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 ofsaw-grass, and could not discover which way to escape from it. The windlashed 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 thisdownpour."
"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 fora 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 followedthe lightning flash, they rushed but the deeper into the terriblegrass.
"Come on!" cried Ned, who, by good fortune had succeeded in reachingan 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 slippedits 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 stoutawning which kept off the fury of the wind and rain. In a moment Nedhad found the switch that controlled the small electric lights on theboat, which were worked by a storage battery. Then in the security ofthe little cabin the four looked at one another.
"This is about the worst yet!" exclaimed Jerry, as he limped over toa stool and sat down. The storm made his wounded foot, which was notquite healed, hurt more than usual. "Your face is a sight, Bob. Looksas if a cat had been at you."
"The same to you and more of it," responded Ned. "I guess we all bearthe marks of the saw-grass."
This was so, for the fine keen edges of nature's peculiar weapons hadleft their record on the hands and faces of all the travelers.
"I think this is where some of the leaves the Indian chief used onJerry's foot would come in handy," remarked Ned.
"If we only had some," retorted Bob with a groan. "Even some witchhazel wouldn't be so bad, though it smarts at first."
"I have some of the leaves," the professor said. "I observed what kindof a plant they were from and gathered a supply the other day. I willget them."
Removing most of their soaked garments, and wringing out the water, theboys and the scientist were soon busy pounding up the leaves to makea sort of ointment for their scratches. The foliage gave out a stickysalve 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 theywere daubed with green stuff in streaks and patches.
"Now for some hot coffee," announced Bob, as he set the gasolinestove going. "That will make us feel as well inside as the leaves dooutside."
"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 withbetter spirits to the patter of the rain on the awning. They got outsome dry garments from the lockers and then, making up the foldingbunks with which the _Dartaway_ was provided, they spent the rest ofthe night in comparative comfort.
The storm was over at sunrise, and as the boys peered from thecurtained cabin they gazed out on scene of beauty. They were on theshore of a broad lagoon which gave entrance into Lake Okeechobee.Behind them, some distance back, was a dense forest, and, nearer tothem was the dreadful saw-grass. Over the stretch of water myriads ofbirds were flying, while, every now and then, a splash and a shower ofglistening drops told that a hungry fish was trying to get an earlybreakfast.
"How do you boys feel?" asked Mr. Snodgrass.
"Much better," announced Jerry, and the others said the same. The painfrom their cuts and scratches was all gone, so quick-acting was theIndian's remedy. After breakfast they went ashore and got the tent andcamp stuff which, though much scattered, had not suffered any materialdamage.
"No more camping on this shore!" exclaimed Ned as he looked at thewaving saw-grass.
"I must get some specimens," the scientist said. "I have read about thepeculiar 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 ofthe grass for his cabinet of curiosities, which was already assuminglarge proportions.
"Now for Lake Okeechobee proper!" cried Bob as the boat was once morestarted off. They were soon out of the lagoon and in due time emergedaround a point of land and beheld, stretched out before them thelargest lake of Florida, a beautiful sight under the gleaming southernsun.
"Hurrah for the everglades!" cried Ned.
"And Noddy Nixon's cocoanut grove," added Jerry. "I wonder if we'll seehim?" 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 otherinsect-catching accessories. "I hope you boys will be on the watch forit, 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 fastrate 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 sporthere. 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. ThenJerry joined him in the sport, and in half an hour they had enough fora meal. They went ashore, and Jerry, who volunteered to act as cook,quickly had the finny specimens frying in bacon fat which browned to agolden hue the corn meal into which the fish were dipped.
There wasn't much left when they cleared away the wooden dishes thatthey used, and then, after a consultation, it was decided to camp for afew days at the spot where they had landed. This would give their cutsa chance to heal and by making short excursions here and there theycould get acquainted with the character of the lake.
It was on the third day of their camping out on the shore of LakeOkeechobee that, as they were returning in the motor boat one afternoonJerry, 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 feetfrom 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 stuffcould be plainly heard. It sounded as though some animal like a cow wasnosing among a lot of tin pails after something to eat. Jerry shut offthe 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 beheldsomething that almost made their hearts stop beating.
They could look into the midst of the camp, and there, in front of thetent, writhing about in a confusion of dishes and food, was an immensesnake!