The Young Marooners on the Florida Coast Read online

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER

  I The Company and Their Embarkation

  II Mother Carey's Chickens--Fishing for Trout--Saw-Fish--Frank and theShark--Looming--Tom Starboard--The Nautilus--Arrival at Tampa

  III Tampa Bay--Bellevue--Unloading--A Dangerous Cut--How to Stop aBleeding Artery--Tom Starboard Again

  IV Confusion--Housekeeping in a Hurry--First Night on Shore--Company toDinner--"Blue Eyed Mary"--Robert at Prayer-Meeting--Danger of Descendingan Old Well--Recovering a Knife Dropped in a Well

  V Riley--A Thunderstorm--Ascertaining the Distance of Objects bySound--Security Against Lightning--Means of Recovering Life fromApparent Death by Lightning

  VI The Only Way to Study--Taking Cold--Riley's Family--The HareLip--Fishing for Sheephead--Frank Choked with a Fish Bone--HisRelief--His Story of the Sheep's Head and Dumplings--"Till the Warfareis Over"

  VII Bug in the Ear--Visit to Fort Brooke--Evading Blood-Hounds--Contestwith Dogs and Means of Defence--Amusing Escape from a Wild Bull andConversation on the Subject

  VIII Marooning and the Marooning Party

  IX Embarkation--Abduction Extraordinary--Efforts to Escape--AlternativeHopes and Fears--Despair--Vessel in the Distance--Renewed Hopes andEfforts--Water-Spout--Flash of Lightning and its Effects--Making forShore--Grateful Acknowledgments

  X Waking Up--Good Resolutions--Alarm--Marooning Breakfast--Search forWater--Unexpected Gain--Oyster Bank--Fate of a Raccoon--The Plume andFan

  XI Discussion Of Plans--Doubts--Differences of Opinion--What Was AgreedUpon--Baking a Turkey Without an Oven--Flying Signal

  XII Results of the Cookery--Voyage--Appearance of the Country--OrangeTrees--The Bitter Sweet--Rattlesnake--Usual Signs for Distinguishing aFanged And Poisonous Serpent--Various Methods of Treating a SnakeBite--Return

  XIII Disappointment--The Live Oak--Unloading--FishingExcursion--Harold's Still Hunt--Disagreeable Means to an Agreeable End

  XIV Frank's Excuses--Curing Venison--Marooning Cookery--Robert'sVegetable Garden--Plans for Return--Preparation for the Sabbath

  XV Their First Sabbath on the Island, and the Night and Morning thatsucceeded

  XVI A Sad Breakfast--Sagacity of Dogs--Search for the Boat--ExcitingAdventure--A Pretty Pet--Unexpected Intelligence

  XVII Mary and Frank--Examination of the Tent--SmokeSignal--Devices--Brute Messenger--Raft--Blazing theTrees--Voyage--Disastrous Expedition--News from Home--Return to the Tent

  XVIII Night Landing--Carrying a Wounded Person--Setting One's Own Limbswhen Broken--Splinting a Limb--Rest to the Weary

  XIX The Surprise and Disappointment--Naming the Fawn--Sam'sStory--Depression After Excitement--Great Misfortune

  XX Speculations and Resolves--Fishing--Inventory of Goods andChattels--Roasted Fish--Palmetto Cabbage--Tour--Sea-Shells, TheirUses--The Pelican--Nature of the Country--Still Hunting--Wild TurkeysAgain--Work on the Tent

  XXI Rainy Day--The Kitchen and Fire--Hunting the Opossum

  XXII Frank and His "Pigs"--The Cage--Walk on the Beach--ImmenseCrawfish--The Museum--Naming the Island

  XXIII Their Second Sabbath on the Island, and the Way They Spent It

  XXIV Mote in the Eye, and How It Was Removed--Conch Trumpet andSignals--Tramp--Alarm

  XXV A Hunter's Misfortune--Relief to a Sprain--How to Avoid Being Lostin the Woods, and to Recover One's Course After being Lost--A Still Hunt

  XXVI Crutches in Demand--Curing Venison--Pemmican--Scalding Off aPorker's Hair with Leaves and Water--Turkey Trough--SolitaryWatching--Force of Imagination--Fearful Encounter--Different Modes ofRepelling Wild Beasts

  XXVII Turkey-Pen--Sucking Water Through Oozy Sand--ExploringTour--Appearance of the Country--"Madame Bruin"--Soldier's Remedy forChafed Feet--Night in the Woods--Prairie--Indian Hut--FruitTrees--Singular Spring

  XXVIII Plans--Visit to the Prairie--Discoveries--Shoe Making--Waterfowl

  XXIX Removal to the Prairie--Night Robbery--Fold--DangerousTrap--Mysterious Signals--Bitter Disappointment

  XXX Best Cure for Unavailing Sorrow--Mary's Adventure with aBear--Novel Defence--Protecting the Tent

  XXXI Hard Work--Labour-Saving Device--Discovery as to the Time of theYear--Schemes For Amusement--Tides on the Florida Coast

  XXXII Christmas Morning--Voyage--Valuable Discovery--HostileInvasion--Robbery--Masterly Retreat--Battle at Last--A Quarrel RequiresTwo Quarrellers--The Ghost's Visit

  XXXIII The Cubs--Voyage to the Wreck--Stores--Horrid Sights--TryingPredicament--Prizes--Return--Frank Needs Another Lecture

  XXXIV Second Voyage to the Wreck--Fumigating Again--More MinuteExamination--Return--Accident--Dangers of Helping A DrowningPerson--Recovering a Person Apparently Drowned

  XXXV Household Arrangements--Third Visit to the Wreck--RainyWeather--Agreement About Work--Mary in Great Danger--Extinguishing Fireon One's Dress--Relief to a Burn--Conversation

  XXXVI Successful Work--Excursion--The Fish-Eagle--Different Methods ofProcuring Fire--Woodsman's Shelter Against Rain and Hail--Novel Refugefrom Falling Trees

  XXXVII Launching the Boats--More Work, and Yet More--Eclipse of Feb.12th, 1831--Healing By "First Intention"--Frank's Birthday--Preparingfor a Voyage--Rain, Rain

  XXXVIII Voyage Round the Island--The Lost Boat--Strange SignalsAgain--Hurricane--Night March--Helpless Vessel--Melancholy Fate--TheRescue--Marooners' Hospitality--Conclusion

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  "Hallo!" cried Harold, his own voice husky with emotion . . ._Frontispiece_

  The company went together to the sea shore and planted the signal

  Deliberately taking aim, he discharged the whole load of bullets betweenthe creature's eyes

  They were not two hours in reaching the proposed landing place

  THE YOUNG MAROONERS