"How can you be sure of that?" queried Tom.
"Because I have whispered in his ear," said Sam.
What Sam had whispered in Jake"s ear was this:--
"_If any further accidents happen to-night, I"ll put you ash.o.r.e in the swamp, and leave you there. I mean it._"
He did mean it, and Jake was convinced of the fact. He knew very well, too, that if he should be left there in the swamp, with all the creeks out of their banks, the chances were a thousand to one against his success in getting back to civilization again. Sam"s threat was a harsh one, but nothing less harsh would have answered his purpose, and he knew very well that Jake would not dare to incur the threatened penalty.
The boys slept again, and soundly. The night waned and day dawned, and still the current carried them forward. They breakfasted in the boat, first stripping to the waist and sluicing their heads, necks, arms and chests with water. Breakfast was scarcely over when the boat shot out of the Nepalgah into the Connecuh river, whereat the boys gave a cheer. About noon they entered the Escambia river, and their speed slackened. Here they had met the influence of the tide which checked the force of the current, and their progress grew steadily slower, until Sam directed the use of the paddles. They had long since left the drift wood behind, lodged along the banks, and they had now a broader and straighter stream than before, although it was still not very broad nor very straight. Two boys paddled at a time, one upon each side, while a third steered, and by relieving each other occasionally they maintained a very good rate of speed.
The moon was well up into the sky again when the river spread out into Escambia bay, and the boat was moored with a grape vine, in a little cove on one of the small islands in the upper end of the bay, about fifteen miles above Pensacola. The boys leaped upon land again gladly.
Their voyage had been made successfully, and they were at last in the neighborhood of the danger they had set out to encounter, and the duty they had undertaken to do.
CHAPTER XVII.
THLUCCO.
"What"s your plan now, Sam?" asked Tom, when the boat had been secured, and a fire built.
"First and foremost, where are we?" asked Sid Russell.
"Yes, an" how fur is it to somewhere else?" questioned Billy Bowlegs.
"An" is we gwine to somewher"s or somewher"s else?" demanded black Joe, with a grin.
"One question at a time," said Sam, "and they will go a good deal farther."
"Well, begin with Sid"s question, then?" said Tommy. "His is the most sensible; where are we?"
"We"re on an island," returned Sam, "and the island is somewhere here in the upper part of Escambia bay. You see how it lies on our map.
The bay ends down there in Pensacola bay, and there is Pensacola, about fifteen miles away. We came here, you know, to find out what is going on in Pensacola and its neighborhood, and my plan is to run down past the town, to some point four or five miles below, in the neighborhood of Fort Barrancas. There I"ll set up a fishing camp, but first I must get tackle, and, if possible, some duck cloth for a sail."
At this point the conversation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a canoe"s bow in their midst. Their fire was built near the water"s edge, and the canoe which interrupted them had been paddled silently to the bank, so that its bow extended nearly into their fire.
"Ugh, how do," said a voice in the canoe, "how do, pale faces," and with that the solitary occupant of the canoe leaped ash.o.r.e and seated himself in the circle around the fire.
Joe was frightened, but the other boys were reasonably self-possessed.
"Injun see fire; Injun come see. Injun friend."
"White man friend, too," said Sam, holding out his hand. "Injun eat?"
offering the visitor some food.
"No. Injun eat heap while ago. Injun no hungry, but Injun friendly.
Fire good. Fire warm Injun."
Sam continued the conversation, desiring to learn whether or not there was an Indian encampment in the neighborhood. He was not afraid of an Indian attack, for the Indians were not on the war path in Florida, but he was afraid of having his boat and tools stolen.
"Injun"s friends over there?" asked Sam, pointing in the direction from which the canoe had come.
"No; Injun"s friends not here. You know Injun; you see him before?"
"No," said Sam, "I don"t remember you."
"Injun see you, all same. Injun General Jackson"s friend. Injun see you when you come General Jackson"s camp. Me go way then for General Jackson."
Here was a revelation. The young savage was, or professed to be, one of the friendly Indians whom General Jackson was using as scouts. It was certain that he had seen Sam on his entrance into General Jackson"s camp, and he must have left immediately after Sam"s arrival there.
"How did you get here so quick?" asked Sam.
"Me run "cross country. Injun run heap."
"Where did you get your canoe?"
"Steal um," answered the Indian with the utmost complacency.
"Have you been here before?"
"Yes. Injun fish here heap. Injun go fishin" to-morrow."
"Where will you get lines and hooks."
"Me got um."
"Where did you get them?"
"Steal um," answered he again.
"We"re going fishing, too," said Sam.
"You got hooks? You got lines? You got bait?"
"No," said Sam.
"Injun get um for you."
"How?"
"Steal um."
"No," said Sam, "you mustn"t steal for us. I"ll go to Pensacola and buy what I want. But you may go with us, if you will, and show us where to fish."
"Me go. Injun show you,--down there," pointing down the bay, "heap fish there."