"We're them!" cried Alice, with a justifiable disregard of grammar.
"And can you take us to that steamer?" asked Ruth, eagerly.
"I shore can, honey lamb; but it's quite a far way t' row t'night."
"We can go in the motor boat!" cried Mabel. "Oh, how glad I am that we have it. There's gasoline enough, I think, and there is a powerful searchlight. Oh, Helen, we're found—we're found!" and she fell to sobbing on her sister's shoulder.
Ruth and Alice, too, clasped their arms about each other. All their troubles seemed over now.
"Do you think you can pilot us to that steamer?" asked Russ.
"I shore can, honey lamb!" chuckled the old negro. "I'se libbed in dese waters boy an' man all mah life. Yo' can't lose me!"
"And is this your place?" asked Mrs. Maguire, pointing to the palm hut.
"Dat's what it am, honey lamb. Uh, huh! I comes heah t' hunt alligators an' sea cows. Sometimes I stays fer a week at a time. I jest come up now t' see if dere any traces of 'gators. I'se gwine t' start in huntin' next week."
"Oh, isn't he a dear!" laughed Alice, with tears of joy in her eyes.