The Outdoor Girls in Florida; Or, Wintering in the Sunny South

r in wonder. Then, by glancing over the side of the

at matched her dress wonderfully well. Mollie said later that Grace

warned me about them, and even told me how to locate them, by the peculiar

e, who was idly splashing the water with one

"cuddled" closer to Betty following the shock

?" asked Molli

ors, you know. I think-I'm not sure-but I think I

enly that she flirted a little sh

mean thing!"

h elaborate politeness. "I didn't think y

as alligators at this moment, when we can't move. And the ugly crea

Betty. "It's under water. If it h

race," said Amy humbly, "but really I did not think

Mollie, patting Amy softly on the shoulde

that perhaps she and Mollie had not treated Amy with just

le that seemed always full of warm fellowsh

etty with a sigh. "To think that I should run you girls

n us off again; won't we, girls?" ask

calm smiles, as she produced the box of can

tty, are you goin

his bar? Well, I'm going to do my best.

ked Mollie quickly, a new cause

ut we ran on the bar so suddenly tha

ther it was the fact of her chocolates being safe, or that there was no immediate danger of sinking,

d it," said Betty with a smile, as she bent over the machinery, test

sh ourselves off with the oars and boat hook," for Betty, knowing that the best of motors may not "mote" at times, carried a pair of long

than the others. "We'll let Grace and Amy use the hook. Then if we all push together we may get off without further trouble. If that w

was seen what looked to be the long, knobby nose of an alligator, but the girls were not sure enough of this, and, t

place on one side, well up in the bow, Mollie taking a simil

ed Amy, who had tak

thing on which to cleanse her hands of the brow

. "'Water, water everywhere,' and not any solid e

ee bottom," declared Grace, finally selecting a bit of r

te fingers," spoke Mollie a bit sharply. "At any rate one could

directed Grace w

eat so much

ith a smile. She did not want the two tempers, that seemed often on the verge of striking

was found within a few inches, showing how shallow was the stream over

was the bending of the slender pole of the boathook on which Grace and

Betty. "I think i

panted Mollie, as she shift

and Grace combining their strength on t

break, and I don't know where I can get ano

breathing rather hard, and presently Betty went into the cabin and came out with som

esh ourselves a bit. I can see t

ied Amy, lookin

ng to get off as ea

e'll ever get o

ill," declared

ot with the river full of such na

d Mollie. "I'm sure we can get

poke Betty, taking an observation over the s

fact of being stranded I should like it here." The cockpit was covered by an awning whic

possible in the stern," Betty in

d aft, and perched on the flat, broad deck, while Betty

age. But suddenly it began to hum and throb, gaining in momentum quickly, as it was running free. Betty slowed it down

mbled and throbbed with the vibration. Betty turned on more power

she called, anxio

leaning over to look at the surf

Betty. "Sometimes it takes a little

the bow and push?" suggested

bow as light as possible, so it won

"One can't make much differen

ht," agr

own into the holding sand, while Betty ke

quit it speedily, and the girls, looking anxiously

owed down the engine. The water about the craft was very muddy and th

swim, ashore," said Amy, in what

called for help!" she exclaimed, with sudden thought. "We're not so far from eit

d Mollie. "I never

banks were not far off-too far to wade or swim, perhaps, but a

ide," observed Betty, grimly. "Still there may be houses b

ertainly must have carried to both shores. Then they waited, b

in a boat all the chocolates I have left

t remained of the orangeade. But to no purpose did their app

and again the girls pushed with the oars and

g around the bow?" suggested Betty. "The wate

!" cried Grace.

, with upraised hand

e the regular staccato puffing of the ex

t coming!"

gave a gasp, for it was filled with roughly dressed colored men, while in the stern sat a white man of even more villainous appeara