Linda Carlton's Island Adventure

y in the

ies. Oh, the cruelty of fate, to deliver her to them again, after her superhuman effort to escape! Bitter tears rushed to her eyes, sc

topped at her side. Tensely she waited for the harsh snarl of her captor's voice. But to he

elp to you, Miss?"

to the kind eyes of two exce

the tears still running fr

st time in her life,

bottle. A warm glow of happiness surged over her as she realized that she was among real human beings-not animals, or criminals. Though not natura

t, bedraggled as she was, she was still beautiful. The bo

e tall, fair youth at her right. "A lady

and coffee-and anything else you have to eat. I

her acceptance of his gift, and he hu

who remained at Linda's side. "A

uch of it she had better tell. It was all so incredulous, t

he boy who had gone to the canoe. "

about six o'clock. But after that I waded and swam

s,' the Indian who once lived here.... But, Great Guns!" exclaimed Hal, "that

e," remarked Linda. "And I hope

after another. Nothing had ever tasted so good! Meanwhile, the boys introduced themselves

ake a little trip into the Okefenokee each summer, to try out our bows an

emarked Linda, with relief. They would b

end of it-yes,

garding Linda with silent admiration. There was no

d disaster which her ocean flight had brought her. Besides, these boys might think she was just posing as Lin

got lost over the swamp, and had to come down on the first dry land I saw, b

uired Hal, evidently sati

and they stole it, and tried to hold me prisoner on Bla

admiration and wonder. Wha

Not Indians?-a lot of Indians used to l

egular thieves, the kind that

hey doing? Hidin

have a regular camp on Black Jack Island, and they bring whatever they steal there, and transfer it

let out

t they? But they'll

gh, nobody could identify them as thieves

ld," rem

Do we have to pass Black Jack

lose to it-it's some distance from the

nda. "There aren't any road

," Hal explained. "Shor

shud

ight," she told them. "I h

me you've had most every dreadful experience an

ndering what the boys would say if she to

ome from, that would allow her to roam around the country unchaperoned and alone? He himself was of an old-fashioned Southern f

t you, Miss Carlton?" he inquire

ad promised to wire them every day-and it's been three nights no

r au

d, and my aunt has alw

s you please I take it. You northe

story of her life, so she decided to let the matter pass. "Hadn't we

lton. I don't know whether we can or not. But we'll get past Bl

mp Island?" r

s deserted, and hid there. I don't know how true

know!" si

visit to the swamp, Linda was at last able to enjoy its beauty. The thick ferns, the cypress trees growing in abundance, the pines and

even in sight of it. With each mile of progress, Linda's spirits rose higher and higher, until fi

d Jackson, as they finished a familia

diers' Camp," replied Hal. "Wouldn't it

returned Jackson, wiping the perspiration from

eagerly. "I'd love to prove some use t

rove of her. For the past three hours he had been sitting in the stern of the canoe, gazing at her lovely profile, listening to the charm of her soft voice. Yet he k

plies-bacon, canned beans, fruit, and biscuits, as well as tea, coffee, sugar an

she walked some distance inland. "Look at these lovely

as a matter of fact, the hunters often used to camp in during their visits to the swamp. They were very attractive i

ile she prepared the meal. She laughed and sang as she toasted the dry biscuits and the bacon, and boi

ability with the bow and arrow. Then, like three happy, carefree school-children, t

the plane, to guess what danger they were in. She stumbled to her feet, pulling Jackson with her, and just as she opened her mouth to tell them to flee w