A DESPERATE CHANCE.
Once more the girl was plunged into despair.
"We'll have to give up," she whispered, tearfully. "We have tried hard, but luck is against us. For several minutes we have been traveling over ground I know nothing about. When I saw that open stretch of swamp, my heart failed me and I fell off the firm ground. You see what a horrible place this is, Matt!"
"Isn't there any way to get around to the other side of the island?" he asked.
"Yes, we could have done that, but I was trying to take you as far as I could toward the other edge of the swamp."
"We'll have to give that up, now, and work our way around the island."
"In going back," faltered the girl, "we may meet dad and Grove!"
"We must take the chance," he answered; "there's nothing else for it."
"And in going around the island," proceeded the girl, dejectedly, "we may meet some of the others who are looking for us."
"That's another risk we will have to run. Come on," he continued, picking up the bag. "I'll lead the way back."