by Carol Norton
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE JOURNEY.
IT still lacked about an hour to sundown when Charley called a halt."We cannot possibly make Judson before night, and it would be sheerfoolishness to try to travel over these rocks after it gets dark," hedeclared. "We would be sure to get some bad falls and very likely breakan arm or leg. The best thing we can do is to find a good place to campwhile it is still light and make ourselves as snug as possible for thenight."
Walter, who was beginning to feel tired out from the long day's tramp,was quick to agree with his proposal and the two lads headed in for themainland, for neither felt any desire to spend the night on the wet,muddy marsh.
Good fortune seemed to guide their footsteps for they struck themainland just where a little stream of clear water bubbled forthamongst a clump of towering cedars.
"The very place for our camp," Charley exclaimed. "You see what you canfix up in the way of a shelter, Walt, while I look around and see whatI can find for our supper."
Walter was fast becoming an adept at the science of woodcraft and hewent about his task with certainty and dispatch. First, he broke offarmsful of small boughs which he spread in two piles upon the groundclose to the trunks of two big cedar trees. These were to serve astheir couches and over them he proceeded to erect a rough lean-to toprotect them from the wind and dew. There were plenty of dead boughsall around, and, selecting two of the longest and straightest, heleaned them against the trunk of the two trees about six feet from theground, embedding their other ends firmly in the ground. Across these,he laid other limbs a couple of feet apart and upon them piled palmettoleaves and boughs to form a roof. Before the open front of the rudestructure, he built a roaring fire of dead cedar limbs. Close beside ithe piled up a huge heap of wood with which to keep the fire replenishedthroughout the night. This completed his labors, and stretching himselfupon his springy, fragrant couch before the crackling fire, he waitedhungrily for his chum's return. He was becoming alarmed over his longabsence when there came a crackling of boughs and Charley strode intothe circle of firelight, bearing in one hand a snow-white heart, orbud, of a cabbage palmetto and in the other, a chunk of fresh meatseveral pounds in weight.
"What have you got there?" he inquired, eagerly.
Charley grinned, "I'm too hungry to stop and tell you now. Sharpen up acouple of sticks and we'll broil some steaks, then, I'll give you threeguesses as to what it is, and bet that you don't guess right."
Walter hastily cut two long green palmetto stems and sharpened themto points at the ends. By the time he had them ready, Charley had cuta couple of generous-sized steaks from the hunk of meat. The balanceof it he wrapped up in a couple of green palmetto leaves and buriedin the coals. While the steaks impaled upon the sticks were sizzlingappetizingly before the fire, he wrapped up the palmetto heart in greenleaves and buried it beside the roasting meat.
So hungry was Walter that he cut bits from his steak before it wasfairly done and devoured them with eager appetite.
"Like it?" inquired his chum with a twinkle in his eye.
"Fine, it only needs a little salt to make it perfect," Walterdeclared. "I can't quite place it though. It tastes like a crossbetween pork and beefsteak. What is it anyway?"
"Guess."
"Pork?"
"Nit."
"Coon?"
"Nit."
"Opossum?"
"Nit."
"I give it up then. What kind of animal is it?"
"I found it on the bank of a little creek not far from here," saidCharley, dreamily. "It was sound asleep and it did not look very prettyor innocent even in its slumber, but beggars can't be choosers, so Igot me a good heavy club and crept up on it softly. When it woke upI was near enough to give it a good rap over the head. It gave me acouple of good licks in the shins with its tail, however, before I gotit killed."
Walter rose in his indignation, "Why didn't you tell me at the startthat it was alligator meat," he demanded, "I would not have eaten amouthful of it."
"And you'd gone hungry to bed," said his chum with a chuckle. "You'dhave let your prejudice cheat you out of a good meal. It tastes allright, don't it."
"Yes," Walter admitted, ruefully, "and, now that I've eaten some of it,I might as well keep right on eating."
"Wise lad," Charley approved. "Let me tell you there are lots worsethings than alligator steaks when one is hungry."
The steaks disposed of, the boys attacked the roasted meat andpalmetto cabbage with such vigorous appetites that there was but littleleft when their hunger was at last appeased.
"Pretty slim show for breakfast," said Charley, ruefully, as he eyedthe scanty remains. "Let's see if we can't fix up some way to catchsomething during the night."
The plan which they finally decided upon to accomplish this was verysimple. With their sharp knives, they whittled out several sets offigure-four setters, and, dragging several small logs just outside thecircle of firelight, they placed a figure-four setter under an end ofeach and baited the triggers with bits of meat left from their supper.An animal nosing around after the bait would be sure to spring thesetter and cause the log to descend upon it.
"We will surely get a coon or opossum before morning," Charleydeclared. "Animals have lots of curiosity and some of them are sure tobe attracted by the light of our camp-fire. The smell of the cookedmeat will attract them also."
This last task completed, the boys stretched themselves on their softcouches before the cheery fire whose rays danced and flickered amongstthe leafy greenness of their shelter. It was a cozy, cheery littlecamp and the two lads lay long awake, talking hopefully with thecheery optimism that waits upon a hearty supper and healthy vigorousyouth. When at last they fell asleep, it was with confident hope of asuccessful morrow.
It seemed to Walter that he had barely fallen asleep when he wasstruggling in that nightmare state which lies halfway between slumberand entire wakefulness. He struggled pantingly for breath, but everybreath he drew seemed to stifle him. Oppressed with black horror, hefought his way back to consciousness. But wakefulness brought smallrelief. The air was heavy with a stench that nauseated and sickened him.
Charley, crouched beside the fire, was holding his nose with one hand,his face expressing unutterable disgust.
"What in the world is the matter?" Walter demanded.
"One of our traps worked," announced his chum, grimly. "It's only alittle skunk, but my, what a big smell."
"I should say so," Walter agreed. "We can't stay here. We'll have tomove camp."
"I second the motion to adjourn," said his chum, solemnly.
No time was lost in debating the question and the lads quickly tooktheir departure from their cozy camp. They made their way cautiouslyalong the edge of the hammock until the raucous odor was left behind,then they halted and built another fire.
"The measly little varmint," said Walter, wrathfully, as they crouchedbeside the blaze. "He's gone and cheated us out of a good night'ssleep."
"Oh, it isn't as bad as all that," said his chum, cheerfully. "It'snearly morning now. See, there's the morning star in the East.Besides," he added, whimsically, "That poor little fellow isn't toblame. He didn't ask us to set a trap for him. I bet he regrets theaccident as much as we do." Then throwing back his head he sang in hisclear tenor voice, "Driven From Home."
As the humor of the incident dawned upon Walter, he burst into laughterin which he was joined by his fun-loving chum.
It was too near morning to consider selecting another shelter so thetwo sat beside the fire until day broke, then they made their way backto the camp to examine their traps. All were sprung, but, outside ofthe skunk, the only victims were an opossum and a coon which they boreback to their new fire. The opossum they broiled and ate for breakfastwhile the coon they roasted to carry along with them for dinner.
Sunrise found them once more on the march headed South.
