CHAPTER VI
BOB GETS A SCARE
Professor Snodgrass wound back on the reel what remained of the line.Then he unjointed the pole.
"Yes," he remarked. "I thought that was about the only way we couldmake the turtle let go of the rope. I enticed him around to one side,and that, naturally, made the rope drop from under his flipper. We'llhave to be more careful after this."
Speeding the motor up, Jerry soon had the boat near shore, and hedirected the course along the coast in comparatively quiet water.
They came into a small sheltered bay and, in a little cove where palmtrees came down almost to the water's edge, forming an ideal spot torest, they went ashore.
"I think I'll take a little walk into the interior while you boysget dinner," remarked the professor, taking his butterfly net andthe cyanide bottle which he used for painlessly killing insects hecaptured.
"Don't get lost," advised Ned.
"If you see any orange groves let me know," called Bob.
The three boys were soon busy setting up their portable stove andpreparing a meal, using the canned provisions they had brought along.
"How about fish?" asked Ned. "Looks as though there ought to be some inthis cove."
"Try your luck," said Jerry.
Ned got out his tackle and soon was casting in off a small point ofland that stuck out into deep water. In a little while he had caughtseveral fine specimens, and they were soon in the frying pan with somestrips of bacon.
"Smells just like a restaurant," spoke Bob, taking long breaths.
"It will be better if it tastes like one," observed Jerry, who wassuperintending the cooking. "I am a little out of practice."
"Wonder why the professor doesn't come back," remarked Ned, when dinnerwas ready to serve. "I think he must be hungry."
"Probably he is, but he doesn't know it," suggested Bob. "Very likelyhe's chasing after a red, white and blue ant."
"I'll go after him," volunteered Jerry. "You fellows go on eating.Don't wait for me."
He started off in the direction taken by the professor while Bob, toohungry to stand on ceremony, began to do ample justice to the food.Ned joined him, and they were nearly finished before the scientist andJerry appeared coming through the grove of palm trees.
"What's Jerry got in his arms?" asked Ned.
"I don't know. The professor is laden down with the same thing,evidently."
"They're oranges!" cried Bob, as he caught sight of the yellow objects."They've found a grove of orange trees! I wish I'd gone along!"
"Here are some of the specimens the professor captured," remarked Jerrywith a laugh, and he placed his fruit on the grass.
"Where do they grow?" asked Bob eagerly, beginning to extract the juicefrom a large orange.
"About half a mile back," Mr. Snodgrass replied. "I met the owner ofthe grove and he invited me to take as many as I wanted."
After dinner they took up their journey again, and that night slept onthe boat, anchored in a little harbor about forty miles further downthe coast.
They had an early breakfast and after making some minor adjustmentsto the engine started off again. The weather continued pleasant,though there was quite a swell on, and riding in the boat was not ascomfortable as it had been the previous day.
"We'll reach Mosquito Inlet about noon," announced Jerry looking at themap in the guide book.
"Very good," said the professor.
"I'd say it was very bad," put in Ned, making a wry face. "I'm not veryfond of mosquitoes."
"I need a few more specimens to complete my collection," the scientistadded.
"What is Mosquito Inlet?" asked Bob.
"It's an entrance from the ocean to what is called Hillsborough river,"replied Jerry. "It's really a part of the sea, but the book saysit's a fine route for boats, and we'll take it. From there, by meansof the Haulover Canal, we can get right into Indian river and reachTitusville."
"Then let's do it by all means," suggested Bob. "This motion is alittle too much for me."
In fact the rolling and pitching of the _Dartaway_ under the influenceof the ocean swell, was not very agreeable, and all the travelers wereglad when they reached the inlet and speeded through it to the quietwaters of Hillsborough River.
They ate lunch aboard without stopping, as it was low tide, and noteasy to go ashore across the stretch of mud revealed by the recedingwater. That evening they emerged into Indian River, a beautiful stretchof water about one hundred and fifty miles long, almost as straight asan arrow, and separated from the sea by a narrow strip of land. Itswaters are salt like the ocean, and it is affected by the tides.
As dusk settled down the boys found the scene one of much beauty. Ontheir left they could catch occasional glimpses of the masts of oceanvessels sailing close to the coast to avoid the powerful Gulf stream.On their right was a forest of palmetto and other trees, forming a sortof screen for the orange groves beyond.
"It smells just like--just like--" and Bob paused for a comparison.
"Just like a wedding party," finished Jerry as he took in deep breathsof the orange-perfumed air.
The river was widening as they advanced, and the air was filled withflocks of ducks and geese returning from their feeding grounds.
"I'm going to try for some!" exclaimed Bob, preparing to get out hisshot gun.
"Better not to-night," advised the professor. "It's getting dark andyou couldn't see to pick them up if they fell into the water."
"I'll have some to-morrow," declared Bob. "I'm very fond of roast duck."
It seemed to grow dark suddenly with the quickness that is alwaysnoticed in southern countries. Ned, who had taken his place at thesteering wheel, looked down at the water and gave a startled cry.
"What is it?" asked Jerry.
"It's on fire!" exclaimed Bob, as he glanced over the side.
Indeed it did seem as though the river was ablaze. For a space of ahundred feet or more ahead of the bow, and on either side, there werelong lines and streamers of fire, crossed and recrossed as though somegiant lace-making machine was weaving a pattern in colors of glowing,golden yellow.
"A beautiful display of the phosphorescent qualities of this stream,"observed the professor. "Very beautiful. It is caused by the fishswimming about," the scientist explained. "They agitate the water,which possesses suspended in it a quantity of phosphorous and when itis disturbed it seems to glow like fire. I have often read about it,but I have seldom witnessed it. It is almost light enough to see tocatch specimens by."
"The guide book speaks of it," said Jerry. "I ought to have known whatit was. But I guess we'd better think of camping. We can't go anyfarther to-night."
Lanterns were lighted, and with the searchlight glowing in the bow, toenable them to select a good place to land, the boat was sent towardshore. All the way there they seemed to be moving through a river offire.
They found a good landing place, and soon had their camp arranged forthe night. It was decided to sleep ashore as it was somewhat crowded onboard. Accordingly, mosquito canopies were arranged, and after supperthe boys prepared their beds under a shelter tent which was erected.
"I'm going to make me a mattress," said Bob, as, carrying a lantern, hewent down to the edge of the river.
"What of; Spanish moss?" asked Ned. "I've read there's lots of that inFlorida."
"That would be fine," replied Chunky. "But I don't see any around. No,I'm going to make it of grass."
He proceeded to pull a lot of long bladed herbage from the bank of theriver, and soon had himself a soft nest under the shelter of the tent.
"Guess I'll beat you all at sleeping to-night," said Bob, as hestretched out in his clothes on the grass. The others had wrappedthemselves up in their blankets.
"Go ahead," murmured Ned. "I'm satisfied with what I've got. I couldsleep on a bare plank."
Soon deep breathing told that all the occupants of the camp were faroff in slumber-land. It was after midnight when all the others weresudd
enly aroused by a series of frightened yells from Bob.
"Something's got me! It's got hold of my foot! It's dragging me to theriver!" he cried.
Ned and Jerry leaped to their feet. Jerry grabbed his gun which wasnear him on the ground. The professor snatched down the lantern from apole in front of the tent and flashed it in Bob's direction.
"It's an alligator!" yelled Ned, pointing to some big black object."Fire, Jerry!"
Jerry raised his rifle, but, as he did so Bob pulled his foot awayfrom whatever creature had hold of him and ran toward his companionswho had gathered in a group some distance from the tent.
"Shoot it! It tried to eat me up!" he yelled.
Jerry fired point blank, but he evidently missed for the black object,dimly seen in the shadows cast by the lantern seemed to flop away. Aninstant later a loud splash told that it had entered the river.