"It certainly is," agreed Russ who, with Paul, was rowing.
"It sure is soothin'," said Jed. "Many a time when I ain't had no luck, and feel all tuckered out, I sneak off to a place like this and I feel jest glad to be alive."
He put it crudely enough, but the others understood his homely philosophy.
They rowed slowly, pausing now and then to gather some odd flower, or to look at some big tree almost hidden under the mass of Spanish moss.
Alice, who had gone to the bow, was looking ahead, when suddenly she called out:
"Oh, look at the funny logs! They're bobbing up and down all over. See!"
Jed and the others looked to where she pointed, toward a sand bar in the stream. Then the old hunter called out:
"Logs! Them ain't logs! Them's alligators! We've run into a regular nest of 'em! I'm glad I brought my gun along!"
"Oh! Alligators!" gasped Ruth, as one thrust his long and repulsive head from the water, just ahead of the boat.