Bill Bolton-Flying Midshipman

reparatory to landing. Her tail dropped slightly and a second or two la

the place with blinding suddenness and making it impossibl

called to each other to pull on this rope and that. Then the door to the cabin swung open,

g branches overhead and cast an even deeper gloom on their path. From time to time the swaying lantern of a guard cast its beam on gnarled trunks covered with creepers which rea

h wooden standards flooded the yard with brightness. Numerous one-story buildings were set about a large open square of hard baked earth. So far as Bill could see there were no trees within the stoc

the log buildings that the prisoners were hustled. A guard unbarred an ironbanded door and they were thrust within

ination cast the place into somber twilight. Their new quarters consisted of a not too roomy, barn-like, rectangular space, the peak of whose slant r

s sprawled in all sorts of attitudes on the damp earthen floor. Most of them seemed sunk in the slumber of exhaustion. A few talked in low

lped to support the roof. The clanking chain that connected the ankle cuffs impeded his progress, caug

hauling himself off his vi

lied a pleasant, th

ainst the upright a

o take it that w

y place saps one's pep. After you've been here a while, you'll feel that any unnecess

t-how did yo

easts will take it off in the morning. They a

spoke with the accents of education which

olton," he said, b

the Naval A

his surprise. "I made the team last fall; b

I've got a number now, but before I came here I was Os

I remember you now-I should say I do

ed. And the worst of it is that now these devils h

this join

e no idea what

en on Shell Island spoke

workings, Bolto

ht I was in

u a

have a gold mine in

has a gold mine, and a most profitable on

ll was intense

eeding six feet; but in some places it is twice that far down," replied the young Seminole chi

fer

bottom of the swamp hereabouts contains gold. The colors or particles of the metal run very fine, but they are profitable to mine. At

ed: "What I don't understand yet, is why Martinengo kidnap

ly, "the mines are made doubly p

ded Bill, lea

ly unhealthy. These devils would have to pay a very high wage to legitimate workmen. As it is, we don't live long, here. What with long working hours in a climate that approximates a Turkish bath, the cruelty meted out by the overse

o think that this is going on in the United States of America!

ee it. If the federal government has done anything to break up organized crime that's terro

d by stating his worrie

er here. He'll never let him go free, no matter what he may promise. If the secr

taken on t

r and lack of education have made us go backward while the rest of the world has progressed. I meant to educate myself first, and when I had acquired knowledge, I felt I would then be fitted to take up my task. So I went to

lost and I offered to lead them back to Whitewater Bay. I suspected nothing. They took me off guard

g ago wa

than the others. Most of us are fever-proof, probably b

and voiced the thought that had been uppermos

next to impossible. Trackless swamp all around-it would be sure death to face it without a boat or canoe. And even if a craft of

nis

y we

ppened t

ith an overseer's wirewrapped whip. We sl

cuti

d be administered. Human flesh and blood couldn't stand it. The whips these beasts use cut a man to ribbons. We

in slumber. Except for the sound of their uneven breathing the place was still as a tomb. Through the barred windows came the occasional sound of a spla

e to a d

e first chance that o

e to e

s hopeless slavery

Even if you can escape the guards, y

u will com

't guide you to safety without a canoe-and th

o be worked out in detail. Also, it will, of course, depen

affirmed Osceola. "We all

s soon as I can. Tomorrow, if the opportunity offers

iving one," replied Osceola in a

-it's

after sealing the bargain with a handclasp in the dark