Taken by surprise by the sudden rush of Mr. Hammond and his men those in charge of the Everglade camp, and the miserable creatures they held in virtual bondage, offered little resistance. There was neither time nor chance for any.

Well armed, but fortunately not being obliged to use their weapons, the men from the orange grove made such a show of strength that resistance seemed out of the question.

The camp, as the girls saw afterward, was merely a collection of miserable huts. Some were better than others, and it was to these that the rescuers turned their attention, for in them were the "bosses" of the camp.

Mr. Hammond and his men made a rush for these, and, surrounding them, called on those within to surrender. At first there was sleepy-eyed surprise as the rough men ran out. Some showed a disposition to fight, but Mr. Hammond coolly said:

"It\'s of no use, men. We\'ve got you just where we want you, and we\'re enough in num[186]bers to take you all prisoners. We only want a couple of young fellows you have here."

"We\'ve a right to all the help we have!" growled the leader of the campers: "We\'ve got the papers to show it, too!"

"I don\'t doubt but what you\'ve got papers—forged ones, though," replied Mr. Hammond sternly. "We won\'t dispute that. But you haven\'t any papers for my man, Tom Osborne."

"Tom Osborne—your man—was he the one that——"

The leader began thus, but he did not finish. He saw the damaging admission he was about to make.

"Yes, Tom Osborne!" exclaimed Mr. Hammond. "I say Tom, where are you?" he called, loudly.

"Here, Mr. Hammond!" was a shout from a distant shack. "Are the young ladies all right?"

"Yes, they\'re here to help rescue you. Tumble over there, some of you," directed Mr. Hammond to his men, "and let Tom out. Break in the door!"

"I say now!" began the leader of the campers, "that won\'t do——"

"That\'s enough from you," warned Mr. Hammond sternly. "Smash in that door, men!"

A little later Tom Osborne, rather forlorn and[187] miserable from his night\'s imprisonment in a tumble-down shack, walked out, his bonds having been cut.

"Now for your friend, Harry," said Mr. Hammond to The Loon. "We must get him out next."

"There\'s some young fellow in the shack next to where I was," said Tom Osborne. "I heard him talking to himself early in the evening, but not since daylight. I guess he\'s the one you mean."

A rush was made for the wretched place, and the door was burst in, but the hut was empty.

"He\'s gone!" cried The Loon. "They\'ve taken him to some other place. Oh, I\'ll never be able to keep my word to him!"

"We\'ll find him," declared Mr. Hammond. "I do............