Paddling under Palmettos — page 269: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

260 ~~ Paddling Under Palmettos. expected, a stiff head wind. Against this they bucked for five mortal hours, making wet progress. It was hard work, but anything was better than paddling, so they kept it up until three in the after- noon. As the wind was still rising and clouds gathering beyond threatened a wild night, they looked around for some place of shelter. For once it was lacking. Night was coming on, a night that threatened storm, and the only islands within the range of their vision were small patches covered with bushes. “We're in for it,” said Ned, grimly. It seemed so, and again did they realize a truth they had learned upon the Indian River—that in the end it does not pay to beat against a head wind. They were not to be daunted by trifles, however, and made the most of a bad bargain. Since they could not have what they wanted, they took what they could get, and did the best with it. Working to the lee side of the largest island, they tied up to the stoutest bushes with cables, and then threw out a stern anchor—the same tactics so often carried out on the Halifax and Indian Rivers, only Gomicbooks (E(0) m