Paddling under Palmettos — page 293: what you’re looking at

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

284 Paddling Under Palmettos. merous moccasins might try to force an entrance, and such unwelcome visitors were not to be toler- ated. All of them were glad when morning came, so that they might proceed. An early start was made, and they were glad when a little lake opened before their eyes. Upon this body of water they ate lunch and camped at the farther side, in order to avoid spend- ing another night in the canal. During the next day they made the second lake, and again found a camping spot upon the shore. They were now ready to descend from the head- waters of the Caloosahatchee River to the gulf, hav- ing met some men with a dredge in the canal, and learned all that was necessary from them. ‘“Here’s our last camp-fire in the heart of Flor- ida,’ said Ned, a little dejected, as they sat around the cheery blaze that night. “Then you think we will reach Fort Myers to- morrow?” asked Archie. “We'll make a big try for it.” “That means an early start?” esl: GomicbooksrGo