CHAPTER XVII
INTO A STRANGE LAKE
Whether Noddy or the three chums were the more surprised it would behard to say. Though they had a vague idea they might come across theCresville bully in Florida, the motor boys did not give it seriousconsideration, hardly believing Noddy's story about the cocoanut grove.As for Noddy he had no intimation that the boys were coming to Floridaand his astonishment, at suddenly seeing them, was very great. Hisfirst remark was characteristic of him.
"Are you fellows sneaking after me to try and cheat me out of mygrove?" he asked.
"Not much!" ejaculated Jerry. "We didn't know you were here."
"I don't believe you!" retorted Noddy angrily. "You're always trying todo me some injury. Anyhow this man has possession of my cocoanut grove,that I paid my money for, and I'm going to have it."
"How do you know this isn't your grove?" asked the man with a smile,indicating the swamp land.
"Because the magazine advertisement that I answered said all the grovesthe company sold were on high ground. I followed the directions inreaching this place and this is the only grove on high ground aroundhere. So it must be mine."
"That's your way of looking at it," replied the man. "But it doesn'thappen to be the right one. My name is Carter. If you make someinquiries in the village you will find that I have owned this grove forthe last twenty years, and that my father owned it before me."
"I don't believe you!" snapped Noddy. "It's a plot to cheat me out ofmy money."
"Look here!" exclaimed Mr. Carter. "If I didn't think you were so youngand foolish that you didn't know any better I'd make you apologize forthat. As it is I'm not going to take any notice of you. Are these youngfriends of yours? If they are I'd advise them to take you away beforeyou get into trouble with that temper of yours, and the unpleasant wayyou have of using your tongue."
"We know him," Jerry hastened to say, motioning toward Noddy. "I can'tsay we're friends of his, nor is he of us. But as we come from thesame town we'd be glad to do what we can for him, though he has done usseveral mean turns."
"I don't want any of your help!" exclaimed Noddy. "You can mind yourown business, Jerry Hopkins, and you too, Bob and Ned. I can get alongwithout you. I'm going to get possession of my cocoanut grove and I'llhave this man arrested for keeping it!"
"You're talking foolishly," interposed Mr. Carter.
"I'll sue you!" retorted the Cresville bully. "I tell you I paid adeposit on this grove and I'm going to have it."
"I'm sorry for you, but I think you have been cheated," went on Mr.Carter. "I know that company which pretended to sell you this land.It is a swindling concern. A number of persons have been fooled intobuying land here and when they came to take possession of it they foundit was a swamp. But you are the first one who tried to lay claim to myland," he added, with a grin.
"You'll find this no laughing matter!" cried Noddy, his anger gettingthe best of him. "I tell you I'm going to have my rights. I'll see alawyer."
"Then you'd better start now," said Mr. Carter. "There isn't any inthis village, and the nearest one is twenty miles away. We don't havemuch use for lawyers down here."
"I'll go right away!" cried Noddy. "I'll have my rights, I tell you!"
"Maybe your acquaintances will take you to a lawyer," went on Mr.Carter, who seemed anxious to bring Noddy to his senses. "Any one willtell you that you have been swindled."
"I'll go alone and find some one to take up my case," exclaimed theCresville youth. "I don't want any help from Jerry Hopkins or any ofhis gang, either."
"We're not a gang!" objected Bob. "If you say that again, Noddy Nixon,I'll--"
"Go easy," whispered Jerry to his chum. "Let him alone."
"You'll suffer for this!" ejaculated Noddy, glowering at Mr. Carter."I'll have the law on you! My father is a rich man and he'll help meget my rights. I'll have you arrested for stealing my cocoanut grove!"
"There! You've said enough!" responded the man. "I'll not take any moreof your insults! You're on my land and I order you off. What's more,if you threaten me again I'll tie you up and take you before a justiceof the peace! Now move on!"
Mr. Carter looked so angry, and so much in earnest, that, big bully ashe was, Noddy was frightened. He muttered something below his breathbut he moved off Mr. Carter's land, and on to the edge of the swampwhich constituted the "cocoanut grove" of which he had boasted.
"Come on, boys," said Jerry in a low voice. "If we stay here we may getinvolved in some trouble with Noddy. He doesn't want our aid, and I'mglad of it. I'd hate to take him into our boat. Let's leave him alone."
They started away.
"I'll fix you for following me!" exclaimed Noddy as he saw the threechums leaving him. "I'll get even with you!"
"I hope he comes to his senses soon," remarked Mr. Carter, as he walkedtoward the village with the three chums. "He is very hot tempered. Hearrived in town a few days ago and created quite a stir by talkingabout the big cocoanut grove he had come to claim. When he found outthat it was only a swamp that the swindlers had worked off on him hewanted to get my land, saying a mistake had been made. For severaldays he's been seeking to lay claim to my grove, one of the few nearhere, until I got tired of his foolishness. Do you know much about him?"
Jerry told Mr. Carter enough of Noddy to make that gentleman understandwhat sort of a youth the Cresville bully was. Mr. Carter said he wassorry for him, but that he could not afford to give up his land becauseNoddy had been fooled.
Learning that the chums were in no particular hurry, Mr. Carter invitedthem up to his house. He gave them a lunch and brought out some freshcocoanuts, in a green state, which is when they are at their best foreating. He called one of his negro helpers and told him to open some ofthe nuts for the boys.
The negro set up in the ground a stake, sharpened on the end. Then,holding the nut, encased in its husky fibrous covering in both hands,he brought it down on the point of the stick with a slanting motion.The sharp point cut through the husk in an instant and the nut wasexposed. Then the end was chopped off with a big knife and theinterior, consisting of "milk" and soft pulp, was ready to eat.
"I never knew cocoanuts were so good!" exclaimed Bob, as he tackled hisfourth one, for they did not eat the rind or hard white part.
"No, nor no one else does who gets only the ripe ones which are shippednorth," explained Mr. Carter. "We never think of eating anything butthe milk and soft pulp of the partly ripe ones."
Presently the boys bade their host good-bye and started for the villagestore where they had left the professor catching bugs.
"There!" exclaimed Jerry, when they were almost at the place. "Weforgot something."
"What?" asked Ned.
"We didn't give Noddy the message the man gave us. We didn't tell himthe government detective wanted to see him."
"Let's go back," suggested Bob.
"I believe you're thinking more of the cocoanuts than you are ofNoddy," interposed Jerry. "No, I guess it will keep. Noddy will eithergo back home, in which case the detective can see him himself, or hewill stay here and try to get a grove from some one. If he does thelatter we'll stop on our way back and give him the message."
Jerry's chums thought this the best plan, so they kept on, dismissingfrom their minds the thought of Noddy and his trouble. They found theprofessor in his element, catching bug after bug, to the no smallamusement of the crowd of natives that had gathered to watch him.
The supplies were soon put aboard the boat, and once more the travelerstook up their voyage. For three days they traveled slowly the length ofLake Okeechobee. At times they kept near shore, attracted by the beautyof the scenery, for there were tall palm and palmetto trees, gracefullyfestooned with long streamers of Spanish moss. There was a wealth oftropical vegetation, and amid the dense forests there flew flocks ofbirds of the most brilliant plumage.
Now and then they saw big snakes, and they passed several alligatorswithout at first knowing what the saurians were, as they looked so
muchlike floating logs of wood. When they did discover that the "logs" werealive the boys tried several shots at them but without success.
They camped on shore one night but the mosquitoes and fleas were so badthat thereafter they stayed on the boat until out of that district.They caught several fine messes of fish and had a glorious time. Atthe close of the fourth day they approached the end of the lake. Byreference to the map they discovered that they were near to the landof the everglades, those trackless patches of dense swamp, lonely anddangerous, inhabited only by negroes and Indians.
"We ought to see signs of my prize butterfly soon," remarked theprofessor as the boat was speeding along. "I hope I shall soon capturea specimen."
"There's some kind of a butterfly!" exclaimed Bob, pointing ahead towhere a brilliantly-colored insect was flying over the water.
"Quick!" cried the professor. "Speed up the boat, Jerry. It looks likeone!"
The craft was put after the butterfly which was winging its waytoward shore. As the _Dartaway_ advanced the boys noticed that theywere entering a narrow part of the lake. The width of water quicklydecreased until they were in what corresponded to a river.
"This is queer," said Jerry. "The map doesn't show any place like this."
"Keep on!" cried the scientist, anxious only about the butterfly.
The insect led them a long chase. Straight ahead it flew, and, as thetravelers went on they found themselves between two closely woodedbanks.
"We've left Lake Okeechobee behind!" exclaimed Ned.
Hardly had he spoken ere the view changed. They rounded a point of landand came out on a broad sheet of dark green water.
"It's another lake!" exclaimed Jerry. "It must be a strange one, asthere is nothing in the guide book about it, or on the map. Boys, maybewe've discovered a new lake!"
"It's big enough!" remarked Ned, as he pointed to the distant shorethat marked the boundary.
"Yes, and it's full of alligators!" cried Bob, indicating several longblack objects floating in the placid water.