CHAPTER IV

THE GIANT TURTLE

The three chums thrust their heads from the windows nearest them.

“It’s Andy Rush!” exclaimed Jerry, as he caught sight of the boyish figure running down the station platform. “Wonder what he wants?”

By this time Andy was under the windows on the side of the car where the boys sat. The train had not yet gathered much headway.

“What is it?” asked Ned. “Has anything happened?” for the small chap seemed quite excited.

“I wanted to see you last night--couldn’t--had too much to do--got up early this morning--came down here on the run--saw the train moving--yelled--engineer wouldn’t stop--say--if you catch any manatees down there--Florida I mean--save me a little one--I want to tame it--will--you--please--can’t talk any--more! Out--of--breath!”

By this time Andy was being distanced by the train and his wind was almost expended.

“I’ll bring you one!” cried Bob, who was good natured and always ready to accommodate a friend. “I’ll bring you one, Andy,” and he waved his hand to the excited boy.

“I say, Professor,” went on Bob, a little later, “are there any manatees in Florida?”

“There used to be quite a number but I’m afraid they have been mostly killed off. Still there may be a few. Why?”

“A friend of mine wants one and I promised to bring him a little one. If you happen to see any, please let me know.”

“I wonder if Bob has any idea of the size of a manatee or sea-cow?” put in Jerry, with a little smile. “How large do they grow, Professor?”

“Well I have seen them weighing nearly a thousand pounds, but I suppose the average is nearer eight hundred.”

“There you are, Bob!” exclaimed Ned with a laugh. “You see what you’ve promised to send to Andy.”

“I meant a baby one,” and Bob seemed confused.

“I think even a baby manatee will be beyond your abilities to ship up North,” Mr. Snodgrass answered. “They are of good size but rather delicate. They have to be transported in tanks of salt water and even the museums have difficulty in getting them and keeping them alive. I’m afraid Andy will have to be content with some other kind of pet.”

“I hadn’t any idea they were as big as that,” murmured Bob. “Never mind, I’ll get him something else.”

“Try a nice pine snake, about ten feet long, or a copper-head, or a wild loon, or a turtle,” suggested Ned. “Andy won’t care what you bring, as long as it’s a souvenir from Florida. Ship him a chunk of the everglades.”

“Well, I guess you make mistakes sometimes, so you needn’t be so smart!” exclaimed Bob, a bit sensitive at the fun being poked at him.

“That’s all right, Chunky,” consoled Jerry. “I see they have a dining car on this train so you needn’t go hungry, at all events.”

“Is there, really?” asked Bob. “That’ll be fine. I always like to eat in a dining car. I wish it was time for dinner.”

The journey by train was an uneventful one. In due time the travelers arrived at St. Augustine, and found that their boat had reached there in good condition. They arranged to have the empty cradle sent to Titusville, where they would again begin to travel by train until they reached Kissimmee City, on the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga.

“Then for a long voyage on water!” exclaimed Ned, as they left the freight house, having seen to the transportation of their boat to the harbor of St. Augustine.

They spent one day in St. Augustine, buying provisions and a supply of gasoline for the _Dartaway_. The boat, too, needed soaking in the water to close the seams which had dried open on the journey overland.

Bright and early one morning the three boys and the professor, having placed all their baggage on board, took possession of the _Dartaway_.

“We’re off!” cried Jerry as he gave a long toot to the compressed air whistle. “Now for the manatees, Chunky!”

“Let up on manatees!” pleaded Bob. “Can’t you forget ’em?”

“Yes, but think how disappointed Andy will be,” and Jerry laughed as he gave the wheel a turn, shoved over the gasoline and sparking levers, while Ned cranked the engine.

There was a sort of sigh from the _Dartaway’s_ motor, a cough, a wheeze, and then a series of throbs that told that the engine was in working order. A mass of foam appeared at the stern where the screw was churning the water, and the boat moved out of the harbor of the historic city.

It was a beautiful day and the boys were in excellent spirits over the successful start of their trip. The engine was working to a charm, and the _Dartaway_ seemed like a thing alive, so well did she answer to the slightest turn of the steering wheel.

“Isn’t this glorious!” exclaimed Jerry, as he sat in the bow. “Can you beat this, fellows?”

“Not in a thousand years!” cried Ned enthusiastically. “Let Noddy Nixon have his cocoanut groves, but give me a motor boat and a trip to Florida!”

“Wait a minute! Hold on! Stop the boat!” cried the professor suddenly.

“What’s the matter?” asked Jerry, slowing down the engine. “Did you lose something?”

The scientist seemed to be struggling to get at something in the bottom of the boat.

“It’s a very rare dragon fly,” he said as he brought out a butterfly net. “I just saw him floating on a bit of wood. I must have him for my collection. He’s worth a hundred dollars!”

The professor made a sudden lunge, thrusting his long-handled net over the side of the craft. He would have gone overboard had not Ned caught him by the waist and held him.

The net went into the water with a splash, but, despite his undignified position the professor managed to bring it aboard. He looked into it anxiously.

“I got him!” he exclaimed. “A perfect specimen! Oh, boys, this voyage has started most excellently for me!”

“It would have been the other kind of a start if I hadn’t caught you,” observed Ned.

“Thank you, my dear young friend,” spoke the professor, as he carefully dried the dragon fly and placed it in his cyanide bottle to kill it painlessly for preservation. “I appreciate what you did for me, but I would rather fall overboard a dozen times than miss this beautiful specimen.”

Jerry started the engine again, and soon the _Dartaway_ was cutting through the water at a fast speed. Jerry had asked the advice of some sea captains in St. Augustine and they had told him to keep in the Matanzas river instead of standing out to sea, and, on reaching Matanzas inlet to use that as a means of getting out on the Atlantic. This plan was followed, and at noon they emerged on the ocean, which they greeted with a cheer.

“Here we are again!” cried Ned. “Guess you haven’t forgotten us, Old Salt Horse! How’s Father Neptune, anyhow? We had some tussles with you last year when Salt-Water Sam was aboard. If he was here he’d sing this song,” and Ned, hitching his trousers up in true nautical fashion, delivered himself of this classic which the old sailor used to sing:

“It was on the isle of Nankum, Near the land of Timbuctoo That poor old Sam fell overboard one night. There was a great commotion In the middle of the ocean Sure he gave the sharks and whales A terrible fright.”

“Good!” cried Bob. “Give us the second verse.”

“There isn’t any second verse.”

“Oh, well, the third then. I’m not particular,” and Bob began to investigate one of the food lockers.

“Here! Keep out of there until dinner time,” called Jerry.

“It’s dinner time now. Long past noon,” remarked Bob.

“Wait until we make that point of land then, and--”

What Jerry was going to say he never finished, for at that instant the _Dartaway_ hit something with a force that threw Ned, who was standing up, off his feet and into the bottom of the craft.

“What’s that?” cried Bob.

“Must have hit a rock!” exclaimed Ned.

“Is the boat sinking? If it is let me put a life preserver on my specimen boxes!” begged the professor.

Jerry had instantly shut off the power and was peering over the bow.

“Don’t seem to be any rock,” he murmured. “We have deep water here.”

Then, to the surprise of all on board, the _Dartaway_ began to move through the water at a fast rate.

“Did you turn on the power?” cried Jerry to Ned, who was nearest the engine.

“No! The motor isn’t going!”

“But we are!”

The professor looked over the side of the boat. Then, pointing to something in the water just ahead, he said:

“We are being towed by a giant turtle!”