The camp, as the girls saw afterward, was merely a collection ofmiserable huts. Some were better than others, and it was to these thatthe rescuers turned their attention, for in them were the "bosses" ofthe camp.
Mr. Hammond and his men made a rush for these, and, surrounding them,called on those within to surrender. At first there was sleepy-eyedsurprise as the rough men ran out. Some showed a disposition to fight,but Mr. Hammond coolly said:
"It's of no use, men. We've got you just where we want you, and we'reenough in numbers to take you all prisoners. We only want a couple ofyoung fellows you have here."
"We've a right to all the help we have!" growled the leader of thecampers: "We've got the papers to show it, too!"
"I don't doubt but what you've got papers--forged ones, though," repliedMr. Hammond sternly. "We won't dispute that. But you haven't any papersfor my man, Tom Osborne."
"Tom Osborne--your man--was he the one that----"
The leader began thus, but he did not finish. He saw the damagingadmission he was about to make.
"Yes, Tom Osborne!" exclaimed Mr. Hammond. "I say Tom, where are you?"he called, loudly.
"Here, Mr. Hammond!" was a shout from a distant shack. "Are the youngladies all right?"
"Yes, they're here to help rescue you. Tumble over there, some of you,"directed Mr. Hammond to his men, "and let Tom out. Break in the door!"
"I say now!" began the leader of the campers, "that won't do----"
"That's enough from you," warned Mr. Hammond sternly. "Smash in thatdoor, men!"
A little later Tom Osborne, rather forlorn and miserable from hisnight's imprisonment in a tumble-down shack, walked out, his bondshaving been cut.
"Now for your friend, Harry," said Mr. Hammond to The Loon. "We must gethim out next."
"There's some young fellow in the shack next to where I was," said TomOsborne. "I heard him talking to himself early in the evening, but notsince daylight. I guess he's the one you mean."
A rush was made for the wretched place, and the door was burst in, butthe hut was empty.
"He's gone!" cried The Loon. "They've taken him to some other place. Oh,I'll never be able to keep my word to him!"
"We'll find him," declared Mr. Hammond. "I don't know who he was, butwe'll get him. Look in every shack, men!"
In turn every cabin was inspected. Many wretched young men, and some oldones, too, were routed out, but the proprietors of the camp seemed tohave a right to their services, either by contract, or through theaction of the criminal laws. Sad indeed was their plight, but therescuers had no legal right to take them away.
"Though I can, and will, proceed against you for taking Tom Osborne,"declared Mr. Hammond. "And I'll see to it that you get the punishmentyou deserve."
Mr. Stonington said something in a low voice to the overseer.
"Oh, yes," went on Mr. Hammond. "If you want to tell what became of thisother young man, whom you seem to have kept against his will, I'll dowhat I can to have your sentence lightened."
"He must have got away," said the head lumberman, sullenly. "He was sucha spunky chap that we kept him locked up. And we had a right to him,too. He signed a contract."
"Probably an illegal one, if I'm any judge of your methods," said Mr.Hammond, grimly. "I don't blame him for getting away, but I wish wecould have rescued him. He may be in a bad plight in this swamp."
An inspection of the cabin where Tom had said some other prisoner hadbeen held showed a board forced off in the rear, and it was evident thatthe unknown young man had gotten out this way when the guard wasasleep--for the camp was kept under guard, so fearful were the bossesthat their wretched slaves would escape.
"Well, we can't do much more here," said Mr. Hammond, looking about.They had inspected every cabin, and the men had searched in variousplaces.
"You have my last word," said Mr. Hammond, grimly, as the rescue partyprepared to leave the miserable camp, "if you produce that young manI'll do what I can to have the courts deal easy with you. If not--you'llget the limit!"
"I tell you he escaped!" insisted the head of the lumbermen. "And if youthink you can scare us, go ahead. If you hadn't so many with you, and ifmy men had the spunk of chickens, there'd be a different ending tothis," he added, vindictively.
"Don't be rash," advised Mr. Hammond.
The girls were permitted a distant view of the camp, and then theystarted for their boats, Tom in the midst of the girls, explaining tothem his seeming desertion. The Loon was worried over his failure torescue the unknown young man who had given him money.
"Never mind," consoled Mr. Hammond. "We may find him later. We'll keep alookout as we go along. If he has any sense he'll get out of this swamp,anyhow."
"I wonder who he may be?" said Grace. "Oh, if only we could go to therescue of my brother. I wish we would get some news of him."
"We all do, dear," spoke Mollie, gently.
CHAPTER XXIV
THE YOUTH ON THE RAFT
Tom Osborne, on the way back in the _Gem_ with the girls and Mr.Stonington, told his story. He had prepared the luncheon, and, seeingthe girls going out on the little neck of land to gather flowers, herecalled seeing some blooms, of the orchid variety, farther in thewoods.
Thinking to give the girls a surprise, he decided to gather some beforethey returned. He set off, but the flowers grew farther away than hethought, and before he realized it he was a mile from the glade.
"Then, all at once," he related, "a couple of rough fellows sprang outat me, and before I could do anything they had me tied."
"How awful!" exclaimed Betty.
"I thought so at the time," said Tom, grimly. "I couldn't imagine whythey wanted me, but when they led me off into the swamp I understood.They were after workers, and they'd do anything to get them."
Happily the days are past when such things are done, but a few yearsago, before the law intervened, men who were making money by gettingvaluable timber, and other products, from the Southern forests, stoppedat little in order to obtain the necessary labor.
Tom was taken to the Everglade camp, which explains why the calls of thegirls did not reach him. Strong and healthy, he was a great "find" forthe unscrupulous contractors, but as he stubbornly refused to work hewas made a prisoner in one of the shacks.
It was there that he got into communication with The Loon. Poor Harry,wandering about in the swamps and forests in search of the young manwho, some time previous, had given him money to go for aid for him, camewithin talking distance of where Tom was locked up. Tom knew thehalf-witted fellow, and quickly whispered an appeal to him.
"I told him to go back and find you girls," said Tom, "and tell you whyI couldn't get back. Then I asked him to tell you to get help."
"And I did," spoke The Loon, proudly.
"Indeed you did," declared Tom, patting him on the back.
"I only wish I could have helped the other one," went on Harry.
"But who was he--can't you tell his name, or something about him?"asked Mr. Hammond.
The Loon shook his head.
"I forget," he muttered. "All I know is that I saw him up in the othercamp--away off. He gave me money then, and told me to go to someone--Iforget who--to send a message over the telegraph wires, you know. Hewrote it down, but I lost that and the money. Then I went back, but theyhad taken him away. I trailed him, though, and found him where I sawTom. Then I ran to meet you girls. I was afraid, too."
"You were brave, Harry," said Mr. Hammond.
"Was I?" asked the simple lad, well pleased.
Tom told more details of his imprisonment; how he heard sounds from anadjoining cabin that would indicate some other unfortunate was heldthere. He heard the men discussing his case, and planning to force himto work in the morning.
Then had come the rescue.
Through the gathering morning light the _Gem_ proceeded on her way. Tomwas at the wheel, having been refreshed by coffee which Betty and Molliemade aboard their craft.
A lookout was kept
for any signs of a refugee on the way back to theorange grove, but none was seen.
"He may be hiding in the swamp," said Mr. Hammond. "He may come outafter dark, and make his way to our place. I hope he does."
"I am going to look for him," said The Loon.
Poor fellow! In spite of his simple ways, he showed a devotion of whichone with a stronger mind might have been proud.
"Can't something be done for him?" asked Mr. Stonington, nodding in thedirection of Harry. "Ought not we to keep him with us?"
"It would be hard work," answered Mr. Hammond. "He is used to going andcoming as he pleases. He wanders all about this region. He is harmless."
Without further incident the orange grove was reached. Tom Osborne,tired and worn out, received every attention, and was soon himselfagain. Mr. Hammond communicated with the authorities regarding the menof the camp, but little could be done. There were legal complicationshard to avoid.
"But, at any rate," said Mr. Stonington, "we have rescued Tom, and thatother young man has escaped."
"Perhaps to a worse fate," observed Mr. Hammond.
Days passed. The outdoor girls enjoyed their life in the orange grove,but Grace fretted because no word came from her brother. He seemed tohave disappeared completely.
Following the receipt of a letter from her father, containing no news,Grace was so gloomy that one day Betty proposed a ride in the launch.
"It will do you good," she said to Grace. "We will take our lunch again,and----"
"Get trapped by alligators or snakes?" suggested Amy.
"No!" declared Mollie. "We'll take The Loon along, and he will lookafter us," for Harry was back from one of his wanderings. He spent muchtime away from the grove, seeking in many strange places for the youngman who had appealed to him for help. But he did not find him.
So the girls went for a little excursion. In spite of the gloom thatseemed to hang over them they had an enjoyable time.
They were scanning the shores ahead of them, looking for a suitableplace to land and eat their lunch, when Betty, who had taken the wheel,with The Loon to stand beside and direct her steering, uttered a cry andpointed ahead.
"See!" she said. "What is that?"
The other girls looked.
"Some sort of a raft," answered Mollie.
"And someone is on it!" added Amy.
"It's a man!" cried Grace. "A young man! Oh, maybe it's the one whoescaped from the Everglade swamp. Hurry to him, Betty!"
As she spoke the figure on the raft rose to his knees, and waved a handat the girls. Then the youth, for such he was seen to be, toppled overon his rude craft, and went drifting down the current.
CHAPTER XXV
WILL FORD
"Slow up a little, Betty. Now ahead to starboard! Reverse! I have it!"
Thus cried Mollie, who stood at the bow of the _Gem_ with a boathook inher grasp, while the motor craft approached the rude raft on which laythe body of an unconscious youth. Mollie had caught the hook in the edgeof the boards and the motor boat was now beside it.
"What--what are we going to do with him?" asked Amy.
"Get him aboard, of course," said Betty, shortly. She was busy makingfast a line to a projection on the raft. The _Gem_ was now drifting withthe craft containing the young man.
"We never can!" cried Grace. "Oh, perhaps he's----"
She did not say what she thought.
"We've just got to get him up here, and take him to a doctor," declaredBetty, fiercely. "He looks half-starved."
There was a moment of hesitation among the girls--a naturalhesitation--and then Betty and Mollie with an understanding look ateach other climbed from the boat to the raft. It was big and strongenough to support much more weight; for, though it was rudely made, itwas substantial, being composed of tree trunks, and boards, boundtogether with withes, forest vines, and bits of rope.
"He--he's breathing--anyhow," said Mollie, softly.
"Yes, we--we must lift him up," spoke Betty. "Come on."
They exposed the pale and drawn face of the youth on the raft. At thesight of it Grace, who with Amy was leaning breathlessly over the sideof the boat, uttered a cry.
"It's Will!" she screamed, half-hysterically. "It's my brother Will!"
Betty and Mollie started back, and nearly let the limp body slip off theraft.
"What--what!" cried Betty, for the figure of the youth bore noresemblance to Will; nor did the features. But the eyes of a sister werenot to be deceived.
"It is Will!" she cried. "I have been hoping and praying all the whilethat it might be he--and it is. It's Will!"
She would have gotten down to the raft had not Amy restrained her.
"I believe it is Will," said Mollie, taking a closer look. "We havefound him."
"Then let's get him aboard at once, and help him," said practical Betty."Amy, start that coffee. Grace, you help us! And Harry, too!"
Thus the Little Captain issued her orders.
How they got Will Ford aboard the boat the girls could not tellafterward. But they did, with The Loon's aid, and soon he was beinggiven hot coffee. Slowly his senses came back, and when some warm brothhad been slowly fed to him he opened his eyes, looked wonderingly abouthim, and asked hoarsely:
"Is it real--or am I dreaming again?"
"It's real, Will dear," said Grace, putting her arms about him, as helay in one of the bunks. "Oh, to think that we have found you again!Where have you been, and what happened to you?"
"Where haven't I been?" he asked, smiling a little. "And what hasn'thappened to me?"
"But you're all right now," said Grace, comfortingly.
"But what in the world are you girls doing down here?" Will asked,wonderingly. "It's like a dream. How did you come here?"
"To rescue you," replied Mollie, with a laugh.
"Really?"
"Well, almost really."
Will grew better every minute and wanted to tell his story, but thegirls insisted on waiting, except for the most important details, untilhe had reached the orange grove. To satisfy him, however, they told howthey came to be in Florida.
As for The Loon, no sooner had he a sight of Will's face than he dancedabout like a child, and cried:
"That's him! That's the one! He's the one I went to get help for!"
"That's right, my boy," said Will, weakly.
"I--I lost the money and note," faltered poor Harry. "But I thought youhad fooled me."
"But, after all, he was the means of saving Tom, and, in a way, you,also," said Grace.
"Who's Tom?" asked Will.
And they told him.
That there was surprise at Orangeade when the outdoor girls arrived withWill Ford can easily be imagined. The first thing done was to send atelegram to Mr. Ford, apprising him that his son was found.
Then Will told his story.
The first part the girls were already familiar with--how, tiring of lifein Uncle Isaac's mill, he had determined to strike out for himself.
"Then I fell in with a plausible talker," explained Will, "and hepersuaded me he had a great scheme for making money. Well, before I knewit I had signed some papers--foolishly. At first I was given decentclerical work to do, and then the scheme failed, I was transferred toanother part of the State, and to another company, and in some way, by ajuggling of contracts, not knowing what I was doing, it seems that Isigned an agreement to work in a timber camp. Say, it was worse thanbeing in prison, and some of the fellows were prisoners, I heard. Therewere one or two others like myself; but we couldn't get away.
"Then I wrote that letter to dad and threw it out of the car window.From then on I've lived a dog's life. I've been a regular slave. Many atime I'd have given anything to be back, even with Uncle Isaac. This hasbeen a lesson to me."
Will went on to tell how he had been taken from place to place with theothers until he finally was held in the Everglade swamp, and made to getout timber from the forest.
"I thought it was all up with me then," he said. "Before t
hat I had metthis chap," and he nodded toward The Loon. "I thought he could help me,and he promised to. I managed to speak to him on the quiet, and gavehim what money I had managed to hide away from those slave-drivers. Hewent off, promising to bring help."
"And he tried, too," said Grace. "He helped us first, though." And shetold of getting the motor boat away from the manatee.
"Just to think!" cried Will. "There he was, talking to you girls all thewhile, and me only a few miles away, though I was moved later."
"I--I'm sorry," spoke The Loon.
"Oh, you couldn't help it, Harry," voiced Betty, softly. "After all, itcame out all right, and you helped a lot."
"Indeed he did," agreed Tom Osborne. "Only for him Will and I mightstill be prisoners."
Will related how he had broken from the shack shortly before therescuers reached the Everglade camp, and how, after much suffering,having previously cut his foot, which made him lame, and wandering aboutin the woods, he had made the raft and floated down the river. Whatlittle food he had gave out, and he had fainted from weakness andexposure just as the girls' boat came in sight.
"But we have you back again," declared Grace.
"Yes, and you can make up your minds I'm not going to be so foolishagain," spoke her brother. "This has been a lesson to me--one I won'tforget in a hurry."
"Well, now you can stay with us and have a good time," said his sister."I guess you need it."
"I sure do," said Will, fervently.