“Calm down, Billy, old scout!  You’re all upset.”

“Who wouldn’t be, I’d like to know?”

“I don’t blame you,” said Alec in genuine sympathy.  “We all are, you know; but we’ve got to keep our heads, and we mustn’t despair.”

“Yes, you’re right, Alec.”

There was a brief silence, while the two friends stood by the rail watching the low-lying shore slip past them as the Arrow flew onward.  Then Billy spoke again, and his voice was steadier.

“We’re going to find Hugh and get him out of danger,” he said quietly, “so let’s get ready to do our level best.”

“I’m with you, Bill!  That’s the stuff.  That’s the way to feel!  Why, it helps a lot not to lose hope at the start!  Come on, let’s find out what we’re going to do first.”

Mark Anderson came over to them just then, tugging at his cap to keep it from being blown away.

“We’re almost at Palmetto Key now,” he said.  “Whew!  I’ll be glad when we’re off this boat on dry land,—–­and doing something!  This cruising-around-while-you-wait gets my nerve!  I’ve had about enough of the salt water, anyway.  When we get Hugh back, me for the choo-choo cars home to Santario!”

It was a natural impatience, and some of the boys shared it for the time being.  They might change their minds later, they agreed, but at present most of them were of Dave’s opinion of the cruise—–­“Heap much trouble, not much fun.”  However, the prospect of excitement and a possible encounter with smugglers on the outskirts of the Everglades, cheered them considerably.

Gliding through the channels between islands and keys, and keeping out of sight of watchers on the mainland as far as possible, the Arrow finally cast anchor off Palmetto Key nearly opposite Durgan’s cove, and the boat made two trips ashore with Norton and the boys.  Dave went with them, of course, for he was thoroughly familiar with that section of the coast.  Each was armed with a revolver and a belt of cartridges, but orders were given that there should be no shooting except in self-defense or as a last desperate resort to make “the gang” deliver up their prisoner.

They landed on a little grass-covered peninsula about a hundred yards from the cove, and immediately began to look around them for good station points to observe the movements of “the enemy.”  The ground in that locality was somewhat higher than the surrounding expanses, and therefore less swampy; but there were numerous little zigzag ditches or watercourses in which the tide rose until it overflowed the banks.

“We’d better not linger here,” said Norton.

“When the tide comes in, this little point of land will be under water.”

“No, no,” said Dave, shaking his head.  “Safe here—–­see!” He pointed to the dry grass blades on which were no traces of brine.  “You stay here.  Me and Billy go get canoe.”

“Canoe?  Where can you get one?”