish I ever catched. What is hit, anyway?" + +Charley glanced down at the short, thick, black body and the huge, +gasping, red mouth. "It's a Jew fish," he announced. "I guess it weighs +about 800 pounds, but that's not so very much, when you consider that +they sometimes grow to weigh over 1,800. Unlike most big fish, however, +they are very good eating. Wind up the fish line, and then cut out some +good big steaks. They will make dandy fish balls and chowder. While +you're doing that, I'll run up to the village and tell everyone to +come down and help themselves, then I'll bring the launch around from +the dock and pick you up." + +Soon after his departure the villagers began to arrive in twos and +threes, but not before Chris had cut out several fine steaks from +the huge fish. By the time he wound up his line, washed the steaks +carefully and strung them upon a piece of cocoanut fiber, Charley hove +in sight in a little motor boat. He ran up as close as he dared to the +shore and stopped his engine. "Hurry up and climb aboard," he called, +"we want to get back to camp before dark." + +Chris waded out, treading gingerly with bare feet over the oyster +shells that strewed the bottom. + +"Hurry up," laughed Charley, "your feet are too tough to be hurt by +oyster shells." + +The little darkey grinned as he clambered aboard. "Dat ain't de point," +he protested. "I was reckoning dat some ob dem oysters might be alive, +an' I sho' would have hated to crush de life out ob dem." + +Charley threw over the wheel and started up the motor, and the little +boat, whirling around, darted away for the distant point with its two +snow-white tents. A few minutes' run brought them close to it, and +Charley steered round into a cove, to avoid the tide wash, and ran the +boat up on the shore. The anchor was taken out and imbedded in the +sand. The motor was covered and everything made snug for the night. +Then the two boys strolled forward with their burdens for the tents. + +Although it was not yet dark, a big fire of fragrant, spicy, mangrove +wood blazed before the tent. A little ways from it on blocks of +driftwood sat a boy of about Charley's own age, while close beside him +sat an elderly man with a heavy beard. The boy was opening oysters, +while the man was carefully breaking turtle eggs into a big pan beside +him, taking care to let only the yolks fall into the pan and throwing +away the uncookable whites. + +"Hallo!" greeted Charley cheerfully. "What luck, Walt?" + +"Too good," said the boy on the block listlessly. "Every turtle in +the Atlantic must have tried to lay on the beach along here. Didn't +even have the fun of looking for a nest. They were scattered around +everywhere." + +"And you, Captain?" asked Charley, with a grin at his chum's reply. + +"Ran the skiff right up on a bed of oysters," the old sailor said +briefly. "All I had to do was lean over the side and pick 'em up with +my hand--big, nice, fat oysters, too." + +Charley took a seat on a piece of driftwood, and silence fell upon the +three. Only Chris, with the high spirits of his race, stamped down the +fire into a bed of glowing coals, and prepared to make an omelette +of the turtle eggs, a stew from the oysters, and a big pot of coffee, +singing as he worked, + + "Ham meat hit am good to eat, + Bacon's berry fine, + But gib, oh, gib me what I long for, + Dat watermilen asmiling on de vine." + +Charley broke the long silence that had fallen on the three. "We are +getting to be three old grouches," he said calmly. "We have got the +best of health. We have got $5,000 cash in the bank. We have been +truckers, wreckers, pearl hunters, plume hunters, spongers, and, +lastly, net fishermen, and have gone through all kinds of hardships +and perils, and yet, after we agreed to take a long vacation trip and +rest up, here after only two weeks of it we are getting restless and +dissatisfied. Am I right?" + +"You are," declared Walter Hazard heartily. "I admit it. I'm sick of +loafing. I want to get back to real work again." + +"It's all right for a while, this lounging about from place to place, +but I reckon I've about got my fill of it," Captain Westfield admitted. +"I had a heap sight rather be working at something." + +"I feel the same way," Charley agreed, "and I believe I've found the +very thing for us, but it's big--the biggest thing the Boy Chums ever +tackled. Come on. Chris has got supper ready. We will talk it over +while we eat." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE NEW VENTURE. + + +FOR a few minutes there was entire silence while the four devoted their +whole attention to the delicious meal Chris had prepared, and, during +this lull, the reader has time to observe and note more carefully +this little band of old friends, whom he has doubtless met amid many +adventures in the Boy Chum Series. They have changed but little since +he met them last in "The Young Net Fishermen." Charley West, the +strapping young fellow, who now sits on one side of the fire eagerly +devouring piping hot omelette and rich oyster stew, is the same old +Charley of yore, his face a trifle older and more alert, perhaps, +from the dangers and hardships through which he has passed, but with +the same old merry twinkle in his eyes. Walter Hazard, now grown +almost as husky as his chum, sits next to him, and close beside Walt +is gray-haired Captain Westfield, a sort of guardian father to them +both, a master of the sea, but rather helpless on land. He, too, is +little changed, while Chris, the little ebony darkey, wears the same +broad, good-natured smile as ever. But we must stop and listen to the +conversation now starting up, for upon it depends the future of our +four friends. + +"Tell us what our next move is to be," Walter demanded. + +"It rests with the rest of you as much as with me," Charley smiled. +"All I am going to do is to make the suggestion." + +"Go ahead," said the captain impatiently, "we're waiting to hear it." + +"Well," said Charley, "West of Jupiter about forty miles lays the great +lake Okeechobee. It's reported by explorers that there's a ten-mile +belt clear around the lake of the richest land in the world. Between +the lake and Jupiter there is only one little trading-post, called +Indiantown. All the way leads through swamps, prairies, and pine +barrens. There is a sort of road, but it is under water for about six +months in the year." + +"All that's interesting, but what has it got to do with us?" said +Waiter impatiently. + +"I'm coming to that in a minute," said Charley placidly. "Last year the +county commissioners passed a law for the building of a dirt road from +Jupiter to the lake, and a man named Murphy made a bid of 17½ cents a +yard for the dirt handled and he got the contract. He bought a steam +shovel with a 1½-yard bucket. He went to work and has got about ten +miles of the road completed. Now he wants to sell out his machine and +contract. Says his wife in Connecticut is sick, and he's got to go back +and stay with her. I saw him in Jupiter to-day, and he told me he would +sell machine, tents, a team of mules, and the contract for one-third of +what the machine alone cost him, $3,000. I didn't promise him anything, +but said we would ride out and look at it in the morning. It looks to +me like a good chance to establish ourselves in a good steady business. +There's about thirty miles of the road yet to build. And he says there +are plenty more contracts to be had for the asking. The machine can dig +one and one-half cubic yards of earth per minute, and, at 17½ cents per +yard, that's some money, I'm thinking. Besides it works nights as well +as days. Well, what do you think about it?" + +Walter looked rather disappointed. "That sounds all right," he +admitted, "but there doesn't seem much chance of having any fun, +adventure or excitement out of such a job." + +"Adventure, excitement!" echoed Charley. "Why, I don't know where +you'd be more likely to find both. Remember, we are going through an +almost unknown country. Right through the Indians' hunting grounds, and +through a country alive with snakes and game." + +"Good," exclaimed Walter, with eyes shining. "I vote yes for the steam +shovel." + +"I don't know about it," said the Captain doubtfully. "It ain't a good +plan generally to go into a business that you don't know anything +about." + +"But we will soon learn," protested Charley vigorously. "If we buy, +Murphy has agreed to stay on for a couple of weeks until we get on to +the run of things." + +"Well," consented the old sailor reluctantly. "It won't do any harm to +look at the critter, though I guess I won't be able to tell as much +about her as I would about a sea-going craft." + +"Well, how about you, Chris?" Charley inquired. + +The little negro grinned. "Golly, Massa Charley, I reckon I'm pretty +well satisfied as I is. Don't reckon you-alls ebber seed a nigger but +was willing to lay around in de sun all day an' do nothin' but eat an' +fish, but if you-alls are goin' into any foolish projectin's, I reckon +dis nigger will hab to go along to keep you outer trouble." + +"Then it's settled," Charley declared with satisfaction. "We will get +an early start in the morning and drive out and see just how things are +going." + +Thus settled, an early hour next morning found them on the way, drawn +in a rickety wagon behind a lean mule with a wicked-looking eye. There +was no danger of their losing their way for the machine-made road +stretched out before them a smoothed mound of earth flanked on each +side by deep ditches made by the removed dirt. At places the road was +raised a full four feet above the surrounding land, while at other +places it descended gradually to a mere two feet. + +Charley viewed it with satisfaction. "That's the kind of work I want +to do," he said. "The kind of work that creates something, that helps +people, gives them employment, and makes them happy. Take that road, +for instance," he continued dreamily, "of course it is only a road, but +it will open up the way to thousands of acres of rich land, and give +thousands of people a chance to own a home and farm." + +"Yes," agreed the Captain testily, who was hot and sweating under +the blazing sun, "and it will drive away the Indians from their last +hunting ground, and the people who will flock in will be Huns, Polacks +and Japs, and most of them will die off with the malaria, and the rest, +after they have raised their crops, will find it costs them more to get +them to market than they are worth. Say, Chris, can't you spread more +sail on that craft of yours? I allow that there ain't much breeze, but +surely it can do more than a mile an hour." + +Chris, who was driving the melancholy beast, obediently leaned forward +and brought his tattered hat down on the mule's flank. "Get up, you +Clarence; wake up, you mule," he shouted--and Clarence woke up. What +had simply been before a saddened, downcast, plodding mule, became a +marvel of upstanding ears, bared teeth and flying hoofs. Charley landed +with a bump on the side of the road. Walter, close beside him, and the +Captain not far away, while Chris, disdaining solid ground, lit far +over in the ditch of stagnant water and mud. The cart, a battered wreck +in front, with one thill gone, still remained, while Clarence, still +enveloped in his harness and dragging the other thill behind him, with +leaping bounds was headed back for home. + +Captain Westfield arose slowly and painfully, and felt gently of his +trousers' seat. "I reckon Chris crowded on a wee bit too much sail," he +said mildly. + +Chris crawled out of the ditch, spitting out mud and water. "Golly, +dat Clarence sho' can move some," he exclaimed admiringly, as he gazed +after the vanishing mule. "Who would hab thought dat a little slap of +the hat could liven him up so?" + +"I don't think it was that, at all," laughed Walter, as he regained +his feet. "I believe he took offense at being called Clarence, as any +self-respecting mule would--probably his real name is Maud." + +"You fellows can laugh, if you see anything funny in it," stated +Charley reproachfully. "You wouldn't if you were me. You lit on the +sand or water, but I landed broadside on a slab of rock. Well, there's +no use trying to catch Clarence. He's singing 'Home, Sweet Home,' with +four feet. I guess we are as near the camp as we are Jupiter, so we +might as well go ahead." + +So ahead they marched, looking more like a trio of hoboes than possible +investors in a big enterprise. A walk of a few miles brought them in +sight of a cluster of white tents, and they hastened their steps, +knowing that their destination was not far ahead. They paused at the +first tent, the largest of the cluster, and evidently the eating tent, +for they could see through the open flap two long tables with rude +seating benches running down the middle, and a heap of tin dishes +on a table in one corner. Outside a big, powerful, sweating negro +was kneading bread on a dirty-looking bench, upon which a protruding +stove-pipe from the tent was sending down fine flakes of soot. + +"Mister Murphy's dun fudder up the road apiece by the machine," he +informed them in reply to their questions. "Be you gentlemen going to +stay for dinner?" + +They told him that they were not sure as yet, and hurried up the road, +eager to be away from the odors of the camp. + +"Golly," exclaimed Chris, "did you-alls notice de bench dat nigger +was makin' bread on? I'll bet dar was a solid inch ob dirt on de top +ob hit. Dat nigger's been scaling fish, chopping up meat, and making +bread on dat same bench for de past six months widout washin' hit up +once. Huh, if I was his boss I'd give him a licking for sho'." + +A few minutes' walk brought them in sight of the big steam shovel, +which was doing the work of two hundred men with wheelbarrows. It +looked simple enough, a kind of short steel car, resting upon sections +of railroad track. Upon the car was mounted, on a kind of ratchet work +of iron, a swinging steel platform, from which projected out a long +tapering steel boom, at the end of which dangled from wire ropes a huge +steel bucket with wicked looking big teeth. Wire ropes an inch and a +half thick led down the boom and wound, coil upon coil, around the +big controlling drums on the platform below. Two gigantic cog-wheels +controlled the lowering and raising of the huge boom in front. Just +back of the big revolving drums and cog-wheels a second little platform +arose from the first. It was iron-hooded overhead, but in front it was +open, and behind the opening, with before him six huge brass levers, +stood a man controlling the movements of this mighty worker. Even as +the little party watched, the great shovel plunged down, straight down, +burying its great teeth in the rooty ground. The drag rope pulled it +in until it had gathered up a full load of earth. The boom lifted +slightly, the platform swung around, and the bucket dropped its load. +For five minutes Charley watched the operation repeated, with his +watch in his hand. "Murphy hasn't lied about that," he said. "They are +digging a bucket a minute, all right. Let's figure it out: One and +one-half yards a minute, that's 26 cents a minute; multiplying that by +60 minutes in the hour, makes $15.60 per hour, and 24 hours in the day, +makes $374.40 per day. That's going some, I guess." + +"Whew," whistled Walter, "that's just like finding money." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +INVESTIGATING. + + +THE working of the powerful machine had been observed from a distance. +As the little party drew nearer, they could see more plainly the heaps +of mud and wet dirt left in the wake of the steam shovel. Five gigantic +negroes, with shovels and hoes, leveled off the piles, working slowly +and languidly over the task, their legs wet to the knees and their +bodies plastered with mud. + +"Saws, all of them." Charley commented briefly, as they passed the +sudden, slow-working group. + +"Saws?" echoed Walter questioningly. "I never heard of that race +before." + +"They come from the Bahama Islands," Charley replied. "They all have +to ship for this country by way of the port of Nassau. So they get +their title from that port, but people on this side have shortened +the title down to 'Saws.' They are the finest built and laziest race +in existence, I believe. There, that's Mr. Murphy, right back of the +machine. He hasn't seen us yet. Whew! Just listen to him." + +Mr. Murphy, a short, florid-faced man, was standing with his back +to them, cursing earnestly at two negroes, who guided the moving of +the sections of track and cleared away all roots and brush from the +machine's path. The negroes' faces were ashen with anger, but they +worked on sullenly, probably because the butt of a heavy revolver +protruded from the white man's pocket. + +Mr. Murphy's face became wreathed in smiles, and he ceased his cursing +to greet the little party cordially. + +"You've just got to cuss at them Saws occasionally," he apologized, as +he rubbed the sweat from his red face. "If you don't, you just simply +can't get any work out of them. Well, I'm glad to see you. I expected +you early and had given you up. Well, there's the machine, and you +can see for yourself what kind of work it does. I've got my contract +with the county commissioners back in my tent, but I'll show it to you +when we go back to dinner, so that you'll see everything is O. K. Any +questions you want to ask?" + +"Sure," said Charley, with a smile. "We don't want to go into anything +blindfolded. First, what are your monthly expenses?" + +Murphy wrinkled his brow in thought. "Let's see," he said. "We work the +engineers in shifts of 8 hours each. They get $85.00 a month and board; +that's $255.00. Then there's two shifts for the firemen and ground +men; that makes six men at $36.00 a month--a total of $216.00. Then, I +have to carry two bridge builders at the same wage, which makes $72.00 +more. Then there's five graders, one cook, and one teamster, and a +dynamiter to blow up the trees ahead of the machine; that's eight more, +at $36.00, or $288.00. That brings my total payroll up to a little over +$800 a month. Then, there's the grub bill. It runs from $250 to $300 +a month. Carbide for machine lights, feed for the mules, and other +extras will likely bring the total expenses for a month up to $1,200, +but that's a trifle compared to what the machine is earning, and $3,000 +for the bunch is like giving it away. The machine alone cost $12,000, +and the tents, mules, wagons, and the motor truck would be cheap at +another thousand dollars." He pulled a big watch out of his pocket and +looked at the time. "Chuck's ready by now at the cook tent," he said. +"Let's go and have a bite, and I'll run you into Jupiter in the truck +afterward. We can talk business on the way." + +In the cook tent they found one long table filled up with big, black, +sweating negroes. At the other smaller one were seated the teamster--a +white man--and the two sleepy-eyed engineers, off duty. The food was +plenty, but coarse and cheap in quality. Hungry as they were, the boys +partook of it meagerly, for they could not forget that dirty bench +outside, and the inside was foul from the sweating negroes crowded into +it. One thing they all noticed was the sullen silence that prevailed. +Even the white men at their own table had nothing to say, except to ask +occasionally for the passing of some dish they could not reach. The +boys were glad when the meal was at last finished and they were able +to get out again into the sweet, sun-purified air. Mr. Murphy remained +behind for a few minutes, arguing loudly with the two engineers. + +"I don't like the looks of this outfit very much," said Walter, as the +four gathered together at the base of a pine tree. "The whole camp is +filthy--tents, cooking, men, and everything else. And everyone appears +so sullen and ugly, as though a little thing would start a fight going. +Of course, the price is dirt cheap, but I don't like the looks of +things." + +"We can alter things in short order," Charley declared eagerly, for +he was letting his eagerness to seize this new opportunity cloud +his usually clear judgment. "Why, it won't take any time to change +things around. We can stop the machine for a day, and turn all hands +in on the job, make them scrub the tents good with soap and water, +and, after they are dry, pitch them all again in a different place. +A change of cooks, and Sunday to rest up in, will take away a lot of +that sullenness, I bet. I really believe that half of it is caused by +Murphy cursing the men so much." + +"Maybe you're right," Walter admitted. "Anyway, I would like to learn +to run that steam shovel. I bet I could do it in a week." + +"I don't ever want to have to climb aboard that critter," Captain +Westfield observed; "but I reckon I could stay on the ground and keep +the other fellows up to scratch. I ain't nowise anxious to go into the +business, but I leave it up to you, Charley. I've never had much to do +with shore business. Just do as you think best, boy." + +"I leave it up to you, too, so far as I'm concerned," Walter agreed. + +"I hopes you-alls do buy it," Chris said, earnestly; "I sho' wants to +do de cookin'; dat dirty nigger what's doing it now ain't fitting to do +hit, no way." + +"All right," Charley agreed, reluctantly. "If it's left up to me to +do the deciding, I'll do it, though I had rather not take all the +responsibility. Well, I'm going to buy----" + +He had no time to continue what he was going to say, for at that moment +Mr. Murphy stepped out of the tent and called to them. "Come around +here to the next tent; that's where my motor truck is housed." + +Walter examined the motor truck carefully. It was almost new, but +it was evident that it had received rough treatment at the hands of +inexperienced drivers, but its main parts were still good and unworn. + +"Well, what have you decided to do?" asked Mr. Murphy, as they all +clambered aboard the truck. + +"We would like until to-morrow morning to talk it over," Charley said +cautiously. + +"Sorry, but the way it stands, I've got to close up at once," said Mr. +Murphy briefly. "I've just got to get back home to my wife. I've got +another man on my string, and if you fellows don't want the business +I'll just run down to his place and see him to-night. I'm pretty sure +he'll take it." + +"All right, then; we'll take it," said Charley promptly. "Machine, +truck, contract, and all equipment for $3,000." + +"Agreed," said Mr. Murphy, equally prompt. "I'll give you a regular +bill of sale, covering everything, as soon as I get to Jupiter. We'll +get there in time to find a notary, I guess." + +There was no further chance for conversation, for, as soon as it was +started up, the motor truck kept all hands busy trying to retain their +seats. The dirt road was full of hollows, bumps and ruts that sent the +truck's occupants bouncing and jarring from side to side, so that they +were not at all sorry when Jupiter was at last reached. Once arrived, +the notary was hunted up, and the transfer papers made out. "I'll +stay with you two weeks and show you how to run the thing," said Mr. +Murphy. "I ought to go at once, but I promised you I would stay, and I +will. I suppose you will want to pack up and not go back until morning. +So, I guess I'll take this check for $3,000 down to Palm Beach, and get +it cashed, and come back on the early morning train. There's a local +train due for Palm Beach in about five minutes, so I'll say so long +until morning." + +The boys were up at the first crack of day, packing up their few +belongings, taking down their tents, and pulling out their little +launch and concealing it back among the bushes. By sunrise they were +at Jupiter, having rowed over in the skiff, which they hauled out +and left, feeling confident that it would not be molested until they +returned. + +They found, upon inquiry at the little station, that the train would +not arrive until nine o'clock. + +"Want tickets?" inquired the station agent, who had answered their +questions. + +"No," said Charley. "We are waiting for Mr. Murphy. He's coming up on +the train to take us out to camp. We have bought out his machine and +contracts." + +"Whew!" whistled the agent. "What did you pay him?" + +"We got the whole outfit for $3,000," said Charley proudly. + +"Good Lord!" murmured the agent. "Cash or check?" + +"Check on the Bank of West Palm Beach," answered Charley less proudly. + +The agent glanced at the clock. "Ten minutes of nine," he said +musingly. "The bank opens at eight. You have got a chance--just a bare +chance." He shoved over a pad of telegraph blanks. "Just wire the bank +to stop payment on that check." + +"Why?" asked Charley, bewildered. + +"Because, it's a rotten proposition," declared the agent earnestly; +"rotten all the way through. If you can stop payment on that check +you'll save losing $3,000, that's all." + +Reluctantly Charley filled in a blank and shoved it over to the agent, +who clicked it off rapidly on the key. When he had finished he came +around from behind the partition. "It was none of my business, butting +in in that way," he apologized, "but I hate to see a man robbed of his +money." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BUNCOED. + + +"DO you mean to say that Mr. Murphy does not own the machine, the +contract, and all the equipment?" Charley asked. + +"Oh, I guess he owns the stuff out there, all right," said the agent. +"The point is, that in a year's time he has only completed ten miles +of the road, and, if you have read the contract over carefully, you +will have noticed that it calls for the completion of the road in two +years, or the contractor is liable to forfeit the machine itself. +There remains thirty miles to do within a year. And that thirty miles +is far harder to do than the ground Murphy has gone over. He has lost +thousands of dollars upon the work he has done. I hardly blame him for +trying to catch a sucker." + +"But," Charley protested, "we saw the machine work. It digs over a +cubic yard of earth a minute, and, at 17½ cents a yard, that ought to +pay big money." + +"It looks all right on paper," answered the agent wearily, "but +it doesn't figure out that way in fact. You have got to allow for +breakdowns, and a host of troubles you don't expect. The farther out +you get the more troubles you are going to have. I cannot tell you all +that may happen to you, for I do not know exactly, and, if I did, it +would be against the rules of the telegraph company for me to repeat +anything I have learned from messages that have come over the wire. +That is a rule an agent is honor-bound to obey. But I may, however, +give you a hint to be on your guard all the time. There are powerful +people and influences at work to stop that road-building." + +"But why should anyone wish to stop it?" asked Charley, whose face +began to wear an anxious expression. + +"That I do not know," answered the agent. "All I know is that you will +not be allowed to build that road in peace. How far its enemies will go +to stop it, and what their motive is, I cannot say. But, if I were you, +I'd be on the watchout for trouble right from the start." + +"Cheerful news," commented Charley grimly. + +"It isn't very joyful tidings, I admit," said the agent. "I would +hate to tackle the job under such circumstances. The work itself is +uncertain enough to keep any man worrying, without any trouble from +outside. Now you have all the warning I am permitted to give you, and, +if I may, I would like to ask you what are you going to do about it?" + +"Do?" echoed Charley, throwing back his shoulders. "I coaxed my +companions into this deal, and it's up to me, with their help, to pull +out clear." + +"Go to it," said Captain Westfield, approvingly. "We have still got +$2,000, and we'll back you up to the last cent. If we go broke, it will +not be the first time we've been that way." + +"You've voiced my sentiments," agreed Walter, quickly. + +"Dis nigger's sho' got to go wid you white chillens," Chris joined in. +"Don't know what you'd do widout dis nigger to look out for you-alls." + +The agent observed this demonstration of loyalty with increased +interest. "If you all stick by each other like that, you will do better +than Murphy has, at any rate," he observed. "I'll help you all I can, +but I'm afraid that will not be very much, but, perhaps, I can drop +a hint now and then that will be of help to you. Well, there goes my +telegraph call. Guess it is an answer to your telegram to the bank." + +In a few minutes he reappeared with the written message: + + "Your message too late; check cashed a few minutes + after eight." + + "BANK OF WEST PALM BEACH." + +"I gossiped a little with the agent at Palm Beach," he said. "Murphy +left there on the southbound a few minutes ago. He bought a ticket +to Havana. Sorry, boys, I did my best for you, but it was too late. +Well, I hope you will have better luck than Murphy did. Drop in on me +whenever you feel like it. I have got to get some waybills ready for +the morning freight, now, so will have to get busy." + +The little party thanked him for his kindness and, strolling down to +the dock, sat down to discuss the new turn of affairs. + +"What a chump I am!" exclaimed Charley bitterly. "Here I've gone and +dragged you fellows into a hopeless proposition, when common sense +should have led me to investigate carefully. It was too good a bargain +not to have some string fastened to it. One can't get something for +nothing in this world." + +"Maybe you were a mite hasty, lad," admitted the Captain; "but shucks, +we all make our little mistakes. Maybe we can do better than Murphy did +with that big land turtle. It appeared to me that Murphy wasn't just +the kind of a man to handle a lot of negroes, especially Saws. I could +see there was a pile of dissatisfaction in that camp, and, when there's +trouble in the forecastle, the ship is never worked right." + +"Golly, I don't blame them niggers for looking sullen and working no +account when dey has to eat grub de way dat cook fixes it up. I reckon +I could fix up some dishes dat would sho' make them open their eyes." + +"I believe there are several things that could be done to that machine +which would make her work a lot better," Walter remarked thoughtfully. +"I would like to work on the machine firing, if necessary, until I +learned how to run her. That's the way we will fix it. Chris can +be cook, I'll be engineer, the Captain overseer, and you, Charley, +business manager." + +Charley forced a grin. "I'm afraid my ability as business manager +is at a discount now, but, if you fellows care to trust me again, I +believe I will profit from the lesson I've just learned, and, with your +help, will pull our hot chestnuts out of the fire. I believe it can be +done. The first thing now is to get back to our white elephant. Do you +suppose you can run that truck back to camp?" + +"I believe so," said his chum doubtfully. "I used to run a car a little +at home, but it was a different make." + +"Well, go ahead, and see about it," Charley said. "The Captain and +Chris will help you get our stuff aboard. I am going to make a round +of the stores and see whether Murphy owes all of them. It is likely we +will have to lay in supplies every week." + +Charley found his surmise correct. Every merchant he met was clamorous +to collect overdue bills on Mr. Murphy's camp. It was here that +Charley's steady, if slow and interrupted, study of the law stood him +in good stead. "You can't collect from us, and there's no use you're +getting mad over it," he said coolly to each infuriated merchant. "You +took a chance on Murphy, and got stung, the same as we have, and you've +got to stand it the same as we have. If you get any of your money back +it will have to be from Murphy. If we had been notified beforehand +about your claims against Mr. Murphy, then we would have seen to it +that the bills were settled before we paid over the purchase price. We +have not benefited in the slightest by the things Mr. Murphy bought of +you, and you cannot expect us to pay his debts." + +It was a frank, manly, straightforward statement, but the merchants +received it with wrath, sore over the losses they had sustained, and +treated the lad with many threats and charges of underhandedness, even +going so far as to accuse him of being in collusion with Murphy in an +attempt to defraud them. By the time the last merchant was visited +the lad was convinced that he could expect no credit or sympathy in +Jupiter. The knowledge did one good thing for him, however. It stirred +up every bit of his fighting spirit, and, when he rejoined his friends +at the truck, it was with the determination to make good on his +unfortunate venture, if it were possible for a human being to do so. + +Walter looked up at him with beaming face. "I can run it all right," +he declared, "and it's in pretty good shape, too, though it's been +frightfully misused." + +"Good," said his chum cheerfully, as he climbed aboard. "Run me down to +the station first. I've got to send a telegram, and then we will go out +to camp." + +"I've come back to ask some more questions," he grinned to the +friendly agent. "What's the name of a good wholesale grocery house +in Jacksonville? I want one that does not deal much with the local +merchants here." + +"James K. Riley & Co. are the best I know of," said the agent promptly. +"Their prices are very low, but they demand spot cash, so retail +merchants do not trade with them much." + +Charley wrote a few lines on a telegram blank and shoved it over to +him. "Will you rush that through for me?" he asked. + +The agent grinned as he read the telegram: + + "JAMES K. RILEY, + Jacksonville, Fla. + + Please send at once your price list of staple groceries. + + WEST, HAZARD, WESTFIELD & CO." + +"Merchants here didn't exactly fold you to their bosoms, when they +learned that you were Murphy's successor?" he asked. + +"Not so you could notice it," Charley admitted, with a smile. "One +can't blame them much for being sore, but, of course, we have got to +look out for ourselves." + +"Sure," assented the agent, "you're making a wise move at that, kid. +It's a 250-mile haul from Jacksonville here, and the freights will be +high, but, even so, you'll get your stuff 20 per cent, cheaper than the +merchants here would charge you. The charge on this message will be a +quarter." + +Charley paid over the twenty-five cents and hurried out to the truck, +where his companions were impatiently awaiting him. As they whirled out +on the dirt road leading to the camp he explained to them what he had +been doing. + +"You did just right," approved the Captain. "There can't be more than +one captain to a ship, and I reckon you have got to be captain of this +one until she sails into port or is wrecked on the rocks. You have got +more business sense than the rest of us. I don't reckon because you +made one slip that you are going to keep on making them. We will back +you up with the last dollar we've got in the bank, won't we, lads?" + +"Sure," said Walter heartily. + +"Sho'," Chris agreed solemnly. + +"Thanks," said Charley simply. "I'll do my best. Now, Walt, I wish you +would show me how to run this truck. I've got a hunch that I'm going +to have to use it a whole lot the next few months, and now's as good a +time as any to learn." + +Fortunately the truck mechanism was very simple. And in half an hour +Charley had so far mastered the principles of the different levers that +he felt sure that he could run it if necessity demanded. + +"There's one thing more to do before we reach camp," Charley said, when +his lesson was finished. "We ought to unpack our pistols and have them +handy in our pockets. I don't expect trouble, but it is just as well to +be ready for it. I guess there are some pretty tough characters in that +bunch. I noticed, big man as he is, Murphy had a couple of big pistols +strapped on him when he was in camp." + +The pistols were gotten out of the pack and carefully oiled and +reloaded. They were late purchases and looked as small and harmless as +toy pistols, but their appearance was deceiving. In reality they were +automatics of the latest make, deadly accurate, and each, when loaded, +carried 11 steel-jacketed bullets, that could be discharged in as many +seconds. When slipped into a coat pocket they made only a slight bulge. + +By the time they had all pocketed their weapons they came in full sight +of the camp. Charley stood up and viewed it with a puzzled frown on his +face. + +"Something's gone wrong," he announced. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE STRIKE. + + +THE camp was soon plainly in view of all, and the reason for Charley's +exclamation apparent. Although it was not nearly noon, groups of +negroes were gathered around the various tents, and the big steam +shovel lay far ahead, motionless and deserted, with no hint of smoke +trailing from its smokestack. The only sign of activity about the camp +was the sweaty cook, once more engaged in the seemingly endless process +of molding bread on the dirty bench outside the tent. + +Walter stopped the car, and Charley jumped out nimbly. None of his +anxiety showed in his manner. He strode up to the negro. + +"Do you make bread every day?" he inquired lightly. + +"Sho', Cap," responded the big negro. "De niggers want hit fresh every +day." + +"Humph," commented the lad. "If I were you, I'd bake up enough at a +time to last two or three days. Then you would have more time to keep +things neat and clean, as they should be in a camp of this kind." + +"Massa Murphy nebber found no fault wid my way ob doing things," +objected the negro. + +"Well, we are not Mr. Murphy," Charley said curtly. "We have bought him +out. We are the owners of this thing now, and we want our food clean. +Remember that. Now, tell me, which are Mr. Murphy's and the engineers' +tents?" + +"Right ober dar 'mongst dat little clump of pines. De furst one is Mr. +Murphy's." + +Charley strolled over to the little tent and entered it. It was small +and dirty, and the dirt floor was littered with whiskey bottles, all +empty. Charley viewed them with a grim smile. "No wonder Murphy lost +out," he murmured. "A man cannot put up a good fight and entertain +John Barleycorn at the same time." There was a rude box desk in one +corner of the tent, littered with letters and papers. Charley seated +himself beside it and overhauled its contents quickly. This done, he +walked out of the tent's squalor into the open air once more. He next +drew back the flap of the first engineer's tent, and peeped inside, +but the tent was deserted, as was also the second, save for disordered +cots and black, greasy clothing, flung here and there. In the third +tent, however, he found a young man, stretched out on a cot reading +a magazine. Unlike the other tents, this was neat and cleanly, and +the dirty working clothes of its occupants were hung up on a line +stretching across the tent. "Hello," he greeted Charley boyishly. +"Back again are you?" + +"Yes," agreed Charley, as he noted the other's self-reliant, boyish +face. "I ought to have to apologize for not ringing your bell, or +knocking at your front door, but I didn't see either." + +"That's all right," laughed the youth, as he sat up on the end of his +cot. "Take a seat on the other end. That's my seat of honor for my +visitors." + +"What's your name?" Charley inquired. + +"C. P. McCarty," replied the youth, with a grin. "I'm ashamed to +confess that the C. P. stands for Clarence Percy, but don't call me +either, for I see red when I get good and mad." + +"One of the engineers?" + +"Oh, we get called that sometimes by courtesy. Really, we are what you +might term runners. No one of us three is really a licensed engineer. +Say, what might your name be?" + +"Charley West, one of the new owners of this business." + +McCarty threw back his head and chuckled. "Whew!" he whistled, "just +to think I've been talking flippant to a new boss for the last ten +minutes." + +"Never mind that," Charley grinned. "What I want to know is what's the +matter here? Why is the steam shovel not running? Where are the other +two runners?" + +"Answer to question number one and two the same--general strike of all +hands," replied McCarty briefly. "Yesterday was pay day. We have had +no pay, any of us, for two months. Strike came when I went on watch. I +tried to stop it, but it was no good. Can't say as I blame the niggers +much. I'm kind of sore myself. It's bad enough living in a crowd like +this, working in mud and water, living on bum, dirty grub, and, when +you can't get your wages promptly, when you have a family to support, +it's pretty tough. As for your third question, the other two runners +have taken the dog and gone quail hunting." + +"I see," said Charley absently. "How long have you been on the job?" + +"Six months," said McCarty briefly. "I'm not an engineer, but I've +worked around machinery ever since I can remember, and I've dug out +more dirt on this job than the other two runners put together, if I do +say it, and I could have done double if I had had a good crew back of +me." + +"I found Mr. Murphy's payroll in his tent," Charley observed. "I notice +that, for the past two months, the men have been working only a little +over half the time. How does that happen?" + +"Accidents to the machine," said McCarty laconically. "I can't explain +them, but they keep happening right along. Strange part of it is, they +don't happen on my watch. Maybe that's just my good luck, but I have a +feeling that there's something wrong somewhere. I don't know as there +is anything wrong going on, but I've kinder got a hunch there is." + +"How about the other two engineers? Are they all right?" Charley asked. + +"Now, I'm not going to snitch on my mates," said McCarty decidedly. "I +may like them, or I may not, that has nothing to do with the matter." + +"I think it has," said Charley coolly. "You owe a duty to your +employers far above any ethical or fancied duty to your mates, as you +call them. You are working for us, and we are the ones you look to +for your pay. I'm going to give you a check for your wages due this +afternoon. After to-day your salary will be $100 a month, and you'll +be chief engineer or runner on the job. There are conditions attached, +of course. You are to give me fully reports on everything pertaining +to your department; and, second, you will have to teach my chum, +Walter, how to run the machine. You will have to look after the machine +carefully, and, as soon as a part becomes worn in the least you must +notify me, so I can have a new part ready as soon as the old one gives +out. That's my proposition. Take it, or reject it, as you please." + +McCarty reflected for a moment. "You're right," he said at last, "a +man cannot serve two masters, and I have no reason to love either of +the two engineers. They have bullied and slanged me as much as they +dared ever since I've been on the job. It's hard to judge a dredge man, +for they are the hardest class in the world. I guess it's the work and +the men they work for that makes them so, and, when it comes down to +real meanness and hardness, Bully Rooney and One-eye McGill stand at +the lowest of the list. I know it sounds like a sneak, knocking his +friends behind their backs, but I don't mean to be sneakish about it. +You can tell them just what I've said. That I believe they have caused +most of the hang-ups on this job--that but for them this job would have +paid expenses, at any rate." + +Charley smiled. "I'm going to have a little talk with them," he +admitted, "but I am not going to tell them anything you have said. I +am grateful to you for what you have told me, and I believe we are +going to make this thing pay. By the way, can you tell me of any good +engineer that a man could depend upon to do the right thing?" + +"There is Bob Bratton, of Miami," said McCarty, brightening, "he is +as white as they make them; but," he added despairingly, "the best +engineer in the world can do but little with a poor crew." + +"I'm going to tend to that part of it," Charley said, with a smile. +"You do your part, and I'll see that the crew does theirs. Well, go +ahead and finish your story. There will be no work done on the machine +to-day. Glad to have had this little chat with you. So-long. I'll make +out your check this afternoon." + +He stepped out of the tent into the clear sunshine again, strangely +cheered by the fact that he had found at least one man in the gang upon +whom he could depend. + +At the cook tent he found Chris industriously scraping the dirt off the +bench, and vigorously scolding the big negro, who was standing idly by, +with a look of dismay on his ebony face. + +"I'ze plum ashamed of you," Chris was saying. "I nebber thought dat a +Bahama nigger could be so plum nasty and dirty. I'se sho' ashamed of my +country when I see things like dis going on. Say, what island are you +from, nigger?" + +"Eluther," said the negro sullenly. + +"Elutheria," echoed Chris, "right next to de Spanish Wells Island, whar +you could hab learned all manner ob things from all dose white people +what lives there. Nigger, I'se sho' ashamed ob you." + +Charley grinned, as he turned to the Captain, who was facing the rest +of the negroes, who had been drawn to the spot by the loud talking. +They were a rough-looking lot of humanity, pitted by smallpox on their +faces, and their bared arms and chests marked by old knife cuts and +pistol wounds. But they were almost giants in size, broad-shouldered, +and muscular-backed men with the narrow hips that mark the true athlete. + +Charley paused to choose his words before addressing them. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +LOYALTY. + + +"WHERE do all you boys come from?[A] I've been pretty well over the +Bahama Islands, but I can't quite place you chaps," Charley said, +smilingly. "What island are you from, anyway?" + +"I reckon most of us men are from Andros and Abacco Islands. Thar's +four or five from Little Abacco or Green Turtle Key." + +"I have never been ashore at Andros or Abacco Island, but I know +lots of fellows from Green Turtle Key. Will those of you from Green +Turtle Key please step to one side?" Five grinning negroes separated +themselves from the crowd. + +"I understand that you boys have quit work and gone on a strike because +your wages have not been paid. Well, inside of two hours I will have +your checks made out, and you can go. We will not need you any longer. + +"Hold on, you fellows from Green Turtle Key," he said, as they began +to move away with the crowd. "I can't carry you all in at one trip. +The truck can't do it on a dirt road. I want you fellows to stay over +to-morrow, and I will take you in the next day, and I want you to work +cleaning up this camp. Of course, we will pay you extra for the work, +but it must be done well. Captain Westfield, here, will show you what +we want done." + +The five negroes began to grumble, but the lad silenced them with a +word. "If you are in such a hurry to go, you can walk in," he said. The +negroes were not anxious to walk in, so they gave a grudging consent. + +"Gee," whispered Walter, who had been listening closely. "How can we +afford to pay them? They say there is two months' pay due them, and +that will about eat up the balance of our funds." + +"We have simply got to pay them," Charley grinned. "The labor alien law +is strict, and they could tie up the machine with liens and render us +helpless. Things are not quite as bad as they look. I've been looking +over Murphy's papers, and I find that this month he had dug 10,000 +yards so far. He could not collect the money on it until the county +engineer comes out and measures it up, and that will not be until the +end of the month, so we will get the $1,750 coming in." + +"But look what shape we are putting ourselves in," said Walter +anxiously. "We can't work the machine without men." + +"Don't worry about that," said Charley cheerfully. "I'll tend to +getting new and better men. What I would like you to do is to stick +right close to McCarty and learn everything you can about the machine. +He'll be glad enough to show you. I want you to master it, so that you +will know how every part of it works, and can let me know, so that I +can have a new part ready when the old one gives out." + +"Good," Walter exclaimed. "I would rather fool around machinery than do +any other work. Say, where's McCarty's tent? I want to have a talk with +him." + +"Wait until after dinner," Charley counseled. "He's enjoying himself +now." + +"But what am I going to do, Charles?" protested Captain Westfield. "I +don't see where I come in." + +"I want you to be general overseer over the ground men, graders, and +teamsters. You see, Captain, we want to push the work as fast as we +can, and with as few accidents as possible. I am going to increase the +men's wages, but they have got to earn their money. Take the graders +we watched yesterday. Two good men could have done the work those five +were doing. Now, if you will help me, we will get up our two tents a +little farther up the road. To-morrow I wish that you would see that +every tent is taken down and scrubbed with soap and water with a good +dose of carbolic acid in it. When they are dry, have them pitched +again, not far from that little bunch of spruce there. We will pitch +our own tents among the spruces." + +McCarty and Walter came to their assistance, and in a short time the +two tents were pitched in the thicket of glossy green and the dirt +floors carpeted thickly with fragrant pine needles. This done, Charley +brought over from Murphy's tent the box with its collection of papers. +The payroll was already made out, so all the lad had to do was to make +out the checks and, as soon as it was done, the negroes filed in, one +by one, signed their names to the pay sheet, and received their checks. +Some of them would have liked to have stayed and worked on, but the lad +was sick of their dirtiness and laziness, and wanted no more of them. + +Dinner followed close upon the completion of this task, and all +gathered around the long tables upon which Chris had already impressed +somewhat of cleanliness, and had cleaned up some of the rubbish which +had littered the floor. The grinning negroes sat down to a dinner such +as they hadn't eaten in many a day--plain and simple, but wholesome and +well flavored and well cooked. + +They had hardly begun to eat when the engineers entered, bearing a +big bag of quail and followed by a panting pointer dog. They sat down +quietly at the boys' table, and sullenly began to eat. Charley noted +their faces with dissatisfaction. He knew, from what he had seen of the +class, that dredge men are a hard, cruel, overbearing class, but these +two shocked him in their sheer coarseness and brutality of expression, +and from each emanated the strong odor of cheap whiskey. If not drunk, +they were apparently on the verge of drunkenness. + +Charley waited until the last negro had filed out of the tent, then he +turned to McCarty. "You might introduce me to your mates," he said, +with mild sarcasm. "They are so highly trained, socially, that it seems +that they will not speak without an introduction." + +McCarty grinned with delight at his new boss. + +"This," he said lightly, "is Bully Rooney; the one on the left is +One-eyed McGill. Mr. Rooney, Mr. McGill, meet your new boss, Mr. West." + +"If he's the new boss, he can just understand one thing," growled +Rooney, "I'm not going to have any greenhorn fooling around the machine +when I am working on it." + +"Nor me, neither," growled his companion. + +"You will not be troubled at all in that way," Charley assured them +smilingly. "I'm going into town in the truck between two and three +o'clock, and, if you can get your things packed up, I'll take you +in. Your checks are ready, and I'll give them to you as soon as you +sign the payroll. I do not want a man in our gang whom I cannot trust +absolutely. And I will not have one that drinks. Drink leads to +carelessness, and carelessness leads to accidents. I imagine that's why +the machine has been broken down so much." + +A scowl of rage showed on Rooney's face. "That snip of a McCarty has +been shooting off his mouth too much." + +"Murphy's papers told me all I needed to know," said Charley quickly, +but McCarty spoke up coolly and on his own behalf: + +"And I've told him about the same thing, and ought to have told him +more. I should have told him that the machine has been losing money +ever since you two came on the job. That nearly all the dirt that has +been thrown out has been thrown out on my shift. That not a week has +passed without the machine suffering some breakdown that, in most +cases, could have been avoided. Lastly, I could, and should have told +him, that there will not be a cent of money made on this job until it's +rid of you two skulking, booze-fighting man-killers." + +Bully Rooney's face grew black with anger, and he launched himself like +a clumsy bear at the slight McCarty. The youth, his Irish-blue eyes +sparkling with anger, drew back his fists for a swinging blow at the +other, but Charley promptly stepped in between the two with his little +automatic in his hand. + +"Here, that's about enough of this," he exclaimed. "If there's any +fighting to be done in this camp hereafter, we will do it--understand +that. Now you two go to your tents and pack up what belongs to you, for +I start for town at three prompt." + +The two sullenly departed for their tents, muttering angrily as they +went, and Charley turned to McCarty. + +"I wish you would take Walter down to the machine with you this +afternoon and show him all you can about its workings. I would also +like you to make out a list of what new parts may be needed soon, and I +will order them at once. If you know or can think of anything that will +help to make the machine dig more dirt, I wish you would suggest it to +me, and we will go over it together. If it's feasible, we'll adopt it +at once." + +"I can suggest two or three things, right now," said McCarty, eagerly. +"First, our pump is all on the bum. Its valve is all worn out. It +needs repacking, and it needs a bigger intake pipe. We have to fill +the boiler six times in twenty-four hours, and it takes an hour each +time. If it had been tended to properly it would not take over fifteen +minutes at a time to fill up the boiler; as it is, we lose a clear +five hours' work a day on that one item alone. Then, there's the wood. +It is always piled on the left side of the track, so that we always +have to swing the machine around and wait for the ground men to load +it on, and, of course, we do no work until they get through, which +generally takes them 15 minutes, while, if it were placed on the other +side, the machine could keep right on while the men were loading. +There's another hour lost a day." + +"Six hours' waste out of twenty-four," Charley exclaimed. "Get the +measurement of that valve and intake pipe at once, and I'll get +them when I go in this time. As for the wood business, that belongs +in your department," he said, turning to the teamster, a lanky, +humorous-looking Missourian; "what have you got to say about it?" + +FOOTNOTE: + +[A] A form of address generally used in the South when white speaks to +black. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +CHARLEY HAS A NARROW ESCAPE. + + +"I AM not the boss of this outfit," said the Missourian, with a smile. +"I do what I am told to do. Rooney and McGill ordered me to pile the +wood on that side, so I've been doing it. I reckon Rooney and his +partner figured it out that they would get a little more rest that way. +Let's have a look at the mules, if you can spare the time." + +"Sure," said Charley gladly. "I want to get in touch with every part of +the business as soon as possible." + +"I always build them a corral whenever we make a new camp," observed +the Missourian, as he led the way to the pen where he kept the mules. +"Hold on!" he shouted, as Charley stooped to pass under the bars. "If +Pansy and Violet don't just happen to like your appearance, they are +likely as not to kick the soul out of you." + +Charley withdrew in haste. "My, but they are beauties for mules." + +"Finest team I've handled," declared the teamster, with a grin. "I +kinder like to have them a little savage with everyone. It keeps +strangers from fooling with them. They have life and plenty of sense. +I could not do my work with a poor team of mules. This work is terrible +on animals." + +"And on men, too, I guess," Charley agreed. "I want to say that +hereafter your wages will be $2.00 per day as long as we satisfy each +other. Now, how is your work? How much wood have you got ahead for the +machine?" + +"Not much," admitted the teamster ruefully; "perhaps enough for a day +and night, if the machine runs like it usually does." + +"That's not enough," Charley said decidedly. "There should be at least +a week's wood ahead all the time. In case a mule gets sick, or goes +lame, don't you see that the machine would have to lie up until we +could get another team? It looks to me like this dredging business +is like links in a chain. If any one man, from teamster up, fails to +do his part in the work, why, the whole machine has got to go out of +business until the defect can be made good." + +"I'm doing my best," the teamster protested. "Most of my wood has to +be cut and hauled over a mile to the machine, and the route I have to +take to get to it is generally a winding one, for I have to pass around +all ponds and bog holes. It takes careful driving to avoid bogging down +your team and losing it." + +"Well, then there is one weak link we have got to strengthen right +away," said the lad cheerfully. "I will not be back from town until day +after to-morrow, but, when I come, I will bring a good man to help you. +He can do the wood chopping while you do the hauling; meanwhile, keep +on with your work, so as to get ahead while the machine is idle to-day +and to-morrow. Another thing I would mention is that I want to get +things so systematized that it will not be necessary to do but little +work on Sunday. I want that as a day of rest for all hands, so far as +possible." + +The lanky Missourian reached out and grasped Charley's hand. "I'm right +with you, lad, clean up to the hilt. You've got the right ideas. A body +of men will do as much in six days as in seven, besides being more +contented, healthy and cheerful." + +"Well, I must get back to camp. I've got several things to see to +before I start for town," Charley said. + +"Hold on!" yelled the teamster, as the boy was turning away. "For God's +sake don't move your feet!" + +Startled, Charley looked down. In moving forward he had placed his +right foot squarely upon the head of a huge snake, while his left foot +was lying across the reptile's big body. It was only by summoning all +his self-control that the lad kept from jerking impulsively ahead +or to one side, a course which would surely have resulted in instant +death. In fact, death was threatening as it was. The boy could hardly +retain his position as the powerful reptile began to twist back and +forth beneath his feet. Luckily, where he stood the ground was soft, +and the parts of the snake upon which he stood were deeply imbedded in +the soft sand, but, even with that in his favor, it was only a question +of seconds before the repulsive reptile wriggled free. Charley drew his +automatic and fired down at the huge, writhing, black body between his +feet. The first shot penetrated the middle of the snake, and, firing +slowly and carefully, Charley cut roughly through the middle of the +snake's body. As its struggles grew less, the lad leaped far ahead and +looked back. The snake was still struggling vigorously, but, with its +body nearly severed, it could do nothing but swing its head viciously. + +"You did that pretty neat, lad," said the teamster cheerfully. "I was +afraid you would try to jump. You've shore got pluck." + +Charley grinned. "It was simply a bad case of being too scared to +move. Well, let's climb on the wagon and get back to camp. Say," he +continued, as the teamster whipped up the mules he had harnessed up +while talking, "do you have many of those moccasins out here?" + +"Not many right here," grinned the driver, "but on these strips of pine +lands there is not supposed to be any. I suppose our crew kills from +twenty to twenty-five a week. Sometimes we kill them all curled up nice +and comfortable in our bunks. But, pshaw! that ain't nothing to the day +it will be five or ten miles farther out. I drove out there once and +it's a sure bet the wheels and mules' hoofs killed over a hundred going +and coming." + +"Whew!" Charley whistled, "that's not very pleasant to hear, but, here +we are at camp, and I've been too excited over this trip to ask your +name." + +"It's Jim Canody--'Languid Jim' they generally call me," grinned the +teamster. + +"You can go back to work, then, Jim," said Charley. "Do your best, and +I'll have a good man to help you soon. Drive in by the cook tent and +I'll jump off there." + +"Well, Chris," he inquired, "how are you getting on?" + +The little negro grinned. "Dis ain't going to be no cinch, Massa +Charles," he said. "Cooking and cleaning up for twenty-five men is +goin' to be a mighty big job for one small nigger. 'Sides, if you +work a night crew hit means a whole lot more work putting up midnight +lunches. Dat's a lot of extra work." + +"I see you have got to have an assistant," Charley agreed. + +"Dat's so," acquiesced Chris, "but he's going to be mah helper, and I +want to pick him out." + +"Give me a description of the kind of help you want, and I'll try to +get it," Charley grinned. + +Chris reflected. "I'd like a nigger jes' 'bout my size," he said +musingly. "'Cause he won't be noaccount 'less I can make him do as I +tell him. I'd like him to be a yellar nigger, too. 'Cause a yellar +negro is much more timid, and shows de dirt much quicker dan a +coal-black nigger. Hit's a lot moah easy to keep him clean. Dis nigger +don't want no noaccount nigger trifling around dat he can't lick." + +Charley grinned. "I'll try to get you one like you wish. Now, I want +you to make up a list of everything you need for the next sixty days." + +"Golly! Massa Charles," exclaimed the little negro. "I can't do dat, +noways. I might figure out what it would take to feed one man, but +I can't calculate on twenty-five men for sixty days. Dat's too big +figuring for one little nigger." + +"Well, just figure on one man for thirty days," said Charley, amused, +"and I'll figure on the other twenty-four men." + +"Golly," exclaimed Chris, "youah sure got a head on you, Massa Charles. +I don't see at all how's you going to figure dat out." + +"Get out your list," said Charley, "and some time I'll tell you how +to do it. Don't put down any fancy thing--only just what will make +substantial hearty grub, like rice, pork, beans, coffee, salt, canned +milk, sugar, flour, dried fruits, macaroni, and, I guess, canned meats, +until we get out to the hunting ground. Hurry up, now, and get up that +list. It's time I was going now." + +Leaving Chris to his strenuous labors of figuring out what one man +could eat in thirty days, Charley gave a few instructions to the +Captain about cleaning up the camp, and then sauntered over to the +engineers' tent. With only a "Hello" he threw open the flap. Bully +Rooney, half-dressed, rose up from his cot and jerked a rifle from its +slings. + +"Better put that down," Charley advised him. "Before you could get +that thing into action I could riddle you with my automatic." Rooney +reluctantly obeyed. + +"Now, I didn't come in here for a row," the lad continued. "I came +in to tell you that the car is ready for town. I'm going to leave in +fifteen minutes. Better hustle and get your things together." + +"I ain't going," said Rooney sullenly. "I've been working by the month, +and I've got to have a month's notice or an extra month's pay." + +"You are going. We will not have you on the ground--and that's pat," +Charley declared. "If you and your partner stay on, we will see that +you eat none of the company's grub. You can just stay here and starve, +for all we care. Make up your mind quick--five minutes of that fifteen +minutes have gone." + +"We'll go," growled Rooney, "but let me tell you, young fellow, we will +sue you as soon as we strike town." + +"That's good," said Charley, with cheerfulness. "We have got nothing to +lose, because you've got no legal grounds for a suit; besides which, +I don't believe either you or McGill dare to go to court. I really +believe that neither of you dare face the showing up of the foul things +you have done on this job. Now you both get a move on you. If you are +not ready when starting time comes I'll leave you and bring out the +sheriff to move you when I come back." + +Before the time arrived to go, McGill and Rooney were stowing their +hastily packed luggage in the car, and the negroes, with their few +tattered belongings, were trying to find a place for themselves in the +crowded truck. Then, with Charley at the wheel, the truck was headed +around for Jupiter, and they were off. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +WALTER TAKES HIS FIRST LESSON IN RUNNING AN ENGINE. + + +"I DON'T like the idea of Charley going in alone with that gang," +Captain Westfield said uneasily. "It's a bad crowd he's got along with +him, and they may make him trouble." + +"I don't think they will," said Walter, as the two stood watching the +truck out of sight. "They have all got their checks, and have got no +reason for making trouble. I guess Charley can take care of himself. +Did you see how fast he was driving the car--almost too fast? If those +engineers are not just plain fools, they will not touch him, for, if +he let go that steering wheel for a second or two, the car would turn +turtle into the ditch and all hands be killed or hurt." + +"Well," said the Captain, with relief, "if that's the case, I'll quit +worrying and get out those Saws to get down the tents that are empty." + +"And I'll go back to the machine," Walter said. "I want to learn all +about it as soon as I can. McCarty seems to be a mighty fine fellow, +and he is going to show me how to run it." + +McCarty was waiting for him at the machine. "Now the first lesson is +going to be a dirty one," he said. "We will have to crawl under the +car, so you can see how each part works." + +Shedding their coats, the two wriggled under on the wet ground and, +lying on their backs, McCarty pointed out the various cog-wheels that +worked the car and the swinging table. + +"Gosh!" exclaimed McCarty suddenly. "Look at that!" + +Startled, Walter looked to where the other was pointing. In one of the +deep, sharp niches, into which the long teeth of the ratching descended +when the platform was in motion, was wedged a round, yellow stick, of +some eight inches in length. + +McCarty pulled out the strange object and looked at it musingly. He +broke off a bit of it, and, crumbling it up in his hand, examined it +closely. "That stuff must have been put in there just before I went on +duty night before last," he said. "Gosh! It's lucky the nigger struck +on me before I started up the machine." + +"Why?" Walter asked. "What is that stuff, anyway?" + +McCarty threw him the stick. "Catch it," he said; "that's dynamite of +the strongest grade." + +Walter held the stick gingerly, as though he was afraid it might go off +at any minute. + +"Don't be afraid of it," laughed McCarty. "It doesn't go off so very +easy. It needs a sudden, hard jar, or a cap and fuse, to explode it. If +I had swung that thirty-ton platform around on top of that stuff the +machine would likely have been pretty badly smashed up, and maybe some +of us killed." + +"Who could have put it there?" Walter asked. + +"Hard to say. Someone who wanted to put the machine out of business, +of course. To be frank, however, it all points to Rooney, who had the +shift before mine. He blew the whistle for me when his shift was up, +and I left from the camp at once. We passed each other about halfway, +so no one else would have had much chance to put anything in there, +between his departure from the machine and my arrival. However, it +has done no harm, so there's no use worrying about it now, but we had +better look good, and see if there's any more of it scattered around." + +A close search, however, failed to reveal any more of the dangerous +explosive, so the two boys crawled out from under the car and mounted +the swinging steel platform, where McCarty showed the other which part +of the cog-wheels they had seen below each lever controlled. There +was a lever to move the car back and forth on its tracks like a steam +engine, a lever to put on brakes, one to control the two-ton steel +bucket, and another to raise and lower the long steel crane. + +"Best way for you to learn to run it is to come on as fireman," he +advised. "It's a hot, dirty job, and long hours, but you've got to +learn the steam part first before you can become a good runner. You've +got to know enough about a steam engine to tell if your fireman is +doing his part right--to know whether he is carrying too much or too +little steam, and whether he keeps water enough in the boiler all the +time. A careless fireman can easily blow up a boiler and wreck his +engine, so it pays to keep an eye on your fireman." + +"All right. I'll come on as a fireman," agreed Walter, cheerfully. + +"That's right," approved McCarty. "It's the only proper way to learn. +Here's another thing to think of: Suppose you went on to that machine +to-morrow as a runner. You know now how it works, all about the levers, +etc. But, take one example. The first thing you may have to do is to +move back on another section of track. A section of track is only +fifteen feet long, and the part of the car that rests on it covers +twelve of the fifteen feet. The section next is butted up against +the one the car is on, but is not fastened to it. Across the ends of +the two sections the ground men place two six-foot pieces of iron +rail, to catch the center wheels of the car. Now, everything is ready +for moving, and the ground men signal, 'Go ahead.' You start ahead. +Suddenly the ground men, who are watching cry, 'Hold, hold.' When you +have heard that cry you know the car is not hitting that second section +right. You have to stop that machine, and stop it, not in a second, +but in a fraction of a second, or your machine will be off the track +and buried in the sand; or, perhaps, even skidded into the ditch, and +likely lost to you forever. Do you suppose a green man, with all that +array of levers before him, could act quick enough to save his machine +and crew? Why, running a steam locomotive is easy compared to running +one of these things. Well, I guess we have gone over everything, and we +might as well go back to camp. In the morning we will come out and fire +up and take a few lessons in actual practice in firing and handling +some of the simpler levers." + +"Good!" Walter exclaimed. "Say, what's that haze off there in the west? +Isn't it smoke?" + +"Indian fires," said McCarty. "They burn off parts of the prairies +every six months so as to get fresh pasture for their stock. +Appearances are deceptive out here. The air is so clear that one can +see objects very far distant. Now, how far off would you say that fire +is?" + +"About ten miles off," Walter guessed. + +"It's more than twice that far," declared the other. "It's a queer +country we will be entering soon, and I'm thinking we'll see some queer +things before we get through this job. But, here we are at the camp. +My, that supper smells good." + +They found the Captain driving the negroes at their task with all the +authority an old shipmaster can display. + +"Gee," exclaimed McCarty, "I never saw those niggers work like that +before. Why, they've got all the empty tents down and one of them +washed up. I wonder how he did it." + +"Oh, the Captain can handle men, all right," said Walter proudly. "That +has been his business all his life, handling tough crews of sailors." + +The old skipper knocked off his men for the night and joined the two +lads. "Well, I've got a good start for to-morrow," he said, with +satisfaction. "We'll have everything finished up by to-morrow night. +Say, those Saws ain't half-bad workers when you handle them right." + +"Negroes are no good out on this kind of work. A nigger wants to be in +or near a town," McCarty declared positively. "He wants to be where he +can get out nights and 'rambles,' as he calls it. He don't like to stay +long on a job, anyway. If he's not paid every Saturday night, he quits. +If he is paid, he's pretty likely to quit, too, for he will have $8 or +$9 in his pocket, and, as long as he has a dollar he does not believe +in work. I remember hearing once this dialogue between a white man and +a nigger: + +"White Man--'Say, boy, do you want to earn a quarter?' + +"Negro--'No, sah, boss; I'se dun got a quarter.'" + +Chris beating on a tin pan drew them all to the cook tent, where a +good supper awaited them. The sun went out of sight while they were +eating, and darkness followed immediately, as there is no twilight in +Florida. Lanterns were lit, and, while the Captain and Walter lent the +overworked little negro a hand in cleaning up, McCarty, who had moved +his tent close to the Captain's, built up a big fire in front of the +tents, and hunted up a few boxes for seats. Here the Captain and Walter +soon joined him, while Chris wandered over to visit with his countrymen. + +"I always like to sit by a camp fire evenings, when I am out on a +job like this." McCarty said. "It seems to take away some of the +loneliness, and makes things seem more cheerful. Just listen for a +minute to the din, will you?" + +There was no need to listen--the din could not be ignored. The croaking +of millions of frogs, the honk of sand-hill cranes, and the screeching +of innumerable owls rose up from the darkness about them. + +"Sounds like they were all saying their prayers at once and getting +ready to go to sleep," said Walter, with a laugh. + +"And that's just what they are doing," said McCarty. "Step outside of +the circle of firelight with me, and take a look around." + +The three stepped out a few paces from the fire and gazed about them. +It was pitch dark, but all around them glowed millions of tiny lights, +flittering here and there. + +"Just fireflies," explained McCarty. "But watch. See that thin white +mist rising from the ground?" As they watched, the white vapor rose +higher, grew denser, and shrouded the land with a ghost-like shroud. +The fireflies disappeared, the frogs ceased croaking, the owls' hooting +died away, and all was still. + +"Night has drawn its sheet over them, and they have gone to sleep," +said McCarty whimsically. + +"Hark!" exclaimed Walter. "What's that?" + +"Hanged if I know," said McCarty, puzzled. "It's coming closer all the +time, whatever it is." + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +BOB IS SENT HOME. + + +IT was strange sounds coming out of the mists that had drawn the lads' +attention. They were not kept long in suspense as to the nature of +the noises, for it soon became plain that they were human voices, one +shrill and piercing, the other deep and guttural. Nearer they drew, +until out of the white vapor loomed a huge, grotesque object, which +gradually resolved itself into a big covered wagon, drawn by four gaunt +oxen. In the front of the wagon sat an Indian woman, urging the weary +beasts on with whip and shrill cries. Behind the wagon walked a huge, +powerful Indian, closely followed by a mass of pigs, cattle and goats, +which were urged on from the rear by a pack of mongrel dogs, of all +sizes and colors. With much squealing of pigs, barking of dogs, and +cries from the squaw, this strange equipage came to a stop in front of +the camp. + +The two boys advanced to the road to meet the visitors. + +"Hello," Walter greeted them. + +"Hello," returned the Indian. "No can get by big machine?" + +"No," said McCarty, "I'm afraid you can't. Machine right in road, deep +ditches both sides, plenty mud. Back one mile is a road that circles +around the machine. You understand?" + +The Indian nodded comprehension. "No can find road at night. Me camp +here." + +"All right," Walter assented. "When you get unhitched, come over to +camp fire and have something to eat." + +The two boys rummaged around in the cook tent and got out a can of +salmon, one of corned beef, and a box of crackers, which they carried +out to the camp fire. The Indian was there awaiting them. "She unhitch +oxen," he explained. + +Walter grinned. "Indian man no work?" he inquired. + +"No work," agreed the Seminole. + +"Your squaw?" asked the interested lad. + +"No, sister," and a gleam of interest shone on the Indian's impassive +face. "You want squaw?" he demanded. + +"No," said Walter hastily, while McCarty laughed. + +"Sister strong, work good, cook good, too," recommended the Seminole +seriously. + +"Why don't you get a squaw yourself?" McCarty demanded. + +"Sister got tongue sharp as knife point," admitted the Indian sadly. +"She and squaw would fight and fight and fight with their tongues, and +there would be no peace in the camp for its master." + +Her task performed, the Indian girl now approached the fire. She was +pretty for an Indian. Like all Seminole girls, she wore a waist of +bright colors, a skirt of calico of many hues, and beaded moccasins on +her feet. She was frankly unembarrassed and smiled around at her hosts +in evident friendliness. + +Walter opened the cans and handed them and the crackers to the girl. +"No meal cooked in big tent," he explained. "To-morrow morning have +plenty hot grub." + +The two ate silently and hungrily, and as soon as they had finished +departed for their wagon with a brief "Good-by." + +"They never even said thanks," McCarty commented. + +"An Indian never expresses his gratitude in words," Walter explained, +"but they never forget a favor done them. If we ever happen near that +fellow's camp, he will bring in some present, such as venison or pork. +Well, it is time we were turning in. The Captain has been asleep for +hours." + +Chris awoke all hands next morning at daylight by beating on a tin pan. +He had breakfast all ready by the time they were washed and dressed. +The Seminoles had already hitched up their oxen, and, seated by the +cook tent, were patiently waiting for the promised meal. + +The boys invited them to seats at their own table, and were surprised +to note that they seemed perfectly at ease, handling knife and fork. + +The meal was quickly dispatched, and the Indians, with a brief +"good-by," departed to pick up the road they had passed in the night, +and the boys hastened out to the machine, while the Captain, with his +negro helpers, resumed the work of cleaning up the camp. + +Walter quickly picked up the knack of firing, and, after he had +mastered its principles, McCarty, standing by his side, permitted +him to handle the two levers that controlled the great steel bucket. +Simple as it looked to be when he watched McCarty do it, Walter soon +found that it required both quickness and coolness to handle only these +two levers out of the many before him. He repeated the operation of +raising, lowering, digging, and dumping several hundred times, gaining +more quickness, sureness, and certainty with each operation. + +"You're going to learn quickly," McCarty said. "I am sorry, but we can +do no more to-day. If you'll look back at your water gauge you'll see +that there are only a few inches of water left in your boiler. Filling +it is too big a job for us to tackle alone, so you might as well rake +out your fire, and we will go back to camp." + +"I say," he continued, as Walter threw open the furnace door and raked +out the blazing billets of wood with an iron rake, "it's only nine +o'clock. What do you say if we go off on a little hunt for the balance +of the day? It's likely to be the last chance we will have in many +months." + +"I'll go you," Walter agreed. "That is, provided the Captain does not +need any help." + +They found the Captain with his task nearly completed. "No, you can't +help me any," he said. "The niggers will have everything done by noon. +Go on and have your fun, lads, but be careful, and be sure to get back +by dark." + +The boys sought their tents, and got out their guns and game bags. By +the time they were ready Chris had a lunch wrapped up for them, and +they struck out into the open woods, with Bob, the dog, gamboling in +front of them. + +"Why, you have brought your rifle along with you," Walter exclaimed, +noting his comrade's gun. + +"Yes; one shotgun is enough," said his friend; "and I am in hopes that +we may run on to some big game. I've seen plenty of signs of deer +lately." + +"I'll be contented if I can get a good bag of quail." + +"Oh, you'll get them, all right," said McCarty confidently. "The woods +are full of them, and Bob is as good a bird dog as there is in the +State of Florida. Look, he is at it already." + +As if to justify the compliment paid him, Bob had stopped in front +of a little oak thicket, and stood with head thrust forward and tail +sticking straight out. He waited patiently in this attitude for the +lads to approach. + +"Get your gun ready, and I'll scare them up for you," McCarty said. +"If you are not used to shooting on the wing just aim at the flock and +blaze away when they rise." + +He picked up a heavy stick and threw it into the thicket. With a +whirling of wings a big covey of quail rose up from its center. + +Walter fired one barrel after the other into the middle of the flock. + +"Good!" exclaimed McCarty. "You got a dozen at least. Watch where the +balance light. Here, Bob, fetch 'em out." + +The dog rushed forward, but stopped at the edge of the thicket. + +"Fetch 'em out, Bob; fetch 'em out," encouraged the lad, but the dog +turned back with drooping tail. + +"There's something wrong in there," declared McCarty; "something the +dog is afraid of." + +"Well, I'm going in and get my quail," Walter said. "I'm not going to +be cheated out of the first quail I ever killed." + +"Hold on," said McCarty, "there's no telling what you may run up +against. The thicket isn't over fifty feet across. Let's set fire to +both sides of it, and one of us stand by each end. We ought to be able +to kill whatever it is as it comes out." + +"Good," Walter agreed. "I'll take my stand by this end, and you can +take yours by the other." + +In a few minutes the thicket was ablaze on both sides, while the two +lads, with guns cocked, stood eagerly waiting the appearance of its +occupant. + +The thicket was all of small growth, and in a few minutes the fire +had swept it clear to the ground, leaving only here and there a few +smouldering stalks of thicket growth. The dead quail lay scattered +around on the ground, unhurt except for a slight singing of feathers. + +"I guess Bob got a wrong hunch that time," Walter said, as he picked up +his quail, of which there were thirteen. + +"I'll bet on Bob every time," said McCarty. "There was something in +here that he was afraid to tackle, and I'll bet if we look around long +enough we'll find some trace of it." + +"Look out!" said Walter. "There it is, right in front of you." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +WALTER AND THE ENGINEER GO A-HUNTING. + + +A FEW feet in front of McCarty lay a little mound of soft dirt, thrown +up by a gopher when digging its hole down deep into the earth. It was +the stirring of this mound of sand that had called forth Walter's +exclamation. + +The boys watched, fascinated, as the sand trembled more violently, and +a big, flat head, with lidless eyes, reared itself above the dirt. At +sight of the repulsive-looking head, both boys fired, and the head +dropped back, nearly severed from its body. + +"Gracious!" exclaimed Walter, as they pried the rest of the body from +the sand with their gun barrels. "Did you ever see one like it in your +life?" + +"I never saw such a monster before, and I don't believe anyone +else ever did," agreed McCarty, as he gazed down at the beautiful, +diamond-marked body of the huge rattlesnake, for such it was. + +Walter measured the body with his gun barrel, while McCarty counted the +rattles at the tip of the tail. + +"It's eight feet two inches long," Walter announced. "No one will ever +believe that we killed a rattle of that size." + +"Well, here is one way to convince them," said McCarty, as, with his +knife he severed the rattles from the body. "They can't doubt that it +was a whopper. Here's twenty-four rattles and a button, which shows +that it was twenty-four years old." + +"My, but I would like to get that skin off," Walter said, longingly. +"It's a beauty, but I'm afraid to skin it." + +"Yes, it would be risky," agreed McCarty, who, like his companion, +was well versed as a hunter. "It may have bitten itself when the fire +was going over it. But come, let's move on. The sport is only just +beginning. Did you notice where that covey of quail settled?" + +"Yes," Walter said, "they went down in that bunch of spruce over there. +Bob is nosing them up already." + +The lads followed up the sniffing dog, and out of the rise Walter got +seven more birds. "That makes twenty," he observed. "That's enough for +supper, and there is no use killing more than we can use. I've got some +buckshot cartridges. Let's try and find some bigger game. You've had no +fun at all, so far. I've been having it all. Which is the best way to +go?" + +"I don't really know," said McCarty. "I have never hunted far from camp +out here, but, I fancy, straight ahead is as good as any. I climbed +way up on the machine's boom the other day and took a good look over +the country. Say, it's the craziest looking country you ever saw. It's +a regular Chinese puzzle of stretches of prairie, ponds, bits of flat +woods, hummocks, and even little hills rising up suddenly from the +prairie. It's a queer country, all right. Looks as though there might +be any kind of game in it. Hang it, there goes that fool, dog again. +Won't he ever learn a lesson?" + +Bob, barking madly, had dashed into a little thicket a few paces ahead. + +"Hold on!" McCarty cried, as Walter started forward with cocked gun. +"Bob, Bob," he yelled. "Come here; come here, you fool." + +But the dog did not instantly obey. Instead, from the thicket came the +sound of a fierce struggle. + +"What can be in there?" Walter asked anxiously. "It sounds as though +Bob was getting the worst of it." + +"He is, and he isn't," grinned the other. "Just wait a minute and you +will see what I mean." + +Walter did not have long to wait. Soon a few short barks announced that +Bob had triumphed, and a moment later the dog emerged from the bushes, +but not before a villainous odor had reached the boys' nostrils. So +strong and sickening it was, that the lads retreated in haste. + +"Get out of here; go home," ordered McCarty angrily. "Go home, you +fool." + +Bob stopped and eyed him reproachfully; then, as if in obedience to an +oft-repeated lesson, he turned around and trotted back to camp. + +McCarty chuckled as he gazed after him. "That's Bob's one failing," he +said. "He will go out of his way to tackle a pole-cat. As soon as the +scent of one battle wears off he goes out and seeks another. Seems like +a regular mania with him. I sure hope he will not do as he did last +time--when he went back to camp, sneaked into my tent and went to sleep +on my cot. Whew! I had to burn my blankets and fumigate my tent before +I could sleep in it again, but I guess I had better shut up. If we talk +as we go along, we will never get near a deer." + +Thus far the boys had been traveling through low, flat woods, scantily +dotted with small pine trees and little thickets of spruces and oaks, +but soon they began to enter an entirely different kind of country. +Before them stretched a vast prairie, covered with grass and broken +here and there by rising hummocks, densely wooded with pines, oaks and +huge tropical trees. Every few hundred yards they saw grass ponds, or +little sandy-bottomed lakes of crystal-clear water. Beside one of these +little lakes the lads stopped to eat their lunch. It was full of fish +of all sizes. + +"I wish Chris was here," Walter observed. "He would have the time of +his life yanking out those big fellows." + +"Oh, he can get all the fishing he wants right close to camp," McCarty +said. "I never saw such a country for fish in my life. Any hole that is +deep enough to hold water is full of fish. Even the ditches the machine +has left behind are full of little minnows already." + +The lunch finished and washed down by draughts of clear, cold water +from the lake, the lads began searching around its sandy shore for deer +signs. They found animal tracks in abundance, and were amazed at the +number of different kinds--coons, wild-cats, foxes, deer, bears--all +seemed to have made the little lake their drinking place, and, in one +place, they came upon the padded footprint of a panther. + +"My, I wish we could put in a week hunting around this little lake," +said McCarty regretfully. "We could make a shelter not far away and +take stands here at night. But, wishing don't accomplish much, so I +guess we might as well be pushing on. Without a dog our only chance is +to work up against the wind and keep our eyes open." + +They had traveled about two miles in this manner when Walter suddenly +stopped. "Look ahead, there," he exclaimed. "Can't you see something +rising up a little above the grass?" + +"By George, you beat me to it," McCarty acknowledged. "It's a deer's +antlers. The deer must be lying down resting, or we would see its body +from here. It's hands and knees for us now. We had better keep together +and make as little noise as we can. A deer's hearing is keen." + +It was slow, hard work, crawling forward in this manner, but in the +excitement the boys did not notice the strain it put on hands and +knees. From time to time they would raise their heads cautiously and +peer ahead, to see if the deer was still there. An hour and half +of this slow traveling brought them to within a few hundred yards +of the resting animal; then it suddenly arose, and sniffed the air +suspiciously, with its head thrown back. + +"Don't move," McCarty whispered. "It's beginning to scent danger." + +The boys lay quiet for several minutes; then slowly raising their +heads, took another peep. The deer still stood broadside to them, +sniffing the air. + +"It's no use trying to get any closer," Walter whispered softly. "It's +ready to run at any minute. Better try a crack at it with your rifle. +I'll get up on my knees and you can get a rest on my shoulder." + +McCarty noiselessly obeyed, and, taking careful aim, fired. + +"I got him," he shouted, as the deer sank to its knees, but, even as +he spoke, the deer was up again and off like a flash. McCarty, taken +unawares, had to stop to eject the worthless shell and throw in a new +one, by which time the deer was far away, running in great bounds over +the prairie. + +Walter could not refrain from laughing at the expression on the other's +face. "Counted your chickens before they were hatched," he chuckled. + +"Oh, I got him all right!" declared his companion confidently. "Look at +the blood on the grass. He can't run far before he drops. See, he is +beginning to falter now." + +All the while they had been talking the boys had been hurrying after +the deer, which, although a good mile away, was still in plain sight. +Within five minutes after McCarty spoke, it suddenly disappeared. + +"It's down," McCarty cried. "Let's hurry as fast as we can. It's +getting late, and we are a good eight miles from camp." + +When they reached the deer it was dead. The bullet had passed through +the body close to the heart. McCarty produced a cord from his game bag, +and, tying its front legs to its hind ones, slung the deer upon his +back. "If you'll bring my gun, I'll manage the deer," he said. "It's a +rule of the chase that each man shall bring in his own kill." + +Walter slung the rifle over his shoulder. "I'll spell you when you get +tired," he offered. + +"I am not likely to get tired. The only thing I'm afraid of is that we +are not going to be able to make camp before dark, and, for certain +reasons, I hate to camp in this country overnight." + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE CONVICTS' CAMP. + + +MCCARTY took the lead, and, without hesitation, struck out due north. + +"Why, you're going the wrong way," Walter exclaimed, "or at least it +seems the wrong way to me. How do you know you're headed right?" + +McCarty grinned. "I spent lots of my spare time hunting," he explained, +"and most of it was done in a worse country than this, where one could +get lost within a couple of hundred yards of camp. That kind of hunting +develops a kind of direction instinct, as hunters call it, but which is +really a habit of observation. Now I have taken note of every turn we +have made to-day, and, although we are not going back the way we came, +I'll guarantee that we'll come out within a hundred yards of camp. But +I guess I had better stop bragging. I need all my wind to handle this +deer." + +It soon became evident that McCarty was right, and that they were not +going to be able to make camp before dark. Indeed, they had covered +not more than three miles of the distance when darkness descended upon +them. + +"It's a little risky, but I guess we can push on until the white mist +rises," said McCarty, as they halted for a moment to rest. "The moon is +bright enough for us to pick our way now, but when the mist rises we +will have to make camp for the night. I couldn't trust myself to find +my way through the fog." + +"I don't mind a night out," Walter said, "but I hate to have the +Captain worrying about us." + +"Same here," agreed McCarty. "But that cannot be helped now. Let's push +on again, and get as far as we can." + +"Well, let me take the deer for a while," Walter urged. + +"Well, I don't mind if you do, for a few minutes," McCarty admitted. +"I've carried many a one twice this distance, but that was in the day +time. This trying to pick trail and carry too is sure getting my goat." + +They had not proceeded far before McCarty stopped again. "If I am not +badly fooled, there's a campfire right ahead of us," he said. "See that +faint glow there in the darkness." + +"Good," Walter said. "We can perhaps camp for the night with them, +whoever they are." + +"Maybe," agreed his companion doubtfully. "If they are Indians, it is +all right, but I am suspicious of white men I meet in this country. +We can keep on for a ways, then one of us had better go ahead and +investigate before we walk in on them." + +"That's my part of the job," Walter exclaimed. "I'm a pretty fair +scout, if I am not much of a woodsman." + +"No," contested McCarty. "I'm better used to the kind of people we have +in this part of the country than you are." + +"Let's not quarrel about it," laughed Walter. "We can both go. Whoever +they are, they are not likely to hear us above the din of the frogs and +owls." + +As the boys drew nearer to the campfire they became silent, lest the +sound of their voices should make their presence known. When some +two hundred yards from its glow, they left the deer behind and crept +forward on hands and knees. + +It was well that they had used such precautions, for the appearance of +the group around the campfire was not reassuring. It consisted of three +white men and one negro. The four were sprawled around the fire, over +which a large turkey was hung to roast, and the firelight lit up four +of as villainous looking faces as ever existed. The boys crept close +enough to distinguish their features and hear the conversation that was +going on. + +The negro, whose face was scarred by several knife wounds, was +speaking. + +"I'se done getting tired ob dis," he was saying. "I don't like dis +hangin' around in de woods day atter day adoing nothin'. What for dat +white man send us out in dese woods foah if he don't want us to do +nothin'?" + +"Shut up," said one of his white companions curtly. "You've got no +cause to kick. If he hadn't bribed the guard at the convict camp to let +you escape, you would be working hard gathering turpentine yet." + +"You ain't got no call to talk. I reckon you was in as bad a fix as me. +Worser, 'cause de guard was just layin' foah a chance to put de whip on +youah back." + +"You two stop fussing," said the second white man in the group. "We +are all escaped convicts, one no better than the other. A man helped +us to escape, and sent us out here with a couple of months' grub and +instructions to wait his orders. That suits me. I ain't anxious to go +around any town until I get new clothes and my hair grows out, so I +will not be spotted as an ex-convict. I'm willing to do what he says +and wait for his orders." + +"Same here," agreed the fourth man. "I don't know the boss' business, +but I figure that he don't want to use violence to stop the building of +that road unless he has to. He put Murphy out of business pretty quick +by spending a little money with the engineers. Likely he's waiting to +see if he can't work some such trick on the new concern before he tries +any rough work." + +"Why don't he want the road built?" inquired one of his companions. + +"Give it up. I reckon he's just an agent for some big corporation," +said the other. "I ain't worrying my head about it. What I want is new +clothes and some money, and I reckon we will get both if we do as the +boss tells us to do." + +The talk drifted round to other topics, and the two lads crept silently +back to the deer, and, shouldering it, circled around the convicts' +camp, being careful to give it a wide berth. It was not until they had +placed a full half mile between themselves and the convicts that they +ventured to speak aloud, and by that time the white mist had begun to +rise, and McCarty stopped near a clump of small spruces. + +"No use trying to go any farther," he said. "Let's make camp here in +these spruces. We can cut some boughs and make a comfortable bed in a +few minutes." + +The spruce thicket really made a comfortable camping place. The dense +growth of spruce shut out the dampness, and the ground beneath them was +thickly carpeted with fragrant pine needles. In a few minutes the boys +had cut enough small boughs to make a comfortable bed. They were too +utterly weary to light a fire and cook any of their game. They still +had part of their lunch left, and, as soon as it was eaten, they lay +down on their couch with sighs of relief. + +"That was sure a tough-looking bunch back there," said McCarty, as he +stretched out his weary limbs. + +"And, judging from their conversation, they don't mean any good to us," +Walter commented. + +"It's queer, but I've felt all the time that some outside influence was +holding back this road building, but it was only a hunch, and I could +not be sure about it. Those fellows' talk to-night proves my hunch was +right." + +"The agent at Jupiter hinted that the Southern Dredging Co. might make +us trouble," Walter remarked. + +"The agent is mistaken," said McCarty, decidedly. "I worked for that +company for years, and, while they will try to crush any company that +gets in their way, they certainly would not take the trouble to go out +of their way to crush a little concern like ours. No, there's some +other reason for the trouble we've been having. Well, it's no use +worrying. We had better go to sleep and get what rest we can. We will +have to work to-morrow if your chum gets back with a new crew." + +The two weary lads were soon sound asleep, and did not awaken until +break of day. As it grew lighter, they were delighted to see the camp +only three miles away. McCarty had made good his boast. He had come in +a straight line from where they had killed the deer. In an hour's time +they reached the camp, where Chris and the Captain were overjoyed to +see them back. + +"If you hadn't shown up early this morning I would have been out +hunting for you," the old sailor declared. "Chris and I didn't sleep +much last night." + +"I'm glad you didn't start out," said Walter, with a grin, "for then we +would have had to turn around and hunted you up. Chris, cut off some +venison steaks and fry them for us, please. We are as hungry as wolves." + +As soon as breakfast was over the two lads went out to the machine and +took the pump to pieces, so as to have it ready for putting in the new +parts Charley was expected to bring back with him. This was all they +could do until he arrived with a new crew, so they returned to the camp +and lounged around, chatting with the Captain and Chris until they +heard the truck coming in the distance, when they went out to the road +to meet it. As it came in sight they could see that it was loaded with +men. + +"He's got them all right," Walter exclaimed with delight. + +"Yes," agreed McCarty, "he's sure got a load of them. Gosh, I hope +they are the right kind. If they are, we will soon get things running +smooth and good." + +As the truck drew near, they could see two white men on the seat beside +Charley, while the body of the car was filled with well-dressed men +with black eyes and hair and rather dark complexions. + +McCarty gave a whoop of delight. + +"Bully for your chum!" he said. "He's got some of the best class of +laborers that work in Florida." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +CHARLEY GETS A NEW CREW. + + +CHARLEY stopped the car in front of the camp and jumped nimbly out, +followed by the two white men, whom he introduced to the two boys as +"Bob Bratten and Will Kitchner, our new engineers." Both were well +known to McCarty, and the three were soon busy recalling old times +on other jobs where they had worked together. But Walter was chiefly +interested in the new men who were climbing out of the car with their +suit-cases in their hands. + +"Gee, Charley," he whispered, "what kind of crew is this you have +brought, a bunch of tourists?" + +"They look like it, don't they?" Charley grinned. "But have you +forgotten your manners? Can't you say good day to them, at least?" + +"Good day, men," said Walter pleasantly, but his greeting was ignored, +save by one of the strange men, who had a cast in his left eye and a +humorous twist of the mouth. "Good day, _señor_," he said, with a grin. +"These men no savey Americano. Me speak Americano plentee. Four years +this country. Work plentee on dredges." + +"This is Bossie," Charley said, with a smile. "He is going to be +one of our firemen and also interpreter." He waved his hand toward +the empty tents. "Tell the men to put their things in them and make +themselves comfortable, Bossie," he said. + +"Spaniards!" exclaimed Walter. "Where in the world did you get hold of +them?" + +"Miami," said Charley happily. "I got the pick of four hundred of them +that had just been laid off from work by the East Coast Railway Co. +They have all had experience in this kind of work. There are several +firemen among them, and that Bossie could even be trusted to run the +machine, I believe. They are the best class of laborers that there +is in Florida to-day. They are cleanly, hard-working, contented and +ambitious. I've got two good engineers, too. But I must not stand here +talking. I had to leave some Spaniards in Jupiter. I could not bring +them all on one trip. I told them I'd be right back, so I will have to +go. I'll be back with them before dinner." + +"Shall we start up the machine?" Walter asked. + +"No, wait until I get back. There are some things I want to talk +over with all hands first. Here are those parts for the pump. Tell +McCarty to have it fixed up this morning, so that we can start up this +afternoon. I've got lots to talk over with you and the Captain, but +that will have to wait. So long; I'll be back in a couple of hours." + +Walter watched the truck out of sight with a grin. "He sure is doing +some hustling," he said to himself. + +Before noon, Charley was back with the second load of Spaniards, and +he also brought a yellow-skinned negro lad of about Chris' size and +age. The Spaniards immediately made their way to the tents where their +fellow countrymen had already unpacked and changed their fine clothes +for overalls and jumpers. + +Charley led the little negro to the cook tent, and lifted up the flap. +"Here's your assistant, Chris," he said. "I hope he will give you +satisfaction." He stepped quickly outside again, but stopped there, +with a grin on his face, and beckoned to Walter to listen to the +conversation that was going on inside. + +"Hello, nigger," Chris was saying. "Where you come from?" + +"Bimini," said the other negro meekly. + +"Dat's where dey raise de laziest niggers in de world," Chris +commented. "What's your name?" + +"Sam Roberts," responded the cowed assistant. + +"All right, you Sam. You get to work an' set dem tables, 'cause +dinner's going to be ready mighty soon. After dinner I'll decide jus' +what I wants you to do each day. Get to work dar widout no grumbling. +I'se de boss in dis cook tent, an', if you don't do like I says, I'se +goin' to gib you a worse lickin' dan youah mammy ebber gib you." + +When they were called to dinner later, it was to find the new +assistant, shiny-faced from soap and water, serving hot venison steaks +and mashed potatoes to both tables, while Chris watched him with a +critical eye. + +The two new engineers proved to be pleasant, healthy, vigorous, young +men, and, before the dinner was over, those at the American table had +got well acquainted with each other, while the Spaniards at the next +table chattered noisily like a lot of magpies. + +"I wish you would all come over to my tent," Charley requested, when +the meal was over. "I want to say a few words to you before we start +work." + +When they had all collected in the little tent, the lad spoke out +frankly. "This is rather an uncertain piece of work we are on, +friends," he said; "and it largely depends upon you whether we can +carry it through. We are pressed for time to complete it, and we have +pretty nearly reached the end of our capital. Some unknown enemy is +trying to stop or delay the work, for some reason I do not understand. +If you will all do your best, I believe we will pull out all right, but +it's going to be close work. Two things we must do: keep the machine +running, and beware of all strangers. Allow no stranger to come near +the machine. McCarty has been longest on this job, so when you are in +doubt about anything you can consult him. Now you can fix the watches +to suit yourselves and pick your crews." + +The question of shifts and crews was quickly settled between the +engineers, Bob Bratton taking the first watch, from 12:00 o'clock until +8:00 o'clock at night. From 8:00 P. M. until 4:00 A. M. would be Will +Kitchner's watch, while McCarty's trick would be from 4:00 A. M. until +noon. This order, they agreed, should be changed each week, so that one +man would not have to do all the night work. Each engineer understood +some Spanish, and they soon picked out experienced firemen and ground +men from among the Spaniards. As soon as all was settled, Bratton, with +his crew, left for the machine, and the rest dispersed, to get things +settled in their tents and to gain a little rest before it came their +turn to go on duty. + +As soon as our little party was alone, Walter related to the others the +finding of the dynamite under the machine, and the presence of the four +convicts in the near neighborhood. + +"There's something big going on, but I can't imagine what it is," +Charley said gravely. + +"I reckon this road building is interfering with someone's plans, or +they wouldn't be wanting to stop it," Captain Westfield observed. + +"Sure," Walter agreed, "but who is this somebody, and what is his plan +that we are interfering with?" + +"I expect we will get a clew to that before long," Charley said +thoughtfully. "As soon as they see we are going to push things they +will likely try to stop us. They got at Murphy through his engineers, +apparently. But they can't get at us in that way. In fact, I don't +see any way they can get at us, if we are careful and keep a sharp +lookout. We've got good engineers, and a good crew, now, and I brought +out two extra men, so as to have plenty of help in case of sickness or +accident." + +"How about those convicts?" Walter asked. + +"I'm going in day after to-morrow for the supplies I ordered from +Jacksonville, and I'll telegraph the sheriff about them," Charley +said promptly. "I guess he will lose no time in recapturing them. In +the meantime we will just have to watch out for them, that's all. I +guess, Walt, you'd better give up the idea of firing--for a while, at +any rate. I'll have to spend most of my time running around, and the +Captain will be busy with the graders. It needs someone to keep a sharp +lookout for any possible trouble or danger." + +"All right," agreed Walter cheerfully. "I'll stay wherever you put me." + +Further conversation was interrupted by one long whistle coming from +the machine. + +"He's got his boiler filled and is ready to start," Charley exclaimed. +"Come on; we don't want to miss the start." His three chums were close +at his heels, as he hurried out to the machine. Bratton saw them +coming, and waited. + +"Thought you might like to break a bottle of wine over her before we +started," he said, with a grin. He swung the powerful machine around +and began to dig. + +Our little party watched with admiration the ease and dexterity with +which he handled the heavy, panting machine. Each time the big bucket +dumped its load of mud in exactly the right spot, as though placed +there by hand. + +They lounged around the machine the greater part of the afternoon, +watching with delight the steady progress being made. Except for brief +stops, to take on wood and water, the bucket swung back and forth with +the regularity of clockwork. + +All the way back to camp Charley was silent. "Captain," he asked +finally, "do you think you can handle that grading with three men?" + +"I reckon so," said the old sailor. "Why?" + +"If you can, I want to put the other two men on as night watchmen to +guard the camp." + +"Whew!" whistled Walter. "You must be looking for trouble." + +"There's nothing like being prepared for it," Charley replied grimly. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +LOOKING AHEAD. + + +AS soon as our little party got back to camp, Charley called together +the Spaniards not yet assigned to duty, and had the Captain select the +three men he wanted for graders. Although both Walter and Charley could +speak and understand a little Spanish, the old sailor could not speak a +word of it, and he was careful to pick out three men who understood a +few words of English. Out of the remainder Charley selected two to go +ahead of the machine, to clear its path of trees and to dynamite the +larger stumps. Two men were assigned as bridge builders, for at every +thousand feet a gap must be left in the road for the back water to pass +through during the rainy season. A big, strapping fellow, over six feet +tall, was named as assistant for the teamster, and the remaining two +Spaniards were named as night guards. All but the night guards were to +go to work next morning. To each one Charley explained that they must +not permit any strangers to come near either camp or machine. If they +saw any strangers, except Indians, they were to report it to him at +once, or, if he was not in camp, they must report it to Walter. + +"That ought to protect us pretty well," he remarked to his chums, after +the Spaniards had dispersed, chattering over the jobs that had been +assigned to them. "In the day time, the bridge builders will guard our +rear, and the right-of-way men will be the same as scouts in front, +while you will be watching all around generally. There will always be a +crew on the machine, and the teamster and his helpers will be of some +use as scouts in their work. That ought to prevent any chance of our +being taken by surprise." + +"You talk as though you were preparing for war," Walter remarked. + +"It does sound that way," his chum admitted. "I've got a hunch that +we are going to see trouble as soon as those convicts get word to +their boss that the machine is running again. Judging from what has +been attempted already, our mysterious enemies will stop at nothing to +accomplish their purpose." + +"It's like fighting in the dark," Walter commented. "If we only knew +just what we are up against, we would know better what to expect. This +mystery business is something I don't fancy." + +"It's up to us to solve it," said his chum; "and I'm going to have a +try at the job to-morrow. It's comforting, anyway, to hear that machine +working so steadily. That Bratton is sure doing some digging. Hear how +regular that bucket is dumped. I wonder what those two long and two +short whistles mean." + +"That's the signal to move track and back up," said Walter, proud of +his newly acquired knowledge. "One short whistle means go ahead, three +long ones are for the teamster; four long ones are the distress signal, +and five long ones is the signal for everyone to come to the machine." + +"The men must all be told what that last signal means," said Charley +thoughtfully. "It may come handy some time." + +As night drew near, the resting crews emerged, yawning, from their +tents, and began to prepare for their night's work. Lanterns were +filled and cleaned and working clothes donned. Chris, with his +assistant's help, filled up a large basket with food, which, at +sundown, was sent out to the workers on the machine. + +Supper was eaten, and all the Americans gathered around the campfire +and told stories and jokes in its genial glow. The Spaniards built +another fire, in front of their own tents, and sang Spanish songs to +the accompaniment of a couple of mandolins, while Chris and Sam, his +new assistant, lounging in the cook tent, talked lovingly about their +own country, the poverty-stricken Bahama Islands. + +"This is a mighty different camp from what it was four days ago," +remarked McCarty. "There was no music or laughing going on then. All +you could hear was grumbling and cursing. Believe me, I like this new +order better." + +When 8 o'clock came, Kitchner called his crew and left for the machine, +from which soon came Bratton with his tired crew. "Digging's good," he +said, in answer to McCarty's questions. "She's hitting a little rock, +but it's soft and digs easy. I struck one dead head, but got it out +without much trouble." + +"What's a dead head?" Walter asked. + +"Submerged stumps or trees," McCarty explained. "We often come upon +them in our digging. They are generally big, hard as iron, and mean to +get out. One does not see them until the bucket hits them, and then the +machine is too close to use dynamite." + +"Queer," the other commented. + +"Yes," McCarty agreed. "There are forests buried below us, I suppose. +The process of building up and tearing down goes on all the time. In +the centuries to come, likely, these trees around us will be buried in +turn, and another forest rise above them." + +"The Lord moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform," quoted the +Captain reverently. + +While this conversation was going on, Charley had slipped away from +the little circle unnoticed, and stepped softly out into the darkness. +He had not gone far before he was halted by an abrupt challenge and a +leveled rifle. + +"It's the boss," he said, in answer to the challenge. "Where's Gomez?" + +"Gomez is on the other side of the camp," answered the sentinel in +Spanish. "Each of us make a half circle of camp, meet, and turn back +again. No one can go or come unnoticed." + +"_Esto bueno. Bueno nosche, hombre._" (It is good. Good night, man.) + +"_Bueno nosche, señor_," replied the Spaniard politely, and Charley +strolled back to the fire, satisfied that the night guards were doing +their duty. + +"Jim," he said, to the teamster, "I want to use one of the mules +to-morrow. You've got enough wood hauled to last a couple of days. You +can keep right on chopping while I'm gone. Take Juan out with you. He +is to be your regular helper. Now, which mule had I better take?" + +"Going to ride?" inquired the teamster. + +"Yes." + +"Waal," he said thoughtfully, "Violet will throw you the furthest, but +Pansy might kick you while you're down." + +"I'll take Violet," decided the lad, with a grin. "I object to being +kicked when I'm down." + +"I'm going to take a ride ahead to-morrow," he told his chum, when the +rest had retired. "I am in hopes that I may hit on some clew to this +mystery. At any rate I will look over the route we have to take, and +see what we have got to encounter. I ought to have done that before we +bought Murphy out. Well, here goes for bed. I am going to get an early +start in the morning." + +His intentions were sincere, but he slept so soundly that he did not +awaken until the general call for breakfast. While he was eating Chris +put up a lunch for him, and, when he was through, Jim, the teamster, +accompanied him out to the corral. "I'll put the bridle on Violet for +you," he offered. "She sorter objects to strangers fooling around her +mouth." + +"All right," Charley agreed, but it was with some little secret dismay +that he viewed the towering, powerful mule, as Jim bridled it, and, +throwing a sack over its back, led it out of the corral. + +It was too late to back out without chaffing, for the whole camp had +paused on its way to work, to watch the proceedings. + +"Lead it out on the grade and give me a hand up," he ordered, and Jim +meekly obeyed. Charley placed his foot in the teamster's hand and +swung himself lightly astride of the mule, while the teamster jumped +hurriedly back. + +"Get up," Charley said, as he gathered up the reins. Down went the +mule's head, and up and down went its hind part, in a series of +jolting, jarring bucks. + +"Give it the whip," howled Walter in delight. + +But Charley was too busy to heed advice. He grasped desperately at the +mule's mane to save himself, but it was too short for a hand-hold, and +over the mule's head he went, to land ten feet away in the soft sand +with a thud that made his teeth ache. + +Slowly he picked himself up, and, rubbing the sand out of his eyes, +looked back. The mule was nibbling placidly at a bit of grass, and +behind it the whole camp was howling with laughter. + +"I really think," remarked the teamster critically, "that you could do +better with a saddle on." + +"Saddle," exclaimed Charley wrathfully, "have you got a saddle?" + +"Got a good one over in my tent. I 'lowed you preferred to ride bare +back. Some do, you know." + +Charley glared at him with suspicion, but the Missourian's pale-blue +eyes met his with a look of entire innocence. + +"I guess I could do better with a saddle," agreed the lad dryly. "Go +and get it, if you please." + +Even with the saddle on, it was all he could do to retain his seat as +the mule bucked up and down. But the teamster at last gave it a whack +with a stick over the hind quarters and started it off on a run. For +one fleeting second Charley glanced back at the grinning faces behind, +then he settled down in the saddle and strove to master the vicious +brute. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +SCOUTING. + + +FORTUNATELY for Charley the newly-leveled road was still so unpacked +and soft that the mule quickly tired, with its feet at every stride +sinking to the fetlocks, and, before it reached the end of the grade, +the lad had it under control. At the end of the grade lay the heaps of +soft sand and mud the machine had lately thrown out. He must cross the +ditch in order to get around the machine and do it before he reached +the ant-like hills of dirt. He rose in his stirrups and surveyed the +ditch ahead. It was about eight feet wide and several feet in depth, +and in many places the bottom was nothing more than liquid mud. Picking +out a place where the bottom showed white sand, the lad headed the +mule for the ditch, and, as it hesitated for a moment on the edge, he +brought his whip down smartly on its flank. With a snort of rage the +mule leaped forward, clearing the ditch by a full two feet. It was a +wonderful jump, and Charley settled back in the saddle with a sigh of +relief. "You're sure some jumper, Violet," he said. + +Skirting the edge of the ditch until he had passed the machine the +lad regained the old road and rode slowly along, examining closely +the route the machine would have to take. This was indicated by the +surveyors' stakes, pieces of lath stuck into the ground every hundred +feet. For the most part the stakes followed the line of the old road, +departing from it only where the road turned and twisted, and Charley +was able to follow them easily. The surveyor had done his work well. +Every hundred feet had its stake, and on each stake was marked in blue +pencil the number of the stake and the number of feet the new road +should be graded to make it level. A full sense of the magnitude of +the task they had undertaken came upon the lad, as he followed up the +never-ending line of stakes. Here they led through a little hummock of +dense growth, where it would be a fearful job to clear away the timber +and dynamite the stumps. Beyond the hummock they crossed stretches of +prairie or pine barrens, or skirted the treacherously soft edges of saw +grass ponds, only to enter another hummock beyond. Charley gave a sigh +of relief when the stakes joined the old road again. "There's sure some +bad digging in those hummocks and around the edges of those ponds," he +said to himself, "and how easy it will be for our enemies to tie up the +machine for weeks, break us financially, and drive us off this job, if +they just do one simple little thing that a child ought to think of. I +guess it is because the thing is so simple that they have not thought +of it." + +The reason for the stakes following the old road so steadily soon +became apparent, for a little farther on it entered the thickest jungle +the lad had ever seen. On both sides rose gigantic trees, matted +together by great entwining creepers, and on each side of the road lay +stagnant pools of water, covered with nauseous-smelling green slime. +Not a sound of life came from the jungle's gloomy depths. The only +living things seemed to be the huge, sluggish moccasins that slipped +noiselessly from the road into the pools as the mule approached. +Evidently the surveyor had decided that the old road was the only +feasible route through the jungle. + +Suddenly Charley ducked his head, as a whining, singing sound, passed +over him. He had heard that whining message before, and knew it for +what it was. + +"A rifle bullet," he ejaculated, bewildered, as he reined in the mule +and looked around. But no powder smoke met his searching gaze, and no +report followed the bullet's whine. + +Again it came, that menacing, whining sound, and from a tree close +beside where he sat on the mule an inch-thick branch rattled to the +ground, cut clean from the tree by the bullet. + +Still Charley remained motionless, not knowing which way to go, +backward or forward, but the next whining bullet decided the matter for +him. It plowed a bit of skin from the mule's flank, and the startled +animal, leaping forward, began to run. By the time the lad got it under +control they were half a mile from where the shooting had taken place. + +"Whew! That was almost uncanny," the lad muttered to himself. "No +smoke, no report, nothing but the whizzing of the bullets. It was +not any native of these parts doing that firing, that's a cinch. The +Indians and cowmen do not know that there are such things in existence +as smokeless powder and Maxim silencers." + +The weird jungle proved to be about two miles across, and Charley soon, +with a feeling of relief, rode out into a pleasant, open country, +dotted with small, clear-water lakes. He now began to come upon signs +of life: cows grazing on the short, crisp grass; hogs rooting in the +soft, muddy places. He grinned, as, turning a curve in the road, he +came suddenly upon a group of Indian maidens, bathing in a little lake, +and who, with shrill cries, bolted for the cover of a thicket when they +spied him. Charley, with a grin on his face, kept his head turned the +other way as he rode past. Not long after passing them he began to come +upon patches of cultivated ground, and the thatched-roofed, open-walled +dwellings of the Indians. At the first dwelling he dismounted and +fastened the mule to a tree. The Indians from all the shelters crowded +around him with eager greetings. He was delighted to find among the +crowd many whom he had met before in the Everglades. These were +apparently delighted to see him, and gravely made him acquainted with +the rest of the tribe, which was composed of about one hundred braves, +besides women and children. They insisted upon his having dinner with +them. They fed and watched the mule, and altogether made him feel +that he was among friends. For his part Charley was astonished at the +evidences of prosperity this tribe exhibited. Their ponies, dress, and +dwellings were far superior to any other tribes that he had ever met +up with. But what astonished him most was the patches of cultivated +ground. Never before had he seen such a wonderful growth of corn, yams, +melons, and pumpkins. + +After a dinner of stewed venison, yams, and melon, Charley began to ask +the questions that had brought him out on his lonely ride. The Indians +answered them readily. "Yes, they had seen white men--strangers. There +had been several out as far as Indiantown. Sometimes they came two or +three together. Sometimes one would come alone. They would camp for +one sleep, then return to town and be seen no more. One there was who +came often--a little man, with a beard like a spade. No, they did +not know what the strangers' business was so far out from town. They +carried guns, but seemed to kill no game." Mr. Bower, the man who kept +the trading-post two miles farther out, might be able to tell him more +about the strangers. + +So Charley mounted the mule again, and rode out to the trading-post. +The road led direct to the little store hut, which was surrounded by +a magnificent grove of oranges and grape fruit. Mr. Bowers, a fat, +jovial-looking man, greeted him cordially, but could tell him nothing +more about the strangers than he had already learned from the Indians. +One fact he did learn, however, none of the visitors ever went beyond +the trading-post. The lad then knew the clew for which he was looking +must lie somewhere between the trading-post and the machine. + +"We are meeting with some opposition in our road-building," Charley +explained frankly, "and I did not know but what it might come through +you cattle owners objecting to having your grazing lands thrown open to +new settlers." + +"Lord, no!" exclaimed Mr. Bowers, in frank surprise. "We have been +trying to get that road out here for years. There's only half a +dozen of us scattered between here and the big lake, and it has been +hard work forcing the county commissioners to have the road built. +Of course, we want the road. Our oranges rot on the trees now every +season, because we are not able to haul them through the mud to the +railroad. Our groves, with that road opened, would be worth more than +our cattle. What if it does bring in new settlers? They will help to +make our groves and lands still more valuable. If any one tries to hold +up that road-building we will fix him if we can get our hands on him." + +It was well along in the afternoon when Charley bade the genial Mr. +Bowers good-by and headed his mule back for camp. He alighted at +the Indian camp for a moment, to examine the land, which seemed so +wonderfully fertile. On the surface it appeared sandy and like other +pine land, but a couple of feet below the surface he came upon a kind +of soft, grayish rock. He dug out several pieces with his knife, +dropped them in his game bag, and, remounting and waving a last +farewell to the Seminoles, he proceeded on his homeward way. + +It was with a feeling of dread that he rode back through the jungle, +expecting every minute to feel the impact of a bullet. But he emerged +safely on the other side without any message from the hidden enemies. +Darkness fell soon after he left the jungle, but he merely let slack +the reins and trusted to his animal's instinct to find the way home. +Soon he spied the lights of the machine in the distance, and a half +hour later he dismounted at the camp, aching and sore in every muscle +of his body, and discouraged over his fruitless trip. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE FIRST BLOW. + + +"THIS mystery business just seems to get thicker and thicker," Captain +Westfield remarked, when Charley had finished relating his experience +of the day. "Smokeless powder and Maxim silencers are no ways common +out in these woods." + +"It startled me for a minute," Charley admitted. "No smoke, no +sound--just the whine of the bullets coming out of that frightful +jungle got me for a while. I did not know which way to go, forward +or back. I don't know whether they meant to kill me or not, but they +pretty nearly scared me to death." + +"Did you meet a little man with a spade-like beard?" Walter asked. + +"No," said his chum. "Was there one here?" + +"Yes. He was on horseback, and came from the direction of Jupiter. The +bridge builders stopped him and sent in word to me. I went out and +escorted him by the machine. He said his name was Jones, and that he +had a young orange grove out near Indiantown." + +"You did not let him go near the machine, did you?" Charley inquired +anxiously. + +"I did not," said his chum emphatically. "He wanted to stop and chat +with the engineers, but I told him we did not permit anyone around the +machine but our own men, and he rode on." + +"Funny," Charley observed. "I did not meet him. He must have turned off +into the woods somewhere. I wish I had got a glimpse of him. I have an +idea that he is the boss those convicts were talking about." + +"He was a mild-mannered, kind of timid-looking, little man," Walter +objected. "He did not look as though he would hurt a fly." + +"Mild-appearing men are sometimes the worst of all," Charley observed, +as he stretched out on his cot. "Gee! but I am tired enough for a +twenty-four hours' sleep." + +But, tired as he was, the lad could not go to sleep. His active brain +kept turning over every event that had occurred, in a vain search for +a clew as to who their enemies were, and what was their purpose. That +they would resort to desperate measures, if necessary, he had not the +slightest doubt. The placing of the dynamite under the machine, the +presence of the convicts, and the shots in the jungle, proved that. It +must be a powerful motive that would induce men to go so far. For all +his knowledge of the state and its people, the lad could not think of +anything in this wild, remote country that would tempt men to risk the +hangman's rope. + +Suddenly the lad raised himself on his arm again and listened. One of +the sentinels had cried "Halt!" Then in quick succession came repeated +cries of "Halt! Halt! Halt!" and then a shot. + +Charley leaped from his cot, calling his companions, and, quickly +lighting a lantern, found his rifle. But, before he could pull on his +shoes, the flap of the tent was thrown open, and one of the sentinels, +white-faced and trembling, rushed in. + +"Me killie de man! Me killie de man!" he cried in broken English. + +By this time both the Captain and Walter were awake, and the three +gathered around the guard, somewhat pale themselves, for they were not +the kind that value human life lightly. + +"Go on, and tell us all about it," commanded Charley. "Talk Spanish." + +The guard broke into a torrent of words. "He had seen the man +approaching in the mist. Four times he had called to him to halt but +the man kept coming on. Then he had fired and the man had dropped, and +now he, Gomez, would be hung." + +The chums had been pulling on their shoes and pants as they listened to +the frightened Spaniard, and now seizing their automatics and giving +the guard the lantern, they told him to lead the way to where the man +lay. + +It was but a short way from the tents, that the Spaniard stopped and +pointed ahead. "There he lies," he said. "I do not want to gaze on him. +May the Blessed Virgin forgive me for his death." + +The boys, peering into the mist, could dimly see a dark form lying on +the ground ahead of them. + +Charley snatched the lantern from the Spaniard's shaking hand and +darted ahead. A few steps brought him to the motionless form. When the +lantern's light fell upon it, he gave a howl of laughter, for, instead +of lighting up the pale face of a dead man, as he had expected, its +rays revealed the form of a small black bear. + +At the sound of his laughter, Gomez timidly approached. His delight was +unbounded when he found out that it was a bear and not a man he had +killed. The four of them picked up the bear and carried it back to the +cook tent. + +"Where is Lavinia, Gomez?" Charley asked as they laid the bear down +near the tent. "Why did he not come to your aid when you fired?" + +The Spaniard shrugged his shoulders. "I have not seen him since I shot. +He is afraid maybe. Maybe he climb up a tree." + +But Charley did not join in the Spaniard's laugh; instead, he picked up +the lantern. "Come on," he said shortly. "Let's see what has become of +him." + +Already the guards had tramped a beaten track around the camp and +it was not difficult to find where Lavinia had made his half of the +circle. Midway of it lay the Spaniard, face down on the ground. + +"Esto Morta (he is dead)!" cried Gomez. + +"No," Charley said, as he felt of the man's wrist. "He has just +fainted, I guess. Give me a hand and we will carry him into our tent. +We don't want to rouse up the whole camp and get every one excited." + +They bore the Spaniard into their own tent and laid him on Charley's +cot. A sprinkling of cold water in his face, and a small drink of +liquor quickly brought the man to his senses. "What's the matter with +you?" Charley asked when the Spaniard had emerged from his stupor. + +"I do not know, señor," replied the guard. "Everything go black all of +a sudden. I know nothing more--head hurts more now bad." + +Charley examined his head. "The skin is broken a little," he said. "I +guess you must have hit it against something when you fell. How do you +feel now? Feel able to get over to your tent and get to bed?" + +"I go back on guard," the man said as he staggered to his feet. "I feel +all right again pretty soon," but as he still appeared half dazed the +lad insisted on his going to his tent. Gomez was sent back on guard +and Charley took the sick man's place. Both the Captain and Walter +offered to take the guard duty, but Charley refused. + +"You both have to work to-morrow," he said, "while I will have most +of the day to rest up in. I don't feel the least bit sleepy now," and +in truth he did not. This new incident had given him fresh food for +thought. It had needed only a glance at the wound on Lavinia's head +to convince him that it had been made by a bullet. If he had had the +slightest doubt, it would have been dispelled by the fact that they had +found the Spaniard lying face down. Their hidden enemies were getting +bold. + +When daylight came the weary, troubled lad drank a cup of coffee Chris +had ready for him and tumbled down on his cot for a few hours' sleep. +He was up again before noon, and after a hasty lunch he drove the truck +into Jupiter after the supplies he had ordered from Jacksonville. He +found them waiting for him, and after loading them on the truck, he +wrote out a telegram to the sheriff and handed it to the agent, who +whistled as he read it over. "There's a big reward offered for those +four men," he commented as he clicked off the message with his key. +"They are all four of them desperate characters. I guess I'll wait for +the sheriff's reply;" then Charley said: "If there's a reward in it, we +might want our share. Money isn't any too plentiful with us yet. By the +way," he continued, "do you know a little man with mild blue eyes and +a spade-like beard that goes by the name of Jones?" + +"I don't know him, but I see him quite often," said the friendly agent. +"He comes and goes here quite frequently, generally on night trains. +He gets a lot of telegrams here. Most of them come from the state +capital and New York. They are all code messages, that I can't make +head or tail of. Everyone here in town knows him, but nobody knows his +business, which is unusual in a little town like this. When he comes +here he generally hires a horse and spends most of his time riding out +in the woods. There, that's the reply to your message, I guess." He +scribbled rapidly on a telegraph blank while the instrument clicked +noisily. "That satisfactory?" he asked, as he tossed the sheet to +Charley with a smile. + +"Sure," Charley grinned, as he read: + + "SHERIFF'S OFFICE, + Palm Beach Co. + + "The four escaped convicts you described are desperate + characters--$500 reward offered for the capture of + each. We'll divide reward. Too late to come to-day. + Will come out by auto to-morrow morning and bring + posse." + + "SHERIFF." + +It was almost dark when Charley got back to camp with his load, and he +was thoroughly tired out, but he felt happier in spirits than he had +in many days. + +"We've only got one more night of suspense to go through," he told his +chums, over the campfire. "The sheriff will be out in the morning, +with his posse, and that will dispose of the convicts, make us $1,000 +richer, and we will have peace for a while, I hope. Has that little +man, Jones, come back yet, Walt?" + +"Haven't seen anything of him," his chum replied. "The convicts are +still camped in the same place. At any rate I can see the smoke of +their campfire from the machine." + +"Good!" Charley exclaimed. "You fellows can sit up and talk, as long as +you want to--I'm going to bed. I'm dead tired." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +FIGHTING THE FIRE. + + +MIDNIGHT and the silence of sleep hung over the little camp, when +suddenly there came the shriek of the whistle from the machine, four +long blasts--the distress signal--and from their lines the guards came +running in, crying, "Fire! Fire!" + +Our little party, awakened by the din, stopped only to slip on their +shoes, and when they emerged from the tent it was to find the Spaniards +half-dressed, pouring out of their shelters. One glance was all that +was needed to take in the situation. Not half a mile distant from the +camp the prairie was a mass of flames. A strong wind was blowing from +the north, and it was rapidly sweeping the flames down upon the little +camp. + +"My!" exclaimed Walter. "It looks as though we were goners, all right." + +"Let's fight as long as we can, anyway," said Charley, who was rapidly +making his plans. "Captain, get all the buckets out of the cook tent, +and set half the men to wetting down the tents; the other half will +come with me. Walt, come with me, also. Come on, men. Each of you +bring along a big spruce limb with you." + +"We have got to fight fire with fire," he explained to Walter, as +he headed for the path the guards had trod down in the grass. "Just +outside the path is the best place to start a back fire. The path will +help to keep it from working back on the tents." + +The two lads tore up big bunches of dry grass, and, lighting them, ran +along the half-circle path, scattering fire as they went. The Spaniards +were quick to catch the idea, and, stationing themselves at regular +intervals along the path, with their green spruce boughs they beat out +the flames that leaped the little path and threatened the tents. The +prairie grass was knee high, and as dry as tinder, and, although the +wind was against it, the back fire ate its way steadily back toward the +leaping flames. + +"We have done all we can," said Charley to his chum, as they stood +watching anxiously the approach of the flames. "It's a toss-up whether +we will win or not. If our camp goes, we are done for, that's all. We +haven't got the money to refit again. My! that would be a wonderful +sight to enjoy if our future wasn't hanging in the balance." + +It was, indeed, a wonderful sight. The fire, now scarcely a quarter +of a mile away, was sweeping steadily down upon them, a solid wall of +flame ten feet high licking up the dry grass with a roaring cackle +like a mighty wind in a forest, while toward it the back fire was +slowly but steadily eating its way. The space between the two fires +was as bright as day, and in it the lads could see scores of animals, +running bewildered here and there, trapped between the two lines of +flames: deer, coons, wild-cats and foxes ran back and forth in frantic +terror. Within twenty feet of where the boys stood a lithe form cleared +the flames of the back fire in a mighty leap, and rushed by the tents, +heedless of the presence of human beings in its mad flight for safety. + +"A panther," commented Charley briefly, as the terror-stricken animal +rushed by. + +During all this time the other occupants of the camp had not been idle. +Under the Captain's directions, his gang of Spaniards had formed a +bucket line from the ditch to the tents, and they soon had the little +dwellings dripping with water. The teamster had got his frightened +mules out of the corral and led them to a place of safety on the grade, +and the two engineers had run the truck out on the road beyond the +line of flames. Their tasks done, all--Americans and Spaniards--worked +to get their most valuable possessions to a place on the grade were +they would be safe. They had but little time to work, however, for the +intense heat soon drove them back to the road, where they gathered +together and watched anxiously the meeting of the fires. They had not +long to wait. With a roar, in which was mingled the cries of the +tortured animals, the advancing wall of fire swept down on the thin +line of back fire. Our little party held their breath and waited. If +the wall of flame leaped the dozen or so feet the back fire had eaten +away, their camp was gone. Five minutes and a transformation had taken +place. Of the mighty conflagration nothing remained but the blacked, +smoking dirt of the prairie. The back fire had vanquished its mighty +rival. But the danger was not yet over. The wind had swept bits of +blazing grass down among the tents, and tiny fires were springing up in +a hundred different places. These the boys and their followers beat out +with the green branches of the spruces. It was a full half hour before +the last of them was extinguished, and they were able to stop and rest, +and take account of the damage done. No one was seriously hurt, but all +bore marks of the conflict, in the way of burned clothing, singed hair, +and blisters, but all were too happy over the saving of the camp to pay +much attention to these minor injuries. + +"Whew! that was a close shave," said Walter; "but all's well that ends +well. By the way, I didn't see anything of McCarty and his crew. I +should have thought he would have come in with his men and given us a +hand." + +"Perhaps he has had his hands full out there," suggested Captain +Westfield. "Maybe that fire was just set so as to draw the men off the +machine." + +"I never thought of that," said Charley, anxiously. "The fire drove +everything else out of my head. Let's go out and see what's the matter. +The machine isn't running." + +As if in answer to their conversation, there came from the machine +three long blasts of the whistle, a pause, then four long blasts. + +"The signal for the wagon, and the distress signal," Walter cried. + +The three lads went forward on the run, followed by half a dozen +curious Spaniards. The Captain remained behind to keep an eye on the +camp. + +The boys were half way to the machine when the signals sounded +again--three long blasts, followed by four long blasts. + +Panting, they reached the machine, and clambered up on the steel +platform, where the fireman and the two ground men were grouped around +McCarty, who lay motionless, with his head in a little pool of blood. + +Charley dropped to his knees beside the prostrate lad and felt for his +pulse. "He is alive, all right," he exclaimed. "We'll have to get him +to camp before we can do anything for him. Bossie, how did this happen?" + +"Two men climb aboard while we standing still looking at fire," said +the excited fireman. "McCarty no see them. I no see them. We busy +watching fire, ground men busy watching fire, too. I no see them till +there come a crack and McCarty falls. Man hit him over the head with a +gun. Other man hit at me. I dodge. I got steam hose in my hand. I turn +steam hose on two men. It burn them, plentee. They yell plentee. They +drop guns. Run, plentee run." + +By the time he had finished his narrative, the wagon had arrived, and +McCarty was gently lifted and placed in it, and the wagon headed back +for camp. + +"Please stay by the machine, Walt," Charley requested, as he took his +seat in the wagon and pillowed McCarty's head in his lap. "I'll send +one of the engineers to take McCarty's place as soon as I get to camp." + +As soon as the wagon had gone Walter took one of the ground men's +lanterns, and looked around for the guns Bossie claimed the strange +assailants had dropped. He found both, half buried in the soft sand +beside the car. They were Savage rifles, of the latest make, equipped +with Maxim silencers. The lad ejected one of the cartridges, and prying +out the bullet, examined the powder. It was high-grade smokeless. He +gave one of the rifles to Bossie, much to the fireman's delight. "I +think," said the Spaniard in his quaint English, "I think this be much +more better than steam." The other rifle the lad gave to the ground +man, with instructions to keep it always with him. He was showing +them how to operate it, when Bob Bratton arrived to take McCarty's +place. Bob grinned as he saw the Spaniards awkwardly handling their +new weapons. "They are more likely to shoot themselves than one of the +enemy," he commented, "but I guess it will make them feel safe to have +a gun along with them." + +"How's McCarty?" Walter asked, anxiously. + +"Oh, he's come too, all right," answered the other carelessly. "He got +a pretty good crack over the head, but it didn't break the skull any. +He'll be all right in a couple of days. Meanwhile," he added, with a +sigh, "Will and I will have to work twelve-hour shifts." + +"Are you not afraid to work nights, with all the queer things that are +going on around us?" Walter asked curiously. + +The other laughed frankly. "Thunder, no," he said. "Dredge men get used +to danger. It's around them all the time. Why, kid, when we are working +in the Everglades, it is often impossible to hire men to work in the +rotten mud, and then we have to go to the jails and convict camps to +get our labor. I've worked on jobs there that there were no free men on +the payroll but the engineers. All the rest were men working out their +fines, and every last one of them eager to crack the engineers over +the head and get away. Bosh! This job is a cinch compared with some +jobs we have all worked on." + +The sun was rising when Walter started back to camp. He had only gone a +few steps when he stopped and waited. From the direction of Indiantown, +a horseman was approaching the machine. The waiting lad recognized the +pony and its rider. It was the little man whom he had escorted past the +machine a couple of days before. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE CONVICTS. + + +WALTER stepped back of the machine, where he could not be seen, and +watched the little man approach. He was curious to see if Mr. Jones +would attempt to speak to the engineer after the warning he had given +him. + +Just before he reached the machine the little man turned off the road +and rode along the other side of the ditch. When opposite the machine, +he reined in his pony and hailed the engineer. Bratton stopped the +machine for a second. "Go on," he shouted. "No strangers are allowed +near this machine." + +"I just want to talk to you for a minute," said the little man. + +"Nothing doing," answered Bratton shortly. "I don't talk with strangers +when I am on duty. Go on. Get out of the way." But the little man still +persisted. Bratton swung the machine around, and winked at Walter, as +the bucket gathered up its huge load of mud. Like lightning the huge +boom swung around, and the avalanche of mud descended at the pony's +feet. The frightened animal leaped forward, almost unseating its +rider. Walter hurried forward to meet the little man, as he crossed the +ditch to the graded road. "I thought I told you the other day that we +allowed no one to bother our engineers, Mr. Jones," he said severely. + +"I beg your pardon. I had forgotten that," said the little man mildly. +"Really, that engineer acted very rude. I merely wanted to ask him a +simple little question." + +"You can address your questions to me or one of my chums, hereafter," +said Walter stiffly. + +"I merely wanted to ask if he had chanced to see anything of my +glasses. I dropped them along the road somewhere, and really I am quite +helpless without them." + +"I'll inquire at the camp if anything has been seen of them," said the +lad briefly. + +"I have ridden a long ways this morning," continued Mr. Jones, "and I +am very hungry. I wonder if I could get a bite to eat at your camp." + +Walter hesitated. He did not like to have the man stop at camp, but +he disliked to refuse such a simple request, when, after all, the man +might be harmless and well-meaning. + +"You may stay and have breakfast with us, if you wish," he said. "I +guess it is ready now." He walked along silently by the pony's side +while the little man chattered volubly. + +"Why, you have had a fire," the little man said, as he surveyed the +flame-swept prairie and smoke-blackened tents. "How lucky it didn't get +your camp. I suppose that would have delayed you a lot in your work?" + +"Oh, I don't know about that," said Walter indifferently. "I fancy it +would not have taken long to have got other tents and supplies." + +The Spaniards and engineers were finishing their breakfast when the two +entered the tent, but Charley and the Captain were not in sight. They +came in and took their places at the table, however, while the little +man and Walter were still eating. + +"This is Mr. Jones," said Walter. "He lost a pair of glasses on the +road, and wishes to know if we have seen anything of them." + +"Please describe them to me, Mr. Jones," requested Charley, eyeing the +little man closely. + +"They were just ordinary nose-glasses, with gold rims. They were in a +hard black leather case," said the little man promptly. + +"I guess these are the ones," said Charley, producing the black leather +case. "I found them." + +"Where?" asked the little man, as he fitted the glasses on his nose. + +"Right where the fire was started that nearly burnt us out last night," +said Charley promptly. "The Captain and I just came from there. I think +it's up to you, Mr. Jones, to explain how they got there." + +"Dear me," said the little man quickly. "How queer! I suppose some +Indian must have picked them up on the road and dropped them again when +he started that fire. You know they are always burning off the prairie +for their cattle. Quite a queer incident, isn't it?" + +"It is," agreed Charley dryly. "Perhaps you can explain----" But +the lad did not finish his sentence, for from the road came the +loud tooting of a horn, and all rushed for the tent opening, Walter +exclaiming, "It's the sheriff." The sheriff it proved to be, and with +him were a dozen active-looking men, each carrying a rifle. + +"I've come for those convicts," the sheriff announced. "Can one of you +show me where they are camped?" + +"I can," Walter volunteered. "We will have to go on foot, but I guess +we will catch them all right. They were up about all night, so they +ought to sleep late this morning." He glanced around at Mr. Jones, to +see how that person was taking the sheriff's arrival, but the little +man was placidly picking his teeth with a bone toothpick and smiling +pleasantly at the newcomer. + +"All right, lead us to them," said the sheriff. "We want to get them +back in the stockade before night, if we can." + +Charley watched them out of sight, and then turned to the little man. +"I wish you would tell me, Mr. Jones, what your game is," he said +earnestly, "and why you are trying to stop this road-building." + +The little man looked at him with surprise on his face. "I really +don't understand you," he protested mildly. "I must say this is a most +extraordinary camp. Everyone seems so suspicious and rude. I have never +encountered such treatment before." + +"All right, Mr. Jones," said Charley, wearily. "Let's forget it. I +must, however, request you to keep away from this camp hereafter." + +"It is not likely I will come around here again, after the treatment +I have received," said the little man stiffly, as he mounted his +pony. "Good-day, sir," and he rode off, leaving the lad with the +unpleasant feeling that he had perhaps wounded the feelings of an +entirely innocent person. Slowly the lad turned away, and, going to +his tent, flung himself face downward on his cot. In truth his nerves +were strained almost to the breaking point by the tension and worry he +had borne since the fateful day they had bought the machine. He felt +himself responsible for the fortunes and even the lives of his friends +and the men working for him, and the burden was a heavy one. But nature +soon asserted itself, and the worried lad fell into a deep, dreamless +sleep, from which he did not awaken until Chris aroused him for dinner. +He found Walter at the table waiting for him. The sheriff's auto was +gone. + +"Yes, we got the convicts, all right," Walter said, in answer to +his questions. "They were sound asleep, just as I expected, and the +sheriff's men had the handcuffs on them before they knew what was going +on. The sheriff permitted me to question them, but I could not get a +word out of them. They just shut up like clams. There is no doubt, +though, that it was two of them that assaulted McCarty. Their faces and +hands were badly scalded. While they were laying for a chance to get +at him, Jones and the other two started that fire, I guess. Well, they +gave us some hard work and worry, but all's well that ends well." + +"We haven't come to the end yet," Charley said, gloomily. "We have only +gained a few days of peace, I'm afraid." + +Walter looked at his chum closely. It was so unlike Charley to give way +to gloomy forebodings. "You want to get out and have a little fun," +he said decidedly. "If you keep on brooding and worrying over this +business, you are going to break down, and then what will become of the +job? What you want to do is to get out and forget trouble for a couple +of days and get the cobwebs out of your brain." + +"I guess you are right," Charley admitted, "and I guess now is the time +for both of us to take a little vacation. There is not much likelihood +of trouble for several days. Let's get an early start in the morning, +take our guns and some grub, and foot it out to Indiantown. Hire a +couple of ponies from the Indians, and ride out to the great lake." + +"I'll go you," Walter cried eagerly, for he always welcomed anything +that promised excitement or change. "It does seem a bit selfish, +though, for us to go and leave the Captain and Chris behind." + +"They would not care to make such a trip," declared his chum, "but +we'll ask them, anyway." + +"Go 'way, you white chillens," said Chris, when they approached him on +the subject. "How you 'spect dis nigger's going to get away? Dat Sam +can't cook none yet. 'Sides I don't want to go trapsing 'round. I'se +done found a little pond back there a bit, whar de fish is so thick you +have to push 'em away with a stick to keep them from all taking de bait +at once." + +They found the Captain, seated in the shade of a pine tree, smoking his +pipe and watching the graders at work. + +"No, lads, I don't care to go," he said, with a smile. "I reckon I'm a +heap sight more comfortable here than I would be tramping around in the +sun. I'm getting too old to get much pleasure out of such trips. You +two go and enjoy yourselves. I'll stay and look out for things." + +"We'll have to move camp in a few days," Charley remarked, as they +paused on the grade for a few minutes to glance over the work that had +been done since they had bought out Murphy. "The machine is getting too +far from camp. It gives the men too long a walk, and wastes a lot of +time. Well, I can't see but what everything is running smooth now," he +concluded with satisfaction. + +And, in truth, the boys had reason to be satisfied with the way things +were going. From ahead of the machine came the sound of axe and the +sharp report of dynamite, as the right-of-way men cleared a path for +the machine. The machine itself was swinging back and forth with the +regularity of clockwork. Back of the machine followed the graders, +leveling off the thrown-up dirt, while behind them came the bridge +builders, constructing bridges over the gaps left by the machine. +Everywhere was bustle. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +THE MEDICINE MAN. + + +SUNRISE found the boys well on their way to Indiantown. By nine o'clock +they were entering the jungle where Charley had been fired at on his +previous trip. Before entering it, however, the lads stopped and cut +two long slender poles with which to kill the moccasins basking on the +road. + +This time no rifle bullets halted their progress, but the snakes were +there, and, by the time they had passed out of the jungle they had +slaughtered over fifty of the loathsome creatures. + +"Whew!" exclaimed Walter, as they broke out of the darkness of the +jungle, "that's the most awful place I was ever in. It fairly reeks +with rottenness and fever." + +"Yes," Charley assented. "I dread putting the machine into it, but +it's got to be done. I am going to set fire to it before the machine +gets there; that may help some. Once we get through it, we are over +the worst. There's Indiantown, about two miles from here. Now, I +figure that the motive for the attacks on us lies somewhere between +the machine and Indiantown, for the strange white men never go beyond +the trading-post, but, for the life of me, I can see nothing in this +country that would supply the motive, can you?" + +"No," Walter admitted. "The land seems fertile enough, but there is +plenty of good cheap land along the coast, right close to the railroad, +so no one would want to come way out here for land. There is not +enough timber here to offer any temptation, and we know that Florida +contains no iron, coal, or precious minerals. I can see no motive for +any striving out here. I guess we are just dreaming when we talk of a +powerful motive out here." + +"It's no dream," said Charley decidedly, "unless that fire was a dream, +those convicts a dream, that dynamite a dream, the assault on McCarty +a dream, those rifle-bullets a dream, and the whole one disagreeable +nightmare." + +"Well, let's forget it all," urged Walter. "Remember, this is a +pleasure trip, and we want to make the most of it." + +This conversation brought the two lads to the first Indian dwelling, +but they found it empty, as was the next and the next. Near the middle +of the little settlement, however, they came upon the whole tribe, +gathered around a large wigwam. Unlike the other buildings, this one +was not only thatched on top, but was also inclosed on sides and +ends with bark and palmetto leaves. In one end was a small opening, +just large enough for a man to enter by lying flat on the ground and +wriggling through. + +The two lads approached the silent group with their interest thoroughly +aroused. + +"What's the matter, Willie John?" Charley asked of an Indian he knew. + +"Chief plenty sick," said the Indian sadly. "Indians go get paleface +doctor, but paleface doctor say medicine no good, chief must die, but +medicine man say he cure chief for two ponies. All right, we give +two ponies. Medicine man come pretty soon to cure chief. No cure, no +ponies. Understand?" + +Charley nodded comprehensively. "Can we go in and see the chief?" he +asked. + +"I guess so," said the Indian indifferently. "It no matter, I guess. +Chief be dead, maybe, before medicine man comes. He have to come all +the way from Big Cypress." + +Charley did not wait for other permission. Lying flat on his stomach, +he wriggled into the wigwam, followed by his chum. Once inside the lads +found themselves in pitch darkness, save that in a distant corner a +feeble rushlight, set in an earthen saucer of oil, glowed faintly. For +a moment, the lads were sorry that they had been so rash in entering, +for the close air of the wigwam was heavy with the sickening smell of +fever. A low moaning from one corner, however, drew them on. + +On a bed of boughs and skins near the rushlight lay what had been once +a magnificent figure of a warrior. The rushlight was too dim to be of +much use, so Walter lit match after match, while Charley bent over and +examined the stricken man. The warrior was hardly more than a skeleton. +The skin was drawn tightly over protruding cheek bones, and the black, +beady eyes glowed with unearthly brightness in their deep sockets. + +Charley felt of the Indian's cheek. It was almost hot enough to burn +his hand. "We can do nothing for him," he said to his chum. "He is +just skin and bones, and he cannot live long with such a fever. We had +better get out of here. He may have something contagious. We were fools +to come in here." + +But, before the boys could reach the opening, the Indians outside began +to wriggle in, each bearing a rushlight in its earthen saucer of oil. +"Medicine man come," whispered Willie John, as he passed them. "Better +sit down and keep still. Indians no like you go now. They get plenty +angry if you go." + +The boys' curiosity overcame their prudence. They were both anxious to +witness the rites of the medicine man and they seated themselves among +the Indians, who, after lighting their rushlights, set them together in +the middle of the wigwam and sat down Turk fashion on either side of +the wigwam and folded their arms across their breasts. It was a curious +scene, with the dim glow of the rushlights falling on their impassive +faces and black, beady eyes. + +For perhaps ten minutes the silence was unbroken save by the restless +tossing and moaning of the sick man. Then, from outside the tent came a +shrill, wailing sound, gradually getting nearer and nearer, until the +skin that covered the entrance was pushed to one side and through the +opening wriggled a figure that made the boys' flesh creep. Once inside +the figure rose erect, and the lads could see in the rushlights' glow +that it was an old Indian, naked save for a loin cloth. So old was he +that his face was a mass of wrinkles, and he tottered as he walked. +Around his withered neck was a string of alligators' teeth, and from +his arms and waist and ankles hung strings of human bones. His withered +body was painted a vivid red, slashed with streaks of bright yellow. In +his right hand he carried a wand, from which hung dozens of rattlesnake +rattles, which made a noise like the song of a locust whenever he moved +his skinny arm. In his left hand was clutched a bag made of snake skin. + +As this grewsome object passed by them the boys shrank back in dread, +but the old savage did not notice them. He tottered on, and sank to +the ground beside the sick man. Then followed a scene which the boys +never forgot. Rolling on the ground beside the sick man the old Indian +began to beat the air with his hands, uttering a low, wailing cry, +that was taken up and repeated by the circle of Seminoles. Faster and +faster the old man beat the air, flecks of foam gathered on his lips, +and his withered face grew horribly contorted. With his talon-like +hands he began clawing at the sick man, who was twisting and tossing +on his couch, as though with convulsions. The medicine man paused for +a moment in his wild exertions, and, taking from his snakeskin bag a +packet of reddish powder, he scattered it over the burning rushlights. +Immediately there rose a sweet, sickening, pungent vapor, that made the +boys gasp for breath. They would have given a good deal to have got out +in the fresh air, but they were afraid the Indians would resent any +move on their part, and, besides, they were curious to see the end of +this weird ceremony. They had not long to wait. The medicine man, with +a sudden yell, snatched a knife from his loin cloth and plunged it into +the sick man's arm. Into the long, shallow cut he had made he rubbed +more of the reddish powder; then, with a long-drawn-out wail, he sank +back to the ground and his limbs and body stiffened out as rigid as +stone. Evidently this was the end of the incantations, for a couple of +Indians advanced, and, picking up the stiff figure, bore it outside of +the wigwam. The two lads started to follow, but Willie John put forth a +detaining hand. + +"Go look at chief first," he said, and they silently obeyed. + +The change in the sick man was amazing. They could hardly believe their +eyes. The haggard look of pain had disappeared from his face, his skin +was moist and cool, his tossing had ceased, and he had fallen into a +deep sleep. + +"Pale face doctor no cure chief like medicine man," proudly said Willie +John, and the wondering lads had to admit the truth of his assertion. + +Outside the two lads found the Indians dashing water in the medicine +man's face and trying to bring him out of his cataleptic state. + +"He be all right, pretty soon," Willie John assured them. "Alway he get +stiff like this when he wrestles with the evil spirits of sickness. +Now I will go and get two ponies for you." He soon returned, leading +two ponies already saddled and bridled. The boys mounted, and, with +farewell waves of the hand, rode out of the camp and turned into the +road leading to the great lake. + +"What did you think of that business back there?" Walter asked, as soon +as they were out of hearing of the little settlement. + +"I give it up," Charley said frankly. "It's a mystery beyond me. Of +course, I don't take much stock in all that wriggling, clawing, and +wailing, but there must certainly be some wonderful curative agent in +that powder. I agree with the doctor that the chief was dying when the +medicine man came." + +"Well, it is not so very wonderful, after all, when one stops to +consider the matter," said Walter reflectively. "The Seminoles are an +old, old race, so old that nobody knows how old they are. For ages and +ages they have lived in these great swamps, and it would be strange, +indeed, if the more intelligent of them had not by this time found some +remedy for the fevers of the country." + +"It's interesting, anyway," Charley declared. "I'd give something +to know what that powder was made of. It would be a blessing to the +fever-stricken world." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE OLD FORT. + + +NOT long after leaving Indiantown the boys passed into a higher +country, where the road wound in and out among great towering live +oaks, under which the ground was thickly strewed with acorns. +Multitudes of gray squirrels frisked among the branches and made the +air noisy with their chattering. + +"I'll bet this is a great game country," Charley remarked, as they +stopped to water their ponies at the edge of a clear-running brook. +"There ought to be bear and turkeys around where there are so many +acorns. Listen! if I am not mistaken, those are turkeys drumming now." +From a point a little to the left of the road came a hollow thumping +sound, repeated at frequent intervals. "It's turkeys," said Charley, +with conviction. "Come on, let's see if we can get a shot at them." + +The two lads dismounted, and, tying their ponies to convenient trees, +took their guns and picked their way softly toward the sound. A hundred +feet brought them to where they could look out from the shelter of the +oaks into a little glade or clearing a couple of acres in extent. What +they saw caused them to pause and stare in admiration and amusement. In +the center of the glade was a bunch of some twenty turkeys. The sun, +shining down, lit up their plumage with a thousand colors, and made of +them a picture well worth remembering, but it was the antics that they +were going through that drew a smile from the two lads. + +The leader of the flock, a huge gobbler with ruffled feathers and +drumming wings, was going through a sort of strutting, mincing dance, +every motion of his being closely followed by each of the flock, moving +with slow, stately dignity. + +"Gee!" grinned Walter. "They are doing the 'turkey trot.' It costs five +dollars to see that dance in New York." + +"The ministers say it's immoral," said Charley laughingly, "so let's +put a stop to it. Be sure to pick out one of the younger birds. We +never could cook that gobbler tender. I'll bet he is ten years old." + +The lads fired almost together, and two of the smaller turkeys sank to +the ground, while the rest of the flock rose in flight, but only to +settle again within easy gun-shot. + +"No use killing any more," Walter said, as the two lads emerged from +behind the oaks and picked up the dead birds. + +"No," Charley agreed. "These will be all we can use. They would spoil +before we got back to camp. But say, I am tickled to see game so +plentiful. When we get the machine and camp out here, it will make a +big difference in our grub bills." + +"Hold on a minute," said Walter, as his chum turned to retrace his +steps to the road. "Doesn't it strike you as queer--this bare space in +the heart of a great oak forest?" + +"It is odd," admitted Charley. "I never thought of that until you +mentioned it. Let's look around a bit." + +The boys, up to now, had barely noticed the clearing, all their +interest being centered on the turkeys. As they advanced into it they +were surprised to note that it was not a freak of nature, but had been +carefully cleared by hand. The indestructible live oak stumps still +bore evidence of the axe. Wonderingly, the lads made their way forward. + +"Those are not live oak trees at the other end of the clearing," +declared Charley, who was looking around with eager eyes. "Let's see +what they are." + +A few minutes' walk brought them to the fringe of trees that had +drawn the lads' attention. Here they paused, with an exclamation of +astonishment. + +"Gee!" Charley cried, "they are orange trees, and, from their size, +they must be hundreds of years old." + +"And there's another clearing beyond this one," cried Walter, who had +entered the fringe of trees to pluck some of the golden fruit. "Come +on, let's have a look at it. The oranges can wait until we come back." + +With all of boys' healthy love of mystery and discovery, the two lads +pushed eagerly through the fringe of orange trees and found themselves +in another but smaller clearing, in the center of which rose up high +posts, forming four sides of a square enclosure. + +"A stockade!" exclaimed Charley excitedly. "Let's see what's inside. It +ought to be easy to break down one of those posts." + +But their united efforts failed to crack any of the posts. They were +all of live oak, which successfully resists the wear of centuries. + +"It's no use tiring ourselves out for nothing," Charley said, after +they had tried several of the posts without any success. "There must +be an opening somewhere, and we have only to follow up the posts +to find it." This they did, and, rounding the first corner of the +stockade, came upon an opening in the wall, where had evidently once +hung a strong gate. Pushing through the opening, they stood inside of +the stockade, and, pausing, gazed around with a feeling of awe. The +little enclosure was perhaps a half acre in extent. In the middle of +it stood a small fort, cunningly constructed of big blocks of coquina +rock. Around the little fort were grouped what had once been dwellings, +but of which nothing now remained but their upright live-oak posts. A +hole, in one side of the fort, which likely in some past age had been +closed by a massive door, showed the enclosure to the fortress. Passing +through the hole, the boys found themselves in a dim room, some forty +feet square. The only light was the few rays that filtered through the +loopholes, and the two lads had to pause to accustom their eyes to the +dim twilight. + +"My, but look here!" cried Charley, as his vision cleared. + +Walter backed nervously toward the door, as he, too, began to perceive +the grewsome objects grouped around them. Directly in front of them +stood a gigantic, man-like form. Gaping holes, where the eyes should +have been, stared upon them, and one long arm pointed directly at them. + +"Whew, that gave me a shock at first!" exclaimed Charley, with a +nervous laugh of relief. "One does not expect to stumble upon dead men +in armor in the wilds of Florida. Look! there's another and another +and another," he continued, pointing to the other motionless figures +sprawled in all sorts of attitudes about the room. At the foot of a +cunningly constructed stone stairway, the suits of armor lay so close +together that the boys could hardly pick their way between them. + +"The defenders evidently made a brave stand here at the foot of the +stairway," Charley observed. "Let's go up and see what's in the upper +chamber." + +With but little relish for further investigation, Walter followed his +chum as he climbed up the stone stairs. + +The scene in the upper chamber was but a repetition of that below, +only the floor was more thickly strewn with the suits of mail. Charley +lifted the rust-encrusted visor of one, but let it drop hastily as his +eyes encountered the grinning skeleton within. + +"They were Spaniards who made this clearing and built this fort," +he explained to his chum. "It may have been part of one of DeSoto's +expeditions, or they may have been one of the treasure-hunting parties +that were so numerous in the fifteenth century. Likely they became +disgusted with tramping through swamps, and, when they came to this +pleasant spot, they decided to stay for a time at least. So they, +probably, made captives of many of the Indians, and put them to work, +clearing, planting and building. But the Indians had their revenge in +the end." + +"You can stay here as long as you want to, but I am going to get out +in the fresh air," said Walter, shuddering as he watched a hairy rat +creep out from one of the suits of armor. "I will wait for you just +outside the fort." + +"All right," Charley agreed. "I'll be out in a few minutes." + +Left to himself, the lad searched around in the corners for a few +minutes, trying to find something to carry away with him as a souvenir +of their strange discovery, but, finding nothing, he soon gave up the +hunt, and, gathering up his game bag and gun, he made his way back down +the stairs and out of the fort, glad to be in the sunshine and fresh +air once more. + +Walter was not in sight, and, after calling him a couple of times, +Charley decided that he had probably grown tired of waiting, and had +returned to the orange trees to eat his fill, and for them the lad +hastened. But his chum was not there, and, with a vague feeling of +alarm, the lad hurried on to where they had left their ponies, but +Walter was not there. Now thoroughly alarmed, the lad fired off his gun +four times in rapid succession, then waited and listened, but there +came no answering report. + +After a moment's consideration, Charley turned around and hastened back +to the ancient clearing. He made the round outside of the stockade, and +then, entering the gate, searched the inside thoroughly, but no sign +could he find of the missing one. Again he fired the distress signal +of four shots, but there was no reply. + +The thoroughly frightened lad sat down on a block of stone, and strove +to master his nervous fears and gather together his scattered wits. +The whole thing was incomprehensible. Not fifteen minutes had elapsed +since he had parted with Walter in the upper chamber of the fort, and +now his chum was gone. He could not have gotten lost in the woods, for +the way back to the ponies could be followed by a child, with its plain +landmarks of orange trees and the other clearings. Besides, in that +short length of time, Walter could not have got beyond the sound of the +gun signal, to which he would certainly have replied. + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE HIDDEN VOICE. + + +FOR a few minutes Charley was almost a prey to vague, suspicious fears, +which lie hidden deep in most of mankind. The suddenness of his chum's +disappearance, the ages-old stockade, the ancient fort, with its +grewsome occupants, all gave force to weird imaginings; but, with an +effort, the practical lad shook off his gloomy thoughts with the simple +logic that age is no more mysterious than youth, and that dead men are +less to be feared than live ones. But, in spite of his sound reasoning, +the worried lad could not imagine what had become of his chum. He was +not in the stockade; he was not in either clearing; he was not among +the orange trees; he was not back with the ponies, yet he had passed +out of the fort not five minutes ahead of himself, but at this point in +his reasoning Charley gave a start. He had found the flaw in his own +logic. He had no proof that Walter had passed out of the fort. Affected +as the lad had been by the grewsome sights, he might have fainted +before reaching the open air and he might well have passed him by in +the dim light without noticing him. + +Hastily gathering some dry sticks, Charley held them in one hand and +fired the ends. As soon as his torch was blazing good, he entered the +fort, and, holding it aloft, inspected the lower chamber. Near the +middle of the chamber he found Walter's rifle lying on the stone floor, +but a close search showed no other trace of the missing lad. Puzzled, +he ascended to the upper chamber, but here he found everything as he +had left it, and he descended again to the lower chamber, convinced +that in it must lie the key to the mystery, for he was certain Walter +would not have left the fort without taking his gun with him. + +Walking around the stone chamber, Charley held his torch aloft and +inspected the solid floor and walls, in the vain hope of discovering +some clew to his chum's mysterious disappearance. + +Suddenly he gave a frightened cry, and flung out his arms to save +himself, for something had given way beneath his feet, and he felt +himself sinking downward. Fortunately, his instinctive action had been +so quick that his extended arms caught on the stone floor and saved +him from sinking into the gaping black hole beneath him. Summoning up +all his strength, the lad drew himself up out of the trap into which +he had partly fallen, and, seizing the torch he had dropped, surveyed +the spot. A large stone slab was slowly lifting back into place. In a +flash, the lad grasped the situation. The slab had been so cunningly +contrived as to appear part of the solid floor, but, when a person +stepped on one end the slab would tilt down, sending the victim down to +the depths below, and, when his weight was removed, the slab would tilt +back into place again. + +Charley was quick to act. Sitting down on the floor, he placed his +feet against the end of the slab and pressed downward. The end of the +stone immediately tipped downward, exposing the dark hole beneath, and +the lad shoved his rifle across the opening to prevent the slab from +lifting back into place. From below him came a call that sent his heart +bounding with joy: "Is that you, Charley?" it said. + +"Yes. Are you hurt, Walt?" replied the delighted lad. + +"Not much; some bruises, and a bump on my head, that's all. But, for +goodness sake, hurry and get me out of here. The air is so foul it is +making me feel faint. Get the ropes off the ponies, and fasten them +together. I do not believe this hole is more than fifteen feet deep. +But hurry, hurry!" + +Charley was off like a shot and back in a few minutes with the halters +from the two ponies. Hastily knotting them together, he fastened one +end to a projecting stone in the wall, and let the other end down to +his chum, who, white-faced and shaken, crawled up it, hand over hand. + +Pausing only to secure their rifles and the ropes, the two lads hurried +out into the open air. + +"Gee!" said Walter, drawing long breaths of the sweet, pure air, "I +thought I was a goner that time. I kept calling and calling after I +fell, but when you did not answer I knew that you could not hear me. +When I was sure that my voice did not penetrate outside of the hole I +gave up hope, for I was positive that you would not find out the secret +of that slab unless you stepped upon it, and, if you did that, there +would be two of us buried alive, instead of one. Ugh!" he concluded, +with a shudder, "I know now what fear is--genuine, blind, unreasoning +fear." + +The boys stopped at the orange trees only long enough to fill their +game bags with the golden fruit, and hastened on to their ponies, +fearful that, with no halters on, they might have turned back for +Indiantown, but, much to their relief, they found the two animals +browsing contentedly by the roadside. Each slung a turkey from one side +of his saddle and a loaded game bag from the other, and, mounting, +they rode on for their goal, the great lake. About four o'clock they +rode out from a heavy growth of timber into full view of the broad, +shining blue waters, and a few minutes later reined in their mounts on +a high, grass-covered bank, shaded by big live oaks. Here they staked +out their ponies to browse upon the sweet, tender grass, and, after a +plunge in the cool waters of the lake, began their preparations for the +night. Walter gathered great bunches of moss, and made soft beds at +the base of a huge live-oak tree. Charley lit a big fire of live oak +and pine, and, while it was burning down into a bed of glowing coals, +he dressed and cut up the two turkeys, and soon had them frying and +stewing in the pan and kettle they had brought with them. While Charley +tended to the cooking, Walter gathered armfuls of dry wood and placed +them in a circle around the oak, where he had made the beds. Before +night fell everything was ready, and the boys sat down to a delicious +meal of fried and stewed turkey and the eatables they had brought with +them. They had eaten nothing since morning, and, when the meal was +over, they were full enough and tired enough to be content to lie upon +the grassy bank and simply gaze out at the glories of the sunset on the +waters of the lake. When at last the light began to fail they watered +their ponies and staked them in a fresh place, close to where they were +going to sleep. This done, they started up the circle of fires around +the tree and stretched out on their soft moss bed with a pleasant +feeling of security, knowing that the slow-burning live-oak wood would +keep the fires burning all night and protect them from all snakes and +wild animals. + +"I have been wondering why that hole was made in that old fort," said +Walter, as they lay on their backs gazing up at the stars. "It isn't +deep enough for a well or a dungeon." + +"Maybe it was a hiding place for their treasures," suggested Charley, +idly. + +"By Jove, I believe you've hit it," Walter exclaimed. "And that reminds +me that I picked up something for a souvenir of my adventure before I +climbed out. I couldn't see what it was, for the hole was dark and I +had no matches. It was something hard, round and heavy. I have got it +in my game bag now." + +"Get it out and let's see what it is," said Charley, interested. + +Walter rummaged in his game bag and brought out a round object, about a +foot long and ten inches in circumference. + +"Looks like a piece of petrified wood," he said, as he handed it over +for his chum's inspection. + +Charley took it, and, drawing near the fire, examined it closely. "Too +heavy for petrified wood," he commented, as he took out his knife and +scraped away at the green encrusted object. "By Jove! Look here," he +exclaimed a moment later. + +Walter bent over and looked at the place where his chum had been +scraping. A reddish-brown color appeared where the green crust had +been removed. + +"Is it gold?" he asked, excitedly. + +"No," Charley replied. "It's copper. Let's scrape the balance of this +verdigris off, and see if we can get an idea what it was intended for." + +Laying the cylinder on the ground between them, both boys set to +scraping away the green crust, and in a short time they had it all +removed, leaving exposed the bright metal beneath it. + +"Looks like there was a crack running around it near that end," Walter +observed, as Charley held the cylinder down by the fire for closer +examination. + +"There is," agreed his chum, excitedly. "I believe the thing is hollow. +That this end is nothing but a close fitting cap. Shall I see if I can +knock it off?" + +"Sure," agreed Walter, and Charley hammered against the end with his +hunting knife. Suddenly the end gave way and out on the ground before +the boys fell a shower of gold coins and jewelry. + +Charley picked up one of the coins and held it to the light. "It's a +Spanish doubloon," he announced breathlessly. "Let's count them and put +them back in the cylinder. This is almost too good to be true." + +The gold coins were gathered up from the ground and counted. There +proved to be a thousand dollars' worth altogether. Besides the coins, +there were some twenty gold rings set with gems, but these the boys +were too inexperienced to tell the full value of. They, as well as the +gold coins, were put back into the cylinder, and it was replaced in the +game bag. + +"I expect there are more where those came from," Walter remarked. + +"I doubt it," said his chum, thoughtfully. "Even what we have found +would have been considered a big amount in the days of those Spaniards. +We can look when we go back to-morrow. Meanwhile, I am going to get me +a good night's sleep. To-morrow is going to be another hard day." + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +CHARLEY GETS A TELEGRAM. + + +THE tired-out boys slept soundly until awakened by the rays of the +morning sun. Rising, they enjoyed a good swim in the cool waters of +the lake, and then, stirring up the dying embers of the campfire, they +warmed up and ate what remained of their feast of the night before. +As soon as it was finished, they saddled up their ponies, and, with a +parting look at the beautiful lake, headed back for camp. + +They had not gone far before the sky became overcast, and soon there +began to fall a fine, drizzling rain, that soaked their thin clothing +and chilled their bodies. There was no shelter to get under, so they +could only ride on and take it as it came. When they came to the place +where they had stopped the day before Walter wanted to halt and look +for more treasure, but Charley objected. + +"Our matches are all wet, so that we cannot make a torch," he +explained, "and we could not do much searching without a light. +If there is any more treasure in that hole there is no danger of +anyone finding it. We, ourselves, would never have found it but for +an accident. We had better wait until we can come back with a proper +outfit of ropes, candles, etc. To tell the truth, I want someone else +along with us next time. If one of us should get hurt in any way it +would be a bad fix for both so far away from camp. See how near I came +to joining you in that hole yesterday? Two is not enough where there is +danger of that kind. We will bring the Captain and Chris next time." + +Walter, still mindful of his experience in the black hole, was not +overly anxious to repeat it, and they rode on in the drizzling rain. +Before they reached the Indian camp the rain ceased and the sun came +out again with a warmth grateful to their chilled bodies. On reining +in at the camp, they were astonished to see the chief sitting out in +the sun in front of his wigwam. He was thin as a skeleton, but appeared +bright and cheerful. The Indian, Willie John, who had furnished them +with the ponies, stopped them when they started to unsaddle. + +"No, no," he said, "ride ponies on to big camp. Turn 'em loose. They +come back all right." + +The boys tried to pay him for the use of the animals, but he refused to +take any money. + +"Young pale-faces friends. No take money from friends," he said +generously. + +"Very well," Charley said, "but friends may give gifts to friends. +Soon I go to town and get plenty of red and blue and yellow cloth and +much beads. Two sleeps (nights) from now you come to big camp and get +them. They will be a gift from the palefaces to their Seminole brother." + +"It is well," said the Seminole, gravely. "Two sleeps I come to big +camp." + +"There is something noble about the Seminoles," said Charley, as they +rode on. "Now that fellow knows the value of money, and he knows he can +get with it many things that he desires, but his code forbids him to +take it from a friend." + +"I like them," agreed Walter emphatically. "They are so different from +our slovenly tribes of Western Indians. They are so clean, honest, +generous, and truthful. I doubt if a white race put in this awful +country would retain so many virtues." + +"And they have never waged an unjust war," Charley added. "When they +fought it was to save themselves from being crushed out of existence. +But, when they did have to fight, they fought bravely. During the +Seminole war, not so very many miles north of here, a party of Indians +encountered a company of soldiers. The soldiers stood their ground +until the last one was killed and the Seminoles victorious, but, after +the battle was over, not a dead soldier was scalped according to savage +custom. Not one was touched. Even their guns and equipment were left +lying where they had fallen. It was a silent tribute the Seminoles +paid to a brave enemy, and, to my mind, there was something fine in the +act." + +This conversation had brought the lads to the jungle, and they fell +silent as they rode through its gloomy depths. + +It was after noon when they came in sight of the machine, which they +were pleased to see was still working steadily, showing that nothing +serious had occurred during their absence. When close to it, Charley +reined in his pony and hailed the engineer. + +"Hello!" he called. "How are they coming?" + +Kitchner stopped the machine, and clambering down, walked up to him. +"Not so bad," he said, in answer to the question. "But we've only got +enough carbide to run the light to-night. Have to have some more before +to-morrow night, or we will have to quit night work." + +Charley frowned slightly. "That carbide light costs like fury," he +said. "I brought out a big lot of it the last time I went to town. At +the rate it has been used up, that light costs us about $5.00 a night." + +"It is expensive," agreed Kitchner, "and that is not the worst feature +about it. It's dangerous to use on a job like this, where the men do +not understand it. There is always some escaping gas from the tank, +which is easily set afire by a spark from the engine or the careless +lighting of a match close by. One of the firemen was burnt some last +night. The gas caught fire from his lantern. An electric light would be +far better, less dangerous, and save its own cost in the long run." + +"We'll get a dynamo and fix up an electric light, then," said Charley. +"I'll go in to-night and order one. It will likely take several days to +get it here, so I'll bring back enough carbide with me to run the light +until it comes." + +This settled, the boys rode on into camp, where Charley paused long +enough to wash and change his clothes, then got out the truck and +headed for town, where he arrived in time to catch the train for Palm +Beach. He carried with him the gold and rings they had found in the +old fort, for the boys had decided that it would be unwise to keep the +treasure at camp, and that the sooner it was turned into money and +safely deposited in the bank the better it would be. Once at the Beach, +the lad sought out the leading jeweler in town, and showed him the +rings and coins, and asked if he thought he could dispose of them for +him. + +The jeweler examined the rings with the greatest interest. "Some of +these rings are very valuable," he declared. "Just how valuable, I +would not like to say, offhand. If you care to intrust me with the +disposal of them, I will get all the money I can out of them for you. +The gold coins you will have no trouble about. Your bank will accept +them at nearly their real value." + +Charley quickly accepted the jeweler's offer, and turned over the rings +to him and received a receipt in return. At the bank he had no trouble +with the gold coins, the cashier readily accepting them and crediting +the value to his account. + +His business transacted, the lad bought a paper, and, securing a room +in a nearby hotel, stretched out on the bed to read and rest, for he +was thoroughly tired out by the long day he had put in. He scanned +the headlines with mild interest, but at last he came to a paragraph +that he read and reread with growing excitement. The brief item ran as +follows: + +"Among the bills that will come up before the legislature when it meets +next month is one to give to a wealthy New York company a grant of one +thousand acres of land, just east of Indiantown, for the nominal sum +of $1 per acre. There is but little doubt that the bill will pass, +for this land is so remote from transportation that it is considered +of little or no value. The New York company, it is said, intends to +develop the entire tract. They certainly seem very eager about it, for +much money and influence is being used to secure the desired grant." + +For a long time the lad lay back and considered this short notice, but +could see nothing in it to account for the many attempts to stop the +road building, for certainly a good road would be of vast value to the +development company. At last he gave up puzzling over the matter, and +turning out his light, prepared to go to sleep; but, he had no sooner +stretched out, than there came a thumping at his door. "Wait a minute," +he called to the knocker, as he turned on the light and slipped on his +clothes. He opened the door, and in stepped a little, freckled-faced +messenger boy. + +"Gee, Mister," he said, "I've had a peach of a job finding you. Been to +every hotel and boarding-house in town. Got a telegram for you. Sign +right here." + +"Wait a minute," said Charley, as the youth turned to go. "There may be +an answer to this." + +Hastily tearing open the envelope, the lad read: + +"Better get back as soon as you can. Bunch of New York toughs or gunmen +just got off train. Met by wagons. Gone out direction of your camp. Saw +Jones talking to some of them. Bad-looking characters." + +There was no name signed to the message, but the lad knew it was from +the friendly agent at Jupiter, and, turning it over, he wrote on the +back. + +"Can't get up until morning train. Many thanks." + +He gave the message to the boy, together with a half dollar to pay him +for his trouble, and, as soon as the boy had departed, he undressed +and went again to bed, where he lay awake half the night, worrying over +the agent's message. + +He was waiting at the sheriff's office next morning when that officer +arrived, and to him he laid bare the whole story of their trials since +he and his chums had bought the machine. + +The sheriff listened with deepest interest, and when the lad concluded +he said to him frankly: "I would like best in the world, lad, to help +you, but you have no direct evidence against anyone, and I can make no +arrests without proof. I would advise you to see a good lawyer. Maybe +he will be able to untangle this mess for you." + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +MOVING THE CAMP. + + +MUCH downcast by his failure to secure the sheriff's aid, Charley made +his way to the building where most of the lawyers of the county had +their offices. Selecting one of the offices at random, for he knew none +of the lawyers, even by reputation, he opened the door and entered. He +found himself face to face with a bright, alert, keen-eyed young man, +who greeted him pleasantly, and invited him to be seated. Briefly he +stated his errand and retold the tale he had told the sheriff. + +The young lawyer listened with deepest interest, and at the end of it +exclaimed boyishly: + +"By Jove, this is an interesting case. I wouldn't miss a chance to +handle it for a hundred dollars. I was a detective before I was +a lawyer, and the lure of mystery always appeals to me. There is +certainly enough mystery in this case of yours to satisfy anyone. I +will have to think it over carefully, and look up some features of it, +before I can be of any help to you. I will be busy to-day, for I have +a case coming up in Circuit Court, but to-morrow I will come out to +your camp and look the ground over with you. I have a little auto of my +own, and I will enjoy the trip out, even if nothing comes of it. I have +always wanted to see that back country, and this will be a good chance +to combine business with pleasure." + +Charley left the friendly lawyer's office feeling more cheerful in +having enlisted his aid. He reached the station just in time to catch +the train for Jupiter, where he alighted half an hour later. The agent +was watching for him, and immediately drew him to one side. + +"I am afraid you are in for a rough time out at camp," he said; "that +was the wickedest-looking bunch of men I ever saw in my life. There +were twenty of them altogether. They were expected, too, for there were +wagons waiting for them a little ways from the station, and they drove +off immediately." + +"I cannot even stop to thank you properly," Charley said, earnestly. +"We cannot thank you enough for what you have done for us, anyway." + +"That's all right," said the agent heartily, "I am pleased to have been +of any assistance to you. But I will not keep you, for I know you are +anxious to see how things are at camp. So-long, and good luck to you." + +A minute later Charley was in the truck and driving out on the dirt +road at a dangerous rate of speed, for before him he could see the +sharp cut of wagon tires in the soft earth. + +About three miles from camp the wagon tracks left the road, and, as far +as the lad could see from the car, continued at a right angle to it. +Somewhat relieved by this discovery, he reduced his speed and drove +into camp at an easy gait. + +Much to his delight, he found everything going on as usual, dinner +cooking in the cook tent, the machine busily digging, and the graders +leveling off close behind it. After a little chat with Chris, the lad +retired to his tent, where he rested until his chums and the men came +trooping in to dinner. + +After dinner was eaten, Charley called a council of war of his chums, +the two engineers off duty, and Bossie the fireman. He told them of all +he had learned during his trip. "Of course I may be making a mountain +out of a mole hill," he said, in conclusion. "Those men may be only a +party of hunters out for a good time, but, from what we have already +met with, it will be well to be on our guard until we are sure of the +fact. We cannot tell in what way or when we will be made to suffer. I +want every man--Spaniard as well as American--to be constantly on the +watch for any signs of trouble. You, Bossie, explain to your countrymen +just how things stand, so that none of them will be taken unawares. +Now, have any of you any suggestions to offer?" + +"I think we ought to move camp as soon as possible," said McCarty +promptly. "It's a good two miles from here to the machine now, and the +distance is growing greater every day. Of course, it does not make so +much difference in the daytime, but, with an enemy around, it makes it +risky for the men going back and forth at night." + +"You're right," Charley agreed. "We had better get an early start and +move camp to-morrow morning to a place about a quarter of a mile ahead +of the machine. I noticed a knoll of good, high sloping ground there. +When you go out, McCarty, have one of the dynamiters set fire to the +grass there, so that the ground will be bare for the pitching of our +tents. We don't want to run any chance of being burnt out." + +"I don't think we on the machine run so very much danger," observed +Bratton; "not if we keep a good watch out. It is all steel, and, in +case of attack, we can call the ground men aboard and keep the platform +revolving fast. No one can then climb aboard, and the boiler and +machinery will give pretty good protection, while we can use our guns +from the platform to pretty good advantage." + +"Good idea," approved McCarty. "I will adopt that plan and tell +Kitchner about it when I go out." + +"The dynamiters are a good mile and a half ahead of the machine," +Captain Westfield observed. "I reckon it wouldn't be a bad idea to add +them to the guard around the camp until the machine catches up with +them a little." + +"Good suggestion," Charley approved. "We will do that." + +"I have got an amendment to offer to the moving plan," Walter said. +"I suggest that we move camp this afternoon. You have all apparently +forgotten that to-morrow is Sunday, and all hands need a rest." + +"You're right," Charley agreed promptly. "Call in all the men except +the crew on the machine, and the bridge builders, Bossie. Get the other +men in the tents to roll out and help. Tell the bridge builders to +throw a bridge across the ditch, so that we can cross and get by the +machine with the truck and wagon." + +In a few minutes all was astir in the camp, men busy packing up, others +pulling down and folding up tents, while still others piled them in +the waiting truck and wagon. Within half an hour of giving the orders, +Charley started with the first truckload, carrying with him half of +the Spaniards to pitch the tents on the new camp-site. He found the +knoll burnt clear of grass and the ground still smoking from the recent +fire. Hastily unloading and directing the Spaniards where to set up the +tents, the lad hurried back for another load. + +Twenty men working with system can accomplish wonders, and long before +dark the moving was finished and Chris was getting supper in the cook +tent. + +"I don't like staking out the mules," said the teamster, as he joined +the rest at supper, "but I can't build a corral for them until +to-morrow. You see, they keep moving around nearly all night, and they +get all tangled up in the ropes and wear the hide off their legs trying +to get free." + +"I don't believe they will hurt themselves much in one night," Charley +assured him, "and to-morrow all hands can turn in and build a corral +for them. How much wood have you got ahead?" + +"Enough for a week," answered the teamster, brightening. "That Juan +is a first-class worker, and I have been hauling steady. I've got it +strung along the road for a mile ahead of the machine." + +As soon as it began to get dark, Charley gave a gun to each of the two +dynamiters, and gave them instructions to join their two countrymen as +guards. + +Everyone was tired, and all retired early to their tents. It was agreed +that the machine should stop work at midnight, and that, when her crew +came in, two of the camp guard would go out and keep watch on it the +balance of the night. + +Charley was roused up about midnight by the stop whistle of the +machine, and a few minutes later he heard its crew entering the camp, +and the chatter of the two guards, as they went out to take the crew's +place. The lad rolled over with a sigh of content, and dropped off to +sleep again, only to awaken again to the sharp crack of rifles. "Get +up, you fellows," he shouted to his chums. "There's more trouble afoot." + +"Great Cæsar," exclaimed Walter, in disgust. "Can't we ever get a good +night's sleep?" + +"Don't look that way," said his chum grimly, as he pulled on his +clothes. + +Outside the tent the lads found the Captain and engineers just emerging +from their shelters. + +Along the road for a mile in front of the machine, huge bonfires were +burning. + +"They have fired the woodpiles!" Charley exclaimed. "Well, let 'em +burn. There's more wood where that came from. Let's make for the +machine; that's where the shooting came from." + +A few minutes' walk brought them to the digger, where they found the +Spanish guards excited but unhurt. They had fired the guns to let the +camp know of the fire. They were so apparently nervous, however, that +McCarty volunteered to stay with them the balance of the night. + +"Well, it might be worse," said Charley, as the little party made their +way back to camp. "They have just made more work for the teamster and +woodchopper, that's all." + +But, as they approached close to the camp, they were met by one of the +guards. "_Señors_," cried the man, his voice trembling, "there is +frightful groaning coming from the darkness behind our picket line." + +"Where?" demanded the teamster, who had joined the little party. + +"Toward the North Star, not far from our picket line," answered the +shaky sentinel. + +"Go back to your post, _hombre_," Charley ordered. "We'll get the +lanterns and come right out and see what it is." + +The frightened sentinel obeyed, but he moved so slowly that the boys +overtook him before he reached his post. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +EXCITING EVENTS. + + +EVEN before they reached the guard line, the little party could plainly +hear the groans that had so frightened the Spanish sentinel. The sounds +came from a point some two hundred feet beyond the line. Between the +spells of groaning would come noises like a struggle going on, a heavy +fall, then more groans. + +Suddenly the teamster with an oath broke into a run and the boys +followed close at his heels. It was a pitiful scene that the lanterns +revealed when they reached the spot. The teamster, with tears in his +eyes, was swearing vigorously as he untangled the hitching ropes from +the legs of the two mules whose sufferings were frightful to behold. +Their bellies were swollen up to twice their natural size and their +eyes were glassy with pain. Occasionally one would stagger to its feet, +stand swaying for a few minutes, then fall heavily to the ground, where +it would lay groaning in spasms of pain. + +"What's the matter with them?" Charley demanded anxiously. + +"The Lord only knows," said the teamster, "that swelling of the stomach +looks as though they had been foundered, but that can't be. I only gave +them their usual feed for the night--just what they always have." + +"Can we do anything for them?" inquired the lad. + +Canady shook his head. "I am afraid they are too far gone," he said. +"But I'll try. I've got all kinds of medicines in my tent. I'll run and +get them." + +He was back in a minute with a box full of pint bottles. Then followed +hours of anxious labor, holding and dosing the sick animals, but it was +all in vain. Before daylight one mule stiffened out in death and a half +hour later the other one died. + +It was a sorrowful little party that stood around the dead animals. To +the little party of chums it meant the loss of $500 and the tying up +of the machine until a new team could be procured. To the teamster it +meant the loss of two animals to which he had really grown attached. + +"This was no accident," declared the Captain, as they stood around +discussing the affair. "It comes right at the time the wood piles were +fired. That ain't no coincident, I reckon." + +"You're right," Charley agreed. "Their aim was to tie up the machine +by cutting off our wood supply, and it looks as though they have +succeeded. No doubt the mules were poisoned, but the thing that +puzzles me is how the poison was administered. Mules are the most +particular animals in the world about what they take into their mouths." + +"Let's have a look at the feed boxes," Walter suggested; "there ought +to be some clews in them." + +The teamster uttered an oath as he held his lantern over the feed +boxes, for each was still partly filled with wheat. "That's what done +it," he swore savagely. "All animals love the taste of wheat, but it is +sure death to them if they eat any quantity of it. It swells so fast +in their stomachs. Lord, I wish I had hold of the fellow who did this +thing." + +"Bring your lanterns," called Walter, who had stepped away a few paces +from the crowd. "There's something lying here on the ground. I believe +it's a man." + +In a second his companions were by his side with their lanterns. As the +lights flashed down on the prostrate object, an exclamation of horror +burst out from the little party, for, lying on his back, his head in a +pool of blood, lay a man, one side of his skull entirely crushed in. + +"He's the one that fixed the mules," declared the teamster excitedly. +"One of the mules killed him. Serves him right. I'm glad he got his." + +"Shut up," said Charley shortly. "This is too horrible a thing to exult +over. Come on, some of you, and give me a hand to carry him to my +tent. We cannot leave him lying here." + +Silently the little party lifted the dead man and bore him into the +lad's tent and laid him down on a cot. Charley got water and a cloth +and washed away the blood on the dead man's face and head. The face was +that of a young man but was seamed and aged by lines of dissipation. +The lad, with repugnance for the task, searched the dead man's pockets, +but found nothing but a loaded revolver and a box of small white +pellets which he decided was dope of some kind. + +His unpleasant task finished, the lad stepped out of the tent, followed +by his chums, who had helped him with the dead man. The three stood +silent for a minute drinking in deep breaths of the fresh early morning +air. + +"What are you going to do with him?" the Captain asked, jerking his +head toward the tent where the dead man lay. + +"Keep him until afternoon," Charley said wearily. "Some of his friends +may come and claim the body. If not, we will give him as good a funeral +as we can. It's a terrible piece of business. If all our money was not +tied up in this job, I would vote to quit right now." + +"Same here," agreed Captain Westfield. "I'm getting sick of the mud and +water and all the troubles we are having, and this last business is +about the last straw." + +"You fellows will feel better after a little nap, and a good +breakfast," said Walter cheerfully. "I guess none of us is in love +with this new venture of ours, but there is no good to be gained by +getting in the dumps. We must keep cheerful and do the best we can. It +is madness to talk about quitting now. It would likely take us years of +hard work to save up the money we've got tied up in this business." + +"You're right," Charley acknowledged. "We have got to fight it out. I +guess I'll crawl in and catch a catnap before breakfast. A little sleep +makes a whole lot of difference in a man's feelings." + +Such indeed seemed to be the case, for, when a couple of hours later +he joined the rest at the breakfast table, he was once more his old +cheerful self. During the meal he outlined his plans to meet the new +difficulty that opposed them. + +"There's a lawyer coming out to see us to-day," he said, "and when he +goes back I want you, Canady, to go back with him. I'll give you a +check for $500 and I want you to buy a good pair of mules and get them +out here as soon as possible. I will try to get some of the Indians to +haul wood while you are gone. I see there's a couple of piles of wood +left near the machine that will do to fire up with to-morrow morning. +After breakfast, Captain, take part of the men and have them bury the +mules, and also dig a grave in that little bunch of spruces. It ought +not to take more than an hour for the job, then all hands are to knock +off and get a good day's rest. I think we all need it. I do not believe +there is any need for a guard on the machine to-day, but we will have +to put one on it to-night." + +Shortly after breakfast, Willie John, the Seminole, arrived as he had +promised. Charley had not forgotten him when he was in town and the +Indian's eyes sparkled over the bright colored cloth, beads, and mouth +organ the lads presented him with. Before he left, Charley succeeded +in hiring him and the two teams and wagons he had in Indiantown to +haul wood for the machine until the teamster returned with the mules. +The Seminole immediately took his departure, promising to be back with +wagons and oxen before dark. + +He had hardly gone, when Mr. Bruce, the lawyer, drove up in his auto. +He was made welcome in the boys' tent and Charley briefly told what had +occurred since he had seen him. The lawyer took a look at the dead man. +"He has all the appearance of a tough," he said. "Rather an ignoble end +for a gunman, to be kicked to death by a mule. I would advise you to +bury him at once. It is not at all likely that his friends will call +for him. To do so would be to give themselves away." + +The grave was already dug and, following the lawyer's advice, the body +was at once laid to rest, the Captain saying a brief prayer over it +before it was lowered into the grave. + +The ceremony over, they all gathered in the shade of a big pine and +discussed their troubles with Mr. Bruce. + +"I confess," said the lawyer, "that I thought your young friend was +exaggerating in the story he told me at Palm Beach, but I see now that +the trouble is far more serious than I thought. I have not been idle +since his visit to my office, and I have discovered one or two things +that are extremely interesting, although I do not see as yet how they +solve the mystery of your troubles. I have come out to-day to look +over the ground and see if I cannot discover some connection between +the facts I have learned and the trouble you are having. One peculiar +thing I notice in all your accounts is that, with the exception of the +placing of the dynamite under the machine, which may have been done by +Rooney out of sheer personal cussedness, there has been no attempt made +to destroy the machine." + +"You are right, sir," Charley admitted, "but of course they have not +had much chance to get at the machine." + +"Another thing," continued the lawyer, "although you have been caused +much anxiety, and worry and have suffered considerable loss, yet no one +of you has been seriously hurt so far." + +"I follow your reasoning, sir," Charley said. "Your idea is that they +do not wish to wreck the machine, but merely to stop its working, and +that they do not want to kill, but merely to drive us off the job." + +"Correct," said the lawyer; "but I am not going to say but what they +will kill some of you if they can't stop the job any other way." + +"You're comforting at any rate," said Walter, with a grin. "If we stop, +we lose every dollar we have in the world. If we don't stop we are +likely to be killed. Now which would you advise us to do?" + +Mr. Bruce laughed. "I am not going to advise either at present," he +said. "It's my duty as a lawyer to try to save you from both. Before I +give any advice I want to look over the ground. Can I drive on out to +Indiantown in my auto?" + +"Sure," said Charley, "and we will go with you if you do not mind." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +A CLEW. + + +CHARLEY and Walter climbed into the auto with Mr. Bruce, who +immediately started up the machine and drove slowly out on the old +road, noting his surroundings with interest. + +"I have never been out in this country before," he said. "It seems +wonderfully strange and interesting to me. So unlike anything I have +ever seen in the North. I suppose that thick growth of trees ahead is +the jungle you told me about." + +The boys assured him that such was the case, and before entering the +jungle he stopped the car and looked back at the machine. "At the rate +your men are working, you will have the road completed up to the jungle +in another week," he observed. + +"Yes," Charley agreed, "that is, if we are not molested too much. I +dread the work through the jungle, though." + +"I should think you would dread it," agreed Mr. Bruce as the car +slipped into the jungle's gloomy depths. "Gosh, I never saw such a +sickly looking place and these awful snakes. I'll dream of them for +weeks. Why, the place fairly reeks with fever and disease." + +"We are going to set fire to it before we put the machine into it," +Walter said. "The fire will kill off a good many of the snakes, but it +won't stop the danger from fever much." + +Mr. Bruce drove on in silence until the car rolled into Indiantown, +where he stopped it in front of one of the truck gardens with an +exclamation of surprise. "My, I never saw stuff grow like that before," +he said. "This land must be wonderfully fertile, although it does not +look so very rich on top." + +"There's a soft grayish rock a little below the surface," Charley +explained. "I believe it produces that wonderful growth. I've got some +samples of it in my game bag. You can have them if you want them. This +land is wonderfully fertile, as you say," he continued, while Mr. Bruce +examined the bits of rock, "but I don't believe, even with that in its +favor, that it will be worth much until a railroad runs through here. +It's too far from transportation." + +"Yes," agreed Mr. Bruce absently. "It is too far away to be worth much +for farming purposes." + +The little party rode on as far as the trading-post, then Mr. Bruce +declared he had seen enough, and turning the car around headed back for +camp. + +"It's queer how a really brilliant mind sometimes overlooks plain +simple little things," he said as they slipped by the row of surveyor's +stakes. "Now the man who is directing operations against you is a +man of considerable intelligence, the ingenuity of his moves against +you prove that. He has kept in concealment, and, in spite of all the +annoyance he has caused you, you haven't got the slightest bit of +evidence against him. Some of his tricks have been infernally clever, +and yet he has overlooked one little thing that would have put you out +of business in a short time." + +"Don't name it out loud," Charley begged. "I noticed it long ago, but I +haven't even dared think of it for fear it might occur to him." + +"I don't know but what you fellows are in the same class with him," +said Mr. Bruce, with a smile. "This case reminds me of a story by Edgar +Allan Poe about a long search for a hidden document. All sorts of +out-of-the-way nooks and places were searched, and all the while the +document lay in full view upon a mantel shelf." + +"You mean that we have overlooked the solution of our troubles because +it was in plain sight?" said Walter eagerly. + +"Something like that," Mr. Bruce admitted. "I am not positive about it +yet, but I expect to be within a few days. In the meantime, I'm going +to refuse to answer any questions about it." + +It was not yet noon when they got back to camp and Mr. Bruce retired at +once to Charley's tent and began filling in the blank places on a lot +of legal forms he had brought with him. "I want all you Americans to +sign these without asking any questions," he said. "I know it's rather +an unusual request, but this case is rather an unusual one, so you will +have to do this blindfold if you want me to go on with your case. You +will just have to trust to my honor, that's all." + +Without any hesitation, our little party affixed their signatures to +the papers, the contents of which the lawyer kept carefully hidden. +They reasoned that in their present position they had nothing to lose, +if the lawyer proved dishonest, which they did not believe he would, +for they were all favorably impressed with his appearance and brisk, +business-like manner. + +After they had signed, the teamster and engineers were called in and +also asked to sign, which they willingly did, without question or +comment. + +"Now," said Mr. Bruce, when the signing was over, "I'll be going, for +I've got to do some hustling the next few days if I am going to be of +any use to you." + +"Better wait for dinner," Charley urged, but Mr. Bruce shook his head. +"I'll get a lunch in Jupiter," he said. "Every hour is important now. +I wish you had come to me sooner; as it is, I have only a short time to +do a whole lot of work in." + +Charley followed him out to the auto. "I wish you would tell us what +you have discovered and what you are going to do," he said. + +"No, I'm not going to do that," said the lawyer decidedly, "not until I +am sure that I am right. Do you think you can keep on working and stand +those fellows off for a week longer?" + +"I think so," Charley said simply. + +"Good," approved Mr. Bruce, "I will be back within a week. I must warn +you, however, that if my theories are correct the further you dig the +more trouble you are likely to have. I expect the enemy will abandon +all tricks and resort to attempts to kill before the week is out." + +"That's a cheerful outlook," said Charley dryly. + +Mr. Bruce hesitated before replying. "As a lawyer," he said, "I am +against killing in any form, but as a mere man I would say that I would +shoot to kill if the other fellow was doing the same." + +"But killing is an awful thing," protested Charley. "It is never +justified except in war." + +"Then just consider that this is war," smiled the lawyer. "You will not +have to stretch your imagination much. Good-by. I will be back in a +week." The teamster climbed into the auto with him and in a few minutes +the car was out of sight. + +Charley slowly returned to the camp, where he told his chums what the +lawyer had said. + +"I think I know about where those gunmen are camped," Walter said. "I +can see the smoke of a campfire near where the convicts camped. If we +have any more trouble with them, we could, perhaps, capture them in the +daytime when they are sleeping and turn them over to the sheriff." + +Charley shook his head. "That won't do," he said. "In the first place, +even counting in the engineers, there would only be seven of us to do +the job, for we could not count on the Spaniards. They lack the nerve +for such work. Seven men could hardly handle twenty. In the second +place, we have no evidence against any of them, except the one who +killed the mules, and he is dead. If we turned them over to the sheriff +he would have to turn them loose again." + +"You're right about the Spaniards lacking nerve," Captain Westfield +observed. "All these mysterious night attacks are frightening them. I +am afraid we are going to have trouble holding them if this sort of +thing continues." + +"I've been fearing that very thing," Charley said thoughtfully. "They +are a superstitious people and what they cannot understand frightens +them. I can see only one thing more that we can do and that is for Walt +and I to go on the night guard with them, and if there is any shooting +we had better do as the lawyer says--shoot back." + +"I don't like the idea of bloodshed," said Captain Westfield. + +"Nor I," said Charley grimly. "But if blood must be shed I would rather +it would be theirs than ours." + +"Same here," agreed Walter. "If we are going to keep watch to-night, +Charley, we had better eat dinner and turn in for a nap." + +It was nearly sundown when the boys emerged from their tents where they +had been awakened from their sleep by a clamoring outside. + +They found the din the herald of the arrival of Willie John with all +his worldly goods, consisting of numerous dogs, pigs, cattle, two +wagons, eight oxen, a squaw, his mother and his mother-in-law, a crowd +of children, and a couple of wrinkled old Indians, likely his father +and father-in-law. + +Much to the chums' relief, Willie John decided to make camp further +on close to the machine. After they had reached their camping place, +Willie John left the squaws to the ignoble menial work of making camp, +and with his son, a fine looking Indian lad, came over to discuss +business with his pale-face employers. + +"Me drive one wagon, four oxen," he said. "Boy drive one wagon, four +oxen. How much?" + +"Six dollars a day," said Charley promptly. "Six dollars and plenty of +tobacco." + +"It is well," said the Seminole. "Some tobacco now." + +Charley went to the supply and got a package, and the Indian, filling +his pipe, sat down on a log and puffed away in silent content, his son +sitting by his side silent and motionless except for the quick shifting +of his black, beady eyes that took in every detail of the camp and its +occupants. + +"Fine boy you've got," observed Walter, who had been admiring the +perfect form and proud carriage of the Indian lad. + +There was a glint of fatherly pride in Willie John's eyes as he laid +his hand caressingly on the lad's black head. "Him good boy," he said +simply. "Him run faster, wrestle better, swim better than any other +Indian boy. Him no drink wyomee (whiskey). Him no smoke. Him save all +money. By and bye, he go to school, all the same as pale-face boy." + +"That's good," Walter approved. "How old is he?" + +"Twelve years," answered the Seminole. "We go back to camp now. +Good-by." + +"He certainly thinks a lot of that boy for an Indian," Walter remarked +to his chum. + +"Why not?" said Charley. "Don't you suppose Indians have feelings like +other human beings?" + +Both lads had occasion to remember this conversation in the near +future. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +SICKNESS IN THE CAMP. + + +ACCORDING to agreement, as soon as night fell, Charley, taking two of +the Spaniards with him, went out to stand guard on the machine for +the night, while Walter and the other two took their posts on the +guard line circling the camp. There is nothing so slow and tedious as +doing guard duty, but the boys managed to hasten the flight of time by +chatting with their Spanish companions and adding new words and phrases +to their already fair knowledge of the language. + +Much to their surprise nothing occurred to alarm the lads during the +night. At daybreak Charley climbed up on the steel crane and took a +good look over the country, but he could discover no trace of the enemy +or any sign of campfire smoke. + +With the break of day the fireman came out to get up steam, and Charley +with his men returned to camp. "I can't see any trace of them or their +campfire," he told his chum, "and I believe I've hit upon the reason +why we were not molested last night." + +"Let's have it," said Walter eagerly. + +"I believe they think they have put us out of business with the killing +of the mules and the burning of our wood supply," Charley answered. "Of +course they will soon discover their mistake and be at it again." + +"Maybe they have gone back to town," his chum suggested hopefully, +but Charley shook his head decidedly. "They would not go far," he +declared positively. "They know it will not take us more than four or +five days at the most to get another pair of mules and start up again. +Well, let's be thankful for their giving us even one night's peace. I +am going to get a bite to eat and turn in, and I advise you to do the +same. If we wake up early enough we'll take the truck, run in to town +and see if that electric light has come." + +"All right," Walter agreed. + +It was nearly sundown when the boys awoke, so the purposed trip was +not made. As the machine was now working again, there was no need of +a guard on it, so the boys agreed to divide up the camp watch. One +standing guard with the Spaniards until midnight, and the other one +from midnight until morning. "I'll take the first watch," Charley said, +"then I can get a good nap and run into town in the morning." + +Before going out to his post, Charley sauntered over to the Indian's +camp and exchanged greetings with Willie John. "Did you see any +pale-faces in the woods to-day?" he inquired. + +The Seminole shook his head. "No see strange pale-face," he said. "See +campfire. Him one sleep old. Pale-faces gone." + +"Well," said Charley, puzzled. "You must not go near any pale-face +camp in woods. They very bad men. Maybe they shoot you or oxen. You +understand?" + +"Yes, me understand," said the Seminole. "No go near campfires any +more." + +"The gunmen have either moved camp or gone to town," the lad remarked +to his chum when he returned to camp. "But we will keep watch just the +same. It may be only a ruse to throw us off our guard." + +The night passed away, however, without the slightest alarm, much to +the lad's relief. Charley slept later than usual in the morning, and +when he emerged from his tent he found the Captain waiting for him. + +"One of the graders is sick," the old sailor informed him. "I wish you +would take a look at him. He looks to me to be pretty badly off." + +The lad found the sick man, one of their best workers, tossing +restlessly on his cot, his face a brick red. + +"What's the matter, Meticas?" he said cheerfully as he felt of the sick +man's hot face. + +"Plenty sick, señor," said the sufferer. "Plenty not all the time. No +can work to-day. Work to-morrow, maybe." + +"Don't you worry about the work," said the lad kindly. "I go to town +this morning, get doctor. He will make you well pretty quick." + +"Thanks, señor," said the man gratefully. + +"It looks to me like a case of jungle fever," the lad said as he joined +the Captain. + +"It's working in that nasty mud all the time that has made him sick," +the old sailor declared. "The hot sun burning down on that foul muck is +enough to make an alligator sick. It don't bother me much, for I get +off to one side and keep out of it. It's hardest on the ground men and +the graders. They are in it all the time. They don't complain any, but +I notice they are getting sores all over their legs from standing in +it. It would not surprise me if more of them came down before long." + +"I hope not," Charley said fervently. "We are in enough trouble as it +is. I am going in and get a doctor for him this morning. You can take +out one of the guards with you to take Meticas' place." + +As soon as he had eaten breakfast, the lad took the truck and started +for town. By noon he was back in camp again. + +"Gosh, you made a quick trip," Walter commented. + +"I didn't go to town," Charley said dejectedly. "Two miles from here +is as far as I could get with the truck." + +"Why?" demanded his chum. + +"Bridges blown up by dynamite from there on," said the other briefly. +"I walked ahead two miles from where I left the truck and there was not +a bridge but what was wholly or partly wrecked." + +"Whew!" whistled Walter, "that will shut us off from getting more +supplies." + +"That's what it was intended to do," said his chum wearily, "but, I +think, we can fool them on that point if we act quickly. Has Willie +John come in for his dinner yet?" + +"I think he is over at his camp now." + +"Come on over with me," Charley said. "We have got to act quickly or we +will find ourselves penned up out here without food." + +They found Willie John and his family squatted around a big iron pot +full of bear meat into which they kept dipping their hands and fishing +after choice tid-bits. + +"This afternoon you and boy go to Indiantown for us," Charley said. +"You tell all of tribe we want to buy plenty yams, corn, pumpkins, +pigs, and two cattle, then go out to trading-post and buy all the +flour, sugar and coffee Mr. Bowers will sell. Have Indians bring all +here to camp quick. Pretty soon bad pale-faces tear up bridge so we can +no get grub. You understand?" + +"Yes, me understand," said the Seminole. "Me go on foot. Indians got +plenty of wagons to bring grub. Go much faster walk. Boy and squaw +drive oxen and haul wood while I am gone." + +"Good," Charley approved. "You come over to camp before you go and I +give you plenty of money to buy grub with." + +"That will settle the food question for quite a while," the lad +observed, as the two boys sauntered back to the tent. + +"We don't really need anything from town for quite a while, except a +doctor. I am going to see if I cannot do something for the sick man, +but if he gets worse, we will have to get a couple of Indian ponies and +go in for a doctor. By leaving the road and taking to the woods one can +pick their way into town, but it would make a long, tiresome, dangerous +journey, and we don't want to attempt it unless we absolutely have to." + +Charley found the sick man about as he had left him, hot with fever and +tossing restlessly. After viewing his condition carefully, the lad went +back to his tent and got out the little medicine chest they usually +carried with them. + +"What are you going to give him?" Walter inquired. + +"A big dose of calomel now, and as soon as the fever passes off I will +give him two grain doses of quinine every two hours," said Charley +promptly. "That's what the doctors always give for these swamp fevers. +I am not much afraid of this kind of fever. It seldom kills and when +properly treated it is easily cured. Of course it leaves one weak for a +while, and not able to do much work. I wish, though, that I knew what +to do to keep the mud from making sores on the men. I am more afraid of +the sores than I am of the fever." + +"I don't know anything about medicine," said Walter thoughtfully, "but +it is evident that the sores come from germs or poisons in the mud. Now +if the men would put carbolic acid in the water when they bathe morning +and night and then put on some carbolic salve, I believe it would check +or kill that which makes the sores." + +"I believe you're right," Charley agreed. "We will have them try it +anyway. As soon as I can get to town I am going to get leggins for them +all. That will keep the mud from coming in direct contact with their +skins. Well, we had better get what rest we can now. Those fellows have +finished with the bridges and they will likely be back to make us more +trouble to-night. I don't feel as though I had got enough sleep anyway." + +The two lads wisely retired to their cots, where they gained a couple +of hours of good hard slumber from which they were awakened by the +arrival of Willie John returning from his errand. "Wagons come pretty +soon, bring plenty grub," he informed them. + +Before dark the wagons began to arrive, loaded with yams, pumpkins, +corn, and young pigs, besides all the flour, sugar and coffee Mr. +Bowers had been able to spare from the trading-post. + +The boys viewed the supply of food with satisfaction. + +"There's enough to run us a couple of months," Charley declared, "and +by that time we will either be doing well or else driven off the job." +Before night fell the lad went in and took another look at the sick +man. The fever had left him, so he gave him the first dose of two +grains of quinine. "Repeat it every two hours until you go to bed," he +told the Captain, who had come in from work. "I'll manage to slip in a +couple of times after you retire and give it to him." + +"There is another one coming down with it," the old sailor said +gloomily. "Rama has been yawning and complaining of aching bones all +day." + +"Send him in here and to-morrow take out one of the guards in his +place," said the lad promptly. "I am going to have the rest of the men +move out of this tent into the others and turn this one into a hospital +tent where the men can be quiet and undisturbed." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +A MIDNIGHT RAID. + + +THE Spaniards sharing the sick man's tent willingly complied with +Charley's request and moved their belongings to the other tents in +which there was plenty of room for them. With Walter's assistance the +lad cleaned the tent out thoroughly and tied back the flaps at both +ends to permit the free circulation of air. Rama was made to go to bed +on a second cot and given a dose of the same medicine given the other. +This done, Charley called the balance of the graders and ground men +together and gave them a large bottle of carbolic acid and a box of +salve, instructing them how to use both. It was now getting dark, and +after a hasty supper the boys with their two Spaniards repaired to the +guard line. Before night, however, Walter had climbed a small tree and +taken a survey of the country. Much to his disappointment, he had seen +smoke rising from the convicts' old camping place, showing that the +gunmen had returned to their old haunts. + +"I wonder how they manage to find our camp so easy at night," the lad +remarked, as he and his chum met on their rounds. "When McCarty and I +were out hunting that time we could not see this camp from theirs, and +after we camped in the thicket we could not see their camp, although we +were not over half a mile away. The white mist blotted out everything." + +"That digging light way up on the machine's boom guides them," Charley +answered. "The mist is densest close to the ground. The further up one +goes the thinner it gets; consequently they can see that light even +when they can't see our campfire." + +"Simple enough, after all," Walter commented. "It's the simple things +that puzzle one the most sometimes." + +"Which reminds me of what Mr. Bruce hinted," Charley said, "that the +solution of our mystery was in plain sight all the time, but hanged if +I haven't puzzled over it till I made my head swim and can't make it +out." + +"Same here," Walter said. "I hope he is right and can make an end to +this trouble, but I doubt it." + +"Well, we will know in a few days. He promised to be out again within a +week." + +The lads turned back on their patrol and the conversation ceased. + +The hours slipped slowly away while the four guards kept up their slow, +weary, monotonous pacing back and forth. Three times Charley slipped +in and administered doses of quinine. On the last trip he passed by the +cook tent and, striking a match, glanced at the clock inside. + +"It's just midnight," he said as he rejoined his chum. "That seems +to be the favorite time for their devilment. I suppose we can look +for trouble any minute now." He had hardly finished when there came +the sharp crack of rifles from about the machine. "Good," Charley +exclaimed, "they haven't all got silent guns this time. Those reports +will give our men an idea where to shoot." + +"Hadn't we better go out there?" Walter asked. + +"No, we may have our hands full here," his chum replied. "Besides, the +engineer will whistle if he wants us. Gee, look at that!" + +The swinging platform of the machine was turning around and around at +great speed and from it burst forth little jets of flame as the machine +men answered the enemy's fire. + +"Good boy, McCarty," Walter exclaimed. "I guess they will have a job +hitting any of your men." He ducked as a bullet whizzed close by him. + +"Watch out!" Charley cried, "they have got the camp surrounded, too." + +"Shoot wherever you see a flash, then step to one side so they won't +locate your position." + +The Captain, Chris and the two engineers came running from the camp +half dressed with their guns in their hands. By the time they reached +the line, the rifles of both defenders and attackers were crackling +merrily and the bullets were whining back and forth. For half an +hour the firing continued on both sides, then the attacking party +slowly withdrew, firing as they retired. The attempt on the machine +had quickly been silenced, and McCarty was digging again as though +nothing had happened. Lanterns were lit and the defenders took stock +of the damage done. Captain Westfield had a scratch on the leg where a +bullet had grazed, one of the Spaniards had lost a finger tip, and a +cow staked out within the line had been killed. Whether the enemy had +suffered from their fire they could not tell. + +"I doubt if they were hurt much," Charley observed. "I think they did +most of their fighting from behind trees. We want to take a lesson from +them on that. To-morrow we will have to fix up some kind of protection +to get behind when the fun begins. I do not expect we will get off as +lucky next time as we did this. I believe they were trying to scare us +this time more than anything else." + +Satisfied that the trouble was over for the night, the Captain and his +companions returned to bed while the lads resumed their weary round of +sentinel duty. Nothing more occurred to disturb them, and they were +heartily glad when day at last came. As soon as it grew light enough +to see well, the two lads went out and examined the place from which +their enemies had fired. They found nothing, however, but a few drops +of blood on the grass beside a tree. "Some one got barked a little +here," Charley observed. "It wasn't anything serious, however, or there +would be more blood around." + +The boys had just finished breakfast when one of the Spaniards came in +from the machine. + +"Boss, McCarty want you to come out to the machine," he said to Charley. + +"I wonder what the trouble is now," said the boy wearily, as he arose +and put on his hat. "Want to walk out with me, Walt?" + +"Sure," his chum assented. + +"What's the matter?" Charley asked of the white-faced Spaniard who +accompanied them back. + +The Spaniard hastily crossed himself. "God knows," he said with a +shudder. "It's blood that we wash in and blood that we drink. May the +Blessed Virgin forgive us." + +As they were near the machine, the lads did not question him further, +but hastened on to where McCarty was standing a little ways beyond the +road. + +"What's the matter?" Charley asked the engineer. + +"You can see for yourself," was the reply. "Look at that little brook +over there where we have been getting our water. Last night it was just +ordinary sweet, pure, cold water, but just look at it now." + +The two lads stepped over to the tiny brook McCarty pointed out. It was +only a few feet wide and three or four inches in depth, except where +the machine men had dug a hole a couple of feet deep to make possible +the dipping up of a few bucketfuls at a time. The boy's eyes opened +wide with wonder and surprise, for the waters of the little rill were +red like blood. + +"Queer, isn't it?" said McCarty. "Hanged if I can account for it." + +"I have seen brooks of that color where the water flowed over red bay +tree roots," Walter volunteered. + +"That color does not come from bay roots," objected the other. "You +want to remember that it was all right and colorless yesterday. We got +a fresh pail of water about two hours ago. Of course we did not notice +the color then because it was dark, but one of the men went to get a +drink a while ago and I thought he would throw a fit when he saw the +color of the stuff he had been drinking. Bossie washed his face and +hands in the brook a couple of hours ago and just look at him now." The +lads glanced at the Spaniard, whose frightened face was a bright red. +"They want to quit," McCarty continued in a low voice. "This, coming +after all the other mystery, has scared them out of their wits. Unless +you can hit upon some reasonable explanation of this thing and do it +quick, I am afraid the whole gang will quit. They have been crossing +themselves and muttering prayers to the Virgin for the last hour." + +A glance at the three frightened Spaniards convinced the two lads that +McCarty was not exaggerating the seriousness of the situation. + +"Keep them here until I come back," Charley told him softly. "Come on, +Walt, I am going to follow that rill up to its source." + +They had not far to go. A couple of hundred yards from the machine +they found the rill's source among a clump of willows. Here a little +spring bubbled up from the ground. Near its mouth, fastened tightly +to a stake, was an object that caused the boy to utter exclamations +of surprise and relief. It was a muslin bag capable of holding eight +or ten pounds and it was stained a bright red. It had been cunningly +placed in a narrow part of the rill and the dirt banked up on both +sides so that all the water from the spring would have to pass through +or over it. + +"Don't touch it," Charley said. "Go bring the machine men here. I want +to make this an object lesson to them." + +While Walter was gone on this errand, the lad gathered up several +pasteboard packages that lay scattered around on the ground. He noted +with satisfaction that the directions on them were printed in Spanish +as well as English. + +In a few minutes Walter was back with the wondering Spaniards. Relief +began to replace the look of fright on their faces as Charley silently +pointed out to them the red stained bag and, untying it from the stake, +undid the string closing its mouth and shook out on the ground a mass +of water-soaked red powder. He picked up three of the packages he +had collected and gave one to each of the Spaniards. "Read," he said +shortly. The Spaniards burst out laughing as they grasped the cause of +the thing that had so frightened them. + +"Our enemies want to stop us from building this road," Charley said +in Spanish. "They are fools. They think by firing off their guns in +the air at night, starting fires in the grass, and coloring water red +with dyes, that they can frighten away the brave, noble sons of Spain. +Surely they are fools." + +"They are fools," agreed Bossie, now completely recovered from his +fright. "They might frighten children, but Spaniards never. No other +race is as brave and fearless as the sons of Spain." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +BURNING OUT THE JUNGLE. + + +WHEN the boys left the machine to return to camp the men were in the +highest of spirits and the ground men were joking Bossie about his red +face. + +"I really believe that dye business is going to work out to our +advantage," Charley remarked to his chum. "Those Spaniards will not be +so likely to get frightened next time at a little thing they do not +understand." + +"I hope you're right," Walter said, "but, if these night attacks keep +up much longer, I believe all the men will quit, and I shall not blame +them if they do. One cannot expect men to work hard and then have +targets made of them every night, all for $2.00 a day." + +"No," Charley agreed, "but we have got to hold them as long as we can. +I am in hopes that Mr. Bruce will come to our rescue in some way. If +he does not and this sort of thing continues, we are bound to go under +sooner or later. We will simply be unable to keep men on the job." + +"How do we stand now?" Walter asked. + +"I haven't figured it out exactly," his chum replied, "but we are not +much ahead of the game, for our expenses so far have been enormous. +After this month's wages have been paid the men we will have but little +left. Of course, we have got the part of the reward for the convicts +coming and the money from the sale of the rings, but we have got +neither of those yet and we cannot tell when we will get them. We are +well equipped for three months ahead now, plenty of food, a new pair of +mules on the way, and new parts for the machine. We will be under but +little expense for several months to come. We are making good money on +the digging, and if we could continue it in peace, we would have a good +lump sum coming to us at the end of the job. But if this interference +keeps up, the machine will be laid up and we will be broke--that's all." + +"But there's the money for what we have already done," suggested Walter +hopefully. + +"We will not get that until the middle of next month," his chum said +gloomily. "If we are forced to quit the job before then we will get +nothing. The county will keep it for failure to carry out our contract. +We have just simply got to keep the machine working, that's all." + +When the boys arrived at camp, Charley went at once to the hospital +tent, where he found both sick men slightly improved. He left four +quinine tablets with each, with directions to take one every two +hours. To Chris he gave instructions to prepare some rich broth and dry +toast for the invalids. This done, the two lads turned in and slept +soundly until well along in the afternoon. + +They found the Captain had not been idle while they rested. With his +graders he had thrown up mounds of dirt and roots every fifty feet +circling the camp. + +"Good!" approved Charley, as he viewed the old sailor's work. "When +we get behind those we will be fairly safe from bullets. I wish those +trees out there were out of the way. They give the enemy too much +protection." + +"There are only about a dozen of them big enough to give any +protection," Walter observed. "Why not blow them up with dynamite?" + +The suggestion was a good one and they immediately set about carrying +it out. Assisted by the Captain with his graders, they dug holes under +the trees' roots and placing several sticks of dynamite under each, +thus exploded them with a fuse and cap. The powerful explosive blew the +big trees clear out of the ground and in some cases many feet above +ground before they fell. + +"That's better," said Charley, with satisfaction when the job was +completed. + +"We can make still another improvement," Walter suggested. "Why not set +fire to the roots? They are pitchy enough to burn good and the fires +will show up any one trying to approach the camp." + +The idea was so feasible that the lads carried it out at once, and by +the time night fell a bright glowing ring of fires surrounded the camp. + +"I don't believe they will bother us to-night with all those fires +going, but we'll keep watch just the same," Charley said. "We cannot be +too careful." + +The camp was not molested during the night, but about the middle of the +night there came explosions at regular intervals from the direction of +Indiantown. + +Charley chuckled. "They are shutting the stable door after the horse is +stolen," he remarked. "They are blowing up the bridges between here and +Indiantown." + +"I expected that would be their next move. That's why I was in such a +hurry to get the provisions from the Indians." + +"But the blowing up of the bridges ahead of us will stop the machine," +Walter said. + +"No, it will only delay us a little," his chum replied. "It's easily +remedied. When the machine gets to a blown-up bridge it will simply +face around and fill up the gap with mud and sand, and after it has +passed over it will dig out the gap again and our bridgemen will put in +a new bridge, which they would have to do anyway." + +"I see," said Walter, greatly relieved. "Things are not always as bad +as they seem." + +But while the lads had reason to be thankful for a quiet night, they +were not encouraged by the state of affairs in the camp next morning. +Two more men, a ground man and a grader, were down with the fever. The +condition of the other two sick men was greatly improved, but it was +plainly evident that it would still be several days before they would +be strong enough to go to work. + +The lads provided the new sick ones with medicine and made them as +comfortable as they could before they themselves retired to rest. + +"You'll have to get along with one man to-day, and let the other one go +on the machine gang," Charley told the Captain. "To-morrow the guards +will be rested up and you can have them to help you. Walt and I will +keep watch alone hereafter." + +"If this thing keeps up much longer it will not need the enemy to put +us out of business," he remarked to his chum as they prepared for bed. +"We can't spare another man off the job. If just one more man caves in +we will only be able to run the machine half time, and that's a losing +proposition. The worst of it is that we cannot get into town to get +more men until Canady returns with the mules. I can't imagine what's +keeping him. He ought to have been back yesterday." + +"Well, let's not worry until the things actually happen," said Walter +sleepily, as he stretched out on his cot. "It don't pay to cross a +bridge until you get to it." + +"We have got to set fire to that jungle to-day," said Charley some +hours later, as rested and refreshed, the lads ate their mid-afternoon +meal. "The machine is within a thousand feet of it now. It will not do +to wait until it gets closer, for the heat from that fire is going to +be intense. We can't do better than to start it right now. The wind is +blowing away from the machine, so the crew will not be troubled with +the smoke." + +The boys stopped at the first wood pile and split up a log of fat pine +into long sticks for torches. Carrying these and a plentiful supply of +matches, they made their way out to the edge of the jungle, which was +not far from their new camp. Lighting their torches, one went north and +the other south, scattering fire as they went. After they had started +blazes for a couple of hundred yards either way, they returned to the +road and watched the progress of the flames. + +"Isn't there danger of its sweeping on into Indiantown?" asked Walter, +as the flames began to mount skyward. + +"No," replied his chum. "I made sure of that before I decided to set +fire to it. There is a creek running along the other side of the jungle +that will stop its progress. Just look at it. Did you ever see anything +like it?" + +The two boys stood and watched with awe the mighty conflagration they +had started. The jungle was filled with dead and dying trees which +flamed up like tinder at the fire's breath. Soon the flames were +shooting up forty or fifty feet high and the roaring was like that of +a mighty tempest. The heat quickly grew so intense that the boys were +compelled to retreat slowly back to the machine. Even there the heat +could be felt, although it was a thousand feet to the jungle and the +wind was blowing the fire away from them. + +The engineer stopped the machine for a few minutes to give all hands a +chance to view the wonderful sight. + +As the pillars of flame and smoke reared themselves skyward, the boys +realized with astonishment that the jungle that had seemed so lifeless +was really teeming with life. From both sides of the mighty blaze rose +great flocks of blue and white cranes, egrets, whoopers, owls, parrots, +great scarlet flamingoes, and dozens of strange birds the like of which +the boys had never seen before. Nor was animal life lacking in either +number or variety. Hundreds of hairy swamp rabbits, as big as a small +dog, poured out from their doomed hiding places. Great big rats by the +thousands swarmed by the machine. A couple of deer went by, covering +the ground with great bounds. Wild cats, foxes, squirrels poured forth +in great numbers. One huge, sprawling object emerged from the thicket +and lumbered toward the machine, but before reaching it turned aside +and sunk with a splash in a nearby lake. + +"Whew!" breathed the engineer, "that was the grandfather of all +alligators. He must be all of twenty feet long." + +As the fire spread to either side the flow of animal life was diverted +in other directions and their rushing by the machine ceased. + +"I believe that fire will kill every snake in the jungle," Charley +declared with satisfaction. + +"I doubt it. They will just keep under water until it is all over," his +chum replied. + +"That water is shoal and stagnant," Charley reminded him. "Burning +branches and trees are dropping in it all the time. I'll bet it is +actually boiling by now." + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +SHOOTING TO KILL. + + +WHEN night came Charley and Walter had to go on the picket line alone, +for the two remaining Spanish guards would have to join the grading +gang in the morning. They adopted the plan the first two Spanish guards +had used of each one making a half circle of the camp. For several +hours they paced wearily back and forth, but as midnight drew near +they became more watchful and alert, for this was the hour that their +enemies generally chose to make their attacks. + +All the camp was fast asleep and silence reigned unbroken, except +for the exhaust of the machine and the occasional heavy fall of a +fire-eaten tree in the jungle. But in their loneliness the boys were +comforted by the knowledge that in their tents Captain, Chris, the +engineers, and many of the Spaniards were sleeping, fully dressed with +their guns by their sides, ready to run to the lads' assistance at the +first alarm. + +And soon it came, the sharp crack of rifles around both camp and +machine. The two lads answered promptly, firing at the bright streaks +of the blazing rifles in the darkness. + +"Keep down, keep down. Get behind the sand heaps," Charley shouted, as +those in the tents came running to their assistance. "Keep down. They +are shooting to kill this time." + +A rain of bullets thudded against the sand heaps as the defenders +dropped behind them and fired over the tops. The darkness was pierced +with streaks of spurting fire as rifle spoke to rifle. It was evident +that the enemy were shooting to kill, and the defenders did the same. +Wherever a rifle flash lit up the darkness they aimed at the place +and quickly fired. Occasional cries and oaths told them that some of +their bullets were finding their mark. But they were not to go unhurt +for their part. Charley, who had raised himself up to fire, felt the +thud of a bullet and his left arm dropped helplessly by his side. In +the excitement he felt no pain, but, letting go his rifle, he drew his +automatic and blazed away with it. Walter, behind the next pile, had +his straw hat shot off his head. Bob Bratton pitched forward on his +face and lay still and motionless, while one of the Spaniards sank to +the ground, his hand clapped to a wounded leg and cursed fluently. Once +Walter glanced back at the machine. Its platform was revolving rapidly +and the rifles of its crew were spatting viciously. But the enemy did +not now have the protection of the trees, and they could not long face +the hail of lead being poured upon them. Their firing suddenly ceased. +From where they had stood came piercing shrieks, and following the +shrieks came frightened yells and the thud of running feet. + +"Captain, take most of the men and go to the aid of the machine," +Charley commanded. "The fighting is over here." The old sailor hurried +away, followed by McCarty and most of the Spaniards. + +From the darkness ahead of the two boys still came the awful shrieks. + +"Chris, get a lantern, we must find out what's the matter out there," +Charley said. + +The little negro was back in a minute with the light and, taking it +from him, Walter led the way hastily toward the shrieks which were +growing fainter. He was closely followed by his chum and Chris with +their automatics in their hands. As the lantern lit up the scene of the +shrieks, Walter shrank back with a cry of fear and horror. A hideous +head with lidless gleaming eyes was reared many feet above the ground. +Recovering himself with an effort, the lad raised his automatic and +fired directly between the gleaming eyes. At the same minute Charley +and Chris discharged their weapons and the hideous head fell to the +ground. + +Holding aloft the light, the three frightened boys advanced cautiously. +Its rays shone down on a sickening sight. On the ground lay one of +the gunmen crushed into a shapeless mass, while, still partly coiled +around the man's body, a great boa constrictor writhed in its last +death struggles. + +"Ugh!" shuddered Walter, "I did not know there was such an awful thing +in Florida." + +"Fire drove it out of the jungle, I guess," said Charley jerkingly. +"Let's get back to camp. Bratton has fallen and one of the Spaniards is +badly hurt. We can do nothing here, it's all over." + +They had carried Bratton in and laid him upon his cot and were helping +the wounded Spaniard in, when Walter cried: + +"Look at the machine! Look at the machine!" + +The machine and the air about it was a mass of flames. Black figures +were leaping from its platform. + +"Rifle bullet hit gas tank," muttered Charley dreamily. "Explosion. +Can't work nights. Keep her going daytimes, Walt. Enough men unhurt to +do that. I'm tired, awfully tired. Think I'll go to sleep pretty soon," +and the lad, weak from loss of blood, sank unconscious to the ground. + +When Charley opened his eyes it was to find himself in his cot, his arm +neatly bound in splints, the sun shining in the open tent flaps, and +Walter sitting on a box by his side. + +"How did I get here?" he asked in wonder. "The last I remember was the +machine being in flames." + +"You keeled over in a faint," Walter replied cheerfully. "Loss of +blood, I guess." + +"Was there any one killed?" Charley demanded anxiously. + +"We thought Bratton was for a while, but the bullet hit a rib and +glanced out again, making only a flesh wound. He'll be all right again +in a week. The three Spaniards on the machine got pretty badly burned, +but not dangerously so. Luckily for them, the ditch was there. They +jumped right off the machine into it. The engineer by some miracle +escaped without a burn. Sicavia, the Spaniard that was wounded in the +leg, will be around again in a few days. He has only got a flesh wound. +I guess that's all, except we buried that dead gunman this morning." + +"The machine, is it running?" Charley questioned eagerly. + +"Yes, I got them to start her up again this morning. But we can't run +her nights for we have neither lights nor a night crew." + +"Go on," said Charley gravely. "I see that there's worse to follow." + +"Well, if you will have it, I suppose you might as well learn it now as +a little later," Walter said. "The fact is the whole gang of Spaniards +are going to quit. I had hard work to get any of them to remain over +to-day." + +"I suppose this is the end," said Charley, with a wry smile. "Well, we +have fought a good fight, and I, for one, am not going to give up yet." + +"There is such a thing as knowing when one is licked," his chum said +sadly, "and I think about every one on the job has reached that point. +I do not see how we can do anything more." + +Charley lay quiet for a minute thinking, then he said quietly: "Will +you get me about a pint of hot, strong coffee, Walt?" + +"Sure," answered his chum quickly, glad to see Charley taking the ill +news so quietly. + +When he returned it was to find his chum sitting on the edge of his cot +trying to dress, but making an awkward job of it with only one hand. + +"You must not get up," he protested, but Charley only smiled and said +lightly: "Nonsense, a broken arm is no excuse for lying in bed. Why, it +don't even pain me much. The pain will come later when the bone begins +to knit. Will you please get all the men together? I want to talk with +them a bit." + +When Walter had gone the lad finished dressing and drank the strong +coffee, which put new strength in his body. + +When he emerged from the tent it was to find that his chum had gathered +together in a body outside all the men but those confined to the +hospital tent. He had even brought in the men from the machine, which +had been stopped for the purpose. + +Charley wasted no time in idle words, but came directly to the point. + +"My chum tells me, men, that you all want to quit," he said in Spanish. + +"Si, señor, si, señor (Yes sir, yes sir), came the eager answer from +the crowd. + +"You are your own masters," continued the lad. "Of course, you are +free to quit whenever you want to and there will be no trouble about +getting your money when you wish to go, although your month is not up +yet." He paused for a moment and looked over the eager faces gathered +before him, before he continued: "I would not attempt to keep you on +this job against your will, but I will say that I think it is foolish +of you to quit now. All the bridges between here and Jupiter have been +destroyed, so I cannot take you in with the truck. To attempt to make +your way in through the woods and carry your belongings with you would +be folly, for the way would be long and winding and you would run the +risk of getting lost. Besides, there are several of your companions who +are sick and unable to travel. Surely you do not want to desert them. +Now, what I wish to propose is this: You all know the teamster has gone +in to get more mules. We expect him back any hour. When he comes if you +are still minded to quit, we will hire an Indian guide and send you in +by wagon. Until he comes, I would ask you to continue at work. Our +lights on the machine are ruined so we can only work day times, and in +the day time you are in no danger from our enemies. Those of you who do +not work on the machine will throw up breastworks all around the camp +so that we will be well protected at night." + +When he ceased the Spaniards drew to one side for consultation. In a +few minutes Bossie came forward and said in his quaint broken English: + +"We stay till by and bye, wagon come, then catchee town. We all likee +Boss plenty. Likee grub, likee job, but no likee mud, no likee fever, +no likee shooting all the time. We work till wagon come--no more." + +"Good," said Charley, "you can go back to work now. It might be worse," +he remarked to his chum. "The machine will be kept going day times +anyway." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +THE SEMINOLE LAD. + + +THE two lads next visited the hospital tent, where they found the fever +patients much improved but the three machine men suffering greatly from +their burns, while Bob Bratton and the wounded Spaniards were resting +as comfortably as could be expected. The boys did all they could to +make the sufferers comfortable, then sauntered out for a look at the +burned jungle. Here they met with a scene of utter desolation. Many +trees and stumps were still burning, but the larger part of the jungle +had been swept clean. The shallow pools of water had been dried up by +the intense heat, leaving exposed an expanse of black mud fissured +by cracks. Of the former multitude of snakes that had infested the +place they saw not one. Returning from the destroyed jungle, the lads +searched over the scene of battle of the night before. They found blood +on the ground in several places, indicating that all their bullets had +not been wasted. Before entering the tent, Charley paused and took a +last look around. Several Spaniards, under the Captain's direction, +were throwing up a solid breastwork, close to and surrounding the camp. +The machine was working steadily, and the slow moving ox carts were +crawling back from the distant timber with their loads of wood. The +Indian camp had been outside of the fighting zone the night before. +With a sigh, the wounded lad entered his tent and throwing himself on +his cot, gave way to his despair. Try as he might, he could see nothing +but ruin for himself and companions. There was little hope of getting +another crew for the machine. The departing Spaniards would carry the +story of their disasters in with them, and it would be impossible to +induce others to come out. A negro crew might be secured, but it would +take time, and the lad knew the colored race well enough to know that +they would not stick in the face of danger. + +The crew's wages would take almost the last dollar they had in the +bank, and if the County insisted, as he feared it would, on their +rebuilding the destroyed bridges, the reward for the convicts, the +money they had found in the old fort, and what was due on the digging +they had already done, would be swept away to the last cent. In no +direction could he see any hope. In spite of all his efforts and +careful planning, their mysterious enemy had triumphed, and he and his +companions were ruined. He did not blame the Spaniards for quitting. +The work was hard enough and dangerous enough to bear, without the +added risk of being shot in the dark. + +At last, worn out by his gloomy reflections, the lad fell into a fitful +slumber from which he was awakened by Walter, who was pale of face and +excited. + +"What's the matter?" Charley demanded as he sat up on the edge of the +cot. "You look as though you had seen a ghost." + +"I hate to tell you," faltered his chum, "but I knew you would have to +hear about it, so I ran ahead to break the news to you myself." + +"Out with it," Charley said. "I'm strong enough to bear anything now." + +"You know the Indian lad that drives one of the wagon teams--the boy +Willie John is so proud of--they just found him dead on his load of +wood--shot through the heart." + +"The fiends," said Charley, "to shoot a poor, innocent, harmless child. +They shall pay for it. Pay for it dearly." He threw aside the tent flap +and strode out, Walter by his side babbling over the details of the +tragedy. + +"You ought to have seen Willie John's face when he found him," he said. +"It was like a demon's for a minute, then it became like stone." + +Charley made his way out to the Indian camp, where the Spaniards and +the Americans were already gathered. The squaws were breaking up camp, +while Willie John sat in one of the wagons holding the dead lad in his +arms. + +"Willie John, Willie John," said Charley brokenly. "We never thought +anything like this would happen. We never dreamed those fiends would +fire on you or the lad." + +"Me understand," said the Seminole without emotion. "You no to blame. +Bad pale-faces in wood did it." + +"We will see that they are punished for it, Willie John," Charley +promised, with tears in his eyes. "We will do all in our power to bring +them to justice." + +"Me understand," said the Seminole, and added simply as he gazed down +at the lad in his arms: "Him was good boy. Him no smoke, no drink +wyomee. Him save every little bit of money he get so by and bye him go +to school all the same as pale-face boy. Him was very good boy." + +The boys watched the lumbering, slow moving wagons out of sight with +unashamed tears in their eyes. Then Charley turned to the machine men. +"Rake out your fire and make everything snug on the machine," he said +quietly. "There will be no more work for there will be no more wood." + +When the machine men, their task done, had gathered with the others at +the camp, the lad addressed them again. + +"You have all seen what has happened to-day," he said quietly. "A +bright, innocent, harmless child murdered simply because he was working +for us. We hardly deserve the name of human if we do nothing to avenge +his death. It is getting too near night to do anything to-day, but I am +going to call for volunteers to go with me to-morrow morning to either +capture his murderers or wipe them out of existence. Who will go with +me?" + +His chums and the two engineers stepped promptly to his side, and the +Spaniards followed one by one. + +"Good," said the lad, with a sad smile. "We will start at daylight." + +There was no singing or laughter in the camp that night, for each man +carried to his tent with him the reflection that the morrow might see +him as dead as the Indian child they were going to avenge. There were +plenty of men to act as guards for the night now that the machine was +not working, so Charley retired early to his tent and soon fell asleep. +At daybreak the guards awoke him and his companions as they had been +ordered to do, and reported that the night had passed off without +alarms. Chris soon had breakfast ready and over cups of strong steaming +coffee their plans for the expedition were made. + +When the sun arose ten Spaniards and seven Americans armed with guns +and pistols filed out of the little camp and silently tramped away for +where a distant smudge of smoke showed the location of the gunmen's +campfire. Only enough more remained behind to guard the camp. + +The little party of avengers advanced with caution. They marched in +a twisting line so as to always keep a hummock or a bunch of spruces +between them and the distant camp smoke so that their approach would +not be noticed. As they slowly drew nearer double caution was observed, +but at last they came upon an open stretch of prairie which they must +cross to reach the thicket in which the gunmen's camp was located. + +"Here is where they take the alarm," commented Charley, as they emerged +out upon the open prairie. + +But the little party crossed the open stretch without any sign of life +from the gunmen. + +"They have either moved or are sound asleep," he said. "Get your guns +ready. Don't fire unless I give the word. Follow me, and make as little +noise as you can." + +The little party filed into the thicket, the chums and engineers in +the lead and the Spaniards following close behind. At the edge of the +cleared camping place the little party halted in horrified amazement. +They had come to avenge the killing of the Indian lad, but another +avenger had come before them. Sprawled upon the ground in all manner of +attitudes, lay eighteen men--all dead. + +"Lord!" breathed McCarty softly. "Who could have done it?" + +"There is only one answer to that question," said Charley gravely. +"Those whose right it was to do it, if the taking of human life is ever +right. Look at those heads." + +The others shuddered with horror as they gazed upon the reddened skulls +from which the scalp locks had been skillfully removed. Aside from that +nothing had been touched, guns still lay where they had fallen and +tents and supplies were undisturbed. + +"The Seminoles," exclaimed Walter, and his chum nodded assent. + +Two men were sent back to the camp for shovels, and when they returned +graves were dug in the sandy soil and the dead men laid to rest. A +search of their clothing and belongings gave little clew to the strange +men's identity, but from the quantity of tablets and powders found upon +them, and their dissipated appearance, the boys decided that they were +members of that deadly drug-crazed band of New York gunmen. + +Their sickening task finished, the little party headed back for camp. + +"I am glad, after all, that it is not by our hands that they fell," +Charley said to his chums as they tramped along. "To take life, even in +the heat of passion, is a terrible thing." + +"Aye, aye, lad," said Captain Westfield reverently. "The Good Book +truly says, 'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord.'" + +The little party arrived back in camp by noon. Much to their surprise, +they found Willie John back again with his wagons busily engaged in +making camp. + +"Me come back, haul more wood," explained the Seminole simply. + +During dinner there was great chattering and whispering at the +Spaniards' table, and after the meal was over Bossie, always their +spokesman, approached Charley. + +"Spanish _hombres_ (men) no want to quit now," he said in his quaint +English. "They likee boss, they likee grub, likee job. They no be shot +at nights any more. They want to stay on job now. They think it much +more better." + +"All right, Bossie," replied the lad listlessly. "We can only work half +time now until the mules come and I can go in and get the electric +light." + +"I will be glad when this job is over," he told Walter. "The violence, +trouble, and bloodshed have destroyed all my interest in the work. The +gunmen will bother us no more, but I am wondering already where the +enemy will strike next. The gunmen were only tools." + +"Cheer up," said his chum, with an attempt at cheerfulness. "The +darkest hour is always just before the dawn." + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +VISITORS. + + +ONE and all in the camp now began to look forward to the coming of +Canady with the mules. The Spaniards because, until a new light was +installed, they could only work half time and consequently could only +earn half their usual wages. The rest of the party because they were +getting really alarmed over the Missourian's long absence. + +"He ought to have been back long before this," said Charley, the day +after the tragic discovery of the dead gunmen. "If he does not show up +by to-morrow morning, I am going to hire a pony from the Indians and +start in and look for him. Something surely must have happened to him." + +"If you do go in you are liable to miss him on the way," Walter +objected. "He may come back by one route while you are going in by +another. Better give him a little more time. Jim impressed me as being +perfectly well able to look out for himself." + +"You don't think he could have been tempted by the big amount of money +he carried?" asked Captain Westfield, with some hesitation. "Five +hundred dollars is a lot of money to a poor man." + +"But not to Jim," Charley said decidedly. "Jim is a true Southerner and +a thief is almost a curiosity among Southern races. No, Jim would not +touch a cent that did not belong to him. Something has happened to him, +that's all." + +"Well, if you go in to-morrow, I am going with you," Walter said +decidedly. + +"We will talk that over later," Charley said. "We have nothing to do +to-day so we might as well amuse ourselves and try to forget for a time +that, if we are not actually ruined, we are pretty close to it." + +"That's a good idea," his chum agreed heartily. "What shall the program +be?" + +"I would like to explore the country to the side of the road a bit, say +out where you and McCarty went when you killed the deer. I have not +been out that way yet." + +"Suppose we all go," Walter suggested. "All can get away except the +man running the machine, and even a little change like that will do a +fellow a pile of good." + +"Good!" Charley approved. "We will all go that want to and make a day +of it." + +It developed that all the Americans were eager for something in the way +of a change. Even the Captain was willing to take a day off and Chris +insisted that his assistant Sam was now competent to prepare a meal for +those left behind. Armed with guns and lunch baskets, and with Bob, the +dog, frisking ahead, the merry little party set out determined to have +a pleasant time. + +Quail was plentiful and a great number were bagged before the little +party reached the prairie regions with its sandy bottomed lakes. They +stopped by one of the lakes and rested at noon. They had brought +fishing tackle with them and enjoyed huge sport pulling in the big fish +with which the lake was full. Several of these roasted over the coals +made a welcome addition to the lunch they had brought with them. + +The afternoon was spent killing more quail, fishing, following up a +homing bee which led them straight to a big hollow tree filled with +delicious honey, and digging in the mounds which dotted the prairie. +These mounds were found to contain quantities of human bones, arrow and +spear heads, stone hatchets, and vessels of earthen ware. They were +evidently the relics of a race long since gone out of existence, a race +that lived in the country long before the Seminole Indians. + +Tired but happy, the little party got back to camp just after sundown. +Here a surprise greeted them, for they found the sheriff, and half a +dozen of his aids, awaiting their arrival. The sheriff's face was very +grave and he answered their cordial greetings crisply. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I have a warrant for the arrest of Charley West, +Walter Hazard, Capt. Benjamin Westfield, Bob Bratton, Will Kitchner and +C. P. McCarty (white), and Christopher Columbus (negro)." + +The little party stared at each other in stupefied amazement. + +"On what charge?" demanded Charley, recovering his breath. + +"On the charge of being the principals and accessories before and after +the fact in the murder of one Levi P. Morton, late of New York City, on +the night of November 23d, 1913," read the sheriff droningly. + +"That gunman!" gasped Walter. "Why no one murdered him, Mr. Sheriff. He +was kicked to death by mules he attempted to poison." + +"I shall have to warn you that anything you say can be used against you +at your trial," said the sheriff sternly. "I have found the grave of +the dead man near this camp." + +"Rats!" sneered McCarty angrily. "No sane judge would hold us ten +minutes on such a charge." + +"Well," observed the sheriff coolly, "you will have a chance to test +that. Even if I were convinced of your innocence, I would have to +arrest you just the same. When a warrant is given me it is my sworn +duty to serve it." + +"The sheriff is right," Charley said hopelessly. "We will have to go +with him, and we might as well do it without argument. The judge will +turn us loose as soon as he hears our story, but it will be too late +then." + +"Too late for what, lad?" asked Captain Westfield. + +"Why, can't you see this warrant is a put-up job," Charley exclaimed +impatiently. "Don't you understand it's the latest move of the enemy to +get us out of the way while they disable the machine and destroy our +camp?" + +"By Jove, I believe you're right," exclaimed McCarty. + +"Right, of course I'm right," said the lad fiercely. "What other reason +could there be for such an absurd charge? You will see that no one will +appear against us when we are brought up in court. Well, the game's up, +boys. We have all put up a good fight, but this settles it. I would not +give ten cents for what we will find here if we return after being set +free. May we have time enough, Mr. Sheriff, to pay off our men and pack +up our things?" + +"You can have all night," replied the officer. "We will not go in until +morning. It's a long journey, for, with the bridges gone, we will have +to pick our way back through the woods." + +After our little party had finished a silent, gloomy supper, they +retired to their tents to pack up their scattered belongings. + +Charley called the workers to his tent one by one and gave each a check +for a full month's wages. He made all of them promise to stay and guard +camp and machine during their absence, but he really had but little +hope that they would remain in camp long after all the Americans were +gone. + +Their packing done, the little party gathered around the campfire as +gloomy and disheartened a little bunch of men as it would be possible +to find. One of the larger of the tents had been given up to the +sheriff and his posse, and to it the officer sent his tired men early, +saying he would stand guard over the prisoners himself the first part +of the night. + +"Boys," he said, when the last one of his men had retired, "I hate to +execute this warrant. I had to be stern to you before my men, for every +one of them wants my job and would be glad to make any trouble they +could for me at headquarters. Being as we are alone together now, I +will say that I believe you fellows are as guiltless as a babe of the +crime with which you are charged. I believe, as you say, that it's a +frame-up, but I've got to take you all in to answer to it, unless----" + +"Unless what?" asked Walter eagerly. + +"Unless," said the sheriff suggestively, "you overpower me, tie me up, +and make your escape to-night." + +Charley grasped the meaning in the officer's tones. "No, it would be of +no use," he said. "It might make you trouble and we would be no better +off, compelled to hide out in the woods, than we would be in jail." + +"I guess you're right," the sheriff admitted. "It's too bad, it's too +bad." + +"We thank you for your kindness," Charley said gratefully. "We know +what your duty demands and do not blame you in the slightest for this. +You could not do otherwise." + +"I'm glad you understand that," said the sheriff, brightening. "By the +way, I had to arrest your teamster, too, day before yesterday, on the +same charge." He grinned at the recollection. "He was just starting out +for here with a new pair of mules when we nabbed him. Lord, he fought +like a wild cat and swore like a pirate while we were taking him to the +lock-up." + +"So that's why Jim hasn't come back," said Charley, with a grim smile. + +"That's the reason," assented the sheriff. "He hasn't had a hearing +before the judge yet. My eldest boy is looking out for the mules for +him. When I left, Lawyer Bruce was flying around trying to get Jim +out. Swore he would have him set free before noon." + +"Did Mr. Bruce know you were coming out for us?" Charley inquired, with +interest. + +"I dropped him a hint," said the sheriff. "My, you ought to have heard +him rave. He had Jim Canady's cussing beat a mile. He used longer +words, and more of them." + +"I'm glad he knows the position we are in," said the lad, with relief. +"He may be able to help us in some way." + +"Don't you worry, lad. Bruce will do all he can for you--he's that +kind," said the sheriff kindly. "Now you had better all turn in and get +a good night's rest. It will be a long hard trip in to-morrow." + +All hands thanked the kind officer and retired to their tents, where +they were soon fast asleep. + +Chris, who, as usual, was the first one out in the morning, awakened +the others with shouts of delight. + +"Jim's coming," he cried in their ears. "Jim an' Mr. Bruce and that +little man, Jones. They are within a half mile of camp." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI. + +MR. JONES BUYS THE OUTFIT. + + +THE Americans came tumbling out of their tents just as Mr. Bruce, with +his companions, rode into camp. + +"No questions, no questions, until we have had something to eat," +protested the lawyer good-humoredly, as our little party crowded around +him. "We haven't had a bite to eat since yesterday noon. Just fill us +up with something hot and tasty and we'll talk on anything you name. +I am not going to say another word on an empty stomach, except to the +sheriff here, and that only to tell him that I've got an order from the +judge revoking that warrant he's got for all of you fellows, and that +he might as well trot right back to town." + +"Not before breakfast," protested the officer vigorously. + +"As these boys' counsel, I advise them not to feed either you or your +men," said the lawyer, with twinkling eyes. "They ought to punish you +by sitting you in the corner and letting you watch the rest of us eat." + +"That would be inhuman," declared the sheriff. "Um, man, just smell +those fish frying and that coffee steaming." + +At this moment Chris announced breakfast and all filed in to where +the little negro had the table filled with fried fish, quail, ham and +eggs, potatoes, hot corn bread and coffee. Silence reigned supreme as +the hungry lawyer and his companions attacked the savory food. When at +last they had satisfied their gnawing appetites the lawyer turned to +the sheriff. "You can run along home now," he said. "Here's that paper +I spoke about to show that everything's all right and proper. You can +leave the boys with me now." + +"I'm not sure but that I ought to take charge of their pocketbooks for +them if you are going to remain here," said the sheriff, with a laugh. + +"I'll promise that their pockets will be fuller when I leave them than +they are now," said Mr. Bruce. + +"All right, I'll go then," agreed the sheriff, with a grin. "So long, +boys, and the best of luck to you." + +"That's a true-blue old chap," remarked the lawyer, as the sheriff +departed. "We joke pretty rough with each other sometimes, but I like +him and I think he likes me." + +"He is good and kind," Charley agreed. "Do you feel able to talk +business now?" + +Mr. Bruce lit a cigar and puffed in dreamy content for a few minutes +before replying. + +"You know my friend Mr. Jones here, I believe?" he said, with an airy +wave of the hand toward the little man whose face at that moment +looked as though he had just taken a dose of castor oil. + +"We have seen him before," said Charley coldly. + +"Mr. Jones is a remarkable man, a very remarkable man," said the +lawyer, and the lad thought he could detect a mocking note in Mr. +Bruce's voice as he continued. "Like many other remarkable men, +however, Mr. Jones has not until the present time been able to gratify +his greatest desire and ambition. Is that not correct, Jones?" + +"Go on. You're doing the talking," said the little man grimly. + +"That's so, I am," said Mr. Bruce, with the air of one who had just +been informed of a startling fact. "You're a man of unusual observation +and intelligence, Jones. Well, gentlemen, even in childhood Mr. Jones +gave evidence of what was to be his ruling passion in life. Before +he had reached the age of five, he nearly lost a finger in trying to +discover how his mother's clothes-wringer worked. Your mother did have +a clothes-wringer, didn't she, Jones?" + +"That was before the clothes-wringers came into use," growled the +little man testily. "Can't you come to the point?" + +"Dear me, so it was," agreed the lawyer. "I have got my facts all mixed +some way. Well, at the age of six, Mr. Jones was licked by his father +for taking the family lawn-mower to pieces to discover what made it cut +grass." + +"We didn't have any lawn or lawn-mower," declared the little man mildly. + +"At the age of seven Mr. Jones used to sit for hours by the railroad +track wondering what made the locomotive's wheels go round. At ten +he ruined a bicycle, a present from an uncle, by taking it to pieces +trying to discover why it would keep upright when moving but would fall +down when stationary." + +The boys grinned, and the little man squirmed uneasily in his seat. + +"Gentlemen, you have no doubt discovered by now what Mr. Jones' ruling +passion was, and is, namely, an almost overwhelming love of machinery. +I have not sketched out his entire life, but I have not the slightest +doubt that this passion displayed so early in life grew with the +passing years until it became a mania. I believe that, when Mr. Jones +came to own an automobile, the happiest hours of his life were those +spent under the machine with a monkey-wrench in his hand and his +clothes covered with grease." + +"Can't you come to the point?" demanded the little man irritably. + +"In just a minute, Jones," said the lawyer gently. "Now, gentlemen, I +have related all this to show you how natural it was when Mr. Jones +first laid eyes on your magnificent machine he became possessed of the +desire to own it. His whole heart and every fiber of his being yearned +to possess that marvel of cog-wheels, levers, and power. The desire +grew so upon him that he could not sleep at nights, and at last he came +to me and begged me to see if you would not sell out to him. I warned +him that you loved your work, and that nothing but a very high price +would tempt you to give it up, but that has not diminished his ardor, +and so I brought him out here to see what could be done in the matter." + +The lads' hearts beat high with hope. Here was a way out of their +difficulties they had never dreamed of. They managed to keep their +delight out of their faces, however, for they realized that the lawyer +was playing a deep game, which they did not understand. + +"I am afraid that you will set an unreasonable price on your outfit," +said Mr. Bruce, "so I suggest if you will entertain a proposition to +sell, that you let me conduct the negotiations. I would hate to have +Mr. Jones pay more for the machine than it is worth to him." + +The little man winced visibly and shifted uneasily in his chair. + +"We would sell, if we could get a proper price," Charley said slowly. +"We are willing to leave the matter in your hands." + +"Good," said the lawyer. "Now we can get down to business. Let's see; +the machine cost $12,000 laid down at Jupiter, I believe." + +"I'll buy it for that," said the little man promptly, while our chums +held their breath. + +"Not so fast," said the lawyer. "I'm not setting a price yet. I'm just +figuring up things. Twelve thousand dollars was the price at Jupiter, +but it cost a lot more to set it up and get it on the ground to work; +then, there's the camp outfit, mules, truck, etc. The whole thing +should be worth at least $18,000." + +"I'll take it at that," said Mr. Jones quickly. + +"Don't be so hasty," reproved the lawyer. "I am not half through my +figuring yet. I believe the lads here have done a lot of work which +they haven't been paid for yet." + +"About $2,000 worth," Charley said; "then there is $1,700 coming on +work that Murphy did." + +"That makes $3,700," said the lawyer with satisfaction. + +"It's highway robbery!" exclaimed the little man excitedly. + +"We haven't counted in the good will of the business yet, nor the +mental anguish my clients have suffered from troubles caused by enemies +to this road-building. I think $25,000 would be a fair selling price." + +"It's blackmail!" shouted the little man. "It's nothing but pure +blackmail." + +"Oh, no," said Mr. Bruce calmly. "You know you don't have to buy unless +you want to. But I haven't finished yet. The buyer would have to keep +on all the present crew, if they wish to stay. The sick ones would +have to be well cared for, and their wages go on just the same as if +they were at work. He would have to rebuild all the bridges destroyed +between here and Jupiter, and, lastly, he would have to pay to Willie +John, the Seminole, whose son was killed while working for the company, +the sum of $5.00 a week for life. That's my proposition for my clients. +Of course, if you do not want to accept it, Mr. Jones, you do not have +to do so." + +For a few minutes silence reigned in the tent. Then the little man, +with a groan, pulled out his checkbook. "I give up," he said. "You've +got me where I can't do otherwise." + +"Sensible man," approved the lawyer. "Now, gentlemen, will you please +call in your engineers and teamster? I've got some papers I want all +hands to sign." The rest of the Americans were quickly assembled in the +tent, and the paper signed, after which Mr. Jones handed the lawyer a +check for $25,000 and received the papers in exchange. + +"Do you know, Mr. Jones," said the lawyer, as he held the check in +his hand, "this road building could have been stopped long ago if its +enemies had been smart enough to do one little thing?" + +"What was that?" inquired the little man, with a display of interest. + +"Pull up and destroy the surveyors' stakes," said Mr. Bruce, smiling. + +Chagrin swept over the little man's face. "I guess I am beginning to +get old and feeble-minded," he said humbly. + +"Not too old but to be watched, and carefully, too," said the lawyer. +"Gentlemen, I think Mr. Jones would like to retire and rest up a bit, +after his hard ride. If you could place a tent at his disposal, it +would be a great favor. I would suggest that a few men be placed around +the tent until one of you can ride in and get this check cashed." + +"Think I would stop payment on it?" growled Mr. Jones. + +"You might, you know," said the lawyer quietly. + +So Mr. Jones was escorted to a tent, and a guard of Spaniards placed +around it. + +Walter offered to ride in on the little man's pony to get the check +cashed and the money placed to their credit in the bank. Charley would +have liked to have made the trip himself, but his arm was paining him +so intensely that he decided to remain behind. Soon after breakfast +Walter rode away on his errand. + +"I am thoroughly bewildered," Charley said to Mr. Bruce. "I don't see +how you forced Jones to buy us out at such an enormous price, and I do +not see any solution of our mystery. It is still a mystery." + +"Same here," agreed Captain Westfield. "I must own up, I am as curious +as a woman about it." + +"I am willing to explain now," said Mr. Bruce, with a smile. "It's a +very simple affair, after all." + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII. + +THE MYSTERY SOLVED. + + +MR. BRUCE paused before beginning his story. "I take it that you are +well satisfied with the settlement you have made with Jones?" he asked. + +"More than satisfied--delighted," said Charley, at which sentiment +Captain Westfield nodded his head vigorously. + +"Very well," said the lawyer. "I am glad of that, for I must confess I +have carried things with a pretty high hand in this matter. I am almost +afraid to tell you the whole truth now, for you may condemn me for the +settlement I have made of your affairs after I tell you everything, but +I have acted for what I thought was your best interests all the way +through." + +"We believe that," said Charley simply. "But for you we would have lost +out completely. We would not ask for particulars if it were not that +the mystery of the whole business still puzzles us." + +"And yet it's a simple thing," said the lawyer. "You gave me nearly all +the clews to it that day you called at my office in Palm Beach. You +told me of all the efforts that had been made to hold up your work. You +told me about the man Jones, and what the agent at Jupiter had told +you about his getting cipher telegrams from the state capital and +New York, and you also showed me a newspaper clipping, telling of the +efforts of a big company to get free from the State of Florida a big +grant of land between Indiantown and the jungle. Why, your mystery was +nearly all solved in just what you told me that day." + +"I don't see how," said Charley bewildered. + +"The connection was plain enough," said Mr. Bruce, with a smile. "It +was a big New York company that wanted to get the land for nothing. +Jones was getting mysterious messages from New York and from the state +capital. You were almost certain that Jones was the one back of all +your troubles. Well, the deductions from all those facts were simple +enough. Jones was evidently the agent for the New York company. Jones +was not trying to kill any of you or to break up the machine. He was +simply trying to hold up and delay the building of the road. Why did he +want to hold up your work, you will ask. Well, the answer is contained +in that newspaper clipping. The legislature will not meet until next +month, when they will likely give the land grant to the company. The +inference was plain, Jones' company wanted to have the road built, but +not before they got the land from the state." + +"But why?" persisted Charley, still puzzled. + +"That's the question that puzzled me," smiled the lawyer. "It was what +brought me out here the first time to look over the ground, and I found +that you were carrying the answer around without knowing it. You were +like Jones was about the surveyors' stakes. It was such a little thing +that you never thought it of any importance." + +"Go on," said Charley, still mystified. + +"Those bits of rock you had in your game bag were phosphate at the +highest grade," said the lawyer, with a smile. "The company was asking +the state to give them millions of dollars' worth of phosphate for +nothing, trusting to the state's ignorance of the value of the land." + +"I see," said Charley excitedly, "they wanted to hold the machine back +from digging through that land until they got the grant from the state. +They reasoned that, when the shovel began to throw out that stuff, +someone would be sure to recognize it, and the news would leak out, +destroying their chances of getting millions of dollars for nothing." + +"That's about the size of it," Mr. Bruce admitted. + +"But I still don't see how you made Jones buy our machine at such an +enormous price," said the lad. + +"I am rather proud of that stroke," admitted the lawyer. "Perhaps my +method was not entirely ethical, but, as a lawyer, I owed a duty to +you, my clients, before any abstract duty to the state. Once I got the +lay of things, I began to study out how I could turn my discoveries to +your advantage. Of course, I could have made public the discovery of +the phosphate and the grant would not be made, but that would not repay +you fellows for your losses. So I hit upon a scheme which was simple +but effective. Do you remember I had you all sign some papers the first +time I came out here?" + +"Yes," said Charley, "and I have often wondered what they were." + +"Each one has a homestead entry on 160 acres of that phosphate land. +The whole of them just about covered the land for which the company was +asking a grant. I got those entries all filed in the state land office, +and that put an end to the grant question, and it brought Jones to my +office almost foaming at the mouth, and ready to make almost any kind +of terms. That is how I was able to make him buy your machine at a big +price and assume your indebtedness. The papers you all signed to-day +were a bill of sale and the relinquishment of your homestead claims. +They leave the phosphate land open to grant again, if the state sees +fit." + +"It looks to me," observed Captain Westfield, "that we have given up +millions of dollars to secure thousands." + +"That's one way of looking at it," replied the lawyer dryly. "But let +us see the other side. If you held that land you would have to live +on it for four years before the state would give you title to it. You +would have to build a railroad to the coast to get your phosphate out +to market, and you would have to finish up the county road you are +building, which would be a losing proposition from now on. In other +words, it would take four years of your time, and about $300,000 of +capital before you would get anything out of the phosphate." + +"You're right," Charley agreed. "The homesteads would have just been +white elephants on our hands. There is one feature about our settlement +with Jones, however, that does not seem exactly right to me. The law +ought to punish him for the killing of that Indian boy." + +"That was the independent act of the gunmen, not Jones' act," said the +lawyer. "Jones gave them orders not to hurt any of you, but just to +frighten you off the job. He was away in town when the shooting was +done. Of course, he is responsible, in a way, for the gunmen were his +agents. He brought them out here. But how can it be proved against him? +The gunmen are all dead, and, while we know Jones was responsible for +your troubles, we would have a hard job proving it, for he has kept in +the dark and covered up his tracks pretty well." + +"You're right," the lad admitted, "and I for one am well satisfied with +the way you have handled things. You have done the wisest thing all +the way through. We are lucky to get out of the business so well off." + +"You certainly are," agreed Mr. Bruce decidedly. "There is one thing I +have not told you about yet, which will make you still gladder that you +are out of the business." + +"What is it?" Captain Westfield asked. + +"The county's road fund is exhausted," replied the lawyer. "You would +have had to wait until the taxes are collected next year before you +could have gotten any money for your road work." + +"Whew!" Charley whistled. "Then Jones has bought $3,700 worth of bad +debts?" + +The lawyer chuckled. "Yes, and he knows it. He's a pretty sore man just +now. But you needn't waste any sympathy on him. His company is a rich +one and can afford to wait a year for their road money. The road will +benefit them more than anyone else, anyway. Well, that's all the story, +gentlemen, and, if you don't mind, I will lie down and rest a while. I +am not used to horseback riding, and I'm just one big ache now. Jones +and I are going to stay out here with you until your chum gets back. I +want to do a little hunting while I'm waiting, and I would like to get +a look at that old Spanish fort you told me about." + +"We can go out there to-morrow, and hunt on the way," Charley said, as +he showed Mr. Bruce to his own tent. "I will send Willie John out to +Indiantown to-day, and have him bring back ponies for all hands. We +will make a general holiday and party of it." + +Early next morning they all started out on the proposed trip. Even Mr. +Jones was released from his tent and permitted to accompany the party. +All carried guns and supplies, and Charley also carried a lantern and a +supply of candles, for he was determined to search closely the hole in +which Walter had found the gold and jewels. + +Two days later the party returned, tired but happy, their ponies loaded +with game. Charley also bore a second cylinder the same as the one +Walter had found. + +Soon after they arrived Walter rode into camp with the happy news that +the check was cashed and the money placed to their credit in the bank. + +The next morning our little party packed up their belongings and bid +good-by to the engineers and Spaniards, who had decided to stick by +the job. To each of the Spaniards they gave a $10 bill, and to the +engineers $20 each as a parting gift out of the abundance they had +made. Both the laborers and engineers were sorry to see them go, and, +for their part, the boys and the captain disliked the parting, for they +had grown quite attached to their willing helpers. + +"Drop us a line once in a while," Charley told them, in parting. "We +may get into some business again where we will need men, and I do not +know where we could get better ones." + +Mr. Jones had granted them the use of the mules and wagon with the +teamster to bring the rig back, and with their things stowed in the +wagon our little party took their departure for Jupiter. As Mr. Bruce +had ridden out on one of the mules he accompanied them back in the +wagon. + +"We are coming out of this business in fine shape," Charley said, with +satisfaction. "When the jewelry is disposed of we will have over $7,000 +apiece." + +"Where are you going from here?" Mr. Bruce inquired; "and what are your +plans for the future?" + +The chums looked blankly at each other. "Why, we haven't even decided +where we are going," Walter gasped. + +"Back to our old camping-place on the point for me," said Captain +Westfield decidedly. "I'm sick for a breath of sweet, salt air once +more. While we are resting up we can decide what we are going to do +next." And so it was agreed. + +At Jupiter our little party bid good-by to Mr. Bruce and Mr. Jones, +who returned to Palm Beach on the first train. Before parting, Mr. +Bruce drew Charley to one side. "I am going to always regard you and +your chum as my mascots," he said. "I am ashamed to confess it, but +yours was the first and only case I have had since I was admitted to +the bar. It is always hard for a young lawyer to get a start, and it is +especially so in this state. You have broken the ice for me, and now +Mr. Jones has retained me as counsel for his company, at a salary of +$3,000 per year." + +"Good," said Charley heartily. "I congratulate Jones on having sense +enough to know that he could not get a better attorney." + +The friendly station agent was delighted to see the little party +back again, and pleased to learn that they had done so well in their +unpromising venture. As he had just been granted a short vacation, the +boys invited him to camp out with them for a while, an invitation which +he was quick to accept. + +And now all five of them are camped on that sand point again, fishing, +swimming, boating, getting oysters and clams, hunting turtle eggs, and +having a good time generally. They are having lots of fun, but, as +Captain Westfield remarked the other day: "I'll bet it won't be two +weeks before you lads will get tired of this, and will want to get out +and look for more trouble," to which Chris sighed: + +"Golly, I hopes not. Dis nigger is sho' enjoying dis sunshine and +fishin'." + + + THE END. + + * * * * * + +Transcriber's Notes: + +Original text did not have a Table of Contents. One was created by the +transcriber to aid the reader. + +Obvious punctuation repaired. + +Page 12, "Okechobee" changed to "Okeechobee" (lays the great lake +Okeechobee) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Boy Chums in the Florida Jungle, by +Wilmer M. Ely + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 43875 *** |