CHAPTER XV

THE BIG SNAKE

Dangerous indeed was the plight of the travelers. In the darkness, and with the storm at its height, they were entangled in the patch of saw-grass, and could not discover which way to escape from it. The wind lashed the keen edges across their hands and faces again and again.

“Stand still!” cried the professor. “The more we move the worse it is! Has any one any matches?”

“I have!” cried Bob, “but I don’t believe I can light ’em in this downpour.”

“Try,” suggested Mr. Snodgrass.

Bob tried, but with no success. Then Ned uttered a cry.

“This way!” he called as a flash of lightning illuminated the scene for a brief instant. “I can see the water!”

The others made their way toward the sound of his voice. Bewildered, however, as they were by the storm and dense blackness which followed the lightning flash, they rushed but the deeper into the terrible grass.

“Come on!” cried Ned, who, by good fortune had succeeded in reaching an open place near the water, where there was none of the sharp grass. “Move when you see the flashes!”

“Hurry to the boat!” called Mr. Snodgrass. “I hope it hasn’t slipped its moorings in the storm.”

That was a trick which the tempest had not played on the travelers. They found their craft safe, and were soon aboard and under the stout awning which kept off the fury of the wind and rain. In a moment Ned had found the switch that controlled the small electric lights on the boat, which were worked by a storage battery. Then in the security of the little cabin the four looked at one another.

“This is about the worst yet!” exclaimed Jerry, as he limped over to a stool and sat down. The storm made his wounded foot, which was not quite healed, hurt more than usual. “Your face is a sight, Bob. Looks as if a cat had been at you.”

“The same to you and more of it,” responded Ned. “I guess we all bear the marks of the saw-grass.”

This was so, for the fine keen edges of nature’s peculiar weapons had left their record on the hands and faces of all the travelers.

“I think this is where some of the leaves the Indian chief used on Jerry’s foot would come in handy,” remarked Ned.

“If we only had some,” retorted Bob with a groan. “Even some witch hazel wouldn’t be so bad, though it smarts at first.”

“I have some of the leaves,” the professor said. “I observed what kind of a plant they were from and gathered a supply the other day. I will get them.”

Removing most of their soaked garments, and wringing out the water, the boys and the scientist were soon busy pounding up the leaves to make a sort of ointment for their scratches. The foliage gave out a sticky salve which, when applied to the cuts made by the grass, soothed them.

“We look like a lot of Seminole Indians with our war paint on,” remarked Ned, and indeed the four did present a curious sight, for they were daubed with green stuff in streaks and patches.

“Now for some hot coffee,” announced Bob, as he set the gasoline stove going. “That will make us feel as well inside as the leaves do outside.”

“Trust Chunky for knowing what’s good for the inside,” retorted Ned. “However go ahead, Bob. We’re all with you.”

Warmed and exhilarated by the hot drink the travelers listened with better spirits to the patter of the rain on the awning. They got out some dry garments from the lockers and then, making up the folding bunks with which the _Dartaway_ was provided, they spent the rest of the night in comparative comfort.

The storm was over at sunrise, and as the boys peered from the curtained cabin they gazed out on scene of beauty. They were on the shore of a broad lagoon which gave entrance into Lake Okeechobee. Behind them, some distance back, was a dense forest, and, nearer to them was the dreadful saw-grass. Over the stretch of water myriads of birds were flying, while, every now and then, a splash and a shower of glistening drops told that a hungry fish was trying to get an early breakfast.

“How do you boys feel?” asked Mr. Snodgrass.

“Much better,” announced Jerry, and the others said the same. The pain from their cuts and scratches was all gone, so quick-acting was the Indian’s remedy. After breakfast they went ashore and got the tent and camp stuff which, though much scattered, had not suffered any material damage.

“No more camping on this shore!” exclaimed Ned as he looked at the waving saw-grass.

“I must get some specimens,” the scientist said. “I have read about the peculiar properties of this plant but I never came across it before.”

“You want to put gloves on if you try to go in there,” cautioned Jerry, and this the professor did. In that way he was able to secure some of the grass for his cabinet of curiosities, which was already assuming large proportions.

“Now for Lake Okeechobee proper!” cried Bob as the boat was once more started off. They were soon out of the lagoon and in due time emerged around a point of land and beheld, stretched out before them the largest lake of Florida, a beautiful sight under the gleaming southern sun.

“Hurrah for the everglades!” cried Ned.

“And Noddy Nixon’s cocoanut grove,” added Jerry. “I wonder if we’ll see him?” He also thought of the deed to the land his mother had bought, and vaguely dwelt on the possibility of locating it.

“Now I must get seriously to work and look for my rare butterfly,” remarked the professor, as he began to rummage among his nets and other insect-catching accessories. “I hope you boys will be on the watch for it, as it means a great deal to me.”

They assured him that they would, and then Ned, who was steering, increased the speed of the motor until the boat shot along at a fast rate through the blue waters of the lake.

“Look there!” cried Bob suddenly, pointing just ahead.

“What is it?” asked Jerry.

“A big fish leaped half way out of the water. There must be fine sport here. I’m going to try to catch some for dinner, as it’s almost noon.”

“Go ahead,” remarked Ned. “I’ll slow down for you.”

Bob baited his hook and, in a short time had caught a fine fish. Then Jerry joined him in the sport, and in half an hour they had enough for a meal. They went ashore, and Jerry, who volunteered to act as cook, quickly had the finny specimens frying in bacon fat which browned to a golden hue the corn meal into which the fish were dipped.

There wasn’t much left when they cleared away the wooden dishes that they used, and then, after a consultation, it was decided to camp for a few days at the spot where they had landed. This would give their cuts a chance to heal and by making short excursions here and there they could get acquainted with the character of the lake.

It was on the third day of their camping out on the shore of Lake Okeechobee that, as they were returning in the motor boat one afternoon Jerry, who had taken the wheel, suddenly called out:

“Doesn’t that sound like some one in our camp?”

They were close to where they usually moored the boat, about fifty feet from where the tent was set up.

“Some one is rattling away among the pots and pans,” remarked Ned. “Maybe it’s some of those negroes who have followed us.”

“Or Seminole Indians,” added Bob.

“More likely some animal,” observed the professor.

“Then it had better leave before I take a shot at it,” exclaimed Bob, getting his gun in readiness.

The boat was approaching closer, and the noise amid the camp stuff could be plainly heard. It sounded as though some animal like a cow was nosing among a lot of tin pails after something to eat. Jerry shut off the power and the boat slowly drifted to the shore.

“Let me get at him!” cried Bob.

“Look out! It may be a manatee!” cautioned Ned with a laugh.

But his laugh was stopped short for, an instant later they all beheld something that almost made their hearts stop beating.

They could look into the midst of the camp, and there, in front of the tent, writhing about in a confusion of dishes and food, was an immense snake!