“What sort of land have we struck, Rose?”
“Can’t tell, dad,” was the reply. “It’s solid enough at any rate, judging by the way the _Wanderer_ hit it. The searchlight doesn’t show anything but trees, does it Ponto?”
“No, indeedy,” replied a negro. “But, ’scuse me, Miss Rose, I done thought I seed some pursons a minute ago when I done flashed de lantern straight ahead.”
“Persons, Ponto? Then for mercy sakes, flash it that way again, and perhaps they’ll tell us where we are.”
Once more the searchlight shone in the faces of the boys and the professor, and this time the girl, who had been speaking to the negro, saw the travelers.
“Can you tell us where we are?” she called, raising her voice to be heard above the roar of the storm.
“On an island in Lake Kissimmee,” replied Jerry. “What boat is that?”
“What is it, Rose?” called another girl’s voice from somewhere in the darkness back of the lantern.
“Girls! Girls!” exclaimed the voice of the gentleman aboard the _Wanderer_. “Stop that chattering! If there are persons out in the rain why don’t you ask them to come aboard out of the storm? Ponto, run out the gangplank!”
There was a creaking of ropes and the rumble of a plank being hauled across the deck.
“Excuse me,” spoke the one who had been called Rose, addressing the three boys and the professor. “Won’t you come aboard out of the wet?”
“Thank you, I believe we will,” answered Jerry, and, as the plank which the negro thrust out touched the bank Jerry stepped on it, followed by his chums and Mr. Snodgrass. A moment later they were under the shelter of the houseboat, standing at the entrance to a snug little cabin, in which were three young ladies and an elderly gentleman.
“Glad to welcome you,” said the man. “My name is Nathan Seabury. These are my daughters, Rose, Nellie and Olivia,” indicating each one in turn. “We are traveling about on this houseboat. The girls pretend it is for my health, but I strongly suspect it is for their own.”
“Now father!” exclaimed Olivia, whom Jerry decided was the prettiest of the three, “you know you’re not well, and it’s time for your medicine.”
“Not until morning, young lady!” and Mr. Seabury winked at the professor.
“Allow me to introduce myself and these boys,” spoke Mr. Snodgrass, handing out a card, inscribed with his name and the initials of the various societies to which he belonged. Then he gave the names of the boys, and briefly told of their travels.