“Have the ruffians been here long?” asked Clay.
“About a month ago,” was the reply, “a lot of negroes broke away from a convict camp off to the west somewhere. They came into this swamp and built a camp on a knoll, which must, by the way, be under water now. They are murderers, housebreakers and sneak thieves of the most desperate kind. We tried to make friends with them, but it was of no use. They think their camp is unknown, and so object to our getting out and telling where it is. I half believe they will try to keep you from getting out for the same reason.”
“If it is all the same to you boys,” another of the visitors said, “we’d like something to eat. We were half starved when we came on board. I think I can catch a fish or shoot a duck, so our supper won’t cost you anything only the bother of having us around. What do you say? Do we eat?”
“I should say so!” cried Alex., sticking his head out of the cabin, “and when you are out after game get enough for me a little lunch. I haven’t had anything to eat since dark!”
“Is that rowboat at the side all right?” asked the visitor, pointing to the boat which had been found up the river. “If it is, I’ll get a little ways from the motor boat, in the shadows, and see what I can do getting ducks.”
“The boat is all right,” Alex. answered, “and I’ll go with you. I’m beginning to feel the lack of adventure. I get awfully tired of this monotony sometimes!”
They all laughed at the idea of there being any monotony in the situation, there in the swamp, with the river roaring around them and the watchful thieves in the thicket, and Alex. seemed quite annoyed at the thought that they regarded his remark as a joke.
“Perhaps something will happen before you get back,” Clay grinned.
“The boat may smash,” said Jule, cheerfully. “It has been banged about quite a lot since we got it. Or you may find some of the robbers. There’s no knowing what streak of good luck you may get into!”
“I’m not looking for any good luck of that kind!” the visitor said, as he drew the rowboat around and clambered into it. “I’ve had all the cheerful incidents of that character I care to have. When I get back to Chicago, I’m going to get a room next to the Desplaines street police station and go to bed at seven o’clock every night.”