As for water, some had been brought along, but, luckily, after this was exhausted Russ managed to find a spring on shore, not far from where the boat was moored.

“We’ll have to take a chance on it,” he said.  “Anyhow, boiling the water for coffee will kill all the germs in it.”

“And we can’t be too particular,” agreed Mrs. Maguire.

The embers of the camp fire kindled in the night were blown into flame, and soon a genial blaze was leaping upward under the big trees.  The refugees gathered about it and ate the scanty meal, drinking several cups of coffee.

“That will keep us up, and help to ward off fevers which may lurk in these swamps,” said Paul.

The girls had freshened themselves by washing at the side of the brook which flowed from the spring, and then having arranged their hair, with the aid of their side combs, and a pocket mirror Alice carried, they looked, as Paul said, “as sweet as magnolia blossoms.”

“Oh, magnolias!” cried Ruth.  “If we could only find our Magnolia—­the steamer!”

“Oh, we’ll find her,” said Russ, easily—­more easily than he felt.

“We look like wrecks beside the girls,” declared Paul, as he ran his hand over his unshaven chin.

“Don’t you dare desert us to look for a barber!” commanded Ruth.  “To be left alone in these woods—­ugh!” and she shuddered as she looked about.  Certainly it was very lonely.

“It isn’t as bad as last night, though,” said Alice.  “I feel quite at home, now.  I wonder what became of that animal you shot, Russ?  I’d like to see what it was.”

“I wouldn’t,” declared Ruth, decidedly.

Breakfast over, the blankets and cushions of the boat were spread out in the sun to dry, for they were damp from the rain and dew.

“And now the question is—­what are we to do?” asked Mrs. Maguire.  “We don’t want to spend another night in the woods if we can help it.”

“I should say not!” cried Russ.  “We’ll start off in a little while and make our way back to the steamer.”

“Can you find it?” asked Ruth.

“Well, it can’t be so very far off,” spoke Russ, evasively.  “The trouble is there are so many twists and turns to these creeks and rivers that we lost our way.  I wish I had thought to bring a compass but, since we didn’t, we’ll have to go by the sun.  I think the steamer lies in that general neighborhood,” and he pointed in a south-easterly direction.

“I think so, too,” agreed Paul.  “And if we row that way I think we’ll get back.”

Alice, who had gone over to the sunny spot where the blankets and cushions had been put to dry, uttered an exclamation.

“Look!” she cried, and when Paul reached her side she pointed to some bright red spots on the leaves.

“That’s blood!” cried the young actor.  “Russ, you winged that beast last night, all right.”

“Is that so?  Let’s have a look for him!  Maybe I killed him.  I’d like to see what sort of a creature it was.”