Part 22 (1/2)

”Nonsense, I am enjoying it,” his chum protested, ”everything about this swamp is so novel and strange. See those cute little turtles on every log, and those curious looking smoke-birds, and did you ever see anything more beautiful than those trees with their hanging moss and with every bough full of orchids of every color of the rainbow?”

Walter ceased his paddling for several minutes and the canoe drifted slowly on while the two boys gazed with delight at the novel beauty that surrounded them. The dark, stagnant water through which they drifted was nearly hidden from view by great white and gold water-lilies and the b.u.t.terfly flowers of water hyacinths, the trees on either side stood like beautiful gray ghosts under their festoons of Spanish moss through which flashed the blazing hues of flowering orchids. Brilliant-hued paroquets and other birds flitted amongst the tree-tops, while to finish the delicious languor of the scene the air hung heavy with the subtle, drowsy scent of wild jasmine.

”It is the great swamp in its happiest mood,” observed Charley, ”but even here under all this beauty are hidden countless serpents and crawling things, while everywhere under this fair appearance lurks fever and disease.”

Walter resumed his paddle with a sigh of regret and sent the canoe flying around a point and away from the scene of beauty. Here the stream widened out to about half a mile in width and increased in breadth as they advanced. Half a mile ahead lay the island they were seeking, its banks rising high above the great lagoon in which it lay.

It was about four hundred acres in extent and its sh.o.r.es were covered with a dense tropical growth. Between it and the canoe was another tiny island about two hundred yards distant from its big sister.

Between the boys and the smaller island floated a score of dark ma.s.ses like the roots of trees.

”Alligators,” declared Walter as they drew nearer to the floating objects.

”I am not so sure about that,” said Charley, who was watching the objects with closest attention. ”Sheer off, Walt, and give them as wide a berth as possible.”

He watched with anxiety as two or three of the strange creatures, as though impelled by curiosity, swam lazily out towards the canoe. ”Give way, Walt,” he cried, ”paddle as fast as you can.”

Under Walter's vigorous strokes the canoe shot past the lazily swimming creatures whose curiosity did not appear to be great enough to induce them to increase their exertions.

When they were left behind Charley heaved a sigh of relief. ”They are crocodiles,” he explained, seeing his chum's look of surprise.

”Alligators are harmless, generally speaking, but if one of those fellows should upset you, you'd be chewed up into mince meat in a jiffy. But here's island number one. I guess we do not care about landing there now, do we? The bigger one looks far more promising, let's try it first.”

Walter gave ready a.s.sent, and they pa.s.sed by the little island with only a casual glance.

In a few minutes more they had left it behind and had drawn close to its bigger sister. Choosing a place at which the timber seemed thinnest they ran the canoe up on sh.o.r.e and fastened it securely.

With guns in hand they scrambled up the high bank and stood for a moment surveying the surroundings. From that elevation, they could see quite clearly for a couple of miles in each direction. Save for the little island they had pa.s.sed they could see no other solid land within the range of their vision.

Charley noted the fact with satisfaction. ”The solution of our mystery must lie on one of these two islands,” he declared, ”and the chances are in favor of this one, so here goes to discover it,” and he plunged into the timber with Walter close at his heels. He had taken no more than twenty steps when he stopped with an exclamation of surprise and astonishment, his way was barred by a great wall of stone that towered several feet above his head. It had once been a fortification of considerable strength, but growing trees had made breaches in it here and there, their thrusting, up-growing trunks tumbling its blocks to the ground, where they lay hidden by covering vines.

”Whew,” whistled Walter as he readied his chumps side, ”who could have built this? It could hardly have been done by the Seminoles.”

”No,” said Charley, who was examining the strange wall carefully, ”this stone is all limestone, which is found only along the coast or at a great depth. It has been brought here from a considerable distance.

Indians may have done the work, but they never did it willingly. If they did it at all, it was as slaves. But we have no time for idle speculation. Let's walk along it and see how far it extends.”

But after forcing their way along the wall for almost a quarter of a mile, at the expense of a good deal of exertion, they gave up the task.

”I believe it extends clear around the island,” Walter declared, ”we can't spare any more time to follow it up; it's noon already. Let's see what is inside.”

Charley offered no objection, and the two boys climbed through a gap in the wall and reached the great enclosure.

At first glance, they could see but little difference between the dense growth amongst which they stood and that outside the wall, but a closer examination showed that, while the timber was very thick, it was of smaller size than that which they had left behind.

”This was a clearing at one time, years and years ago,” Charley said, ”see, there is an ironwood stump there that still shows the signs of an axe. It takes generations and generations for one of those stumps to rot.”

”Look, Charley,” cried his chum who had pushed a little ahead, ”just see this.”

A couple of strides brought Charley to his side, ”A road,” he cried in amazement.

Straight as an arrow, it extended before them into the depth of the forest. So well and carefully had its smooth surface been laid that even the a.s.saults of time and the forest had been unable to dislodge the great blocks of stone of which it was composed. Vines and creepers had grown over its surface and the forest trees had met in solid ma.s.s above it, but still it lay intact, a triumph of road building, as solid and strong as when built.