Paddling under Palmettos — page 281: what you’re looking at

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

272 Paddling Under Palmettos. looking for a breakfast. Cranes and herons stalked along the edges of the lagoon, solemn and dignified. Some ducks floated about near the other shore, and a couple of queer old pelicans that had found their way inland were sailing along with outstretched wings close to the water line, ready to settle where the prospect seemed inviting.. The surface of the lagoon was dancing with the cool north breeze, and the little wavelets lapped the sides of the canoes as they rocked upon the bosom of the water. Archie loved to sit in the boat and look out upon the dimpled surface of the water, either with the sun or moon shining upon it. He was passionately fond of the water in its more peaceful shades. ‘Fleet ahoy, here!’ he called out. “Overslept ourselves for once,” said Dick as his head came into view. The captain had been up once with the fire, and all it needed was a little wood thrown among the em- bers, when the flames sprung up again. Soon the coffee was boiling, the fish frying, and the bacon done to a turn. Gomichbooksreo