The formalities of paying the freight and getting possession of the craft was soon over. The cradle was left at the depot in readiness for their return after cruising about Lake Okeechobee, and the motor boat was taken on a truck to the repair shop.
Carpenters were soon busy on the craft, and, though the boys were anxious to get her into the water they had to wait over another night. This made them rather impatient but it just suited the professor, who found many more forms of insect life than he had anticipated, and he was kept busy capturing them, much to the astonishment of the citizens of the place, who voted him almost, if not completely, insane.
By the second morning of their stay in Kissimmee City the Dartaway was ready to be put into the water.
“Hurrah! She’s afloat once more!” cried Ned, as he saw their craft moored at the lake dock.
They waited until noon to allow the seams to soak up, and then, having taken on some fresh provisions, and succeeded in coaxing the professor from his search after a peculiar pink fly he had heard infested the region, they were off.
It did not take them long to traverse Lake Tohopekaliga, which is a small body of water. They caught some fine fish in it, and had dinner on shore. Through an artificial canal they reached Lake Hatchenana, and, crossing that, and again traversing a canal they emerged, late that afternoon, upon Lake Kissimmee, the largest body of water between them and Lake Okeechobee.
“This beats railroad travel,” announced Ned, as he sat in the bows, steering. “No dust, no cinders, no smoke, no—”
“No smash-ups!” finished Bob. “We were lucky to get out of it as we did.”
“What’s the program for to-night?” asked the professor of Jerry, who had, in a measure, assumed charge of the trip.