internal" href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@42066@[email protected]#xxiv">XXIV Mote in the Eye, and How It Was Removed--Conch Trumpet and Signals--Tramp--Alarm

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

XXVI Crutches in Demand--Curing Venison--Pemmican--Scalding Off a Porker's Hair with Leaves and Water--Turkey Trough--Solitary Watching--Force of Imagination--Fearful Encounter--Different Modes of Repelling Wild Beasts

XXVII Turkey-Pen--Sucking Water Through Oozy Sand--Exploring Tour--Appearance of the Country--"Madame Bruin"--Soldier's Remedy for Chafed Feet--Night in the Woods--Prairie--Indian Hut--Fruit Trees--Singular Spring

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

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

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

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

XXXII Christmas Morning--Voyage--Valuable Discovery--Hostile Invasion--Robbery--Masterly Retreat--Battle at Last--A Quarrel Requires Two Quarrellers--The Ghost's Visit

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

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

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

XXXVI Successful Work--Excursion--The Fish-Eagle--Different Methods of Procuring Fire--Woodsman's Shelter Against Rain and Hail--Novel Refuge from Falling Trees

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

XXXVIII Voyage Round the Island--The Lost Boat--Strange Signals Again--Hurricane--Night March--Helpless Vessel--Melancholy Fate--The Rescue--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 between the creature's eyes

They were not two hours in reaching the proposed landing place

THE YOUNG MAROONERS

CHAPTER I

THE COMPANY AND THEIR EMBARKATION

On Saturday, the 21st of August, 1830, a small but beautiful brig left the harbour of Charleston, South Carolina, bound for Tampa Bay, Florida. On board were nine passengers; Dr. Gordon, his three children, Robert, Mary, and Frank; his sister's son, Harold McIntosh, and four servants.

Dr. Gordon was a wealthy physician, who resided, during the winter, upon the seaboard of Georgia, and during the summer upon a farm in the mountains of that beautifully varied and thriving State. His wife was a Carolinian, from the neighbourhood of Charleston. Anna Gordon, his sister, married a Col. McIntosh, who, after residing for twelve years upon a plantation near the city of Montgomery, in Alabama, died, leaving his widow with three children, and an encumbered estate. Soon after her widowhood, Dr. Gordon paid her a visit, for the two-fold purpose of condolence and of aiding in the settlement of her affairs. She was so greatly pleased with the gentlemanly bearing and the decided intelligence of Robert, who on this occasion