AN ADVENTURE WITH FLORIDA SMUGGLERS. 353 
porcsaround his tin ‘plate. (Fie had ef- 
fected a capture and was conveying the 
fragment to his mouth when he paused 
ine the sact: 
“What was that?” he asked, looking at 
me queerly. “There! don’t vou hear?” 
the dickens, Bob; teried, nervously. 
“You give me the shivers. I don’t hear 
anything.” 
“T thought I heard some one speak.” 
“Where? I asked, straining my ears. 
Bob nodded toward the center of the 
island. As he did so I caught the sound 
of laughter. We sat in silence for a mo- 
ment, looking at each other, then Bob 
said: 
PEoowe Tdie bet itseta Calpine party. 
Suppose we go see. I guess it will be 
Safe to) leave the tent alone for a little 
while.” 
Bob was the oldest and decidedly the 
bravest. He picked up his shotgun and I 
mine and we set off toward the noise. 
We plunged through a dense thicket, 
came out into an open space and found 
ourselves standing near a camp. We were 
evidently no more surprised than were 
the 3 men seated about the fire, at our 
unexpected intrusion. Bob sang out 
pleasantly, “Good evening!” 
One of the men responded with an 
“How are you?” but it was gruff and surly, 
as though he were anything but glad 
of our presence. They looked at us hard, 
as if to make sure of knowing us next 
time, and we gazed at them with equal 
interest. ‘ 
One had the face of a halfbreed In- 
dian, heavy and sullen, with coarse, un- 
kempt, black hair streaming about it. 
Atoms sidemwas 2 man I teok to bea 
Spaniard. He wore gold hoops in his 
ears, and an ugly looking knife was thrust 
in his belt. This, together with his griz- 
zled hair and beard, gave him an appear- 
ance thoroughly piratic. The third mem- 
ber of the party, and the only one who 
had yet spoken, was a lank individual, un- 
mistakably a Floridian of the true swamp 
angel breed. There was that about them 
all which was forbidding and sinister. At 
last the swamp angel spoke, breaking a 
stillness that was becoming oppressive. 
“Who be you?” he asked sharply. 
“Campers,” Bob responded. 
“Sure?” questioningly and suspiciously. 
“Sure,” Bob assented. 
“Any more on you?’ came the next in- 
iiMisyare 
“No;? Bob replied, and I-saw the: 3 
exchange glances of relief. 
“Sit right down, gents, and make your- 
selves to home,” said the man, with the 
first appearance of cordiality he had 
shown. 
“Thank you, but we can’t stay,’ Bob 
said; “we must get back to camp.” The 
swamp angel rose to his feet. 
Vitiecoewith you, « te said: 
“All right,” Bob responded, “we shall 
be glad to have you.” iasaval “SGpiolnh “zl 
good night to the Spaniard and the In- 
Gian we turned to retrace ovr steps, our 
self-invited guest following. When we 
reached ‘or tent Bob threw some 
branches on the fire and said to the man: 
“Won't you have a cup of coffee?” 
But he was making such good use of the 
rekindled flame in peering about that he 
didn't hear. Bob was forced to repeat the 
question several times. 
ihankee  anOwecents (SO) yoOtlrare .all 
alone?” 
“Certainly; didn’t we say so?” 
Now, ii it aint (curiotis, where might 
yOu come from?” 
“Up North,” I said, for Bob’s expres- 
sion showed he was done with being cate- 
chised. 
“Well, gents, I'll be getting along back 
to my friends.” 
“Good night, then.” 
When he was well out of hearing Bob 
said: 
“What do you suppose he wanted?” 
“Why, don’t you see? He wanted to 
make sure we were alone.” 
Bob looked at me in silence for a 
moment, then he said, slowly: “For a 
cent I’d strike camp and take to the boat.” 
“Not much,” said I. “No night runs for 
me. If anything is going to happen I 
want to be on shore when it comes off.” 
“Well, we have our shotguns.” 
“You don’t think we will have occasion 
to use them?” 
“T hope not, but—’” 
Bob was inclined to be sensational. 
~Oh, come, let's turn in. They are not 
going to bother us.” 
I walked into the tent and Bob soon 
joined me. 
The night was profoundly still, save 
for the measured rush of the waves on the 
beach. We lay down with our guns 
between us and despite our nervousness 
we must have slent like the 7 sleepers 
rolled in one, for it was broad day when 
we awoke. When we went to the beach 
to bathe we missed the sloop; it was 
gone! We stood staring blankly across 
the little bay and at the wide reach of 
water beyond. Not a sail was in sight. 
All at cence the same thought came to 
us both. Withont a word we ran back to 
tes €anap,’ snatched’ up our guns and 
slipped into ovr cartridge belts. 
“We are ready now!” Bob said, pant- 
ing from excitement and the run. mele 
didn’t want them to get hold of these.” 
“You don’t suppose they are on the 
island, do you?” I asked. 
