CHAPTER XVIII

THE WANDERER AGAIN

“Give me a gun!” cried Ned. “I’m going to try and hit one in the eye. I’ve read that’s the place to shoot ’em!”

Jerry steered the boat over to one of the “logs.” Ned, who had secured his rifle from the locker, took aim at the nearest creature. He was just about to pull the trigger, having drawn a bead on what he supposed was the eye of the saurian, when the alligator raised its tail and gave the water a slap that sounded like a clap of thunder. In an instant all the other alligators disappeared, the one who had given timely warning diving with its fellows.

“Just my luck!” cried Ned. “But I’ll get one yet.”

“There goes my butterfly!” exclaimed the professor, as he saw the winged creature, he had been so anxiously watching, take flight over the woods, where it was soon lost to view. “But, after all I don’t believe it was the kind I wanted, though it bore a close resemblance,” with which reflection the scientist comforted himself. “However, that shows me we are in the right locality. I’m glad we discovered this new lake, boys.”

“Let’s name it,” suggested Ned.

“Call it Alligator Lake,” put in Jerry.

“No, Butterfly Lake would be better,” suggested Bob, “because the professor hopes to catch his prize specimen here.”

“Good idea,” agreed Jerry. “Butterfly Lake it is.”

Seeing a little cove about a mile ahead, Jerry steered the boat in that direction and, as it was found to be a good stopping place, the craft was moored near the edge of the water. The boys and the professor went ashore. They found themselves in the midst of a patch of everglades, though close to the lake the land was more firm than anywhere else.

“I’d hate to be lost in a swamp like that,” remarked Ned, indicating the vast expanse that lay about them.

“There are paths through it,” said Mr. Snodgrass. “But I guess only the negroes and Indians know them. It would be quite risky for any one unacquainted with them to venture in. The swamp would swallow a man as quickly as if he fell into quicksand.”

“The boat for mine!” exclaimed Bob. “This is worse than the swamp Noddy got fooled on.”

While supper was being prepared, the professor got out his nets and cyanide bottle in readiness for a chase after the prize butterfly.

“I’ll begin the search the first thing in the morning,” he said, and he was up before daylight, walking along the shores of the lake looking for the brilliant creature with a pink body and blue and gold wings. However, the kind of insect he wanted seemed to be very scarce, and he came back empty-handed after the boys had finished their meal, rather tired but not a bit discouraged. “I’ll get it yet,” he said. “We’ll cruise along the shores.”

They found the strange lake was quite a large body of water. The lower end of it was so filled with stumps that they did not venture to take the boat in for fear of striking a snag and stoving a hole in the bottom. But, though they covered many miles they did not catch a glimpse of the rare butterfly.

Bob and Ned tried several shots at alligators, of which there were many, but, though Bob was sure, once, that he hit one, the saurian did not give any evidence of it, and sank from sight.

If the scientist did not get the butterfly he wanted, he was successful in capturing a number of other specimens of insects, which seemed to delight him almost as much as if he had the pink and blue beauty.

“Even if I can’t get the five thousand dollars,” he said, “perhaps I can bring back to the museum enough valuable specimens so that I will get the position I want.”

“Oh, we’ll get that butterfly for you,” said Jerry, who was anxious to help the professor.

“Suppose we go back toward the river that connects Lake Okeechobee and Butterfly Lake,” suggested Ned. “That’s where we saw the butterfly that looked like the one you want.”

“A good idea,” replied Mr. Snodgrass. “I’m sure it is to be found in this vicinity, as all the books say it is usually to be seen in company with the butterfly with plain blue wings, and that is the one we chased yesterday.”

Accordingly the _Dartaway_ was swung around, and was soon speeding toward the narrow stretch of water that connected the two lakes. As they entered it the boys noticed that there was a current flowing from Butterfly Lake into Lake Okeechobee.

“I hadn’t noticed that before,” said Jerry. “Butterfly Lake must be one of the feeders of the larger body of water.”

As the _Dartaway_ emerged from the “river” upon the bosom of Lake Okeechobee once more Jerry pointed ahead and cried out:

“Look there, boys!”

“It’s another boat!” said Bob.

“A houseboat to judge by the looks of it,” put in Ned.

“I think it’s our old friend the _Wanderer_,” remarked Jerry. “I’ll see if they answer our signal.”

He gave three toots on the compressed air whistle, and a moment later they were replied to from the houseboat, which was about a mile away. Then something like a white handkerchief was waved from the deck.

“They see us!” exclaimed Bob. “Those are the girls.”

“Put over there, Jerry,” said Ned. “I’d like to see ’em again.”

“Which one?” asked Jerry with a laugh, and Ned blushed a bit.

Mr. Seabury and his three daughters were glad to meet the boys once more. The professor and the youths were invited aboard and, though Mr. Snodgrass wanted to continue his search for the butterfly, he was induced to accept the invitation.

“We’ll help you look for that curious insect,” said Rose Seabury. “We are going to stay on Lake Okeechobee for some time, and perhaps we’ll come across it.”

“I hope you do,” remarked the scientist. “I shall be very much obliged to you if you find a specimen and I’ll share the reward with you.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that!” exclaimed the young lady. “I’m sure if I could be a little aid to the advancement of science it would be reward enough.”

Several pleasant hours were spent aboard the _Wanderer_ and after dinner, for which Mr. Seabury insisted that his guests remain, they all sat on the cool upper deck viewing the beauties of the lake.

“Isn’t that a canoe putting out from shore?” asked the owner of the houseboat, pointing to a small object on the water.

“That’s what it is,” answered Nellie, looking through a pair of marine glasses. “There are negroes in it.”

“Oh, those ugly black men!” exclaimed Olivia. “I can’t bear them. They are not like the colored men up north.”

“They seem to be headed this way,” went on Mr. Seabury, taking the glasses from his daughter. “I wonder what they want?”

The canoe rapidly approached. In a short time it was close enough so that, without the aid of glasses, there could be made out in it three negroes. They were paddling straight for the houseboat, to which the _Dartaway_ was made fast. When the small craft came within hailing distance one of the negroes called out:

“Is a gen’men dar what’s lookin’ fo’ rare bugs an’ butterflies?”

“I am,” replied Mr. Snodgrass. “I particularly want a pink butterfly with blue and gold wings.”

“We knows whar to find him!” exclaimed the foremost paddler. “We’ll show yo’ if yo’ uns’ll come along.”

“I wouldn’t go with them if I were you,” said Mr. Seabury in low tones. “They may be very treacherous.”