He tried to do it but found the task was beyond his strength. Pull, push and tug as he did he could not stir the boat. The stern, with the screw, was still in deep water and he started the engine on the reverse, hoping to be able to have the craft move out further into the lake under its own power. But though the propeller churned the water the craft did not budge.
“It’s no use,” remarked Ned. “I’ll have to wait until Jerry and the professor come back. I wonder what makes the water flow away? It can’t be the tide.”
He was much puzzled, and the more he thought of it the more he was alarmed. Suppose the lake should suddenly go dry? It would be impossible to get the _Dartaway_ to Lake Okeechobee in that case and they would have to abandon the craft in the everglades. Worse than that they would have hard work in leaving Florida, as they were in an uninhabited part.
“We certainly are up against it!” exclaimed Ned, as he shut off the engine after his fruitless attempt. “What in the world am I going to do?”
There was no one to answer his question, and once more he sat down despondently in front of the tent and gazed at the receding water.
It was beginning to get dusk and Ned knew it would soon be dark as there was practically no twilight in this semi-tropical land.
“I wish Jerry would come back,” he murmured. “I don’t like the idea of staying here alone with Bob all night.”
He went into the tent to give the patient a drink. As he was coming out he heard the crackling of underbrush. It indicated the approach of some one. Ned hurried to the flap of the tent. He saw through the semi-darkness a figure approaching.
“No. I went as far as I could. The path ended in a deep swamp and I couldn’t see any way to get across. I had to come back. Is everything all right?”
“No, Jerry. I’m afraid we’re in for a streak of bad luck.”
“I hardly know myself. Either it’s connected with the ocean and the tide is falling, or the bottom has dropped out.”
“This lake isn’t connected with the tide.”
The two youths hurried down to the edge of the water. Ned pointed to the _Dartaway_. The water had receded so much that the propellor was part way out.
“You know how it was when we left it,” said Ned. “Now look at it. I tried to get the boat off into deeper water but I couldn’t. Queer, isn’t it?”
