The Boy Chums in the Forest

h to guide them, but with the help of the compass, managing to edge slowly to the west. Charley still maintained the lead, but i

y one of us who knows anything about woodcraft. I know nothing about it, I am sure Chris doesn't, and I su

destly, "but I've never been so far into the interior before. I wish, Walt," he continued gravely, "that there was someo

ed Walter in

ing his voice so the others could not he

ried his ch

icked that up in the edge of the clearing this morning," he explained. "It wa

by in the night," sugge

gangs of lawless men in Florida, gathered from all quarters of the globe, and, Walter," lowering

signs?" his

fs, and a dozen other little things of n

osts next. I didn't see any of the signs you talk about. Besides, if anyone h

your not noticing them proves nothing. It's the little things that make up t

around with them shut all the time," be

ll me what you see,

le lakes, what looks like a couple of acres of prairie ahead, and, oh yes,

Charley said with a smile. "Tell me

phers, I

lared without hesitation. "Mr. Gopher is away from the next one, out getting his dinner likely; a coon lives in the next,

o the boys, and they with Walter, sto

has the sand pressed smooth at the entrance, while the sand in the other hole shows the mark of the flippers. That third hole is easy, too; you can see the coon tracks if you look close, and you will notice th

dle any ship that was ever built," he said, "but I'm a lubber on land, boys. Charle

ll captains on the spot," laughed Charley,

ything more?" mocked Walter, as

nothing. It's just noting little things and putting two and two together. You

ink I could?" ask

. Look closely at all the bushes as we pass them

Walter scanning the scrub in passing with

you make of it?

ed. "Every few hundred feet there are branches pa

u can notice anything pecu

for they are not very much withered. I sh

rley, approvingly, "n

be broken accidentally, yet all are caught in amongst other twigs so that each one points i

ion we are. They expected another party of their people to follow later so they marked the way for them as you have seen. If I were a Seminole, I could tell from those broken twigs th

, bewildered, "I had almost forgo

est to a reservation. But at St. Augustine a few hundred made their escape and fled back to the Everglades

ce are they?" aske

warmly; "tall, splendidly-built, cleanly, honest, and wit

f terror. Walter, though taken by surprise, was a good horseman

rattlesnake, its ugly head and tail raised and its rattles singin

w his revolver. "I know where I can sell tha

eaded Charley, anxiously, "

had reached the spot, "better let him shoot it, t

k, I'll fix him," he declared confidently. "

utiously while the rest sat in their saddles silently anxious, and Ch

ore him with its glistening little diamond eyes. Nearer and nearer he crept till onl

ou're getting too close

ked Chris, "look a

deathly pale, and great drops of sweat stood on his forehead. The han

ed," cried

Charley shouted, "for God's sa