"We've made ourselves at home," said Mabel. "Oh, whoever you are, can you show us the way out of this wilderness?"
"Kin I show yo' all a way outen dish yeah woods? I shore kin, honey lamb! I knows dish yeah place laik a book, even if I cain't read. Where all does yo' all want t' go? Oh, wait a minute, though. Hole on! I done got t' ax yo' all some questions. Hab yo' all seen any photographers round 'bout yeah?"
"Yais, sah! I done passed a steamer yist'day, an' dey all on board was monstrous peeved 'cause dey done lost der photographer. Yo' all know--he takes dese pictures dat twinkle laik stars--yo' know, slidin' pictures, I guess dey calls 'em."
"Do you mean moving pictures?" asked Russ, eagerly.
"Uh, huh! Dat's what I means, honey. All on board dish yeah steamer was pow'ful worried case de moving picture man an' some oders got lost. Yo' all didn't see 'em; did yo' all?"
"We're them!" cried Alice, with a justifiable disregard of grammar.
"And can you take us to that steamer?" asked Ruth, eagerly.
"I shore can, honey lamb; but it's quite a far way t' row t'night."
"We can go in the motor boat!" cried Mabel. "Oh, how glad I am that we have it. There's gasoline enough, I think, and there is a powerful searchlight. Oh, Helen, we're found--we're found!" and she fell to sobbing on her sister's shoulder.
Ruth and Alice, too, clasped their arms about each other. All their troubles seemed over now.
"Do you think you can pilot us to that steamer?" asked Russ.
"I shore can, honey lamb!" chuckled the old negro. "I'se libbed in dese waters boy an' man all mah life. Yo' can't lose me!"
"And is this your place?" asked Mrs. Maguire, pointing to the palm hut.
"Dat's what it am, honey lamb. Uh, huh! I comes heah t' hunt alligators an' sea cows. Sometimes I stays fer a week at a time. I jest come up now t' see if dere any traces of 'gators. I'se gwine t' start in huntin' next week."
"Oh, isn't he a dear!" laughed Alice, with tears of joy in her eyes.
"Well, I guess you can postpone your investigation for a while," suggested Russ. "It's getting dark, Uncle, and we'd like to get back to the steamer. Now, if you'll pilot us we'll pay you well, and see that you get back in the morning. You can stay on the _Magnolia_ to-night--if we find her."