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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15904.txt b/15904.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..353485b --- /dev/null +++ b/15904.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7854 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Rover Boys on the River, by Arthur Winfield + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Rover Boys on the River + The Search for the Missing Houseboat + +Author: Arthur Winfield + +Release Date: May 25, 2005 [EBook #15904] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER *** + + + + +Produced by W. R. Marvin + + + + + + +The Rover Boys on the River + +The Search for the Missing Houseboat + +By + +Arthur Winfield + + + + +CONTENTS + + I. Plans for an Outing + II. On the way to Putnam Hall + III. The Doings of a Night + IV. What the Morning Brought Forth + V. For and Against + VI. Link Smith's Confession + VII. Fun on the Campus + VIII. Good-bye to Putnam Hall + IX. The Rover Boys at Home + X. A Scene in a Cemetery + XI. Attacked from Behind + XII. Flapp and Baxter Plot Mischief + XIII. Chips and the Circus Bills + XIV. Fun at the Show + XV. Acts Not on the Bills + XVI. Aleck Brings News + XVII. A Queer Captain + XVIII. On Board the Houseboat + XIX. Words and Blows + XX. Days of Pleasure + XXI. The Disappearance of the Houseboat + XXII. Dan Baxter's Little Game + XXIII. A Run in the Dark + XXIV. The Horse Thieves + XXV. Plotting Against Dora and Nellie + XXVI. The Search on the River + XXVII. Caught Once More +XXVIII. A Message for the Rovers + XXIX. Jake Shaggam, of Shaggam Creek + XXX. The Rescue--Conclusion + + + +INTRODUCTION + +My dear boys: "The Rover Boys on the River" is a complete story in +itself, but forms the ninth volume of "The Rover Boys Series for Young +Americans." + +Nine volumes! What a great number of tales to write about one set of +characters! When I started the series I had in mind, as I have +mentioned before, to write three, or possibly, four books. But the +gratifying reception given to "The Rover Boys at School," soon made the +publishers call for the second, third, and fourth volumes, and then +came the others, and still the boys and girls do not seem to be +satisfied. I am told there is a constant cry for "more! more!" and so I +present this new Rover Boys story, which tells of the doings of Dick, +Tom, and Sam and their friends during an outing on one of our great +rivers,--an outing full of excitement and fun and with a touch of a +rather unusual mystery. During the course of the tale some of the old +enemies of the Rover Boys turn up, but our heroes know, as of old, how +to take care of themselves; and all ends well. + +In placing this book into the hands of my young readers I wish once +more to thank them for the cordial reception given the previous +volumes. Many have written to me personally about them, and I have +perused the letters with much satisfaction. I sincerely trust the +present volume fulfills their every expectation. + +Affectionately and sincerely yours, + +ARTHUR M. WINFIELD. + + + + +THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER + + + + +CHAPTER I + +PLANS FOR AN OUTING + + +"Whoop! hurrah! Zip, boom, ah! Rockets!" + +"For gracious' sake, Tom, what's all the racket about? I thought we had +all the noise we wanted last night, when we broke up camp." + +"It's news, Dick, glorious news," returned Tom Rover, and he began to +dance a jig on the tent flooring. "It's the best ever." + +"It won't be glorious news if you bring this tent down on our heads," +answered Dick Rover. "Have you discovered a gold mine?" + +"Better than that, Dick. I've discovered what we are going to do with +ourselves this summer." + +"I thought we were going back to the farm, to rest up, now that the +term at Putnam Hall is at an end." + +"Pooh! Who wants to rest? I've rested all I wish right in this +encampment." + +"Well, what's the plan? Don't keep us in 'suspenders,' as Hans Mueller +would say." + +"Dear old Hansy! That Dutch boy is my heart's own!" cried Tom, +enthusiastically. "I could not live without him. He must go along." + +"Go along where?" + +"On our outing this summer?" + +"But where do you propose to go to, Tom?" + +"For a trip on the broad and glorious Ohio River." + +"Eh?" + +"That's it, Dick. We are to sail the briny deep of that river in a +houseboat. Now, what do you think of that?" + +"I'd like to know what put that into your head, Tom," came from the +tent opening, and Sam Rover, the youngest of the three brothers, +stepped into view. + +"Uncle Randolph put it into my head, not over half an hour ago, Sam. +It's this way: You've heard of John V. Black of Jackville?" + +"The man that owed Uncle Randolph some money?" + +"Exactly. Well, Black is a bankrupt, or next door to it. He couldn't +pay Uncle Randolph what was coming to him, so he turned over a +houseboat instead. She's a beauty, so I am told, and she is called the +_Dora_--" + +"After Dora Stanhope, of course," interrupted the youngest Rover, with +a quizzical look at his big brother Dick. + +"Now look here, don't you start in like that, Sam," came quickly from +Dick, with a blush, for the girl mentioned was his dearest friend and +had been for some years. "Tell us about this houseboat, Tom," he went +on. + +"The houseboat is now located on the Ohio River, at a place not many +miles from Pittsburg. Uncle Randolph says if we wish to we can use her +this summer, and float down to the Mississippi and further yet for that +matter. And we can take along half a dozen of our friends, too." + +"Hurrah! that's splendid!" burst out Sam. "What a glorious way to spend +the best part of this summer! Let us go, and each take a chum along." + +"Father says if we go we can take Alexander Pop along to do the cooking +and dirty work. The houseboat is now in charge of an old river-man +named Captain Starr, who knows the Ohio and Mississippi from end to +end, and we can keep him on board." + +"It certainly looks inviting," mused Dick Rover. "It would take us +through a section of the country we haven't as yet seen, and we might +have lots of sport, fishing, and swimming, and maybe hunting. How many +will the houseboat accommodate?" he added. + +"Twelve or fourteen, on a pinch." + +"Then we could have a jolly crowd. The question is, who are you going +to take along? We can't take all of our friends, and it would seem a +shame to ask some and not others." + +"We can decide that question later, Dick. Remember, some of the +fellows already have their arrangements made for this summer." + +"I know Major Colby can't go," said Sam. "He is going to visit some +relatives in Maine." + +"And George Granbury is going up to the Thousand Islands with his +folks," put in Tom. + +"We might ask Songbird Powell," came from Dick. "I don't believe he is +going anywhere in particular." + +"Yes, we ought to have him by all means, and Hans Mueller, too. They +would be the life of the party." + +"I should like to have Fred Garrison along," said Sam. "He is always +good company. We can--" + +Sam broke off short as the roll of a drum was heard on the parade +ground outside the tent. + +"Dress parade, for the last time!" cried Dick Rover. "Come, get out and +be quick about it!" And as captain of Company A he caught up his sword +and buckled it on in a hurry, while Tom, as a lieutenant of the same +command, did likewise. + +When they came out on the parade ground of the encampment they found +the cadets of Putnam Hall hurrying to the spot from all directions. It +was a perfect day, this fifth of July, with the sun shining brightly +and a gentle breeze blowing. The camp was as clean as a whistle, and +from the tall flagstaff in front of the grounds Old Glory flapped +bravely out on the air. + +To those who have read "The Rover Boys at School," and other volumes in +this series, Dick, Tom, and Sam need no special introduction. When at +home they lived with their father and their aunt and uncle at Valley +Brook farm, pleasantly located in the heart of New York State. From +this farm they had been sent by their uncle Randolph to Putnam Hall +military academy, presided over by Captain Victor Putnam, to whom they +became warmly attached. At the academy they made many firm friends, +some of whom will be introduced in the pages which follow, and also +several enemies, among them Dan Baxter, the offspring of a criminal +named Arnold Baxter, who, after suffering for his crimes by various +terms of imprisonment, was now very sick and inclined to turn over a +new leaf and become a better man. + +A term at school had been followed by a remarkable chase on the ocean, +and then a journey to the jungles of Africa, in a hunt after Anderson +Rover, the boys' father, who was missing. Then had come a trip to a +gold mine in the West, followed by some exciting adventures on the +Great Lakes. On an island in one of the lakes they unearthed a document +relating to a treasure hidden in the Adirondack Mountains, and next +made their way to that locality, in midwinter, and obtained a box +containing gold, silver, and precious stones, much to their +satisfaction. + +After their outing in the mountains, the boys had expected to return to +Putnam Hall, but a scarlet-fever scare broke out and the institution +was promptly closed. This being the case, Mr. Rover thought it best to +allow his sons to visit California for their health. This they did, and +in the seventh volume of the series, entitled "The Rover Boys on Land +and Sea," I related how Sam, Tom, and Dick were carried off to sea +during a violent storm, in company with Dora Stanhope, already +mentioned, and her two cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning, two particular +friends of Tom and Sam. The whole party was cast away on a deserted +island, and had much trouble with Dan Baxter, who joined some sailor +mutineers. Our friends were finally rescued by a United States warship +which chanced to pass that way and see their signal of distress. + +After reaching San Francisco once more, the Rover boys had returned to +the East, while Dora Stanhope and the Lanings had gone to Santa +Barbara, where Mrs. Stanhope was stopping for her health. The scare at +Putnam Hall was now over, and in another volume of the series, called +"The Rover Boys in Camp," I related how Dick, Tom, and Sam returned to +the military academy again, and took part in the annual encampment. +Here there had been no end of good times and not a little hazing, the +most of which was taken in good part. The boys had made a new enemy in +the shape of a bully named Lew Flapp, who was finally expelled from the +school for his wrong-doings. Dan Baxter also turned up, but when the +authorities got after him he disappeared as quickly as he had done many +times before, leaving his father to his fate, as already mentioned. + +"I don't think we'll be bothered much with Dan Baxter after this," Tom +had said, but he was mistaken, as later events proved. + +Rat, tat, tat! Rat, tat, tat! went the drum on the parade ground, and +soon the three companies which comprised the Putnam Hall Battalion were +duly assembled, with Major Larry Colby in command of the whole, and +Dick at the head of Company A, Fred Garrison at the head of Company B, +and Mark Romer leading Company C. In front of all stood Captain Putnam, +the sole owner of the military institution, and George Strong, his +chief assistant. + +"The boys certainly make a fine showing, on this last day of our +encampment," said Captain Putnam to his assistant. "And a good deal of +the credit is due to you, Mr. Strong." + +"Thank you for saying so, sir," was the answer. "Yes, they look well, +and I am proud of them, Captain Putnam. I believe our military school +will compare favorably with any in the land." + +After the drill was over Captain Putnam came forward and made a rather +extended speech, in which he reviewed the work accomplished at the +academy from its first opening, as told by me in another series of +books, entitled "The Putnam Hall Series," starting with "The Putnam +Hall Cadets," down to those later days when the Rover boys appeared on +the scene. He also complimented the cadets on their excellent showing +and trusted they would all have a pleasant vacation during the summer. +This speech was followed by a short address by George Strong, and then +came a surprise when Dick Rover stepped forward. + +"Captain Putnam," said he, "in behalf of all the cadets here assembled +I wish to thank you for your kind words, which we deeply appreciate. + +"I have been chosen by my fellows to present you with this as a token +of our esteem. We trust it will prove to your liking, and that whenever +you look upon it you will remember us all." + +As Dick spoke he brought into view a fair-sized package wrapped in +tissue paper. When unrolled, it proved to be a small figure of a cadet, +done in silver and gold. On the base was the inscription: "From the +Cadets of Putnam Hall, to Their Beloved Head Master, Captain Victor +Putnam." + +After that Mr. Strong was presented with a set of Cooper's works and +the other teachers were likewise remembered. More addresses of thanks +followed, and then the battalion was dismissed for dinner. + +"It's a fine wind-up for this season's encampment," said Tom, after it +was over. "I don't believe we'll ever have another encampment like it." + +"And now, ho, for the rolling river!" cried Sam. "Say, I'm just crazy +to begin that trip on the houseboat." + +"So am I," came from both of his brothers. But they might not have been +so anxious had they dreamed of the many adventures and perils in store +for them. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ON THE WAY TO PUTNAM HALL + + +"Boys, we start the march back to Putnam Hall in fifteen minutes!" + +Such was the news which flew around the camp not long after the dinner +hour had passed. Already the tents had been taken down, the baggage +strapped, and six big wagons fairly groaned with the loads of goods to +be taken back to the military institution. + +The cadets had marched to the camp by one route and were to return to +the academy by another. All was bustle and excitement, for in spite of +the general order a few things had gone astray. + +"Weally, this is most--ah--remarkable, don't you know," came from that +aristocratic cadet named William Philander Tubbs. + +"What's remarkable, Tublets?" asked Tom, who was near by, putting away +a pair of blankets. + +"Lieutenant Rover, how many times must I--ah--tell you not to address me +as Tublets?" sighed the fashionable young cadet. + +"Oh, all right, Tubhouse, it shan't occur again, upon my honor." + +"Tubhouse! Oh, Rover, please let up!" + +"What's wrong, Billy?" + +"That is better, but it is bad enough," sighed William Philander. +"I've--ah--lost one of my walking shoes." + +"Perhaps, being a walking shoe, it walked off." + +"Maybe it got in that beefsteak we had this morning," put in Sam, with +a wink. "I thought that steak was rather tough." + +"Shoo yourself with such a joke, Sam," came from Fred Garrison. + +"Have you really lost your shoe, Tubby, dear?" sang out Songbird +Powell, the so-styled "poet" of the academy. And then he started to +sing: + +"Rub a dub dub! +One shoe on the Tubb! + Where can the other one be? +Look in your bunk +And look in your trunk, + And look in the bumble-bee tree!" + +"Whoop! hurrah! Songbird has composed another ode in Washtub's honor," +sang out Fred Garrison. "Washtub, you ought to give Songbird a dollar +for that." + +"Thanks, but I make not my odes for filthy lucre," same from Powell, +tragically, and then he continued: + +"One penny reward, +And a big tin sword, + To whoever finds the shoe. +Come one at a time, +And form in line, + And raise a hullabaloo!" + +And then a shout went up that could be heard all over the encampment. + +"I'll lend you a slipper, Tubbs," said little Harry Moss, whose shoes +were several sizes smaller than those of the aristocratic cadet. + +"Somebody get me a shingle and I'll cut Tubstand a sandal with my +jackknife," came from Tom. + +"I'll shingle you!" roared William Philander Tubbs, and rushed away to +escape his tormentors. In the end he found another shoe, but it was not +the one he wanted, for that had been rolled up in the blankets by Tom +and was not returned until Putnam Hall was reached. + +Drums and fifes enlivened the way as the cadets started for the +military academy. The march was to take the balance of that afternoon +and all of the next day. During the night they were to camp out like +regular soldiers on the march, in a big field Captain Putnam had hired +for that purpose. + +The march did not take the cadets through Oakville, so the Rover boys +did not see the friends they had made in that vicinity. They headed +directly for the village of Bramley, and then for another small +settlement named White Corners,--why, nobody could tell, since there +was not so much as a white post anywhere to be seen in that vicinity. + +"It's queer how a name sticks," declared Tom, after speaking of this to +his brother Dick. "They might rather call this Brown Corners, since +most of the houses are brown." + +At the Corners they obtained supper, which was supplied to the cadets +by the hotel keeper, who had been notified in advance of their coming. + +While they were eating a boy who worked around the stables of the hotel +watched them curiously. Afterwards this boy came up to Sam and Tom. + +"We had a cadet here yesterday who was awfully mad," said the boy. + +"Had hydrophobia, eh?" returned Tom. "Too bad!" + +"No, I don't mean that; I mean he was very angry." + +"What was the trouble?" + +"I don't know exactly, but I think he had been sent away from the +school for something or other." + +"What was his name?" + +"Lew Flapp." + +"Why, I thought he had gone home!" cried Sam. + +"So did I," answered his brother. He turned to the hotel youth. "What +was this Flapp doing here?" + +"Nothing much. He asked the boss when you were expected here." + +"Is he here now?" + +"No, he left last night." + +"Where did he go to?" + +"I don't know, but I thought I would tell you about the fellow. I think +he is going to try to do you cadets some harm." + +"Did he mention any names?" + +"He seemed to be extra bitter against three brothers named Rover." + +"Humph!" + +"Are the Rovers here?" went on the youth. + +"I think they are, sonny. I'm one, this is another, and there is the +third," and Tom pointed to Dick, who was at a distance, conversing with +some other cadets. + +"Oh, so you are the Rovers! How strange that I should speak to you of +this!" + +"Which way did this Lew Flapp go?" questioned Sam. +"Off the way you are bound." + +"I'll wager he tries to make trouble for us on our way to Putnam Hall, +Tom." + +"It's not unlikely, Sam." + +"Shall we tell Captain Putnam of this?" Tom shook his head. + +"No, let us tell Dick, though, and a few of the others. Then we can +keep our eyes peeled for Lew Flapp and, if he actually does wrong, +expose him." + +A little later Tom and Sam interviewed Dick on the subject, and then +they told Larry Colby, Fred Garrison, George Granbury, and half a dozen +others. + +"I don't believe he will do much," said Larry Colby. "He is only +talking, that's all. He knows well enough that Captain Putnam can have +him locked up, if he wants to." + +By eight o'clock that evening the field in which they were to encamp +for the night was reached. Tents were speedily put up, and half a dozen +camp-fires started, making the boys feel quite at home. The cadets +gathered around the fires and sang song after song, and not a few +practical jokes were played. + +"Hans, they tell me you feel cold and want your blood shook up," said +Tom to Hans Mueller, the German cadet. + +"Coldt, is it?" queried Hans. "Vot you dinks, I vos coldt mid der +borometer apout two hundred by der shade, ain't it? I vos so hot like I +lif in Africa alretty!" + +"Oh, Hans must be cold!" cried Sam. "Let us shake him up, boys!" + +"All right!" came from half a dozen. "Get a blanket, somebody!" + +"No, you ton't, not by my life alretty!" sang out Hans, who had been +tossed up before. "I stay py der groundt mine feets on!" And he started +to run away. + +Several went after him, and he was caught in the middle of an adjoining +cornfield, where a rough-and-tumble scuffle ensued, with poor Hans at +the bottom of the heap. + +"Hi, git off, kvick!" he gasped. "Dis ton't been no footsball game +nohow! Git off, somebody, und dake dot knee mine mouth out of!" + +"Are you warm, now, Hansy!" asked Tom. + +"Chust you wait, Tom Rofer," answered the German cadet, and shook his +fist at his tormentor. "I git square somedimes, or mine name ain't--" + +"Sauerkraut!" finished another cadet, and a roar went up. "Hans, is it +true that you eat sauerkraut three times a day when you are at home?" + +"No, I ton't eat him more as dree dimes a veek," answered Hans, +innocently. + +"Hans is going to treat us all to Limberger cheese when his birthday +comes," put in Fred Garrison. "It's a secret though, so don't tell +anybody." + +"I ton't vos eat Limberger," came from Hans. + +"Oh, Hansy!" groaned several in chorus. + +"Base villain, thou hast deceived us!" quoted Songbird Powell. "Away to +the dungeon with him!" And then the crowd dragged poor Hans through the +cornfield and back to the camp-fire once more, where he was made to sit +so close to the blaze that the perspiration poured from his round and +rosy face. Yet with it all he took the joking in good part, and often +gave his tormentors as good as they sent. + +"They tell me that William Philander Tubbs is going to Newport for the +summer," said Tom. a little later, when the cadets were getting ready +to retire. "Just wait till he gets back next Fall, he'll be more dudish +than ever." + +"We ought to tame him a little before we let him go," said Sam. + +"Right you are, Sam. But what can we do? Nearly everything has been +tried since we went into camp." + +"I have a plan, Tom." + +"All right; let's have it." + +"Why not black Tubby up while he is asleep?" + +"Sam, you are a jewel. But where are we to get the lamp-black?" + +"I've got it already. I put several corks in the camp-fire, and burnt +cork is the best stuff for blacking up known." + +"Right again. Oh, but we'll make William Philander look like a regular +negro minstrel. And that's not all. After the job is done we'll wake +him up and tell him Captain Putnam wants to see him at once." + +Several boys were let into the secret, and then all waited impatiently +for Tubbs to retire. This he soon did, and in a few minutes was sound +asleep. + +"Now then, come on," said Sam, and led the way to carry out the +anticipated fun. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE DOINGS OF A NIGHT + + +As luck would have it, William Philander Tubbs just then occupied a +tent alone, his two tent-mates being on guard duty for two hours as was +the custom during encampment. + +The aristocratic cadet lay flat on his back, with his face and throat +well exposed. + +"Now, be careful, Sam, or you'll wake him up," whispered Tom. + +One cadet held a candle, while Sam and Tom blackened the face of the +sleeping victim of the joke. The burnt cork was in excellent condition +and soon William Philander looked for all the world like a coal-black +darkey. + +"Py chimanatics, he could go on der stage py a nigger minstrel +company," was Hans Mueller's comment. + +"Makes almost a better nigger than he does a white man," said Tom, +dryly. + +"Wait a minute till I fix up his coat for him," said Fred Garrison, and +turned the garment inside out. + +A moment later all of the cadets withdrew, leaving the tent in total +darkness. Then one stuck his head in through the flap. + +"Hi, there, Private Tubbs!" he called out. "Wake up!" + +"What--ah--what's the mattah?" drawled the aristocratic cadet, sleepily. + +"Captain Putnam wants you to report to him or to Mr. Strong at once," +went on the cadet outside, in a heavy, assumed voice. + +"Wants me to report?" questioned Tubbs, sitting up in astonishment. + +"Yes, and at once. Hurry up, for it's very important." + +"Well, this is assuredly strange," murmured William Philander to +himself. "Wonder what is up?" + +He felt around in the dark for a light, but it had been removed by Tom +and so had all the matches. + +"Beastly luck, not a match!" growled Tubbs, and then began to dress in +the dark. In his hurry he did not notice that his coat was inside out, +nor did he discover that his face and hands were blacked. + +Captain Putnam's quarters were at the opposite end of the camp, and in +that direction William Philander hurried until suddenly stopped by a +guard who chanced to be coming in from duty. + +"Halt!" cried the cadet. "What are you doing in this camp?" he +demanded. + +"Captain Putnam wants me," answered Tubbs, thinking the guard wanted to +know why he was astir at that hour of the night. + +"Captain Putnam wants you?" + +"Yes." + +"It's strange. How did you get in?" + +"In? In where?" + +"In this camp?" + +"Oh, Ribble, are you crazy?" + +"So you know me," said Ribble. "Well, I must say I don't know you." + +"You certainly must be crazy. I am William Philander Tubbs." + +"What! Oh, then you--" stammered Ribble, and then a light dawned on +him. "Who told you the captain wanted to see you?" + +"Some cadet who just woke me up." + +"All right, go ahead then," and Ribble grinned. Behind Tubbs he now saw +half a dozen cadets hovering in the semi-darkness, watching for sport. + +On ran William Philander, to make up for lost time, and soon arrived at +the flap of the tent occupied by Captain Putnam. + +"Here I am, Captain Putnam!" he called out. And then, as he got no +reply, he called again. By this time the captain was awake, and coming +to the flap, he peered out. + +"What do you want?" he asked, sharply. +"You sent for me, sir," stammered Tubbs. + +"I sent for you?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"I have no recollection of so doing," answered Captain Putman. "Where +are you from?" + +"From?" + +"Exactly." + +"Why, I am--ah--from this camp," answered the puzzled Tubbs. + +"Do you mean to tell me you belong here?" questioned the now astonished +master of Putnam Hall. + +"Of course, Captain Putnam. Didn't you send for me? Somebody said you +did," continued William Philander. + +"Sir, I don't know you and never heard of you, so far as I can +remember. You must be mixed up. + +"I mixed up? I guess you are mixed up," roared Tubbs, growing angry. +"If I don't belong to this camp, where do I belong?" + +"How should I know? We have no negroes here, to the best of my +knowledge." + +"Captain Putnam, what do you mean by calling me an--ah--negro?" fumed +William Philander. + +"Well, aren't you one? I can't see very well." + +"No, sir; I am not a negro, and never was a negro," answered Tubbs, +getting more and more excited. "I shall report this to my parents when +I arrive home." + +"Will you in all goodness tell me your name?" queried Captain Putnam, +beginning to realize that something was wrong. + +"You know my name well enough, sir." + +"Perhaps I do, and perhaps I don't. Answer me, please." + +"My name is William Philander Tubbs." + +"Tubbs! Is it possible!" + +"Somebody came to my tent and said you wanted to see me." + +"Well, did you think it was necessary to black up to make a call on +me?" + +"Black up?" repeated William Philander. "That is what I said?" + +"Am I black, sir?" + +"Yes, as black as coal. Look at yourself in this glass," and the +captain held out a small looking glass and also a lantern. + +When Tubbs saw himself in the glass he almost had a fit. + +"My gracious sakes alive!" he groaned. "How ridiculous! How did this +happen? Why, I look like a negro!" + +"Is anything amiss, Captain Putnam?" came from the next tent, and +George Strong appeared. + +"Nothing, excepting that Private Tubbs has seen fit to black up as a +negro and call upon me," answered the master of the academy, with a +faint smile playing around the corners of his mouth. + +"I didn't black up!" roared William Philander. "It's all a horrid joke +somebody has played on me while I was asleep! You don't want me, do +you?" + +"No, Tubbs." + +"Then I'll go back, and if I can find out who did this--" + +A burst of laughter from a distance made him break off short. + +"They're laughing at me!" he went on. "Just hear that!" + +"Go to bed, and I will investigate in the morning," answered Captain +Putnam, and William Philander went off, vowing vengeance. + +"Just wait till I find out who did it," he told himself, as he washed +up the best he could in some cold water. "I'll have them in court for +it." But he never did find out, nor did Captain Putnam's investigation +lead to any disclosures. + +William Philander's trials for that night were not yet at an end. On +the march to the camp some of the cadets had picked up a number of +burrs of fair size. A liberal quantity of these had been introduced +under the covers of Tubbs' cot immediately after he left the tent. + +Having washed up as best he could, the aristocratic cadet blew out the +light he had borrowed and prepared to retire once more. He threw back +the covers and dropped heavily upon the cot in just the spot where the +sharpest of the burrs lay. + +An instant later a wild shriek of pain and astonishment rent the air. + +"Ouch! Oh my, I'm stuck full of pins! Oh, dear me!" + +And then William Philander Tubbs leaped up and began to dance around +like a wild Indian. + +"What's the matter with you, Billy?" asked one of his tent-mates, +entering in the midst of the excitement. + +"What's the matter?" roared poor Tubbs. "Everything is the matter, +don't you know. It's an ah--outrage!" + +"Somebody told me you had blacked up as a negro minstrel and were going +to serenade your best girl." + +"It's not so, Parkham. Some beastly cadets played a joke on me! Oh, +wait till I find out who did it!" And then William Philander began to +moan once more over the burrs. It was a good quarter of an hour before +he had his cot cleaned off and fit to use once more, and even then he +was so excited and nervous he could not sleep another wink. + +"William Philander won't forget his last night with the boys in a +hurry," remarked Tom, as he slipped off to bed once more. + +"You had better keep quiet over this," came from Dick. "We don't want +to spoil our records for the term, remember." + +"Right you are, Dick. I'll be as mum as a clam climbing a huckleberry +bush." + +The boys were tired out over the march of the afternoon and over +playing the joke on Tubbs, and it was not long before all of the Rovers +were sound asleep. The three brothers had begged for permission to tent +together and this had been allowed by Captain Putnam, for the term was +virtually over, ending with the dismissal of the cadets at the last +encampment parade. + +On guard duty at one end of the field was a cadet named Link Smith, a +rather weak-minded fellow who was easily led by those who cared to +exert an influence over him. At one time Link Smith had trained with +Lew Flapp and his evil associates, but fortunately for the +feeble-minded cadet he had been called home during the time when Lew +Flapp got into the trouble which ended by his dismissal from Putnam Hall. + +Link Smith was pacing up and down sleepily when he heard a peculiar +whistle close at hand. He listened intently and soon heard the whistle +repeated. + +"The old call," he murmured to himself. At first he did not feel like +answering, but presently did so. Then from out of the gloom stalked a +tall young fellow, dressed in the uniform of a cadet but with a face +that was strangely painted and powdered. + +"Who is it?" questioned Link Smith, uneasily. + +"Don't you know me, Link?" + +"Lew Flapp!" cried the weak-minded cadet. + +"Hush, not so loud, Link. Somebody might hear you." + +"What do you want?" + +"I want to visit the camp," answered Lew Flapp. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +WHAT THE MORNING BROUGHT FORTH + + +Link Smith was much surprised by Lew Flapp's assertion that he wanted +to visit the camp during the middle of the night and when practically +everybody was asleep. + +"What do you want to come in for?" he asked, feeling fairly certain +that Flapp's mission could not be as upright and honest as desired. + +"Oh, it's all right, Link," answered the big bully, smoothly. + +"But what do you want?" + +"Well, if you must know, I want to talk to a couple of my old friends." + +"Why can't you talk to them to-morrow, after they leave school?" + +"That won't do. I want them to do something for me before they leave +the academy." + +"It's a strange request to make, Lew." + +"Oh, it's perfectly square, I assure you. You see, it's this way: I +want them to get some proofs for me,--to prove that I am not as black +as the follows reported to Captain Putnam." + +Now, it is possible that some other cadet would not have been +hoodwinked in this fashion by the bully, but Link Smith swallowed the +explanation without a second thought. + +"Oh, if that's what you want, go ahead," said he. "But don't tell +anybody I let you in." + +"I shan't say a word if you don't," answered Lew Flapp. "By the way," +he went on, with assumed indifference, "they tell me the Rover boys +have cleared out and gone home." + +"No, they haven't," was Link Smith's prompt answer.--They are right +here." + +"Are you sure, Link?" + +"Of course I am. They are bunking together in the last tent in Street +B, over yonder," and the feeble-minded cadet pointed with his hand as +he spoke. + +"Is that so! Well, I don't care. I don't want to see them again until I +can prove to Captain Putnam that they are a set of rascals." + +"Are you going to try to get into the academy again, Lew?" asked Link, +curiously. + +"Not much! I'll be done with Captain Putnam just as soon as I can show +him how he mistreated me and how the Rovers are pulling the wool over +his eyes." + +"Everybody here thinks the Rovers about perfect." + +"That's because they don't know them as well as I and Rockley do." + +A few words more passed, and then Lew Flapp slipped into the camp lines +and made his way between the long rows of tents. + +He had gained from Link Smith just the information he desired, namely, +the location of the Rover boys' sleeping quarters. He looked back, to +make certain that Link was not watching him, and then hurried on to +where the Rovers rested, totally unconscious of the proximity of their +enemy. + +"I'll show them what I can do," muttered Lew Flapp to himself. "I'll +make them wish they had never been born!" + +At last the tent was reached and with caution he opened the flap and +peered inside. All was dark, and with a hand that was none too steady +he struck a match and held it up. + +Each of the Rover boys lay sleeping peacefully on his cot, with his +clothing hung up on one of the tent poles. + +"Now for working my little plan," murmured Flapp, and allowed the match +to go out. In a second more he was inside the tent, moving around +cautiously so as not to disturb the sleepers. + +The bully remained in the tent all of ten minutes. Then he came out as +cautiously as he had entered, and fairly ran to where Link Smith was +still on guard. + +"Did you see them?" asked the feeble-minded cadet. + +"I did, and it's all right, Link. Now, don't tell anybody I visited the +camp." + +"Humph! do you think I want to get myself in trouble?" + +"Good-night." + +"Good-night." + +And in a moment more Lew Flapp was out of sight down the country +roadway and Link Smith was pacing his post as before. + +Bright and early the camp was astir, and at half-past seven o'clock a +good hot breakfast was served, the cadets pitching into the food +provided with a will. + +"And now for Putnam Hall and the grand wind-up," said Tom, as he +finished his repast. + +"And then to go home and prepare for that grand trip on the houseboat," +came from Sam. + +"Which puts me in mind that we must see who will go with us," said +Dick. + +"Songbird Powell says he is more than willing," answered Tom. "And I +know Dutchy will fall all over himself to become one of the party." + +"I think Fred Garrison will go," said Sam. "He said he would let me +know as soon as he heard from his parents." + +Captain Putnam had expected to begin the march to the Hall by half-past +eight, but there were numerous delays in packing the camping outfit, so +the battalion was not ready for the start until over an hour later. + +The cadets were just being formed to start the march when several men +appeared at the edge of the field. + +"There's them young soldiers now!" cried one. Come on and find the +rascals!" + +"What do you want, gentlemen?" demanded George Strong, who happened to +be near the crowd. + +"Who is in charge of this school?" asked one of the men. + +"Captain Victor Putnam is the owner. I am his head assistant." + +"Well, I'm Josiah Cotton, the constable of White Corners." + +"What can I do for you, Mr. Cotton?" + +"I'm after a feller named Dick Rover, and his two brothers. Are they +here?" + +"They are. What do you want of them?" + +"I'm goin' to lock 'em up if they did what I think they did." + +"Lock them up?" cried George Strong, in astonishment. + +"That's what I said. Show me the young villains." + +"But what do you think they have done?" + +"They broke into my shop an' stole some things," put in another of the +men. + +"That's right, they did," came from a third man. "Don't let 'em give ye +the slip, Josiah." + +"I ain't a-goin' to let 'em give me the slip," growled the constable +from White Corners. + +"When was your shop robbed?" demanded George Strong, of the man who had +said he was the sufferer. + +"I can't say exactly, fer I was to the city, a-buying of more goods." + +"Mr. Fairchild is a jeweler and watchmaker, besides dealing in paints, +oils, glass, an' wall paper," explained the constable. "He carries a +putty considerable stock of goods as are valuable. Yesterday, or early +last night, when he was away, his shop was broken into and robbed." + +"And what makes you think the Rovers are the thieves?" asked George +Strong. + +"We got proof," came doggedly from Aaron Fairchild. "We're certain on +it." + +By this time, seeing that something was wrong, Captain Putnam came to +the scene. In the meantime the battalion was already formed, with Major +Colby at the head and Dick in his proper position as captain of Company +A. + +"I cannot, believe that the Rover Boys are guilty of this robbery," +said the master of Putnam Hall after listening to what the newcomers +had to say. "What proof have you that they did it?" + +"This proof, for one thing," answered Josiah Cotton, and drew from his +pocket a memorandum book and the envelope to a letter. In the front of +the memorandum book was the name, Richard Rover, and the envelope was +addressed likewise. + +"The thief dropped that," went on the constable. + +"Where did you find these things?" + +"On the floor of the shop, in front of the desk." + +"Anybody might have dropped them." + +"See here, Captain Putnam, do you stand up fer shieldin' a thief?" +roared Aaron Fairchild. "To me this hull thing is as plain as the nose +on my face." + +As Aaron Fairchild's smelling organ was an unusually large one, this +caused the master of Putnam Hall to smile. But he immediately grew +grave again. + +"This is a serious matter, Mr. Fairchild. I do not wish to shield a +thief, but at the same time I cannot see one or more of my pupils +unjustly treated." + +"Are ye afraid to have 'em examined?" + +"By no means. I will call them up and you can talk to them. But I +advise you to be careful of what you say. The Rover boys come from a +family that is rich, and they can make it exceedingly warm for you if +you accuse them wrongfully." + +"Oh, I know what I'm a-doin' and the constable knows what he's +a-doin', too," answered Aaron Fairchild. + +George Strong was sent to summon Dick, Tom, and Sam, and soon came up +with the three brothers behind him. + +"Something is wrong, that is certain," murmured Dick. + +"Those men look mad enough to chew us up," answered Tom. + +"Now, boys, keep cool," cautioned George Strong. "I think some terrible +mistake has been made." + +"What's it all about, Mr. Strong?" asked Sam. + +"I'll let them explain," returned the head assistant. + +Josiah Cotton had heard Captain Putnam's words of caution to Aaron +Fairchild, and as he had a great regard for persons who were rich, and +did not want to get himself into trouble, he resolved to move with +caution. + +"I'd like to ask you three young gents a few questions," said he, as +the boys came up. "Fust, which one of you is Richard Rover?" + +"I am Richard, commonly called Dick," was the ready reply. "This is my +brother Tom, and this is Sam." + +"Very well. Now then, do you remember visitin' Mr. Fairchild's jewelry +an' paint store?" went on the constable. + +"Visiting a jewelry and paint store?" repeated Dick. "I do not. What a +combination!" + +"Perhaps he paints his jewels," put in the fun-loving Tom. + +"Don't you git funny with us!" growled Aaron Fairchild. "Let's come to +the p'int. My store was robbed, an' I'm thinking you fellers done the +deed." + +"Robbed!" echoed Sam. + +"And you think we did it," put in Dick, indignantly. "I like that!" + +"We are not thieves," said Tom. "And you ought to have your head +punched for thinking it." + +"Boys, keep cool," came from Captain Putnam. "Mr. Cotton, hadn't you +better do the talking for Mr. Fairchild?" + +"I want 'em searched," burst out Aaron Fairchild. "If they robbed my +store they must have put the stuff somewheres." + +"What makes you think we robbed you?" asked Dick. + +"This," and he was shown the memorandum book and the envelope. + +"Humph! I lost that book some weeks ago, when I had my fight with Lew +Flapp, Rockley, and the rest of that crowd that were dismissed from the +academy." + +"And what of the envelope, Richard?" asked Captain Putnam. + +"I don't remember anything about that. It probably came on a letter +from home and I must have thrown it away." + +"The book and the envelope were found on the floor of the shop that was +robbed." + +"Well, I didn't drop them there." + +"And neither did I," came from Tom. + +"Nor I," added Sam. + +"Are you going to let us search you and your belongings or not?" +demanded the constable from White Corners. + +"I don't see why you should search us," put in Tom, hotly. "It's an +outrage, to my way of thinking." + +"You had better let him make a search," came from Captain Putnam. "Then +he will see that he has made a mistake." + +"All right, search me all you please," said Sam. + +"I am of Tom's opinion, that it is an outrage," said Dick. +"Nevertheless, he can search me if he wishes." + +"Let us retire to yonder barn, out of the sight of the battalion," said +Captain Putnam. + +The constable and Aaron Fairchild were willing, and all walked to the +barn in question. + +"You can look at that first," said Dick, and unbuttoning his coat he +took it off and handed it to the constable. + +Josiah Cotton dove into one pocket after another, bringing out various +articles which were Dick's private property. + +"Any o' these yours?" he asked the jeweler. + +"Can't say as they are, Josiah," answered Aaron Fairchild. "Go on +a-huntin'. Maybe somethin' is in the linin'." + +"There is!" shouted the constable, running his hand over the padding. +He found a small hole and put in his fingers. "Here ye are!" he +ejaculated, and brought forth two plain gold rings and one set with a +topaz. + +"My property!" gasped Aaron Fairchild. "My property and I'll swear to +it! Didn't I tell ye he was a thief?" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +FOR AND AGAINST + + +All in the barn gazed in amazement at the three rings which the +constable of White Corners held in his hand. + +"I don't know how those rings got into my coat," said Dick, who was the +first to recover from the shock. + +"I am certain Dick didn't steal them," put in Tom. + +"And so am I," added Sam. "Dick, this is a plot against you." + +"It ain't no plot--it's plain facts," came from Aaron Fairchild. "Go on +an' continue the search, Josiah." + +"That's what I'm a-doin'," returned the constable. + +He felt the coat over carefully and presently brought forth another +ring and a pair of child's bracelets. + +"It's as plain as preachin'!" came from the third man, a farmer named +Gassam. "He's the thief, sure." + +"I declare upon my honor I am innocent," cried Dick, the hot blood +rushing to his face. He turned to Captain Putnam. "You don't think +I--I--" + +"I believe what you say, Captain Rover," answered the master of the +Hall, promptly. "There is assuredly some mistake here." + +"Give me your coat," said Josiah Cotton to Tom. + +The garment was handed over, and after a thorough search two small gold +stick pins were found in the middle of the back. + +"More o' my goods," cried Aaron Fairchild, triumphantly. "I can prove I +had 'em on sale not four days ago." + +Sam's coat was then examined, and from one of the sleeves came half a +dozen cheap rings and an equally cheap watchchain. + +"All mine. The case is as clear as day," said the jeweler. "Josiah, you +must lock 'em up." + +"0' course I'll lock 'em up," answered the constable. + +"Lock us up!" cried Sam, aghast. + +"Not much!" came from Tom. "I'm no thief, and I don't propose to go to +jail." + +"Boys, have you any idea how this jewelry got into your clothes?" asked +Captain Putnam. + +"No, sir," came promptly from the three. + +The rest of the Rover boys' clothing was then searched and a few more +cheap rings were brought to light. + +"Now let us go for their baggage," said the constable, and this was +done, but nothing more was found. + +It was soon buzzing around the battalion, which stood at parade rest, +that something was wrong, and then somebody whispered that the Rovers +were accused of breaking into a shop and stealing some jewelry. + +"It can't be true," said Fred Garrison. "I shall never believe it." And +a number of others said the same. But a few shrugged their shoulders-- +those who had belonged to the Lew Flapp and Dan Baxter crowd. + +"I never trusted those Rovers altogether," said one. "They have too +much money to spend." + +"Well, they are worth a good bit of money," replied another cadet. + +"This ain't a quarter of the stuff I lost," said Aaron Fairchild, after +the baggage had undergone a rigid inspection. + +"What have you done with the rest?" asked the constable of the Rovers. + +"You may think as you please," said Dick. "I am innocent and I do not +understand how that stuff got where you found it. An enemy must have +placed it there." + +"Yes, and that enemy must be the one who robbed the shop!" cried Tom. + +"It's easy enough to talk," came from Gassam, the farmer. "But you +can't go behind the evidence, as they say in court. You might just as +well confess, an' give up the rest o' the goods. Maybe if ye do that, +they'll let ye off easy." + +"What do you consider this stuff worth?" asked Dick. + +"Nigh on to thirty-five dollars," answered Aaron Fairchild. + +"How much did you lose altogether? + +"About a hundred an' sixty dollars' worth." + +"Then the real thief kept about a hundred and twenty-five dollars' +worth for himself," said Tom. + +"There can be no doubt but that one of our enemies did this," said +Sam. "The question is, which one?" + +"Perhaps Dan Baxter--or Lew Flapp," suggested Dick. + +"Yes, but how did the things get into our clothes, Tom?" + +"I give it up." + +"That sort of talk won't wash," put in the constable. "You have got to +go with me." + +"Where to?" + +"To Squire Haggerty's office." + +"I will go with you," said Captain Putnam. "This affair must be sifted +to the bottom." + +It was learned that Squire Haggerty lived two miles away. But a wagon +was handy, belonging to a nearby farmer, and this was hired to take the +whole party to the place. + +"You must take charge of the cadets," said Captain Putnam to his head +assistant. "I must see this affair through." + +"I do not believe the Rovers are guilty, sir," whispered George Strong. + +"Neither do I. This is a plot against them. The question is, who +carried the plot out?" + +Not long after this the battalion of cadets marched off on the road to +Putnam Hall while the Rovers and the others entered the big wagon. + +Inside of half an hour Squire Haggerty's home was reached. The squire +proved to be an Irishman of about fifty, who when he was not acting as +a judge did jobs of mason work in the vicinity. + +"Sure, an' it's the boldest robbery we have had in this neighborhood +for years," said the squire. "The back door av the shop was broken open +and many valuables extracted from the premises." + +"Have you any idea when the robbery was committed?" asked Captain +Putnam. + +"Not exactly Mr. Fairchild was away all day yesterday and did not get +home until nearly twelve o'clock at night." + +"Didn't he leave anybody else to run the shop?" + +"He has nobody. When he goes away he has to lock up." + +All were ushered into the squire's parlor, where he had a flat-top desk +and several office chairs. The squire had heard of Captain Putnam, and +knew of the fame of the academy, and he respected the Hall owner +accordingly. + +"I will be after hearing all the particulars of this case," said he, as +he sat down to his desk. + +In a long, rambling story Aaron Fairchild told how he had come home +from a visit to the city late the night before. He had some goods for +his shop with him and on going to the place had found the back door +broken in and everything in the shop in confusion. Jewelry and other +things to the value of a hundred and sixty dollars had been taken, and +on the floor he had found the memorandum book and the envelope. From +some boys in the hamlet he has learned that the Rover boys belonged to +the Putnam Hall cadets, and farmer Gassam had told him where to find +the young soldiers. Then he had called up the constable and set out; +with the results already related. + +"This certainly looks black for the Rover boys," said Squire Haggerty. +"How do ye account for having the goods on your persons, tell me that +now?" + +"I can account for it only in one way," said Dick. "The thief, whoever +he was, placed them there, for the double purpose of keeping suspicion +from himself and to get us into trouble." + +"Thin, if he wanted to git you into throuble, he was after being a +fellow who had a grudge against ye?" + +"That must be it," put in Captain Putnam. + +"Do ye know of any such persons?" + +"Yes, there are a number of such persons," answered Dick. And he +mentioned Dan Baxter, Flapp, Rockley, and a number of others who in the +past had proved to be his enemies. + +Following this, Captain Putnam related how Dan Baxter had escaped after +trying to harm Dick Rover and how it was that Lew Flapp was considered +an enemy and how the fellow had been dismissed from the academy, along +with several followers. Squire Haggerty listened attentively. + +"Well, if one of thim fellows robbed the shop he must have visited your +camp, too," said Squire Haggerty. "Did ye see any of thim around?" + +Captain Putnam looked inquiringly at the Rover boys. + +"I must confess I didn't see any of them," said Dick. + +"But we heard from Lew Flapp," cried Tom, suddenly. "How strange that I +didn't think of this before." + +"Where did you hear from him, Thomas?" + +"At the hotel where we stopped for supper yesterday. A boy who works +around the stables told me Flapp had been there and was very angry +because he had been sent away from the academy. The boy said Flapp +vowed he was going to get square with the Rovers for what they had +done." + +"What boy was that?" asked Josiah Cotton, with interest. + +The boy was described and, a little later, he was brought over from the +hotel. He was very much frightened and insisted upon it that he had had +nothing to do with the robbery. + +"Tell what you can about Lew Flapp," said Dick, and the boy did so. + +"That young fellow had been drinking, or else he wouldn't have talked +so much," added the lad. "He certainly said he was going to get square +with the Rover brothers." + +"Have you seen him since?" + +"Yes, I saw him in the village right after the cadets left." + +"Anywhere near Mr. Fairchild's shop?" + +"On the road that runs back of the shop." + +"Where was he going?" + +"I don't know." + +"And that is the last you saw of him?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"You don't know if he went towards the back of the shop?" + +"No, sir." + +More than this the boy could not tell and he was excused. Squire +Haggerty shook his head in perplexity. + +"I don't know about this," he said. "But it looks to me as if I'll have +to hold these Rover brothers until they can clear themselves." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +LINK SMITH'S CONFESSION + + +For a moment there was a painful pause and the Rover boys looked at +each other and at Captain Putnam in perplexity. + +"Does this mean that we must go to jail?" demanded Tom. + +"I don't think it will be necessary to hold them," came from Captain +Putnam. "Squire Haggerty, I presume you know who I am." + +"Yes, sir, Captain Putnam of Putnam Hall." + +"Then you will, of course, let me go on a bail bond for these three +pupils of mine." + +"If ye care to do it, captain." + +"Certainly. I am convinced that they are innocent. Why, it is +preposterous to think that they would break into such a shop and rob it +of a hundred and sixty dollars' worth of goods. They are rich young +gentlemen, of a high-standing family, and each has all the spending +money he needs." + +"I see, I see." + +"Well, it ain't nuthin' to me what they be, so long as I git my goods +back," growled Aaron Fairchild. "I ain't got nuthin' against 'em +personally, especially if they are innocent." + +"I think you will find it to your advantage to let this whole matter +rest for the present," went on Captain Putnam. "If you make a charge +against the boys it will hurt both them and my school. I feel sure they +will not run away, and I will give you my personal word that they shall +appear in court whenever wanted." + +"That sounds reasonable," came from the constable, who was beginning +to fear the influence which Captain Putnam and the Rovers might bring +to bear on the case. "It ain't no nice thing to ruin a boy's +repertation, if he ain't guilty," he added. + +"That is a sensible speech which does you credit, sir," said the +captain. + +"I'd like to find this feller Flapp," went on Aaron Fairchild. "How +does he look?" + +"I have his photograph at the academy. I will let the constable have +that, if he wishes it." + +"That suits me," returned Josiah Cotton. "Hang me if I don't kinder +think he must be guilty. But it puzzles me how them things got in the +boys' uniforms." + +The matter was discussed for fully an hour, and the whole party visited +Aaron Fairchild's shop. But no clews were brought to light. Then a +wagon was hired to take the captain and the boys to Putnam Hall. The +constable went along, to get the photograph which had been promised. + +On the way the three Rovers were unusually silent and but little was +said by the master of the school. Arriving at the Hall the picture was +turned over to Josiah Cotton, who soon after departed. Then the three +Rovers were invited into the captain's private office. The marching +battalion had not yet arrived and was not expected for several hours. + +"I'd like to sift this matter out," said the captain, seating himself +at his desk. "Richard, when did you clean your uniform last?" + +"Yesterday afternoon, Captain Putnam." + +"Were those holes in there then?" + +"I don't think so." + +"How about your uniform, Thomas?" + +"I cleaned up yesterday morning. I don't remember any holes." + +"And you, Samuel?" + +"I had a hole in my left sleeve, but the jewelry was found in the right +sleeve." + +"Let me examine the coats." + +This was done, and all concluded that the holes had been cut with the +blade of a sharp knife, or with a small pair of scissors. + +"I believe the job was done in the dark," said Dick. "Somebody must +have visited our tent last night after we went to sleep." + +"When did you go to sleep, Richard?" + +"Well, I don't think we were real sound asleep until about midnight. +There was some sort of a noise in the camp that kept us awake." + +"Somebody said Tubbs was up playing negro minstrel," added Tom, +soberly. + +"Yes, he was up. So you went to sleep about midnight? And when did you +get up?" + +"At the first call," answered Sam. + +"And your coats were as you had left them?" + +"Mine was," came from Sam and Dick. + +"I don't remember exactly how I did leave mine," said Tom. "But I +didn't notice anything unusual." + +"Then, if the real thief visited our camp he must have come in between +midnight and six o'clock," went on the master of the school. "I must +question those who were on guard duty about this." + +"That's the idea!" cried Dick. "If the thief sneaked in somebody must +have seen him." + +"Unless a guard was asleep on his post," came from Tom. "As it was the +last night out they may have been pretty lax in that direction." + +Dinner had been ordered, and the three Rovers dined with the captain in +his private dining room. Then the boys went up to their dormitory to +pack their trunks. + +"I must say this is a fine ending for the term," was Tom's comment, as +he began to get his belongings out of the closet. "And after +everything looked so bright, too!" + +"It's a jolly shame!" cried Sam. "If Lew Flapp did this, or Dan Baxter, +I'd like to--to wring his neck for it!" + +"It will certainly put a cloud on our name," said Dick. "In spite of +what we can say, some folks will be mean enough to think we are +guilty." + +"We must catch the thief and make him confess," went on Tom. + +The three boys packed their trunks and other belongings and then went +below again and down to the gymnasium and then to the boathouse. But +they could not interest themselves in anything and their manner showed +it. + +"What is the matter that you came back so soon?" questioned Mrs. Green, +the matron of the academy, who knew them well. + +"Oh, we had business with Captain Putnam," answered Tom, and that was +all he' would say. He dearly loved to play jokes on the matron, but now +he felt too downcast to give such things a thought. + +Late in the afternoon the distant rattle of drums was heard, and soon +the battalion, dusty and hot, came into view, making a splendid showing +as it swung up the broad roadway leading to the Hall. + +"Here they come!" cried Sam. But he had not any heart to meet his +friends, and kept out of sight until the young cadets came to a halt +and were dismissed for the last time by Captain Putnam and Major Colby. + +"Well, this is certainly strange," said Larry Colby, as he came up to +Dick. "What was the row in the barn about?" + +"I'll have to tell you some other time, Larry," was Dick's answer. +"There has been trouble and Captain Putnam wants to get at the bottom +of it." + +"Somebody said you had been locked up for robbing a jewelry shop." + +"There has been a robbery and we were suspected. But we were not locked +up." + +As soon as he was able to do so, Captain Putnam learned the names of +the twelve cadets who had been on picket duty between midnight and six +o'clock that morning. These cadets were marched to one of the +classrooms and interviewed one at a time in the captain's private +office. + +From the first six cadets to go in but little was learned. One cadet, +when told that something of a very serious nature had occurred--something +which was not a mere school lark and could not be overlooked--confessed +that he had allowed two cadets to slip out of camp and come +back again with two capfuls of apples taken from a neighboring +orchard. + +"But I can't tell their names, Captain Putnam," the cadet added. + +"How long were they gone, Beresford?" + +"Not over fifteen or twenty minutes." + +"Did you see the apples?" + +"Yes, sir, I--er--ate two of them." + +"And you allowed nobody else to pass?" + +"No, sir." + +"Very well; you may go," and Beresford went, thankful that he had not +been reprimanded for neglect of duty. Had the thing occurred in the +middle of the term the reprimand would surely have been forthcoming. + +The next cadet to come in was Link Smith, who showed by his general +manner that he was much worried. Captain Putnam knew Smith thoroughly +and also remembered that the feeble-minded cadet was a fellow easily +led astray. + +"Smith, you were on guard duty from twelve o'clock to two last night," +he began severely. + +"Yes, sir," answered Link Smith, with an inward shiver. + +"Did you fall asleep on your post during that time?" + +"No, sir--that is, I don't think I did." + +"What do you mean by saying you don't think you did?" + +"I--that is--I was awfully sleepy and could scarcely keep my eyes open. +I--I sat down on a rock for a little while." + +"And slept? + +"I--I think not." + +"Was that before or after you allowed an outsider to get into our +camp?" + +"Oh, Captain Putnam, how did you know I let somebody in? I--that is--I +mean, who said I let anybody in?" stammered poor Smith, taken +completely off his guard. + +"Never mind who told me. What I want to know is, did you sleep after +you let him in or before?" + +"Why, I--I--really--" + +"Tell me the truth, Smith." + +"I guess I took a nap afterwards, sir. But it was only for a minute, +sir," pleaded the cadet. + +"I see. Did you see the outsider leave camp after you had let him in?" + +"Why, sir--I--I--" + +"I want the strict truth, remember, Smith. If you don't tell the truth +you may get yourself in great trouble." + +"Oh, Captain Putnam, I--I didn't mean to do anything wrong!" + +"Did you see the outsider leave again or not?" + +"Yes, sir, I saw him leave?" + +"How soon after he had come in?" + +"About fifteen or twenty minutes,--certainly, not much longer than +that." + +"Now, who was the outsider?" + +"Why, I--er--I--" + +"Answer me, Smith!" And now Captain Putnam's voice was as keen as the +blade of a knife. He stood before the frightened cadet, looking him +squarely in the eyes. + +"It was Lew Flapp. But, oh, please, don't let him know I told you! +He'll kill me if he finds it out!" Link Smith was about ready to cry. + +"Lew Flapp." The captain drew a long breath. "How did you come to let +him in? You knew he had been dismissed from the school." + +"He begged me to let him in, saying he merely wanted to speak to two of +his old friends. I asked him why he didn't wait until morning, but he +said he wanted them to do something for him before they left the +school--that he must see them then and there." + +"Did he mention his friends' names?" + +"No, sir." + +"What did he say when he went away?" + +"Nothing much, sir, excepting that he had seen them and it was all +right." + +"Where did he go to?" + +"I don't know. It was dark and I soon lost sight of him." + +"He came alone?" + +"Yes, sir. But, please, Captain Putnam, don't tell him I told you, or +he'll kill me." + +"Don't be alarmed, Smith. I'll protect you. If you see Flapp again tell +me at once." + +"I will, sir." + +This ended the examination of Link Smith, and as soon as it was over +the remainder of the cadets who had been on guard duty the night before +were likewise told they might go. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +FUN ON THE CAMPUS + + +"It was Lew Flapp, just as I supposed," said Dick, when he heard the +news from Captain Putnam. "What a rascal he is getting to be! Almost +as bad as Dan Baxter." + +"Oh, he would have to be a good deal worse than he is to be as bad as +Dan," returned Sam. "But I admit, he is bad enough." + +"I'd give some money to lay my hands on him," put in Tom. "Oh, but +wouldn't I punch his head good and hand him over to the police +afterwards!" + +Word was sent to Josiah Cotton and other officers of the law to look +for Flapp, but for the time being nothing was seen or heard of that +individual. + +The Rover boys were to start for home the next day and that night a +large number of the cadets held a special jollification on the parade +ground in front of the Hall. A bonfire was lit, and the lads danced +around and sang to their hearts' content. + +In the midst of the excitement somebody saw Peleg Snuggers, the +general-utility man of the school, hurrying across the backyard. + +"Hullo, there goes Peleg!" was the shout. + +"Let's give him a rousing farewell, boys," came from Tom Rover. "Hi, +there, Peleg, come here." + +"Can't, I'm in a hurry," responded the man-of-all-work, who had had the +cadets plague him before. + +"Oh, you must come," was the cry, and in a moment more Peleg Snuggers +was surrounded. + +"Let us march him around on our shoulders," went on Tom. "Peleg loves +that, I know he does." + +"Don't, neither!" cried the general-utility man. "Now, Tom Rover, you +just let me alone." + +"We'll carry you around for your rheumatism, Peleg. You've got +rheumatism, haven't you?" + +"No, I haven't." + +"It's good for the lumbago, too." + +"Ain't got no lumba--Oh, crickey! Let me down, boys. I don't want a +ride!" + +"Behold, the conquering hero comes!" announced Sam, as six of the boys +hoisted poor Snuggers up into the air. "Now, sit up straight, Peleg. +Don't you want a sword?" + +"Here's a broom," put in Fred Garrison, and handed over an article +which was worn to a stump. "Present arms! Forward, march! General +Washtub will lead the funeral procession." + +"If you let me tumble I'll break my neck!" gasped Peleg Snuggers. "Oh, +creation! How can I carry that broom and hold on, too! This is awful! +Shall I call the captain? Let up, I say!" + +"Send for Mrs. Green to give him some soothing syrup, he's got the +fits," came from a cadet in the crowd. + +"I'll get her," cried Tom, struck with a new idea. + +Off ran the fun-loving youth to the kitchen of the academy, where the +matron was superintending the work of several of the hired girls. + +"Oh, Mrs. Green, come quick!" he gasped, as he caught the lady by the +arm. + +"What is it, Tom?" + +"It's poor Peleg! They say he's got a fit! He wants some soothing +syrup, or something!" + +"Well, I never!" ejaculated Mrs. Green. "A fit! Poor man! Shall I ring +for the doctor?" + +"Perhaps you had better ring for two doctors, or else come and see if +you can help him." + +"I'll do what I can," answered the matron, and ran to get some medicine +from a chest. "I know what it is," she added. "It's indigestion. He ate +four ears of green corn for dinner and four for supper,--and it was very +green at that." + +"Then he will surely want Mrs. Green to help him," murmured Tom. + +Off hurried the matron with some medicine and Tom at her heels. + +In the meantime the boys had marched poor Peleg close to the fire. + +"Now, steady," cried Sam. "Don't let him fall into the flames and singe +his hair." + +"Let us warm his feet for him," cried a cadet. "Take off his shoes and +stockings!" + +"Hi, don't you do nuthin' of the kind," cried Peleg Snuggers, in new +alarm. "My feet are warm enough!" + +But there was no help for it, and in a twinkling off came his shoes and +his socks followed. + +"I ain't a-goin' to have my feet warmed!" groaned the utility man. "You +are worse nor heathens! Lemme go!" + +He struggled violently, but the cadets placed him on the grass and sat +on him. Then one, who had run down to the ice-house for a piece of ice, +came up. + +"Here's a red-hot poker," he said. "Peleg, don't you want your initials +branded on your feet?" + +"No! no! Oh, help! somebody, help!" yelled the utility man. + +"Be careful, or he may get a spasm," whispered Dick, who was looking on +without taking part. + +"Oh, he's all right," returned the cadet with the ice. "Wait till I +brand a P on one foot and an S on the other!" And he drew the ice +across the sole of one foot as he spoke. + +The poor utility man thought it was a red-hot poker and gave a yell +which would have done credit to a South Sea savage. He squirmed and +fought, and in the midst of the melee Mrs. Green and Tom arrived. + +"There he is," said Tom. "He certainly must have a fit." + +"Poor Peleg!" cried Mrs. Green. "Here, my dear, take this. It will do +you good." And she held out the bottle of medicine she had brought. +"Take about a big spoonful." + +"Hurrah, Mrs. Green to the rescue!" shouted Sam. "Come, Peleg, don't be +backward about coming forward." + +"What is this, Mrs. Green?" asked the astonished man-of-all-work, as he +suddenly sat up. + +"It's for your cramps, or fits, or whatever you've got, Peleg." + +"Cramps, or fits? I ain't got no cramps or fits! Are you crazy, Mrs. +Green?" + +"Oh, Peleg, don't act so! You certainly have cramps, or indigestion. +Come, take the medicine!" + +"That fer your medicine!" roared the angry man-of-all-work, and flung +the bottle into the bonfire. + +"Oh, that medicine!" shrieked the matron. "And I made it myself, too!" + +"It's them pesky boys, Mrs. Green! They be a-tormenting the life out of +me." + +"The boys?" The matron stopped short in wonder. + +"Yes, mum. They've stolen my shoes and socks, and they started to brand +me with a red-hot poker. I ain't got no fits, nur cramps, nur nuthin', +I ain't!" + +"Well, I declare!" burst out the thoroughly angry matron. "Tom Rover, +come here!" + +"Thank you, Mrs. Green, I'll come day after to-morrow!" murmured Tom, +as he kept at a safe distance. + +"Well, I guess you are all in this together," went on Mrs. Green, +looking at the crowd of cadets. "It's your last night and I suppose you +will tear the academy down over our ears." + +"Why, Mrs. Green, we never do anything wrong," said Sam, reproachfully. + +"Oh, no, of course not," was the sarcastic answer. "I'll be thankful to +find myself alive after you are all gone." And with this reply the +matron bounced off into the kitchen, where she slammed the door after +her. + +"Here are your shoes, Peleg," said George Granbury, as he handed them +over. + +"I want my socks first." + +"Here you are," came from Larry Colby. As Larry's term as major was now +over he was inclined to be as full of fun as anybody. + +Peleg took his socks and his shoes and started to put on the former. + +"Hullo, what's this!" he cried, and shook one foot violently. "What's +in that sock! A grasshopper, I declare! Larry Colby, did you do that?" + +"Why, Peleg, you know I never play any jokes," answered the ex-major, +innocently. + +"Don't I, though! But never mind." The general-utility man started to +put on the other sock. "If you think--Great snakes, what's this? Oh, my +foot! A hop-toad! Beastly!" And Peleg flung the toad at Larry. The +ex-major dodged and the animal struck William Philander Tubbs full in the +face. + +"Oh, ah--what do you--ah--mean by such actions!" stormed the aristocratic +cadet. "I shall report this." + +"Hurrah, Tubby has gone into the frog-raising business," shouted Tom, +merrily. + +"I shan't put nuthin' on here," went on Peleg Snuggers, and watching +his chance, he ran off at top speed, with his shoes in one hand and his +socks in the other. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +GOOD-BYE TO PUTNAM HALL + + +"Now, Songbird, give us one of your best poetical effusions," came from +Dick Rover, after the excitement had died down a little. "We haven't +heard a word out of you for fourteen minutes and a quarter." + +"Yes, Songbird, turn on the poetry spigot and let her flow," put in +Tom. + +"Give us something on old schooldays," came from another cadet. + +"Put in a touch of last farewells," added another. + +"Don't forget to speak of the moon and fond memories." + +"Or, shall we ever forget?" + +"Or, camping on the old camp-ground, Songbird." + +"And of all things, mention the soup we had last Thursday. No piece of +poetry would be complete without that soup." + +"Who's making up poetry about soup?" roared Songbird Powell. But then +he grew calmer. "All right, fellows, here goes." And he started: + +"Of all the days to mem'ry dear, +The dearest days are those spent here, + When we--" + +"That's a libel!" interrupted Tom. "Captain Putnam's rates are no +higher than the rates of other first-class academies. I move we cut +that verse out, Songbird." + +"I didn't mean the cost of the days spent here." + +"You can't spend anything here," put in George Granbury. "You have to +go to Cedarville to do your shopping." + +"I'll make a fresh start," came from Powell, and he warbled: + +"Old Putnam Hall I do adore, +And love the place as ne'er before, +The campus, boathouse, fishing pier-- +The roads that run from far and near-- +Each classroom is a hallowed spot, +Though many lessons are forgot! +The dormitories, bright and clean-- +No better rooms were ever seen! +The mess-room, where we gathered oft--" + +"To eat our eggs both hard and soft!" + +finished up Tom, and then went on: + +"The prison wherein I was cast, +And thought that day would be my last, +The teachers sweet and the teachers sour, +And the feasts we held at the midnight hour, +The games of ball we lost and won, +And the jubilees! What lots of fun! +And then the skating on the ice--" + +"When we broke in, 'twas not so nice:" + +interrupted George Granbury, referring to a calamity the particulars of +which have already been related in "The Rover Boys in the Mountains." +And then Songbird Powell took up the strain once more: + +"I love each corner and each nook, +I love the lake and love the brook, +I love the cedars waving high--" + +"And love the dinners with mince pie," + +interrupted Tom once more, and continued: + +"In fact, I love it one and all, +There is no spot like Putnam Hall!" + +And then, with one accord, all standing around joined in the academy +cheer: + +"Zip, boom, bang! Ding, dong! Ding, dong! Bang! Hurrah for Putnam +Hall!" Then the fire was stirred up, more boxes and barrels piled on +top, and the cadets danced around more wildly than ever. They were +allowed to keep up the fun until midnight, when all were so tired that +further sport was out of the question, and all went sound asleep. + +Bright and early the next morning the cadets assembled for their last +breakfast in the mess-room. The parade was dispensed with, for some had +to leave by the early boat on the lake in order to make the proper +connections. Many were the handshakings and the kind words of farewell. +Some of the students had graduated and were not to come back. Of these +a few were bound for college, while others were going into various +lines of business. + +"We shall never forget our days at Putnam .Hall!" said more than one. + +"And I shall never forget you, boys," answered Captain Putnam. "I wish +all of you the best of success in life." + +It was not until ten o'clock that the three Rover boys left for +Cedarville in the big school stage. As was usual, Peleg Snuggers drove +the turnout, which was filled to overflowing with cadets. Behind the +stage came a big wagon, heavily loaded with trunks and boxes. + +"Now, young gents, no cutting up," pleaded the general-utility man. +"The hosses won't stand it, nowhow!" + +"That's an old scare, Peleg," replied Tom. He had a tin horn and gave a +loud blast. "That will let folks know we are coming." And then a dozen +other horns sounded out, while some of the cadets began to sing. + +A few minutes after reaching the steamboat dock at the village, which, +as my old readers know, was located on the shore of Cayuga Lake, the +_Golden Star_ came along and made her usual landing. The boat looked +familiar to them and they gave the captain a rousing greeting. + +Over a dozen pupils were to make the trip to Ithaca at the foot of the +lake. There the Rovers would get aboard a train which would take them +to Oak Run, the nearest railroad station to their home. + +"The _Golden Star_ looks like an old friend," remarked Dick, when they +were seated on the front, upper deck, enjoying the refreshing breeze +that was blowing.' + +"I am never on this boat but what I think of our first meeting with Dan +Baxter and with Dora Stanhope and Nellie and Grace Laning," came from +Tom. "What an enemy Dan Baxter has been from that time on!" + +"And what a pile of things have happened since that time!" was Sam's +comment. "By the way, it is strange that none of us have heard from any +of those girls lately. They ought to be coming east from California by +this time." + +"I wish they were home," went on Tom. "I'd like to propose something." + +"Maybe you'd like to propose to Nellie," put in his younger brother, +slyly. + +"No sooner than you'd propose to Grace," was Tom's prompt answer, which +made Sam blush. "Dick," he went on, "wouldn't it be great if we could +get the girls and Mrs. Stanhope to take that trip with us on the +houseboat?" + +"That would certainly be immense," cried the eldest Rover, +enthusiastically. "Why didn't we think of it before? We might have +written to them about it." + +"Is it too late to write now?" asked Sam. "Or, maybe we can telegraph." + +"Perhaps Mrs. Laning wants her girls at home now," said Dick, slowly. +"They have been away a long time, remember." + +"Perhaps Mrs. Laning might go along. We could have a jolly time of it +with six or seven boys and perhaps the same number of girls and +ladies." + +The idea of having the girls along interested the three Rovers greatly +and they talked of practically nothing else during the trip on Cayuga +Lake. + +Ithaca reached, they bid farewell to the last of their school chums, +who were to depart in various directions, and then made their way to +one of the hotels for dinner. + +"There they are, mamma!" they heard a well-known voice exclaim. "Oh, +how glad I am that we didn't miss them!" And the next moment Dora +Stanhope rushed up, followed by Nellie and Grace Laning and Mrs. +Stanhope. + +"Well, of all things!" ejaculated Dick, as he shook hands warmly. +"Where did you drop from?" + +"We were talking about you during the trip from Cedarville," said Tom, +as he too shook hands all around, followed by Sam. + +"We were wondering why you hadn't written," added Sam. + +"We were going to surprise you," answered Grace. "We expected to get +home yesterday and visit the academy. But there was a breakdown on the +line and our train was delayed and that made us miss a connection." + +"We thought sure we'd miss you," said Nellie. "It made us feel +awfully." + +"Have you dined yet?" asked Dick. + +"No." + +"Then you must all come and take dinner with us. We want to hear all +you've got to tell." + +"And we want to hear what you've got to tell too," said Dora, with a +merry laugh. She was looking straight into Dick's eyes. "Have you had a +good time at the Hall?" + +"Yes, but we had a better time at the encampment." + +"I heard you met some very nice young ladies up there," went on Dora. + +"Who wrote to you about that, Dora?" + +"Oh, never mind; I heard it, and that's enough." + +"Well, we did meet some nice young ladies." + +"Oh!" And Dora turned away for a moment. They were on their way to the +dining room and the others were temporarily out of hearing. + +"But I didn't meet anybody half as nice as you!" went on Dick, in a low +tone of voice, and caught her hand. + +"Oh, Dick!" She said this with a toss of her head, but smiled, +nevertheless. + +"It's true, Dora. I wished you were there more than once. I would have +written more, only we had a whole lot of trouble with our enemies." + +"And you really did think of me?" + +"I did--nearly every day. I suppose you forgot all about me, and +that's why you didn't write." + +"Dick Rover, you know better than that!" + +"I suppose you met some stunning Californian that owns a gold mine and +he claimed all of your attention." + +"I did meet one rich young man, and--and he proposed to me," faltered +Dora. + +"Oh, Dora!" And now Dick's heart seemed to stop beating. "And you--you +didn't accept him, did you?" + +"Would you care if I did?" she whispered. "Dora!" he answered, half +fiercely. + +"Well, I told him I didn't want him, so there," said Dora, hurriedly. +"I told him that I wanted to marry somebody that lived in the East, and +that I--I--" + +"And that you had the young man picked out? Why didn't you tell him +that, Dora? You know--" + +"Hi, you folks!" came in a cry from Tom. "What are you steering for the +smoking room for? We are bound for the dining room." + +"Well, I never!" murmured Dora. "Dick, we had better watch out where we +are going." + +"That's right." They turned toward the dining room. "Dora, you know, as +I was saying, that--" + +"Dick Rover, I thought we were going to dinner! Just see the folks! +What a crowd! You musn't talk like that here." + +"Yes, that's true, but--" + +"You really must mind, Dick." She gave him a bright smile. "I--I--guess I +understand you!" + +And then all went in to dinner. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +THE ROVER BOYS AT HOME + + +There was a great deal to tell on all sides, and the dinner lasted over +an hour. The Stanhopes and the Lanings had had a grand time while at +Santa Barbara and the widow was much improved in health, so much so, in +fact, that she was now practically a well woman. Those who had been in +the Far West listened with interest to the boys' doings at the Hall and +during the encampment, and were amazed to think that Dan Baxter and his +father had turned up once more, and that Arnold Baxter was trying to +turn over a new leaf. + +"I do not believe Dan will ever turn over a new leaf," said Dora. "He +is a thoroughly bad young man." + +"Let us hope that he does," said her mother. "I do not wish to see +anybody throw himself away as that young man is doing." + +"After this you will have to watch out for this Lew Flapp as well as +for Dan Baxter," said Nellie. "Both appear to be painted with the same +brush." + +During the dinner the houseboat project was broached, and the boys +spoke of what a fine time they expected to have on the Ohio, and +perhaps on the Mississippi. + +"And we would like all of you to go with us," said Dick. + +"With you!" exclaimed Mrs. Stanhope. + +"Oh, mamma, what a delightful trip it would be!" exclaimed Dora. + +"And we would like your mother to go too," went on Tom, to Nellie and +Grace. + +"Oh, if mamma would only go!" cried Grace. "I am sure it would do her a +great deal of good. She goes away from home so little." + +The matter was talked over until it was time for the two parties to +separate, and the Rovers promised to write more particulars in a few +days,--as soon as they knew more about the houseboat and how it was to +be run, and what sort of sleeping accommodations it afforded. + +The boys saw the Stanhopes and the Lanings on the boat bound up the +lake and then almost ran to the depot to catch their train. It came in +directly, and in half a minute more they were being whirled away in the +direction of Oak Run. + +"There is no use of talking, those girls are just all right," said Sam, +bluntly. "I never met a nicer lot in my life." + +"I guess Dick thinks one of them is all right," said Tom, with a grin. +"Although I don't see why you were steering her into the smoking room," +he added, to his big brother. "Were you going to teach her to smoke +cigarettes?" + +"Oh, say, Tom, let up," grumbled Dick. "You paid about as much +attention to Nellie as I did to Dora." + +"Anyway, I didn't steer her to the smoking room." + +"No, but while you were talking to her I saw you put five spoonfuls of +sugar in her coffee for her," returned Dick. "Maybe you didn't think +she was sweet enough for you, eh?" + +At this Tom reddened, while Sam set up a roar. + +"He's got you, Tom!" cried the youngest Rover. "Better cry quits and +talk about something else. We all like those girls amazingly, and +that's the end of it;" and then the subject was changed. + +It was almost dark when Oak Run was reached. Here a carriage, driven by +Jack Ness, the Rovers' hired man, was in waiting for them. + +"Hullo, Jack!" cried Tom. "All well at home?" + +"Very well, Master Tom," was the answer. "And how are you, and how is +Master Dick and Master Sam?" + +"All O. K. and top side up, Jack," said Sam. + +They were soon in the carriage, and then the hired man whipped up the +team and away they sped across Swift River, through the village of +Dexter's Corners, and then along the highway leading to the farm. + +"I see the lights of home!" sang out Sam, as they made the last turn. +"I can tell you, it makes a fellow feel good, doesn't it?" + +"It's a true saying that there is no place like home," returned Dick. +"Here we are!" + +The carriage made a turn around a clump of trees and then dashed up to +the piazza. From the house rushed several people. + +"Here we are, father!" sang out Dick. "How are you, Uncle Randolph, and +how are you, Aunt Martha?" + +"Dick!" cried Mr. Anderson Rover, and embraced his oldest son. "And Tom +and Sam! I am glad to see you looking so well!" + +"My boys!" murmured their aunt, as of old, and gave each a sounding +kiss. + +"Getting to be big young men," was their uncle's comment. "They won't +be boys much longer." + +"I'm going to stay a boy all my life, Uncle Randolph," answered Tom, +promptly. "By the way," he went on, with a merry twinkle in his eye, +"how is scientific farming getting on?" + +"Splendidly, Thomas, splendidly." + +"Not losing money any more, then?" + +"Well--er--I have lost a little, just a little, this summer. But next +summer I expect grand results." + +"Going to grow a new kind of turnip?" + +"No I--" + +"Or maybe it's a squash this time, uncle." + +"No, I am trying--" + +"Or a parsnip. I have heard there is a great call for parsnips in New +Zealand. The natives use them for dyeing--" + +"Thomas!" interrupted his father, sternly. "Please don't start to joke +so early. To-morrow will do." + +"All right, I'll subside," answered Tom. "But really, do you know, I'm +bubbling all over, like an uncorked soda-water bottle." + +"Don't you feel hungry?" + +"Hungry! Just you try me and see." + +"I made a big cherry pie for you, Tom," said his aunt. "I know you like +it." + +"Oh, Aunt Martha, that's worth an extra hug." He gave it to her. "Your +pie can't be beat!" + +"And I've got some fried chicken. Dick likes that." + +"And I like it, too," said Sam. + +"Yes, I know it, Sam. But I made some spice cakes too--" + +"Oh, aunt, just my weakness!" cried the youngest Rover. "There's +another kiss for you, and another! You're the best aunt a boy ever +had!" + +They were soon washed up and sitting down to the table. Scarcely had +they seated themselves than Alexander Pop came in, acting as waiter, +something he always did when the boys came home. Alexander, usually +called Aleck for short, was a good-natured colored man who had once +been employed at Putnam Hall. He had gone to Africa with the Rover +boys, as already related in "The Rover Boys in the Jungle," and had +been with them on numerous other trips. He was now employed steadily in +the Rover household. + +"Howde do, gen'men?" he said, with a broad grin on his coal-black face. + +"Aleck!" all three cried together; "how are you?" + +"Fust-rate, thank yo'. Yo' am looking right smart, too," went on the +colored man. And then he began to serve them with the best the place +afforded. He loved dearly to talk, but thought the present no time for +so doing. + +It was a happy family gathering, and all remained at the table a long +time, the boys telling their different tales from beginning to end. Mr. +Anderson Rover was much interested in what they had to say about the +Baxters and Lew Flapp. + +"You must be careful," said he. "Arnold Baxter can do you no more harm, +but the others will be worse than snakes in the grass." + +"We'll watch out," answered Dick, and then he and the others asked +about the houseboat which had been taken for debt and how soon they +could use the craft. + +"You may use the houseboat as soon as you please," said Randolph Rover. +"But you must promise your father and Aunt Martha and me not to get +into mischief." + +"How could we get into mischief with a houseboat?" questioned Tom. +"Why, we just intend to knock around and take it easy all summer." + +"The rest ought to do all of you a power of good," came from his +father. "I declare, it seems to me you have been on the jump ever since +you first went to Putnam Hall." + +"Where is the houseboat now?" + +"Tied up at the village of Steelville, not very far from Pittsburg. As +I wrote to you, she is under the command of Captain Starr. He knows the +Ohio and the Mississippi thoroughly and will take you wherever you wish +to go." + +"Well, we want to stay home a few days first, and make all of our +arrangements," said Dick; and so it was decided. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +A SCENE IN A CEMETERY + + +"Hurrah, Fred Garrison says he will go with us!" cried Sam, two days +later. "I have just received a telegram from him. He says he will come +on to-morrow." + +"And here is word from Songbird Powell," put in Dick. "He will go, +too. He is to meet us at Pittsburg, any time I say." + +"And Hans Mueller will go," said Tom. "That makes three of our friends +to start with. I hope the Lanings and the Stanhopes go." + +"So do I," answered Dick, who could not get that talk with Dora in the +hallway of the hotel out of his head. + +Sam was anxious to meet Fred Garrison, and on the following afternoon +drove down to the railroad station at Oak Run to greet his chum. + +The train was late, and after finding this out Sam took a walk around +the village to see what changes had been made during the past few +months. But Oak Run was a slow place and he look in vain for +improvements. + +"Guess I'll have my hair cut while I am here," he said to himself, and +started to enter the only barber shop of which the railroad village +boasted. + +As he pushed open the door a young fellow got out of one of the chairs +and paid the barber what was coming to him. Then he reached for his hat +and started to leave. + +"Lew Flapp!" ejaculated Sam. "Is it possible?" + +The bully of Putnam Hall whirled around and gave a start. He had not +dreamed of meeting one of the Rovers. + +"What--er--what do you want?" he stammered, not knowing what to say. + +"Where did you come from, Flapp?" + +"That's my business." + +"It was a fine trick you played on us while we were on the march back +to Putnam Hall." + +"Trick? I haven't played any trick on you," answered Lew Flapp, +loftily, as he began to regain his self-possession. + +"You know well enough that you robbed that jewelry shop and then tried +to lay the blame on me and my brothers." + +"Rover, you are talking in riddles." + +"No, I'm not; I'm telling the strict truth." + +"Bah!" Lew Flapp shoved forward. "Let me pass." + +"Not just yet." Sam placed himself in front of the barber shop door. + +"What's the row?" put in the barber, who happened to be the only other +person in the shop. + +"This fellow is a thief, Mr. Gregg." + +"You don't say!" cried Lemuel Gregg. "Who did he rob?" + +"He robbed a jewelry shop up near Putnam Hall and then he laid the +blame on my brothers and me." + +"That was a mean thing to do." + +"It is false!" roared Lew Flapp. "Get out of my way, or it will be the +worse for you!" + +"I'm not afraid of you, Flapp," responded Sam, sturdily. "Mr. Gregg, +will you help me to make him a prisoner?" + +"Are you certain of what you are doing?" questioned the barber, +nervously. "I don't want to get into trouble over this. I once cut off +a man's beard by mistake and had to pay twenty-two dollars damages." + +"I know exactly what I am doing. Help me to make him a prisoner and you +shall be well rewarded." + +At the promise of a reward Lemuel Gregg became interested. He knew +that the Rovers were well-to-do and could readily pay him handsomely +for his services. + +"You--you had better stay here, young man," he said, to Lew Flapp. "If +you are innocent it won't hurt you. We'll have the squire look into +this case." + +"I won't stay!" roared the bully, and making a sudden leap at Sam he +hurled the youngest Rover to one side and tried to bolt through the +door. + +"No, you don't!" came from the barber, and leaping to the front he +caught Lew Flapp by the end of the coat and held him. + +"Let go!" + +"I won't!" + +"Then take that!" And the next instant Lew Flapp hit the barber a +telling blow in the nose which made the blood spurt from that member. +Then Flapp dove for the door, pulled it open, and sped up the street +with all speed. + +"Oh, my nose! He has smashed it to jelly!" groaned the barber, as he +rushed to the sink for some water. + +Sam had been thrown against a barber chair so forcibly that for the +moment the wind was knocked completely out of him. By the time he was +able to stand up, Flapp was out of the building. + +"We must catch him!" he cried. "Come on!" + +"Catch him yourself," growled Lemuel Gregg, "I ain't going to stand the +risk of being killed. He's a reg'lar tiger, he is!" And he began to +bathe his nose at the sink. + +Lew Flapp was running towards the railroad, but as soon as he saw that +Sam was on his track he made several turns, finally taking to a side +road which led to the Oak Run Cemetery. Here he saw there were numerous +bushes and cedar trees, and thought he could hide or double on his +trail without discovery. + +But he forgot one thing--that Sam was a splendid runner and good of wind +as well as limb. Try his best, he could not shake the youngest Rover +off. + +"The fool!" muttered the bully to himself. "Why don't he give it up?" + +Flapp looked about him for a club, but none was at hand. Then he picked +up a stone and taking aim, hurled it at Sam. The missile struck the +youngest Rover in the shoulder, causing considerable pain. + +"I reckon two can play at that game," murmured Sam, and he too caught +up a stone and launched it forth. It landed in the middle of Lew +Flapp's back and caused the bully to utter a loud cry of anguish. + +"Stop, Flapp! I am bound to catch you sooner or later!" cried Sam. + +"You come closer and I'll fix you!" growled the bully. "I'll hammer +the life out of you!" + +"You've got to spell able first," answered Sam. + +The cemetery gained, Lew Flapp ran along one of the paths leading to +the rear. Along this path were a number of good-sized sticks. He picked +up one of these, and a few seconds later Sam did likewise. + +Near the rear of the cemetery was a new receiving vault, which had just +been donated to the cemetery association by the widow of a rich +stockholder who had died the year before. The vault was of stone, with +a heavy iron door that shut with a catch and a lock. + +Making a turn that hid him from Sam's view for the moment, Lew Flapp +espied the vault, standing with the door partly open. + +"He won't look for me in there," reasoned the bully, and slipped into +the place with all possible alacrity. Once inside, he crouched in a +dark corner behind the door and waited. + +Sam, making the turn at just the right instant, saw Flapp disappearing +into the vault. Without stopping he ran forward and closed the iron +door, allowing the heavy catch to slip into place. + +"Now, Lew Flapp, I guess I've got you!" he called out, after he was +certain the door was secure. + +To this the bully made no answer, but it is more than likely his heart +sank within him. + +"Do you hear me, Flapp? You needn't pretend you are not in there, for +I saw you go in." + +Still Lew Flapp made no answer. + +"Do you want me to go away and leave you locked in the vault?" +continued Sam. "It would be a beautiful place in which to die of +starvation." + +"Let me out!" came from the bully, and now he got up and showed his +face at the small grating near the top of the door. "Let me out, +Rover, that's a good fellow." + +"Then you don't want to die of starvation just yet?" + +"You wouldn't dare to leave me here, you know you wouldn't!" + +"Why not? Don't you deserve it, after the trick you played on Dick and +Tom and me?" + +"I tell you it's all a mistake. Let me out and I will explain +everything," went on Flapp, who was now thoroughly alarmed. + +"I'll let you out--after I have summoned the town constable." + +"Don't have me locked up, I beg of you, Sam. Give me a chance," pleaded +the bully. + +"You don't deserve any chance. You tried to send me and my brothers to +prison, and you have got to suffer for it." + +"Then you won't let me out?" + +"No." + +"I'll pay you well for it." + +"You haven't got money enough to pay me, Flapp, and you know it." + +"If you have me locked up I'll say you helped me in that robbery." + +"Ah, so you admit you did it," cried Sam, triumphantly. + +"No, I admit nothing," growled the bully. + +"Good-bye, then." + +"Where are you going?" + +"I am going after the cemetery keeper and the constable," answered Sam, +and walked off without another word. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +ATTACKED FROM BEHIND + + +Lew Flapp watched Sam's departure with much anxiety. As my old readers +know, he was a coward at heart, and the thought of being put under +arrest for the robbery of Aaron Fairchild's shop made him quake in +every limb. + +"I must get out of here, I really must," he told himself, over and over +again. + +He shook the door violently, but it refused to budge. Then he tried to +reach the catch by putting his hand through the grating, but found it +was out of his reach. + +"It's a regular prison cell!" he groaned. "What a fool I was to come in +here!" + +He tried to reach the catch by using his stick, but that was also a +failure. + +"Wonder if I can't find a bit of wire, or something?" he mused, and +struck a match he had in his pocket. + +Now it chanced that the widow who had given the new vault to the +cemetery association had a horror of allowing supposed dead folks to be +buried alive. As a consequence she had had the vault furnished with an +electric button which opened the door from the inside. It had been +stipulated that a light should be placed close to the button, but as +yet this was not in place. + +By the light of the match Lew Flapp saw the button, and these words +over it: + +To Open the Door and Ring +the Bell Push This Button. + +"Good! that just suits me," he chuckled to himself, but immediately had +something of a chill, thinking that the button might not yet be fixed +to work. + +With nervous fingers he pushed upon the object. There was a slight +click, and he saw the big iron door of the vault spring ajar. + +"The trick is done, and I am free!" he murmured, and sprang to the +door. But here he paused again, to gaze through the grating. Sam was +out of sight and not another soul could be seen. The coast was clear. + +"Now good-bye to Oak Run," he muttered to himself. "I was a fool to +come here in the first place, even to meet that Dan Baxter!" + +In a moment more he was out of the vault and running to the rear of the +cemetery as fast as his legs would carry him. + +In the meantime Sam made his way as quickly as possible to a house +situated at the front corner of the cemetery, where the keeper of the +place resided. + +A knock on the door brought the keeper's daughter. She knew Sam and +smiled. + +"What can I do for you, Sam?" she asked. + +"Where is your father, Jennie?" + +"He just went down to the village to buy a new spade." + +"Oh, pshaw! that's too bad." + +"What is the matter? I hope you're not going to have a funeral in your +family." + +"No funeral in this, Jennie. I met a thief in Oak Run and tried to have +him arrested. He ran into the cemetery and hid in the new vault and I +locked the door on him. Now I want your father or somebody else to help +me take him to the lock-up." + +"A thief! What did he steal?" + +"Some jewelry. It's a long story. Do you know where I can find somebody +else?" + +"Jack Sooker is working over to the other end of the cemetery--cutting +down an old tree. You might get him." + +"Where?" + +"I'll show you." + +Jennie ran to get her hat. She was just putting it on when a bell began +to ring in the hall of the cottage. + +"Gracious me!" gasped the girl. + +"What's the matter now?" + +"That's the bell to the new vault." + +"I don't understand." + +"There is an electric button in the vault. When you push it, it unlocks +the door and rings this bell. It was put there in case somebody was in +the vault in a trance and came to life again." + +"What!" ejaculated Sam. "Then that rascal must have pushed the button +and opened the door from the inside." + +"Yes." + +"I'm off. He is not going to escape if I can help it." And so speaking, +the youngest Rover dashed off the porch of the cottage and in the +direction from whence he had come. + +It did not take him long to reach the new vault and a glance through +the open doorway showed him that his bird had flown. + +"What a dunce I was not to think of that electric button!" he mused. +"I knew Mrs. Singleton had stipulated it should be put in. She has a +perfect horror of being buried alive." + +Sam looked around in all directions, but could see nothing of Lew +Flapp. + +But not far away was a pile of loose dirt and in this he saw some fresh +tracks, pointing to the rear of the cemetery. + +"That's his course," he thought, and set off in that direction. He +still carried the stick he had picked up and vowed that Lew Flapp +should not get away so easily again. + +The end of the cemetery bordered on the Swift River, a stream which has +already figured in these stories of the Rover boys. It was a rocky, +swift-flowing watercourse, and the bank at the end of the burying +ground was fully ten feet high. + +"Perhaps he crossed the river," thought the youngest Rover. "But he +couldn't do that very well unless he had a boat and then he would run +the risk of being dashed on the rocks." + +The edge of the river reached, Sam looked around on all sides of him. +Lew Flapp was still nowhere to be seen. + +"I've missed him," thought Sam. "What next?" + +As the youngest Rover stood meditating, a figure stole from behind some +bushes which were close at hand. The figure was that of Lew Flapp, who +had been on the point of turning back when he had seen Sam coming. + +"He will raise an alarm as soon as he sees me," reasoned the bully. +"Oh, if only I could get him out of my way!" + +He gazed at the youngest Rover and when he saw how close to the water's +edge Sam was standing, a sudden thought came into his mind. As silently +as a wild beast stealing on its prey, he crept up to Sam. + +"There! how do like that, Sam Rover!" he cried, triumphantly, and gave +the youngest Rover a shove which sent him over the bank and into the +rocky stream below. + +Sam gave out one yell and then, with a loud splash, sank beneath the +surface. + +Lew Flapp gazed for a second in the direction, wondering when Sam would +reappear. But then a new fear took possession of him and off he ran, +this time harder than ever. + +His course was along the river bank for a distance of a hundred yards, +and then he came out on a road leading to a small place called +Hacknack. + +"To Hacknack!" he muttered, after reading a signboard. "That's the +place I'm looking for. One mile, eh? Well, I had better lose no time in +getting there." + +The bully was a fair walker and now fear lent speed to his limbs, and +in less than fifteen minutes he reached the hamlet named. He gazed +around and presently located a small cottage standing near the edge of +a sandpit. + +"That must be the cottage," he told himself, and walking to it he +rapped on the door four times in succession and then four times again. + +There was a stir within and then an old woman, bent with age and with a +wicked look in her sharp, yellowish eyes, came to answer his summons. + +"Is this Mother Matterson's place?" he asked. + +"Yes, I'm Mother Matterson," squeaked the old woman. "Who are you and +what do you want?" + +"My name is Lew Flapp. I'm looking for a fellow called Si Silvers," he +added, for that was the name Dan Baxter had assumed for the time being. + +"It's all right, old woman; tell him to come in," said a voice from +inside the cottage, and Lew Flapp entered the house. Immediately the +old woman closed the door after him and barred it. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +FLAPP AND BAXTER PLOT MISCHIEF + + +The cottage which Mother Matterson occupied was a much dilapidated one +of a story and a half, containing three rooms and a loft. Some of the +windows were broken out and the chimney was sadly in need of repair. + +Many were the rumors afloat concerning this old woman. Some said she +was little short of being a witch, while others had it that she was in +league with tramps who had stolen things for miles around. But so far, +if guilty, she had escaped the penalty of the law. + +"So you've come at last," went on the person in the cottage, as Lew +Flapp came in, and a moment later Dan Baxter came into view. He was +tall and lanky as of old, with a sour look on his face and several +scars which made him particularly repulsive. "I had almost given you +up." + +"I've had my own troubles getting here," answered Flapp. "At first I +couldn't locate Hacknack and then I had the misfortune to fall in with +Sam Rover" + +"Sam Rover! Is he on your track now?" + +"I rather guess not," and the bully of Putnam Hall gave a short laugh. +"He has gone swimming for his health." + +"What do you mean?" + +"I'll tell you," answered Lew Flapp, and in a rapid manner he related +all that had occurred since he had met Sam in the Oak Run barber shop. + +"Well, all I can say is, that you are a lucky dog," came from Dan +Baxter, at the conclusion of the recital. "You can thank your stars +that you are not at this moment in the Oak Run lock-up." + +"I shouldn't have run any risk at all if it hadn't been for you," +growled Flapp. + +"Oh, don't come any such game on me, Flapp. I can read you like a book. +You know you don't dare to go home--after that trip-up at White Corners. +Your old man would just about kill you--and you'd be locked up in the +bargain." + +At these words Lew Flapp winced, for he knew that Dan Baxter spoke the +truth. He was afraid to go home, and had come to Hacknack simply +because he knew not where else to go and because Baxter had promised +him some money. The amount he had realized on the sale of the stolen +jewelry had been spent. + +"See here, what's the use of talking that way?" he grumbled. "I didn't +come here to get a lecture." + +"I'm not lecturing you," came hastily from Dan Baxter. "I'm merely +telling you things for your own good, Flapp. I want you to pull with +me. I know we'll get along swimmingly." + +"You said you'd let me have some money." + +"And I'll keep my word." + +"I need at least fifty dollars." + +"You'll need more than that, Flapp. You've got to stay away from home +until this matter blows over, or until your old man patches things up +with that Aaron Fairchild and the White Corners authorities. I've got a +plan, if you care to listen to it." + +"Sure, I'll listen--if you'll only let me have that money." + +"I'll let you have all you want--providing you'll agree to help me." + +"Well, what is your plan? But first tell me, how about this woman?" And +Flapp nodded his head toward Mother Matterson. + +"Don't you worry about her," grinned Dan Baxter. "I've got her fixed. +She won't squeal." + +"Then go ahead." + +"As I said before, the best thing you can do is to stay away from home +until this unpleasantness blows over. Write to your father and tell him +it is all a mistake, and that you are not guilty but that you can't +prove it. Ask him to square the thing with Aaron Fairchild and the +others, and tell him you are going on an ocean trip and won't be back +until you know you are safe. Then you come with me, and we'll have a +jolly good time, besides squaring up matters with the Rovers." + +"Where are you going and how are you going to square matters with them? + +"I've learned a thing or two since I came here. At first I was going to +try to fix them while they were at home, but now I've learned that they +are going away on a houseboat trip on the Ohio and the Mississippi. I +propose to follow them and give them more than they want the first +opportunity that presents itself." + +"You are certain about this houseboat trip?" + +"I am." + +"And who is going?" + +"The three Rover boys and some of their school chums." + +"Humph! I'd like to get square with the whole crowd!" muttered Lew +Flapp. "I'd like to sink them in the middle of the Ohio River!" + +"We'll square up, don't you worry," answered Dan Baxter. "I'm not +forgetting all they've done against me in the past. If I had the chance +I'd wring the neck of every one of them," he added, fiercely. + +"I don't think it is safe to stay around here any longer," said Lew +Flapp, after a pause. "Somebody may spot us both." + +"I'm not going to stay any longer. We can get out on the night train. +By the way, supposing Sam Rover doesn't get out of the river." + +"What do you mean?" questioned Flapp, with a shiver, although he knew +well enough. + +"Maybe Sam Rover was drowned." + +"Oh, don't say that!" + +"Bah! Don't be chicken-hearted, Flapp." + +"I--I--didn't mean to--to--kill him." + +"I know you didn't. Just the same that is a dangerous river. The +current is swift and it's full of rocks." + +"You're making me feel very uncomfortable." + +"Oh, don't worry. Those Rover boys are like cats--each has nine lives. +Sam Rover will be hot-footed after you before you know it." + +"Have you got that money with you, Baxter?" + +"To be sure I have. I never travel without a wad." + +"Then let me have some." + +"You won't need it, if we are to travel together." + +"We may become separated," urged Lew Flapp. He did not altogether trust +his companion. + +"Well, I reckon that's so, too. I'll let you have twenty-five dollars. +When that's gone you can come to me for more. But remember one thing: +you've got to help me to down the Rovers." + +"I'll help you to do that. But--but--" + +"But what?" + +"We mustn't go too far." + +"Oh, you leave that to me. You've heard how they treated my father, +haven't you?" + +"They say Dick Rover was kind to him." + +"Bah! That's a fairy story." + +"But your father says the same--so I have been told." + +"The old man is out of his head--on account of that fire. When he gets +clear-headed again he won't think Dick Rover--or any of the Rovers, for +the matter of that--is his friend." + +There was another pause. + +"Where do you propose to go to?" + +"Philadelphia, on a little business first, and then to Pittsburg, and +to that place where they have their houseboat." + +"And after that?" + +"I'm going to be guided by circumstances. But you can rest assured of +one thing, Flapp--I'll make those Rover boys wish they had never +undertaken this trip." + +Dan Baxter brought out a pocketbook well filled with bank bills and +counted out five five-dollar bills. + +"My, but you're rich!" cried the bully of Putnam Hall. + +"Oh, I've got a good bit more than that," was the bragging answer. "I +want you to know that once upon a time my father was as rich as the +Rovers, and he would be as rich now if it wasn't that they cheated him +out of his rights to a gold mine," went on Dan Baxter, bringing up +something which has already been fully explained in "The Rover Boys +Out West." The claim belonged to the Rovers, but the Baxters would +never admit this. + +"Did they really cheat him?" questioned Lew Flapp, with interest. + +"They certainly did." + +"Then why didn't you go to law about it with them?" + +"They stole all the evidence, so we couldn't do a thing in law. Do you +wonder that I am down on them?" + +"No, I don't. If I were you, I'd try to get my rights back." + +"I'm going to get them back some day," answered Dan Baxter. "And I am +going to square up with all the Rovers, too, mind that!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +CHIPS AND THE CIRCUS BILLS + + +It is now time that we return to Sam and find out how he fared after +being so unexpectedly hurled into the river by Lew Flapp. + +The youngest Rover was taken so completely off his guard that he could, +for the moment, do nothing to save himself. Down he went and his yell +was cut short by the waters closing over his head. + +He was dazed and bewildered and swallowed some of the water almost +before he was aware. But then his common-sense returned to him and he +struggled to rise to the surface. + +As he neared the top, the current carried him against a sharp rock. +Instead of clutching this, he hit the rock with his head. The blow +almost stunned him, and down he went once more, around the rock and +along the river a distance of fully a hundred feet ere he again +appeared. + +By this time he realized that he was having a battle for his life, and +he clutched out wildly for the first thing that came to hand, It was a +tree root and by its aid he pulled himself to the surface of the river +and gazed around him. + +He was under the bank, at a point where the current had washed away a +large portion of the soil, exposing to view half of the roots of a tree +standing above. To get out of the stream at that spot was an +impossibility, and he let himself go once more, when he had regained +his breath and felt able to take care of himself. + +In a few minutes more Sam reached a point where to climb up the bank +was easy, and he lost no time in leaving the river. Once on the bank he +squeezed the water out of his garments. He had lost his cap, but spent +no time in looking for the head covering. + +"Oh, if only I had Lew Flapp here!" he muttered over and over again. +But the bully had, as we already know, made good his escape, and Sam +found it impossible to get on his track. Soaked to the skin he made his +way back through the cemetery. + +"Hullo, so you have fallen into the river!" sang out a man who saw him +coming. It was Jack Sooker, the fellow mentioned by the cemetery +keeper's daughter. + +"No, I was pushed in," answered Sam, who knew Sooker fairly well. + +"How did it happen, Sam?" + +"I was after a rascal I wanted to have locked up. But he shoved me into +the river and got away." + +"You don't tell me! Where is he now?" + +"I don't know." + +"That's too bad. Do I know him?" + +"No, he is a stranger around these parts." + +"A young fellow?" + +"Yes, about Dick's age." + +"Can't say as I've seen him. What are you going to do about it?" + +"I don't know yet. I've got to get some dry clothes first:" + +Sam walked up to the cottage at the corner of the cemetery. Jennie, the +keeper's daughter, saw him coming and gave a cry at his wet garments. + +"Can I dry myself here?" he asked, after he had explained the +situation. + +"To be sure you can, Sam," she answered, and stirred up the fire in the +kitchen stove. "If you wish I'll lend you a suit of my brother Zack's +clothes--that is, if you are in a hurry." + +"Thanks, I'll borrow the suit. I want to report this; and I'll send +the suit back to-morrow." + +"You needn't hurry. Zack isn't home just now, so he doesn't need the +suit." + +The clothes were found, and Sam slipped into a bedchamber of the +cottage and made the change. Then, after thanking Jennie once more for +her kindness, the youngest Rover set off for Oak Run as fast as he +could. + +A train was just coming into the depot and the first person to hop off +was Fred Garrison. + +"Hullo, I thought you'd meet me!" sang out Fred. "How are you?" + +"Pretty well, considering," answered Sam, with a quiet smile. "But I've +had a whole lot of happenings since I drove down to the depot." + +"What's the matter, horse run away?" + +"No, I met Lew Flapp." + +"Nonsense! Why, what is he doing around here?" + +"I give it up, Fred. But he was here and we have had a lively time of +it," answered Sam, and told his story. + +"Well, I'll be jiggered! What do you propose to do next?" + +"I don't know what to do. I might get the village constable to hunt for +him, but I don't think it will do any good." + +"Why don't you tell your folks first?" + +"Yes, I reckon that will be best. Jump in the carriage and I'll drive +you over to our home." + +Fred had but little to tell out of the ordinary. His folks had wanted +him to go to the seashore for the summer, but he had preferred to take +the houseboat trip with the Rovers. + +"I am sure we shall have a dandy time," he said. "I was on a houseboat +trip once, down in Florida, and it was simply great." + +"What do you think about the Lanings and the Stanhopes going with us?" + +"That will be nice. We certainly ought to have a bang-up time," +answered Fred, enthusiastically. + +Sam had driven over with the best horse the Rover stable afforded, a +magnificent bay, which Anderson Rover had purchased in Albany at a +special sale early in the spring. Sam had pleaded to take the steed and +his parent had finally consented. + +"That's a fine bit of horseflesh you have," observed Fred, as they sped +along the level road leading to Valley Brook farm. "I like the manner +in which he steps out first-rate." + +"Chips is a good horse," answered Sam. "There is only one fault he +has." + +"And what is that?" + +"He is easily frightened at a bit of paper or some other white object +in the road." + +"That is bad." + +The conversation now changed and the boys spoke of the good times +ahead. Farm after farm was passed, until they were almost in sight of +Valley Brook. + +"What a beautiful stretch of country," observed Fred, as he gazed +around. "I don't wonder that your uncle settled here while your father +was in Africa." + +"We used to hate the farm, Tom especially. We thought it was too dead +slow for anything. But now we love to come back to it, after being at +school or somewhere else." + +They were just passing the farm next to that of the Rovers when a man +came driving up to them at a rapid gait. He was seated on a buckboard +and had behind him a box filled with showbills. + +"Visit the circus day after to-morrow! Biggest show on earth for a +quarter!" he shouted, and flung a couple of bills at them. + +"A circus!" began Fred, when, without warning, Chips made a wild leap +that nearly threw him and Sam into the road. Scared by the sight of the +showbills the horse made a plunge and then began to run away. + +"Whoa, Chips, whoa!" sang out Sam. + +"Don't--don't let him get away, Sam!" came from Fred, as he gripped the +side of the carriage. + +"He shan't get away if I can help it," was the answer, from between +Sam's shut teeth. "Whoa, Chips, whoa!" he went on. + +But Chips wouldn't whoa, and the sight of another white handbill in +the middle of the road caused him to shy to one side. Both boys were +unseated, and Sam would have gone to the ground had not Fred held him +fast. + +"Whoa!" yelled Sam, and now he pulled in tighter than ever on the +reins. But on and on went the bay steed, straight through the lane +leading to the Rovers' barn. + +"He'll smash us up!" gasped Fred. + +"Hi! hi!" came from the barnyard and then Dick Rover came into view. +His quick eye took in the situation in an instant and he made a grand +dash to reach Chips' head. He was successful, and in spite of the +steed's efforts to throw him off, held on until at last the bay was +brought to a standstill, trembling in every limb and covered with foam. + +"How did this happen, Samuel?" asked his uncle, as he too came forward. + +"A fellow with circus bills scared him," answered Sam, and he added: +"I'd just like to catch that fellow and give him a piece of my mind!" + +"And so would I," added Fred. + +"Are either of you hurt?" + +"No." + +"Let us be thankful for that," said Mr. Rover; and then had the horse +taken to the stable by Jack Ness. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +FUN AT THE SHOW + + +As soon as the family were assembled and Fred had been greeted all +around, Sam told of what had happened since he had started out to have +his hair cut. + +"Well, you've had your share of happenings," declared Mrs. Rover. "It +is a wonder you are alive to tell of them." + +"We ought to go after Lew Flapp," said Dick. "He ought to be arrested +by all means." + +"Yes, but where are you going to look for him?" + +"Perhaps he will take the late train to-night from Oak Run." + +"That's an idea," came from Tom. "Let us watch the train." + +This was decided upon, and he and Dick, accompanied by their father, +went to Oak Run that evening for that purpose. But Lew Flapp and Dan +Baxter took the train from a station three miles away, so the quest was +unsuccessful. + +"I guess he didn't let the grass grow under his feet," said Sam, the +next morning. "No doubt he was badly scared." + +"What could he have been doing in this neighborhood?" asked Dick. + +"I give it up." + +During the day Sam got his hair cut and also returned the clothing +loaned to him by the cemetery keeper's daughter. While in Oak Run he +met the fellow who was distributing circus bills. + +"You want to be more careful when distributing bills," said he to the +man. + +"What's the matter with you?" growled the circus agent. + +"You scared my horse yesterday and made him run away." + +"Oh, go tumble over yourself," growled the fellow, and turned away. + +The manner of the man angered Sam, and likewise angered Tom, who +happened to be along. + +"Some of those circus chaps think they own the earth," was Tom's +comment. "I've a good mind to go to his old circus and have some fun +with the outfit." + +"Just the thing, Tom! Let us ask the others to go too. I haven't seen a +circus in a long time." + +"Well, this won't be much to look at. But we may get some fun out of +it," added Tom, with a sly wink. + +"Yes, there is sure to be fun when you are around," added his younger +brother, with a laugh. + +When the circus was mentioned at home Dick said he would be glad to go +and so did Fred. + +"It is Frozzler's Grand Aggregation of Attractions," said Tom, looking +over one of the showbills. "The Most Stupendous Exhibition on Earth. +Daring bareback riding, trained elephants and a peanut-eating contest, +likewise an egg-hunting raffle. All for a quarter, twenty-five cents." + +"What is an egg-hunting raffle?" questioned Fred. + +"He's fooling you, Fred," answered Sam. "You mustn't believe all Tom +says." + +"Thus doth mine own flesh go back on me," came from Tom, with an +injured look. "Never mind, it is put and carried that we go and see +Frozzler's outfit, occupying reserved orchestra chairs, close to the +family circle and adjoining the second gallery west." + +As soon as it was settled Tom and Sam laid their heads together to have +all the fun they could at the circus, "just to get square with that +agent," as Sam expressed it. + +None of the older folks wanted to go, for which the boys were thankful. + +"Say, I'd like to see dat show, Tom," said Aleck Pop, when he got the +chance. "Ain't seen no circuses since I was a little boy." + +"Then you must go by all means, Aleck. But don't you get too close to +the monkey cage." + +"Why not, Tom?" + +"They might take you for a long-lost brother." + +"Yah! yah! Dat's one on me!" Aleck showed his ivories in a broad grin. +"Maybe da will take yo' for a long-lost brudder, too--yo' is so full ob +monkey shines," and then Tom had to laugh at the sally. + +At the proper time the four boys drove over to the circus grounds, +taking Aleck Pop with them. Aleck was arrayed in his best, and from his +broad expanse of shirt bosom sparkled an imitation diamond which looked +like a small electric light. + +Tickets were procured for all by Dick, and the boys and the servant +pressed their way into the first of the tents, in company with one of +the largest crowds ever gathered in that vicinity. + +Now, as it happened, Frozzler's Grand Aggregation of Attractions was +largely so only in name. Frozzler was himself the man who had given out +the showbills, his regular agent having refused to work because his +salary had remained unpaid for three weeks. The circus was fast going +to pieces. + +"Here is where I am going to make a bunch of money," said Frozzler to +himself, as he saw the crowd coming in. "This day will put me on my +feet again." But he never saw the "bunch" of money in question, for +before the show was over a sheriff came along and levied on the +receipts, in behalf of several tradespeople and some performers. + +The exhibition was held in two tents, one for the wild animals and the +other for the ring performance. The wild animals were in exactly eight +wagon cages and consisted of a sickly-looking lion, a half-starved +tiger, several raccoons, two foxes, a small bear, and about a dozen +monkeys. There were also two elephants, one so old he was blind and +could hardly stand. + +"Well, this is a sell, if ever there was one," murmured Tom, after +looking into the various cages. + +"I feel like going out to the butcher shop and buying something with +which to feed that tiger," answered Dick. "He looks as if he hadn't had +a square meal for a week." + +"I'm going to give the monkeys some peanuts, that's the best I can do +for them," put in Sam. + +"If the ring show isn't better than this we are stuck sure," was Fred's +comment. + +"Hullo, there's that handbill man now," cried Tom, as Giles Frozzler +came into the tent. "Won't he laugh when he sees how Sam and Fred have +been stuck?" + +Two of the circus employees were near by and from their talk Fred +learned that the showbill man was the proprietor of the circus. + +"He certainly must be a one-horse fellow, or he wouldn't be throwing +out his own showbills," said Sam, on hearing this. + +Frozzler wore a soft hat, and as he stood near the monkey cage Tom +threw some peanuts into the crown of the head covering. + +Instantly the monkeys crowded forward. One seized a peanut and another, +to get the rest of the nuts, caught hold of the hat and pulled it into +the cage. + +"Hi! give me my hat!" roared Giles Frozzler, and put his hand into the +cage to get the article in question. + +The monkeys thought he had more peanuts and, being half starved, they +grabbed his hand and pulled it this way and that, while one gave the +man a severe nip. + +"Oh! oh!" screamed the circus man. "Let go my hand, you pesky rascal!" + +"Hullo, dat monkey am got a limb dat don't belong to no tree," sang out +Aleck. + +"You shut your mouth!" growled Frozzler "Hi! give me my hat!" he went +on to the monkeys. But the animals paid no attention to him. They ate +up the peanuts as fast as they could and then one began an +investigation by pulling the band from the hat. + +The head covering was a new one, purchased but two days before, and to +see it being destroyed made Giles Frozzler frantic. + +"Give me that, you rascals!" he roared, and began to poke at the +monkeys with a sharp stick. But two of them caught the stick and, +watching their chance, jerked it away from him. + +"Hurrah! score one for the monks!" sang out Tom, and this made the +crowd laugh. + +"If you don't shut up I'll have you put out," came angrily from Giles +Frozzler. + +"Why don't you buy hats for the pool' dear monkeys?" went on Tom. "Then +they wouldn't want yours." + +"Oh, you keep quiet!" + +"Those monkeys are about starved," said Sam. "Let us get up a +subscription for their benefit. I don't believe they have had a square +meal in a year." + +"All of the animals look starved," said Dick, loudly. + +"Dat am a fac'," added Aleck. + +"This is a bum show," cried a burly farmer boy standing close by. "Why, +they have more animals nor this in a dime museum." + +"Will you fellows shut up?" cried Giles Frozzler. "This show is all +right." + +"Of course you'd say so--you're the feller wot put out them bills," said +the burly country boy. + +"If you don't like the show you can get out." + +"All right, Mr. Billman, give me back my quarter." + +"Yes, give me my quarter and I'll go too," put in one of the +shopkeepers of Oak Run. + +"And so will I go," added a woman. + +"Me, too," came in a voice from the rear of the crowd. + +"Oh, you people make me tired," grumbled Giles Frozzler, and then, +fearing that the people would really demand their money back he sneaked +off, leaving the monkeys to continue the destruction of his head +covering. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +ACTS NOT ON THE BILLS + + +It was now almost time for the ring performance to begin. Dick had +purchased so-called reserved seats for the crowd, paying an additional +ten cents for each seat, but when they reached the tent with the ring +they found that the reserved seats were merely a creation of fancy on +the part of the circus owner. Giles Frozzler had had imitation chair +bottoms painted on the long boards used for seats and each of these +buttons was numbered. + +"This is a snide, sure," said Sam. + +"Well, there is one thing about it, they can't crowd you," answered +Dick. And that was the one advantage the "reserved seats" afforded. +On the common seats the spectators were crowded just as closely as +possible, until the seats threatened to break down with the weight put +upon them. + +There was a delay in opening the ring performance and for a very good +reason. In the dressing tent Giles Frozzler was having great difficulty +in persuading his leading lady rider and his clown to go on. Both +wanted their pay for the past two weeks. + +"I shall not ride a step until I am paid," said the equestrienne, with +a determined toss of her head. + +"And I don't do another flip-flap," put in the clown. + +"Oh, come, don't talk like that," argued Giles Frozzler. "I'll pay you +to-morrow, sure." + +"No." + +"I'll pay you to-night--just as soon as the performance is over. Just +see what a crowd we have--the money is pouring in." + +At this the lady bareback rider hesitated, and finally said she would +go on. But the clown would not budge. + +"I may be a clown in the ring, but not in the dressing room," said he, +tartly. "I want my pay, or I don't go on." + +"All right then, you can consider yourself discharged," cried Giles +Frozzler. + +He had started in the circus business as a clown and thought he could +very well fill his employee's place for a day or two. In the meantime +he would send to the city for another clown whom he knew was out of a +situation. + +At last the show began with what Frozzler termed on his handbills the +Grand Opening Parade, consisting of the two elephants, two ladies on +horseback, two circus hands on horseback, the little bear, who was +tame, and several educated dogs. In the meantime the band, consisting +of seven pieces, struck up a march which was more noise than harmony. + +"Here's your grand circus," whispered Sam. "Beats the Greatest Show on +Earth to bits, doesn't it?" + +"I'll wager a big tomato against a peck of clams that I can get up a +better show myself, and do it blindfolded, too," returned Tom. + +The grand opening at an end, there was a bit of juggling by a juggler +who made several bad breaks in his act, and then came the lady bareback +rider. At the same time, Frozzler came out, dressed in a clown's suit +and painted up. + +"Hullo, there's that chap again!" cried Dick. "He must be running half +the show himself." + +"How are you to-morrow?" sang out the clown. And after doing a +flip-flap, he continued: "Mr. Ringmaster, what's the difference between +your knife and me?" + +"I know!" shouted Tom. "His knife is a jack-knife, while you are a +jack-of-all-trades!" + +At this sally there was a loud laugh. + +"What is the difference between my knife and you?" queried the +ringmaster, as soon as he could make himself heard. + +"That's it." + +"I don't know." + +"I told you!" shouted Tom. + +"The difference between your knife and me," answered Frozzler, "is that +you can shut your knife up but you can't shut me up," and then he made +a face and did another tumble. + +"His knife is sharper than you, too," cried Sam. A roar followed, which +made Frozzler so angry he shook his fist at the youngest Rover. + +"Why is that boy like a fish?" cried Frozzler. + +"Because he's too slippery for a clown to catch," put in Fred, loudly, +and this created such a laugh that Frozzler's answer was completely +lost on the crowd. Again he shook his fist at our friends, but they +merely laughed at him. + +"I had a funny dream last night," went on the clown. "What do you think +I dreamed?" + +"That you had paid all your bills," called out Dick. + +This brought forth another laugh at Frozzler's expense, in which even +some of the circus hands joined. + +"Say, those boys are sharp," said the clown who had been discharged. "I +shouldn't care to run up against them." + +"Three of them are the Rover boys," answered a man sitting near. +"Nobody can get the best of them." + +"I dreamed a whale came along and swallowed me," went on Frozzler. + +"Hullo, I knew you were a Jonah!" sang out Tom. And once more the crowd +roared. + +"In the whale I met my old schoolmate, Billy Black," continued the +clown. + +"That was a black moment for poor Billy," was Sam's comment. + +"Did you give Billy a whaling?" asked Tom. + +"Did dat whale git a stummick ache from swallerin' yo'?" came loudly +from Aleck. "I t'ink any whale would, 'less his insides was +copper-lined." + +Aleck said this so gravely that it brought forth a roar which did not +subside for a full minute. Poor Frozzler could do nothing, and to save +himself made half a dozen tumbles. Then he started to run from the +ring, but tripped over one of the ropes and pitched headlong on his +nose. + +"Hullo, there a tumble extra!" sang out Tom. "Thank you; nothing like +giving us good measure!" + +"I'd like to wax that boy good!" growled Giles Frozzler, as he shot +into the dressing tent. "Those youngsters spoiled my act completely." +And then he hurried to a pail of water to bathe his nose. + +The next act was fairly good and put the crowd in good humor once more. +But that to follow was so bad that many began to hiss. Then came a race +which was as tame as it could possibly be, and many began to leave. + +"This is the worst circus yet," said one man. "If anybody comes +to-night he'll be sold." + +"I'm going to let all my friends know what a flat thing it is," said +another. "It isn't worth ten cents, much less a quarter." + +The circus was to wind up with the riding of a trick mule,--the animal +being brought out by the clown. + +As it happened the regular clown and the mule were friends, but the +mule hated Frozzler, for the circus owner had on more than one occasion +mistreated the animal. + +"Be careful of that mule," said one of the hostlers, as he turned the +trick animal over to Giles Frozzler. "He's ugly this afternoon." + +"Oh, I know how to manage him," growled Frozzler. "Come on here, you +imp!" and he hit the mule in the side. + +Instantly the mule made a bolt for the ring with Frozzler running after +him. + +"One hundred dollars to anybody who can ride Hanky-Panky!" sang out +Giles Frozzler. "He is as gentle as a kitten, and it is a great +pleasure to be able--" + +The clown got no further, for just then the mule turned around and gave +him a kick which sent him sprawling. Then, like a flash Hanky-Panky +turned around, caught Frozzler by the waist and began to run around the +ring with him. + +"Hi! let go!" screamed the thoroughly frightened circus owner. "Let go, +I say! Help! he will kill me! Help!" + +"Hurrah! the mule has got the best of it!" sang out Tom. "He knows how +to run a circus even if that fellow don't." + +"I'll bet on the mule," put in Dick. "He's a nose ahead in this race!" + +"Save me!" yelled Frozzler. "Drat that beast! Stop him, somebody!" + +There was intense excitement, and several employees rushed forward to +rescue Frozzler. But before this could be done, the mule left the ring +tent and dashed into the dressing room, where he allowed the circus +owner to drop into a barrel of water which was kept there in case of +fire. At this the crowd yelled itself hoarse; and this scene brought +the afternoon performance to an end. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +ALECK BRINGS NEWS + + +"I reckon we got square," was Tom's comment, after the fun was over and +they were on their way to the farm. "My, but wasn't that circus owner +mad!" + +"I don't think he'll have another such crowd to-night," said Fred, and +he was right. The evening performance was attended by less than a +hundred people, and a week later the show failed and was sold out +completely. + +By the end of the week word was received from both the Stanhopes and +the Lanings that all would be glad to join the Rovers in their +houseboat vacation. They would take a train for Pittsburg direct on the +following Wednesday morning and would there await their friends. + +"This suits me to a T!" cried Dick, after reading the communication +Dora had sent him. "If we don't have the best time ever then it will be +our own fault." + +"Just what I say," answered Sam, who had received a long letter from +Grace. + +There were many articles to pack and ship to Pittsburg. The boys also +made out a long list of the things to be purchased for the trip, and in +this their father and their aunt helped them. + +Sunday passed quietly, all of the boys attending both church and Sunday +school. It was a hard matter for Tom to keep still on the Sabbath day, +but he did so, much to his aunt's comfort. + +Aleck Pop was highly delighted to think that he was to be taken along, +especially as cook. + +"I'se gwine to do ma level best fo' yo' an' fo' de ladies," said the +colored man. "Yo' is gwine to hab reg'lar Waldorf-Astoria feed." + +"Don't feed us too good, Aleck, or we'll all die of dyspepsia," said +Sam. + +"I'll take care of dat, Massah Sam. Don't yo' remember how I used to +cook when we was out in de wilderness ob Africa?" + +"Indeed I do, Aleck. Yes, I know you'll take care of us," answered Sam. + +On the day before the start the boys were surprised to see Hans Mueller +appear, with a big trunk and a dress-suit case. The German boy came +over from Oak Run in a grocery wagon, having been unable to find a cab. + +"How you all vos?" said he, shaking hands. "I dink first I go py dot +Pittsburg und den I dinks me I got lost maybe--so I come here." + +"That's right, Hans," said Dick. "But what made you bring such a big +trunk?" + +"Shsh!" answered Hans, putting a finger to the side of his nose. "Dot +is a secrets alretty!" + +"A secret?" + +"Dot's him. You vos going to haf der ladies along, hey?" + +"Yes, they are all going." + +"I got me dree dress suits py mine drunk in." + +"Three dress suits!" roared Dick. "Oh, Hans!" + +"Ain't dot enough?" questioned the German cadet, dubiously. + +"Three dress suits!" repeated Dick. "Oh, somebody hold me, or I'll have +a fit!" And he nearly doubled up with laughter. + +"What's the funeral about?" came from Tom, who was standing near. + +"Hans is to become a real ladies' man, Tom." + +"I don't solve the riddle." + +"He has got three dress suits in his trunk." + +"Phew! He'll leave us in the shade entirely. Say, Hans, have you got +any patent leathers?" + +"Yah, I got two pairs of batent-leather shoes." + +"Hope you brought your pumps," put in Sam, who had come up. + +"Bumps?" queried Hans, with a puzzled look. "Vy I pring me a bump? Does +der poat leak?" + +"Well, that's the limit!" roared Dick. + +"Sam means your dancing pumps?" said Fred. "You mustn't forget them, +you know--not if you want to be a really and truly society man." + +"I got a pair of slippers for dot," answered Hans. "How many dress +suits you vos dake along, hey?" + +"Oh, about seven," answered Tom, carelessly. + +"You ton't tole me dot, Tom! Maybe I haf to puy some more, hey?" + +"Well, I shouldn't--not just yet," answered Dick. "Wait till the new +fall styles come out. What you want for a starter is some everyday +clothes, a sweater or two, and a pair of rubber boots, in case we have +to walk ashore in the mud some time." + +"Veil, I got dem too," answered Hans. + +A letter had already been sent to Captain Starr, asking him to have the +houseboat brought up to Pittsburg. The captain was also told to have +the _Dora_ thoroughly cleaned and put in proper trim for he outing. + +"We want the ladies to be satisfied with her appearance," said Dick. + +"And especially since she is named the _Dora_," grinned Tom. + +"Oh, you're only piqued because she isn't named the Nellie," retorted +his older brother, with a laugh. + +"Never mind, Dick; some day you can use the houseboat on a honeymoon," +answered Tom, and then ran off. + +At last came the time for the boys to leave the farm. Jack Ness took +all the trunks and suit cases to the depot and then transported the +boys in the family carriage, with Aleck on the seat beside him. + +"Good-bye to Valley Brook farm!" cried Tomb waving his hat. + +"Take good care of yourselves, boys!" shouted Anderson Rover. + +"Don't get drowned," put in the aunt. And then with final adieux they +were off. The drive to Oak Run was a quick one, and ten minutes later +the train came in and they went aboard. + +The run to Pittsburg was to occupy several hours, so the boys made +themselves as comfortable as possible. They had dinner on the train +and ordered the best of everything to be had. + +It had been arranged that all bound for the houseboat trip should meet +at the American House, and thither the boys made their way on reaching +the Smoky City, as Pittsburg is often called, on account of its +numerous manufactories. + +"Here we are!" cried a voice, as soon as they entered, and Songbird +Powell hurried up to them. "I thought you'd get here about this time." + +"Have you seen anything of the ladies?" queried Dick. + +"Yes, they are all in the ladies' parlor. I told them I'd keep a +lookout for you." + +They made their way to the parlor, where a great handshaking took +place. Mrs. Stanhope and Dora were there, and also Grace and Nellie +with Mrs. Laning. The latter was not used to traveling and was in quite +a flutter. + +"The girls insisted upon my coming," said Mrs. Laning. "I didn't think +I could do it at first, but they wouldn't take no for an answer." + +"And we are real glad to have you," answered Dick. + +Aleck had been sent off to hunt up Captain Starr and the houseboat, and +in the meantime all of the party obtained rooms for the night and then +went to supper. + +"This puts me in mind of the time we took dinner at Ithaca," said Dick +to Dora, on the way to the dining hall. "Do you remember?" + +"Indeed I do," she answered, with a pretty blush. "But please do not +steer me into the smoking room again," she added, mischievously. + +"Don't you think we are going to have a good time, Dora?" + +"If I hadn't thought that I shouldn't have come," answered the miss. + +It was a happy gathering, and Hans Mueller kept the young folks +convulsed by his odd speeches. + +"And you ton't vos put no salt py mine coffee in dis dime, Tom," said +Hans, referring to a trick which had once been played on him. + +"All right, Hansy," answered Tom. "And please don't you pour any coffee +down my back," he added, for he had not forgotten how he had been paid +back for that joke. + +The supper lasted a long time, and after it was over all went to one of +the rooms upstairs, where they spent a couple of hours very agreeably. + +"We can be thankful that it is such pleasant weather," said Mrs. +Stanhope. "An outing on a houseboat during a wet spell would not be so +nice." + +"Oh, we'd try to make things pleasant," said Tom. "There is a piano on +board, and we could have music and singing--" + +"A piano! Oh, Tom!" cried Nellie. "How nice! It must be a regular +little palace!" + +"I haven't seen the boat yet. Uncle Randolph said there was a piano on +board." + +"And I've got a guitar," came from Songbird Powell. + +"With which he will sing to the moon on dark nights," came from Tom. + +"I haf got some musics py mine drunk in too," said Hans. + +"What have you got, Hansy?" asked Sam--"a tin whistle?" + +"No, a music pox vot mine fadder brought from Chermany. He vos a fine +pox, too, I can told you." + +"That's splendid, Hans," said Dora. "I love a good music box." + +So the talk ran on until there was a knock at the door and Aleck +appeared. The look on his black face showed that he was excited. + +"Say, Massah Dick, I would like to see yo' in private a minute," he +said. + +"Certainly," replied Dick. "Excuse me," he added, to the others, and +went out into the hall with the colored man. + +"I didn't want fo' to alarm de ladies," explained Aleck. "But I wanted +to tell you as soon as I could." + +"Tell me what, Aleck?" + +"Dat I dun seen dat rascal, Dan Baxter, less dan half an hour ago," was +the answer. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +A QUEER CAPTAIN + + +"You saw Dan Baxter, here in Pittsburg?" ejaculated Dick. + +"Dat's it." + +"You are sure you were not mistaken, Aleck? I thought that rascal was +miles and miles away." + +"Dat's jess wot I dun been thinkin' too. But it was Dan Baxter, suah. I +knows him too well to make any mistake about his ugly face." + +"Where was he?" + +"Dat's de alarmin' part ob it, Massah Dick. Yo' know yo' tole me to +find de houseboat." + +"Yes." + +"Well, I found de boat wid dat dar Cap'n Starr on board, an' we made +all dem 'rangements wot you spoke about. Den I started to leave de +boat. Dar was an eleckric light on de dock an' a man standing near it, +a-watchin' de houseboat. I almost run into him, an' den I discobered it +was dat good-fo'-nuffin Dan Baxter." + +"He was watching the houseboat?" + +"Dat's it." + +"Did he recognize you, Aleck?" + +"Not till I spoke to him. I said, `Wot yo' doin' heah, Dan Baxter?' +When he heard dat he 'most jumped a foot. Den he mutters sumthing wot +I couldn't make out an' runs away." + +"Did you go after him?" + +"Yes, but I couldn't cotch him nohow. Dar was big piles ob boxes an' +barrels on de dock and he got away befo' I know wot I was at. I hunted +an' hunted, but I couldn't git on his track." + +"This is certainly unpleasant, to say the least," mused Dick, biting +his lip. "If he is watching us he is doing it for no good purpose." + +"Dat's de way. I reasoned. But I didn't want de ladies to heah. Mrs. +Stanhope am a powerfully narvous woman." + +"Yes, Aleck, you were wise in keeping them in ignorance. But I'll have +to tell Tom and Sam and the other fellows, and we'll have to keep our +eyes open." + +"Is you' goin' to report dis to de police?" + +"I may. I'll think it over first. Now, how about the houseboat? Has +Captain Starr done as directed?" + +"Yes, sah." + +"What kind of a man does he seem to he?" + +"All right, Massah Dick, only--" + +"Only what?" asked the eldest Rover, as he saw the colored servant +hesitate. + +"Well, to tell de truf, he seems kind of funny to me." + +"How funny?" + +"Here," and Aleck tapped his forehead. + +"Do you mean that he is crazy?" + +"Not dat persackly, Massah Dick, but he said sum mighty funny t'ings +when we was talkin' acted like he was t'inkin' ob sumt'ing else." + +"Humph! Well, if he isn't the sort of fellow we want we'll have to let +him go and get another captain." + +Dick returned to the apartment he had left and told the others that +Aleck had made the necessary arrangements. Then he gave Tom and Sam a +wink which meant a good deal. Soon after this the party broke up, and +the boys retired to the connecting rooms they had engaged for the +night. + +"So Aleck saw Dan Baxter!" cried Tom, when told of the news. "That must +mean the rascal is on our trail." + +"Just what I am thinking, Tom," returned Dick. + +"We ought to have the authorities arrest him," put in Sam. + +"Perhaps, but we've got to locate him first. Now that he has been +discovered he will do his best to keep shady. Maybe he has already left +the city." + +They talked the matter over for an hour, but could reach no +satisfactory conclusion. + +"Better take matters as they come," said Powell. "He won't dare to +molest you openly." + +"No, but he will molest us in secret, which will be worse," replied +Sam. + +"None of the ladies or the girls must hear of this," said Tom. "It +would spoil their whole trip, even if Baxter didn't show himself +again." + +"I ton't oben mine mouds apout noddings," declared Hans. "I vos so +quiet like an ellerfaunt in a church!" + +Bright and early the boys were astir on the following morning, and +Dick, Tom, and Sam went off to interview Captain Starr before +breakfast. They found the captain a thick-set fellow, with a heavy +mustache and big, bushy whiskers. He had eyes of the dreamy sort, which +generally looked away when speaking to anybody. + +"This is Captain Starr?" said Dick, addressing him. + +"I'm your man." + +"I am Dick Rover, and these are my brothers, Tom and Sam." + +Dick put out his hand, but the captain merely nodded. + +"Is everything ready for the trip, captain?" asked Tom. + +"Yes, sir." + +"You had the boat cleaned up?" said Sam. + +"Yes, sir." + +"We'll look her over," said Dick. + +"Yes, sir." + +They walked over the houseboat from end to end. The craft was certainly +a beauty and as clean as a whistle. There was a living room, a dining +room, a kitchen, and eight sleeping rooms--four of the latter +downstairs and four upstairs. Each sleeping room contained two berths. +There was also a bunk room below, for the help, and a small room for +the captain. In the living room, was the piano and also a bookcase +containing half a hundred choice novels. + +"This is certainly great," said Tom. + +"Better than I thought it would be," answered Sam. "It's a perfect +palace." + +"And see how the brasswork shines," went on Tom. "The captain certainly +had things cleaned up. + +"But he is a queer stick, if ever there was one." came from Dick, in a +whisper. "I must say, I don't half like him." + +"He acts as if he was asleep," was Tom's comment. + +"Or else as if he had something on his mind." + +"Anyway, he comes highly recommended," said Sam. + +When they came out on the deck they found Captain Starr sitting on a +bench smoking a corncob pipe. + +"She is in fine shape and I congratulate you, captain," said Dick, +pleasantly. + +"Thank you," was the short answer. + +"You will be ready to have us taken down the river as soon as we get +our things on board?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"Confound him," thought Dick. "Why doesn't he say something else? He is +a regular automaton." + +"By the way, captain," put in Tom, "have you noticed a stranger +watching the _Dora_ the last night or two?" + +At this question Captain Starr leaped to his feet, allowing his corncob +pipe to fall to the ground. + +"What made you ask that question?" he demanded. + +"We have an enemy, named Dan Baxter. We suspect he is following us and +is spying on us." + +"Yes, I have seen a young fellow around half a dozen times. In fact, I +caught him on the houseboat once." + +"You did!" cried Dick. "What was he doing?" + +"Going through the stuff in the living room." + +"What did you do to him?" + +"I yelled at him, demanding to know what he wanted. As soon as he heard +me he ran ashore and disappeared." + +"Did you try to find him?" + +"No, because I didn't want to leave the houseboat alone." + +"Did you see him last night--while our colored man was here?" + +"I saw somebody, but it was too dark to make out exactly who it was." + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +ON BOARD THE HOUSEBOAT + + +After questioning Captain Starr as closely as possible all three of the +Rover boys came to the conclusion that it must have been Dan Baxter who +had visited the _Dora_ on the sly. + +"I don't like this at all," said Sam. "He is going to make trouble for +us--no two ways about that." + +"The best thing to do, in my opinion, is to get away without delay," +said Tom. "He won't find it so easy to follow us then." + +"I'm going to throw him off the scent," said Dick. + +"How?" + +"By pretending to go to one place, while we can really go to another." + +"That's a scheme." + +A small tug had been chartered to tow the houseboat, and the captain of +this was ordered to be ready for moving at eleven o'clock. + +"We shall go to Camdale first," said Dick, naming a place about forty +miles away. + +"All right, sir--wherever you say," said the tug commander. + +Returning to the hotel, the boys found the others finishing breakfast +and sat down to their own. They said the _Dora_ was in perfect trim and +that the trip down the Ohio was to begin without delay. + +"Well, I am sure I am ready," said Nellie. "I am just dying to see the +houseboat." + +Aleck hurried around to buy the necessary stores, which were taken to +the _Dora_ in a wagon, Then two carriages brought down the ladies and the +boys and a truck brought along the baggage. + +"What a beautiful boat!" cried Dora after going on board. "And how tidy +everything is!" + +"Then you are not ashamed to have her called the _Dora?_" said Dick, +well satisfied. + +"Ashamed? Oh, Dick, I am delighted!" + +"This boat is a gem," was Songbird Powell's comment. "Say, folks on the +Ohio will take us, to be millionaires." + +"Dis ship is besser dan a ferrypoat," was Hans' comment. + +"A ferryboat!" shrieked Grace. "Oh, Hans!" + +"I mean von of dem double-decker ferrypoats vot runs from New York to +Chersey City--dem kind vot has got blate-glass vinders und +looking-glasses der sthairs on," explained the German cadet. "Da vos +peauties, too." + +"If we don't enjoy this trip it will be our fault," said Fred. + +The lines were cast off, the steam tug puffed, and in a moment more the +houseboat had left the dock and the voyage down the Ohio was begun. + +"I'll not be sorry to leave Pittsburg behind," said Nellie. "There is +so much smoke." + +"Well, they have to have smoke--in such a hive of industry," answered +Dick. + +By noon Pittsburg and Allegheny were left behind and once more the sky +was clear and blue above them. The sun shone brightly and there was +just enough breeze to keep the air cool and delicious. All sat on the +forward deck, under a wide-spread awning, watching the scenery as they +floated onward. + +After a consultation it was decided that the first stop should be made +at a small village on the river called Pleasant Hills. Mrs. Laning had +a friend there whom she had not seen for years, and she said she would +be pleased to make a call. + +"All right," said Dick, "Pleasant Hills it is." And he called to the +tug captain and gave the necessary directions. + +"That will throw Dan Baxter off the track a little," whispered Sam. + +Aleck Pop was highly pleased with the cooking arrangements. There was a +first-class gasolene stove, and the kitchen was fitted with all sorts +of appliances for rendering cooking easy. + +"I'se gwine to do my best fo' you," said the colored man, and dinner, +which was served at one o'clock, proved to be little short of a genuine +feast, with oxtail soup, breast of lamb, mashed potatoes, green peas, +lettuce, coffee, pudding and cheese. + +"Why, Aleck, this is a surprise," said Dora. "Some day they will want +you to become the chef in a big hotel." And this compliment tickled the +colored man greatly. + +"T'ank yo' Miss Dora," he answered. "But I don't want to be no chef in +a hotel. All I wants to do is to stay wid de Rober boys so long as I +lib." + +During the afternoon the boys tried their hands at fishing and caught +quite a mess. By four o'clock Pleasant Hills was reached and they tied +up in a convenient spot. All of the girls and Mrs. Stanhope went ashore +with Mrs. Laning, to visit the friend that had been mentioned. + +"Bring them down to the houseboat to-night, if they care to come," said +Dick. + +"Thank you, Dick, perhaps we will," answered Mrs. Laning. + +"Let us take a swim while they are gone," suggested Tom. "That water is +too inviting to resist." + +"Agreed!" shouted the others, and ran to their rooms, to get out their +bathing suits. Soon Tom was ready, and leaping to the end of the houseboat, +took a straight dive into the river. Sam followed and Fred came next, +and then Dick, Songbird, and Hans came down in a bunch. The water was +just cold enough to be pleasant, and they splashed around in great sport. + +"This is what I call living!" yelled Tom and diving under, he caught +Hans by the big toe. + +"Hi, hi! let go mine does!" shrieked the German lad. "Somedings has me +py der does cotched!" + +"Maybe it's a shark," suggested Fred. + +"A shark! Vos der sharks py der Ohio River?" + +"Tons of them," came from Sam. "Look out, Hansy, or they'll swallow +you." + +"Du meine Zeit!" gasped the German cadet. "Vy didn't you tole me dot +pefore, hey? I guess I don't schwim no more." And he started to climb +up a rope ladder leading to the deck of the houseboat. + +"Don't go, Hans!" sang out Songbird. "They are fooling you." + +"Dere ton't been no sharks in der river?" + +"No, nothing but sawfish and whales." + +"A vale! Dot's chust so bad like a shark." + +"No, not at all. A shark bites. A whale simply swallows you alive," put +in Sam, with a grin. + +"Swallows me alife, hey? Not on your life he ton't!" returned Hans, and +started again for the rope ladder. But Sam pulled him back and ducked +him, and was in turn ducked by Fred, who went under by a shove from +Dick; and then followed a regular mix-up, the water flying in all +directions. + +"By golly, dat's great!" cried Aleck, from the deck. "I dun' t'ink a +lot ob eels was dancin' a jig down dar!" + +"Come down here, Aleck, and get some of the black washed off!" shouted +Tom, gleefully. + +"Not fo' a dollah, Massah Tom--leasewise, not while yo' is around." + +"What are you afraid of?" asked Tom, innocently. + +"Yo' is too full ob tricks fo' dis chile. When I wants a baf I'se gwine +to take dat baf in a tub, an' when yo' ain't around," answered Aleck. +"Yo' am--Oh--wough!" And then the colored man retreated in great haste, +for Tom had sent up a shower of water all over him. + +"Here comes a big river boat!" cried Songbird, presently. "Let us go +out and catch the rollers!" And out they swam and waited until the +swells, several feet high, came rolling in. It was immense fun bobbing +up and down like so many corks. + +"Wish the steamers would continue to come past," said Fred. "This suits +me to death." + +"Here comes another pretty big boat," answered Tom. "And she is closer +to shore than that other craft, so we'll get the rollers at their +best." + +"Don't get too close," cried Songbird. "I knew a fellow who did that +once and got sucked under." + +On came the river boat and was soon opposite to where the houseboat +lay. She carried only a few passengers, but a very large quantity of +freight. + +"Here she comes!" cried Fred. "Now for some more fun." + +"Don't get too close!" repeated Songbird, but Tom did not heed him and +went within fifty feet of the steamboat's side. The rollers here were +certainly large, but all of a sudden Tom appeared to lose interest in +the sport. + +"Hullo, Tom! What are you so quiet about?" sang out Dick in alarm. + +"Perhaps he has a cramp," put in Sam. "Tom, are you all right?" he +cried. + +"Yes, I'm all right," was the answer, and then Tom swam to his brothers +with all speed. The steamboat was now well on its way down the Ohio. + +"What is it?" asked Dick, feeling that something was wrong. "If you +have had even a touch of a cramp you had better get out, Tom." + +"I haven't any cramp. Did you see them?" + +"Them? Who?" + +"The two fellows at the stern of that boat?" + +"No. What of them?" + +"One was Dan Baxter and the other was Lew Flapp." + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +WORDS AND BLOWS + + +"Baxter and Flapp!" + +The cry came from several at once, and all climbed to the deck of the +houseboat after Tom. + +"Are you certain of this, Tom?" asked Dick. + +"Yes, I saw them as plain as day. They were looking at the houseboat." + +"Did they see you?" + +"I think they did, and if so they must have seen the rest of our crowd +too." + +"We ought to go after them," came from Fred. "The name of that +steamboat was the _Beaver_." + +"Wonder where she will make her first stop?" + +For an answer to this question Captain Starr was appealed to, and he +said the craft would most likely stop first at a town which we will +call Penwick. + +"How far is that from here?" asked Sam. + +"About six miles." + +"Can we get a train to that place?" + +"Yes, but I don't know when." + +A time-table was consulted, and it was found that no train could be had +from Pleasant Hills to Penwick for two hours and three-quarters. + +"That is too late for us," said Dick. "If they saw Tom they'll skip the +moment the steamboat touches the landing." + +"If you want to catch them why don't you follow them up in the tug?" +suggested Songbird. + +"Dot's the talk!" came from Hans. "I would like to see you cotch dot +Flapp and Paxter mineselluf." + +"I'll use the tug," said Dick. + +He summoned the captain and explained the situation. It was found that +steam on the tug was low, but Captain Carson said he would get ready to +move down the stream with all possible speed. + +"I would like you to stay on the houseboat," said Dick, to Songbird, +Fred, and Hans. "I don't want to leave Captain Starr in charge all +alone." + +So it was agreed; and fifteen minutes later the tug was on the way +after the _Beaver_, with Dick, Tom, and Sam on board. + +"Can we catch the steamboat, captain?" questioned Tom, anxiously. + +"We can try," was the answer. "If I had known you wanted to use the tug +again to-night I should have kept steam up." + +"Well, we didn't know." + +The _Beaver_ was out of sight and they did not see the steamboat again +until she was turning in at the Penwick dock. + +"There she is!" cried Sam. + +"Hurry up, Captain Carson!" called out Dick. "If you don't hurry we +will lose the fellows we are after, sure." + +"I am hurrying as much as I can," replied the captain. + +In five minutes more they gained one end of the dock and the Rovers +leaped ashore. The _Beaver_ was at the other end, discharging passengers +at one gang plank and freight at another. + +"See anything of them?" asked Sam. + +"Yes, there they are!" shouted Tom, and pointed to the street beyond +the dock. + +"I see them," returned Dick. "Come on!" And he started for the street, +as swiftly as his feet could carry him. + +He was well in advance of Sam and Tom when Dan Baxter, looking back, +espied him. + +"Hi, Flapp, we must leg it!" cried Baxter, in quick alarm. + +"Eh?" queried Lew Flapp. "What's wrong now?" + +"They are after us!" + +"Who?" + +"The three Rover Boys. Come on!" + +The former bully of Putnam Hall glanced back and saw that Dan Baxter +(and he too had been a bully at the Hall) was right. + +"Where shall we go to?" he asked in sudden fright. + +"Follow me!" And away went Dan Baxter up the street with Flapp at his +heels. Dick, Tom, and Sam came after them, with a number of strangers +between. + +"Do you think we can catch them?" asked Tom. + +"We've got to catch them," answered Dick. "If you see a policeman tell +him to come along--that we are after a couple of criminals." + +Having passed up one street for a block, Baxter and Flapp made a turn +and pursued their course down a thoroughfare running parallel to the +river. + +Here were located a number of factories and mills, with several +tenement houses and low groggeries between. + +"They are after us yet," panted Flapp, after running for several +minutes. "Say, I can't keep this up much longer." + +"Come in here," was Dan Baxter's quick reply, and he shot into a small +lumber yard attached to a box factory. It was now after six o'clock and +the factory had shut down for the day. + +Once in the lumber yard they hurried around several corners, and +presently came to a shed used for drying lumber. From this shed there +was a small door leading into the factory proper. + +"I reckon we are safe enough here," said Dan Baxter, as they halted in +the shed and crouched down back of a pile of boards. + +"Yes, but we can't stay here forever," replied Lew Flapp. + +"We can stay as long as they hang around, Flapp." + +In the meantime the Rover Boys reached the entrance to the yard, and +Dick, who had kept the lead, called a halt. + +"I am pretty certain they ran in here," he declared. + +"Then let us root them out," said Tom. "And the quicker the better." + +The others were willing, and they entered the small lumber yard without +hesitation. As there were but three wagonways, each took one, and all +presently reached the entrance to the drying shed. + +"See anybody?" questioned Dick. + +"No," came from his brothers. + +"Neither did I. I see there is a big brick wall around this yard. If +they came in here they must have gone into this shed or into the +factory itself." + +"That's it, Dick," said Tom. He pushed open the door to the shed. "I'm +going to investigate." + +"So am I," said both of the others. + +In the shed all was dark and soon Sam stumbled over some blocks of wood +and fell headlong. + +"Confound the darkness," he muttered. "We ought to have brought a +light." + +"I've got one," answered Dick, and feeling in his pocket he produced +one of the new-style electric pocket lights. He pushed the button and +instantly the light flashed out, as from a bull's-eye lantern. + +"Hurrah, that's a good thing!" cried Tom. "By the way, isn't it queer +there is no watchman here?" + +"Maybe the night watchman hasn't got around yet," answered Dick, and +struck the truth. + +They began to move around the shed, much to the alarm of both Dan +Baxter and Lew Flapp. + +"I don't see any trace--" began Dick, when of a sudden the light landed +fairly and squarely on Baxter's face. Then it shifted to the face of +Lew Flapp. + +"The old Harry take you, Dick Rover!" yelled Baxter, in a sudden rage, +and throwing his whole weight against the pile of boards on which the +eldest Rover was standing, he caused it to go over, hurling Dick flat +on his back on the floor. + +"Dick, are you hurt?" called out Tom. The electric light had been +broken, and all was pitch-dark. + +"I--I guess--not," answered Dick. "But it was a close shave." + +"They are getting out!" came from Sam, as he heard a scuffling of feet. + +"No--they are going into the factory," shouted Tom. "Stop, Baxter! Stop, +Flapp! If you don't--Oh!" + +Tom's cry came to a sudden end, for without warning a billet of wood +struck him fairly on top of the head and he went down as if shot. + +By this time Dick was on his feet. + +"What's up, Tom?" + +"I--I--oh, my head?" + +"Did somebody hit you?" + +"Yes." + +Sam was running after Baxter and Flapp. But they reached the factory +first and banged the door full in the face of the youngest Rover. + +"Open that door, Dan Baxter!" called out Sam. + +"All right!" was the sudden reply, and open flew the door. Then down on +poor Sam's head came a heavy billet of wood and he pitched backward +unconscious. Then the door was closed once more and locked from the +inside. + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +DAYS OF PLEASURE + + +"Sam! Sam! Speak to us!" + +It was Dick who uttered the words, as he knelt beside his youngest +brother and caught his hands. Tom was just staggering up. + +But Sam was past speaking, and made no reply. + +"What's the matter, Dick?" asked Tom. + +"Poor Sam is knocked out completely. I don't know but what they have +killed him." + +"Oh, don't say that!" + +"Have you got a match? I've lost that electric pocket light." + +"Yes." Tom struck the match and lit a bit of pine wood that was handy, +and found the light. "Dick, don't tell me he is dead." + +"Oh!" came in a deep gasp from poor Sam, and he gave a shiver from head +to feet. + +"He isn't dead, but they must have hit him a terrible blow. Let us +carry him out into the open air." + +This they did, and laid the youngest Rover on some boards. Here he +presently opened his eyes and stared about him. + +"Don't--don't hit me again!" he pleaded, vacantly. + +"They shan't hit you again, Sam," answered Dick, tenderly. He felt of +his brother's head. On top was a lump, from which the blood was +flowing. + +"This is the worst yet," said Tom. "What had we best do next?" + +"Call a policeman, if you can find any." + +"That's rather a hard thing to do around here." + +However, Tom ran off, and while he was gone Dick did what little he +could to make Sam comfortable. At last the youngest Rover opened his +eyes again and struggled to sit up. + +"Where--where are they, Dick?" + +"Gone into the factory." + +"Oh, my head!" + +"It was a wicked blow, Sam. But keep still if your head hurts." + +When Tom came back he was accompanied by a watchman from a neighboring +yard and presently they were joined by the watchman of the box factory, +who had been to a corner groggery, getting a drink. + +"What's the row?" questioned the first watchman, and when told, emitted +a low whistle. + +"I think those fellows are in the factory yet," continued Dick. + +As soon as the second watchman came up both went into the box factory +and were gone fully ten minutes. Then Dick followed them, since Sam was +rapidly recovering. + +"Can't find them," said one of the watchmen. "But yonder window is +open. They must have dropped into that yard and run away." + +"Is the window generally closed?" + +"Yes." + +"Then you must be right." + +"Why don't you call up the police? You can do it on the telephone." + +"Have you a telephone here?" + +"Of course." + +Dick went to the telephone and told the officer in charge at the +station what had occurred. + +"I'll send two men at once," said the officer over the wire; and in +five minutes the policemen appeared. + +Again there was a search, not only of the box factory, but also of the +whole neighborhood, but no trace of Dan Baxter or Lew Flapp could be +found. + +Having bathed their hurts, both Sam and Tom felt better, and all three +of the Rovers walked to the police station with the policemen, and +there told the full particulars of their story. + +"You were certainly in hard luck," said the police captain, who +happened to be in charge. "I'll do what I can to round these rascals +up." But nothing came of this, for both Baxter and Flapp left Penwick +that very night. + +When the Rover boys returned to the houseboat, it was long after +midnight, but none on board had gone to bed. The Stanhopes and Lanings +had come back, bringing their friends with them, and all had been +surprised to find the Rovers absent. After remaining on the houseboat +a couple of hours the friends had gone home again. + +"Something is wrong; I can see it in your looks, Dick," said Dora, as +she came to him. + +"Sam, where did you get that hurt on your head?" questioned Grace, in +alarm. + +"Oh, we had a little trouble, but it didn't amount to much," answered +the youngest Rover as bravely as he could. + +"Yes, but your head is in a dreadful condition." + +"And Tom has a cut over the left eye," burst in Nellie. "Oh, you have +had a fight of some kind, and I know it!" + +"A fight!" cried Mrs. Stanhope. "Is it possible that you have been +fighting?" + +"We had a brush with a couple of rascals in Penwick," said Dick. "We +tried to catch them, but they got away from us. That is all there is to +it. I'd rather not talk about it," he went on, seeing that Mrs. Laning +also wanted to ask questions. + +"Well, you must really be more careful in the future," said Mrs. +Stanhope. "I suppose they wanted to rob you." + +"They didn't get the chance to rob us," put in Tom, and then the Rovers +managed to change the subject. The Stanhopes and the Lanings did not +dream that Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp had caused the trouble. Perhaps, in +the light of later events, it would have been better had they been told +the truth. + +Dick gave orders that the _Dora_ should be moved down the river early the +next day, and before the majority of the party were up, Pleasant Hills +was left behind. + +"I sincerely trust we have seen the last of Baxter and Flapp," said +Sam. + +"So do I, Sam," answered Dick. + +"I'd like to meet them and punch their heads good for them," came from +Tom. + +After that a week slipped by with very little out of the ordinary +happening. Day after day the houseboat moved down the river, stopping +at one place or another, according to the desires of those on board. +The weather continued fine, and the boys and girls enjoyed themselves +immensely in a hundred different ways. All had brought along bathing +suits and took a dip every day. They also fished, and tramped through +the woods at certain points along the stream. One night they went +ashore in a field and camped out, with a big roaring fire to keep them +company. + +"This is the way it was when the cadets went into camp," said Dick. "I +can tell you, we had lots of sport." + +"It must have been very nice, Dick," answered Dora. "Sometimes I wish I +was a boy and could go to Putnam Hall." + +"Not much! I'd rather have you a girl!" declared Dick, and in the dark +he gave her hand a tight squeeze. + +During those days Dick noticed that Captain Starr acted more peculiar +than ever. At times he would talk pleasantly enough, but generally he +was so close-mouthed that one could scarcely get a word out of him. + +"I believe he is just a wee bit off in his upper story," said the +oldest Rover. "But I don't imagine it is enough to count." + +"If he had any ambition in him he wouldn't be satisfied to run a +houseboat," said Tom. "It's about the laziest job I know of." + +The Monday after this talk found the _Dora_ down the Ohio as far as +Louisville. To avoid the falls in the stream, the houseboat had been +taken through the canal, and during the middle of the afternoon was +taken down the stream a distance of perhaps eighteen miles, to +Skemport,--so named after Samuel Skem, a dealer in Kentucky +thoroughbreds. + +Fred Garrison had a friend who came from Skemport and wanted to visit +him. The others were willing, and Fred went off with Tom and Sam as +soon as the boat was tied up. When they came back, late in the evening, +the others were told that the friend had invited all hands to visit a +large stock farm in that vicinity the next afternoon to look at the +horses there. + +"That will be nice!" cried Dora. "I love a good horse." + +Two large carriages were hired for the purpose, and Aleck was allowed +to drive one, a man from the local livery stable driving the other. + +"How soon will you be back?" sang out Captain Starr after them. + +"Can't say exactly," replied Dick. + +The distance to the stock farm was three miles, but it was quickly +covered, and once there the Rovers and their friends were made to feel +perfectly at home. + +"I'd like to go horseback riding on one of those horses," said Dora, +after inspecting a number of truly beautiful steeds. + +"You shall," said the owner of the stock farm; and a little later Dora, +Nellie, Dick, and Tom were in the saddle and off for a gallop of +several miles, never once speculating on how that ride was to end. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE HOUSEBOAT + + +Never was a girl more light-hearted than was Dora when in the saddle on +the Kentucky thoroughbred. And her cousin was scarcely less elated. + +"Let us have a little race, Nellie," cried Dora. "It will be lots of +fun." + +"Oh, we don't want the horses to run away," answered Nellie. + +"I don't think they will run away." + +The race was started, and to give the girls a chance, Dick and Tom +dropped to the rear. Soon a turn of the road hid the two girls from +view. + +"Wait a minute--there is something wrong with my saddle," said Tom, a +moment later, and he came to a halt and slipped to the ground. + +Dick would have preferred going on, but did not wish to leave his +brother alone, so he also halted. A buckle had broken and it took some +time to repair the damage, so Tom could continue his ride. + +"The girls have disappeared," said Dick, on making the turn ahead in the +road. + +They came to a spot where the road divided into three forks and halted +in perplexity. + +"Well, this is a nuisance," declared Tom, after scratching his head. "I +suppose they thought we were watching them." + +"More than likely." + +"Which road shall we take?" + +"Bless me if I know." + +"Well, we can't take all three." + +They stared at the hoofprints in the road, but there were too many of +them to make anything of the marks. + +"Stumped!" remarked Tom, laconically. + +"Let us wait a while. Perhaps, when the girls see we are not following, +they will turn back." + +"All right; but we've made a fine pair of escorts, haven't we, Dick?" + +"We are not responsible for that buckle breaking." + +"That's so, too." + +They waited for several minutes, but the girls did not appear. + +"Supposing I take to one road and you to the other?" said Dick. "If you +see them, whistle." + +"What about the third road?" And Tom grinned. + +"We'll leave that for the present." + +Off they set, and as ill-luck would have it took the two roads the +girls had not traveled. Each went fully a mile before he thought of +coming back. + +"Well, what luck?" asked Dick, as he rode up. + +"Nothing doing, Dick." + +"Ditto." + +"Then they must have taken to the third road." + +"That's it,--unless they rode faster than we did." + +"Shall I try that other road?" + +"You can if you wish. I'll stay here. If they come back, we can wait +for you," added the oldest Rover. + +Once more Tom set off. But he had pushed his horse so fast before the +animal was now tired and had to take his time in traveling. + +The third road led down to the river front, and before a great while +the water's edge was reached. Here there were numerous bushes and trees +and the road turned and ran some distance along the bank. + +"Well, I'm stumped and no mistake," murmured the fun-loving Rover, "I +felt sure--" + +He broke off short, for a distance scream had reached his ears. + +"Was that Nellie's voice?" he asked himself, and then strained his +ears, for two more screams had reached him. "Nellie, and Dora too, as +sure as fate!" he ejaculated. "Something has happened to them! Perhaps +those horses are running away!" + +He hardly knew how to turn, for the trees and bushes cut off his view +upon every side. He galloped along the road, which followed the +windings of the Ohio. But try his best he could locate neither girls +nor horses. + +It was maddening, and the cold sweat stood out upon Tom's forehead. +Something was very much wrong, but what was it? + +"Nellie! Dora! Where are you?" he called out. "_Where are you?_" + +Only the faint breeze in the trees answered him. + +"I've got to find them!" he groaned. "I've got to! That is all there is +to it." He repeated the words over and over again. "What will Mrs. +Laning and Mrs. Stanhope say, and Grace?" + +Again he went on, but this time slower than before, looking to the +right and the left and ahead. Not a soul was in sight. The road was so +cut up he could make nothing of the hoofmarks which presented +themselves. + +"This is enough to drive one insane," he reasoned. "Where in the world +did they go to? I'd give a thousand dollars to know." + +At last he reached a point where the road ran close to the water's +edge. He looked out on the river. Only a distant steamboat and a small +sailboat were in view. + +"Wonder if they rode down to where we left the houseboat?" he asked +himself. "She must be somewhere in this vicinity. Maybe they have only +been fooling us." + +Although Tom told himself this, there was no comfort in the surmise. He +moved on once more. It was now growing dark and there were signs of a +coming storm in the air. + +At last he reached a spot which looked somewhat familiar to him. He +came down to the water's edge once more. + +"Why--er--I thought the houseboat was here," he said, half aloud. "This +looks like the very spot." + +But no houseboat was there, and scratching his head once more, Tom +concluded that he had made a mistake. + +"I'm upset if ever a fellow was," he thought. "Well, no wonder. Such +happenings as these are enough to upset anybody." + +Tom knew of nothing more to do than to return to where he had left +Dick, and this he did as quickly as the tired horse would carry him. + +"No success, eh?" said the oldest Rover. "What do you make of it, Tom?" + +When he had heard his brother's tale he grew unusually grave. + +"You are sure you heard them scream?" he questioned, anxiously. + +"I'm sure of nothing--now. I thought I was sure about the houseboat, but +I wasn't," answered Tom, bluntly. "I'm all mixed up." + +"I'll go down there with you," was the only answer Dick made. + +It did not take long to reach the spot. It was now dark and a mist was +rising from the river. + +"This is certainly the spot where we tied up," declared the oldest +Rover. "Why, I helped to drive that stake myself." + +"Then the houseboat is gone!" + +"That's the size of it." + +"And the girls are gone too," went on Tom. "Yes, but the two happenings +may have no connection, Tom." + +"Don't be so sure of that!" + +"What do you mean?" + +"I'm thinking about Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp. They wouldn't be above +stealing the houseboat." + +"I believe you there." + +"And if those girls happened to go on board--Look there!" + +Tom pointed out in the darkness on the road. Two horses were coming +toward them, each wearing a lady's saddle and each riderless. + +"There are the horses," said Dick. "But the girls? You think--" + +"The girls came down here on their horses and dismounted, to go on +board of the houseboat." + +"Well, where is the houseboat?" + +It was a question neither of them could answer. They looked out on the +river, but the mist hung over everything like a pall. + +"Dick, I am afraid something serious has happened," came from Tom, +ominously. "Those screams weren't uttered for nothing." + +"Let us make a closer examination of the shore," answered the oldest +Rover, and they did so. They found several hoofprints of horses, but +that was all. + +"I can't see any signs of a struggle," said Tom. + +"Nor I. And yet, if those rascals ran off with the houseboat and with +the girls on board, how would they square matters with Captain Starr?" + +"And with Captain Carson? The tug is gone, too." + +"Yes, but the tug went away when we did, and wasn't to come back until +to-morrow morning. Captain Carson said he would have to coal up, over +to one of the coal docks." + +"Then some other tug must have towed the houseboat away." + +"Either that or they are letting the _Dora_ drift with the current." + +"That would be rather dangerous around here,--and in the mist. A +steamer might run the houseboat down." + +The brothers knew not what to do. To go back to the stock farm with the +news that both the girls and the houseboat were missing was extremely +distasteful to them. + +"This news will almost kill Mrs. Stanhope," said Dick. + +"Well, it will be just as bad for Mrs. Laning, Dick." + +"Not exactly,--she has Grace left, while Dora. is Mrs. Stanhope's only +child." + +Once again the two boys rode up and down the' Ohio for a distance of +nearly a mile. At none of' the docks or farms could they catch the +least sign of the houseboat. + +"She may be miles from here by this time," said Dick, with almost a +groan. "There is no help for it, Tom, we've got to go back and break +the news as best we can." + +"Very well," answered Tom, soberly. Every bit of fun was knocked out of +him, and his face was as long as if he was going to a funeral. + +Dick felt equally bad. Never until that moment had he realized how dear +Dora Stanhope was to him. He would have given all he possessed to be +able to go to her assistance. + +The mist kept growing thicker, and by the time the stock farm was +reached it was raining in torrents. But the boys did not mind this +discomfort as they rode along, leading the two riderless saddle horses. +They had other things more weighty to think about. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +DAN BAXTER'S LITTLE GAME + + +In order to ascertain just what did become of the houseboat, it will be +necessary to go back to the time when the _Dora_ was tied up near the +village of Skemport. + +Not far away from Skemport was a resort called the Stock Breeders' +Rest--a cross-roads hotel where a great deal of both drinking and +gambling was carried on. + +During the past year Dan Baxter had become passionately fond of card +playing for money and he induced Lew Flapp to accompany him to the +Stock Breeders' Rest. + +"We can have a fine time there," said Baxter. "And as the Rovers' +houseboat will not be far off, we can keep our eyes on that crowd and +watch our chance to deal them another blow." + +Lew Flapp was now reckless and ready for almost anything, and he +consented. They hired a room at the cross-roads hotel, and that night +both went to the smoking room to look at what was going on. + +A professional gambler from Kentucky soon discovered them, and he +induced Dan Baxter to lay with him,--after learning that Lew Flapp had +no money to place on a game. Baxter and the gambler played that night +and also the next morning, and as a result Baxter lost about every +dollar he had with him. + +"You cheated me," he cried passionately, when his last dollar was gone. +"You cheated me, and I'll have the police arrest you!" + +This accusation brought on a bitter quarrel, and fearful that they +might be killed by the gambler and his many friends who frequented the +resort, Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp fled for their lives. They were +followed by two thugs, and to escape molestation took refuge in a +stable on the outskirts of Skemport and only a short distance from +where the _Dora_ lay. + +"How much money did you lose, Baxter?" asked Flapp, after they had made +certain that they were safe for the time being. + +"Two hundred and sixty-five dollars--every dollar I had with me," was +the gloomy response. + +"Is it possible!" gasped Lew Flapp. He wondered what they were going to +do without money. + +"What have you got left of the money I loaned you?" went on Baxter. + +"Just two dollars and twenty cents." + +"Humph! That's a long way from being a fortune," grumbled the +discomfited leader of the evil-doers. + +"You are right. I think you were foolish to gamble." + +"Oh, don't preach!" + +"I'm not preaching. What shall we do next?" + +"I don't know. If I was near some big city I might draw some money from +a bank." + +"You might go to Louisville." + +"No, I'd be sure to have trouble if I went to that place--I had trouble +there before." + +They looked around them, and were surprised to see the houseboat in +plain view. This interested them, and they watched the _Dora_ with +curiosity. + +"If we had a houseboat we could travel in fine style," was Lew Flapp's +comment. + +"Just the thing, Flapp!" cried Dan Baxter. + +"Perhaps; but you can't buy a houseboat for two dollars and twenty +cents, nor charter one either." + +"We won't buy one or charter one," was Dan Baxter's crafty answer. + +"Eh?" + +"We'll borrow that one. She's a fairy and will just suit us, Flapp." + +"I don't quite understand. You're not fool enough to think the Rovers +will let you have their houseboat." + +"Of course not. But if I take possession while they are away--" + +"How do you know they will be away--I mean all of them at one time?" + +"I'll fix it so they are. We must watch our chance. I can send them a +decoy message, or something like that." + +"You'll have to be pretty shrewd to get the best of the Rovers." + +"Pooh! They are not so wise as you think. They put on a big front, but +that is all there is to it," went on Dan Baxter, loftily. + +"Well, go ahead; I don't care what you do." + +"You'll help me; won't you?" + +"Certainly,--if the risk isn't too great. We don't want to get caught +and tried for stealing." + +"Leave it all to me, Flapp." + +As we know, fortune for once favored Dan Baxter. From the stable he and +Flapp saw the party depart for the stock farm, leaving nobody but +Captain Starr in charge. They also saw the steam tug move away, to get +a new supply of coal in her bunkers. + +"Everything is coming our way," chuckled Dan Baxter, with a wicked grin +on his scarred face. "Flapp, the coast is almost clear." + +"Almost, but not quite. That captain is still on board." + +"Oh, that chap is a dough-head. We can easily make him do what we +want." + +"Don't be too sure. He might watch 'his chance and knock us both +overboard." + +"Well, I know how to fix him. I'll send him a message to come here--that +Dick Rover wants him. When he comes we can bind him fast with this old +harness and leave him here. Then we will have the houseboat all to +ourselves." + +"And after that, what?" + +"We'll drop down the river a way. Then we can paint a new name on the +boat, get a steam tug, and make off for the Mississippi,--and the Rovers +and their friends can go to grass." + +This programme looked inviting to Flapp, and when Dan Baxter wrote a +note to the captain of the _Dora_ he volunteered to deliver it. He +found Captain Starr on the front deck of the houseboat smoking his +corncob as usual. + +The captain had one of his peculiar moods on him, and it took a minute +or two for Flapp to make him understand about the note. But he fell +into the trap with ease and readily consented to follow the young +rascal to the stable. + +As he entered the open doorway, Dan Baxter came at him from behind, +hitting him in the head with a stout stick. The captain went down half +stunned. + +"See--see here," he gasped. "Wha--what does this--" + +"Shut up!" cried Baxter. "We won't hurt you if you'll keep still. But +if you don't--" + +"I--I haven't hurt anybody, sir." + +"All right, old man; keep still." + +"But I--I don't understand?" + +"You will, later on." + +Dan Baxter had the straps of the old harness ready and with them he +fastened Captain Starr's hands behind him and also tied his ankles +together. Then he backed the commander of the houseboat to a post and +secured him, hands and feet. + +"Now then, don't you make any noise until to-morrow morning," was Dan +Baxter's warning. "If you do, you'll get into trouble. If you keep +quiet, we'll come back in the morning, release you, and give you a +hundred dollars." + +"Give me a hundred dollars?" questioned the captain, simply. + +"That is what I said." + +"Then I had better keep quiet. But the houseboat--" + +"The houseboat will be left just where it is." + +"Oh, all right, sir," and the captain breathed a sigh of relief. That +he was just a little simple-minded was beyond question. + +Leaving the captain a prisoner, Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp made their way +with caution toward the houseboat. As they had surmised, the _Dora_ was +now totally deserted. They leaped on the deck and entered the sumptuous +living room. + +"This is fine," murmured Lew Flapp. "They must be living like nabobs on +this craft." + +"You're right. A piano and a guitar, too." Baxter passed into the +dining room. "Real silver on the table. Flapp, we've struck luck." + +"Sure." + +"That silver is worth just so much money,--when we need the funds." + +"Would you sell it?" + +"Why not? Didn't I tell you the Rovers robbed my father of a mine? This +isn't a fleabite to what they've got that belongs to us." From the +dining room the young rascals passed to the staterooms. + +"Trunks full of stuff," observed Flapp. "We shan't fall short of +clothing." + +"I hope there is money in some of them," answered Dan Baxter. + +"Hadn't we better be putting off?" asked Flapp, nervously. "Some of +them may be coming back, you know." + +"Yes, let us put off at once. This mist that is coming up will help us +to get away." + +Leaving the stateroom they were in, they went out on deck and began to +untie the houseboat. While they were doing so they heard the sounds of +two horses approaching. + +"Somebody is coming," said Flapp, and an instant later Dora and Nellie +came into view. Nellie had her skirt badly torn, and it was her +intention, if she could locate the houseboat, to don a new skirt before +she returned to where Tom and Dick had left them on the highway. + +"It's a pity you fell and tore the skirt," Dora was saying. "But I +suppose you can be thankful that you did not hurt yourself." + +"That is true. But the boys will think I can't ride, and--Oh!" + +Nellie came to a sudden stop and pointed to the houseboat. + +"Dan Baxter," burst from Dora's lips. "Oh, how did that fellow get +here?" + +"Dora Stanhope!" muttered Baxter, and then he and Lew Flapp ran towards +the girls. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A RUN IN THE DARK + + +Both girls were thoroughly alarmed by the unexpected appearance of Dan +Baxter and his companion and brought their horses to a standstill. + +"How do you do, Miss Stanhope?" said Baxter, with a grin. + +"What are you doing here?" demanded Dora, icily. + +"Oh, nothing much." + +"Do you know that that is the Rovers' houseboat?" + +"Is it?" said Baxter, in pretended surprise. + +"Yes." + +"No, I didn't know it." Baxter turned to Nellie. "How are you, Miss +Laning? I suppose you are surprised to meet me out here." + +"I am," was Nellie's short answer. Both girls wished themselves +somewhere else. + +"My friend and I were walking down the river when we heard a man on +that houseboat calling for help," went on Dan Baxter, glibly. "We went +on board and found the captain had fallen down and hurt himself very +much. Do you know anything about him?" + +"Why, yes!" said Dora, quickly. "It must be Captain Starr!" she added, +to Nellie. + +"He's in a bad way. If you know him, you had better look after him," +continued Dan Baxter. + +"I will," and Dora leaped to the ground, followed by Nellie. Both ran +towards the houseboat, but at the gang plank they paused. + +"I--I think I'll go back and get Dick Rover," said Dora. She did not +like the look in Dan Baxter's eyes. + +"Yes, and Tom," put in Nellie. + +"You shan't go back," roared Dan Baxter. "Go on and help the poor +captain." + +His manner was so rude that Nellie gave a short, sharp scream--one which +reached Tom's ears, as already recorded. + +"Don't--don't go on board just yet, Dora," she whispered. + +"You shall go on board!" went on Dan Baxter. "Make her go, Flapp. I'll +attend to this one," and he caught hold of Dora's arm. + +At this both girls screamed--another signal of distress which reached +Tom's ears but did no good. + +"I don't see the reason--" began Lew Flapp. + +"Just do as I say, Flapp. We can make money out of this," answered Dan +Baxter. + +He caught Dora around the waist and lifted her into the air. She +struggled bravely but could do nothing, and in a moment more he had her +on the houseboat. Lew Flapp followed with Nellie, who pulled his hair +and scratched his face unavailingly. + +"Where--where you going to put 'em?" queried Flapp. + +"In here," answered Dan Baxter, leading the way to one of the +staterooms--that usually occupied by Mrs. Stanhope and Dora. "Now you +stay in there and keep quiet, or it will be the worse for you," Baxter +went on to the girls. + +As Nellie was pushed into the stateroom she fainted and pitched +headlong on the floor. Thoroughly alarmed, Dora raised her cousin in +her arms. At the same time Baxter shut the door and locked it from the +outside. + +"Now, don't make a bit of noise, or you'll be sorry for it," he fairly +hissed, and his manner was so hateful that Dora was thoroughly cowed. + +"What's the next move?" asked Flapp, when he and Baxter were on the +outside deck. He was too weak-minded to take a stand and placed himself +entirely under the guidance of his companion. + +"Get the houseboat away from the shore and be quick about it," was the +reply. "Somebody else may be on the way here." + +The order to push off was obeyed, and soon the _Dora_, caught by the +strong current of the river, was moving down the Ohio and away from the +vicinity of Skemport. The mist was now so thick that in a few minutes +the shore line was lost entirely to view. + +"I must say, I don't like this drifting in the dark," said Flapp. "What +if we run into something!" + +"We've got to take some risk. I'll light the lanterns as soon as we get +a little further away. You stand by with that long pole--in case the +houseboat drifts in toward shore again." + +The _Dora_ had been provided with several long, patent sweeps, and for +a while both of the young rascals used these, in an endeavor to get the +houseboat out into the middle of the river. In the distance they saw +the lights of a steamboat and this was all they had to guide them. + +"If we strike good and hard we'll go to the bottom," said Lew Flapp. + +"Flapp, you are as nervous as a cat." + +"Isn't it true?" + +"I don't think so. Most of these boats are built in compartments. If +one compartment is smashed the others will keep her afloat." + +"Oh, I see." And after that Lew Flapp felt somewhat relieved. + +When the houseboat was well away from Skemport, Dan Baxter walked to +the door of the stateroom in which Dora and Nellie had been confined. + +"Hullo, in there!" he called out. + +"What do you want?" asked Dora, timidly. + +"How is that other girl, all right?" + +"Ye--yes," came from Nellie. "But, oh! Mr. Baxter, what does this mean?" + +"Don't grow alarmed. I'm not going to hurt you in the least." + +"Yes, but--but--we don't want to go with you." + +"I'm sorry, but I can't help that. If we let you go ashore you'll tell +the Rovers that we took the houseboat."--" + +"And is that why you took us along?" questioned Dora. + +"Certainly." + +"How far are you going to take us?" + +"That depends upon circumstances. I don't know yet where or when we +will be able to make a landing." + +"It is horrid of you to treat us so." + +"Sorry you don't like it, but it can't be helped," answered Dan Baxter, +coolly. He paused a moment. "Say, if I unlock that door and let you out +will you promise to behave yourselves?" + +"What do you mean by that?" questioned Dora. + +"I mean will you promise not to scream for help or not to attack myself +or Lew Flapp?" + +"I shan't promise anything," said Nellie, promptly. + +"I don't think I'll promise anything either," joined in her cousin. + +"Humph! You had better. It's rather stuffy in that little stateroom." + +"We can stand it," answered both. + +"All right, suit yourselves. But when you want to come out, let me +know." + +With these words Dan Baxter walked away, leaving the girls once more to +themselves. Both sat down on the edge of a berth, and Nellie placed her +head upon Dora's shoulder. + +"Oh, Dora, what will become of us?" + +"I'm sure I don't know, Nellie." + +"They may take us away down the river--miles and miles away!" + +"I know that. We must watch our chances and see if we cannot escape." + +"Do you think the Rover boys are following the houseboat?" + +"Let us hope so." + +Thoroughly miserable, the cousins became silent. They felt the +houseboat moving swiftly along with the current, but could see nothing +on account of the mist and the darkness. Soon they heard the rain +coming down. + +"It is going to be an awful night," said Dora. "I don't see how anybody +could follow this houseboat in such a storm." + +Both girls felt like crying, but did their best to hold back the tears. +Each was tired out by the doings of the day gone by, but neither +thought of going to sleep. + +The lanterns had been lit, and both Baxter and Flapp stationed +themselves at the front of the houseboat, in an endeavor to pierce the +mist. Occasionally they made out some distant light, but could not tell +where it belonged. + +"We ought to be getting to somewhere pretty soon," remarked Lew Flapp, +after a couple of hours had passed. "Don't you think we had better turn +her in toward shore?'" + +"Not yet, Flapp; we ought to place as much distance as possible between +the boat and Skemport. Remember, those Rovers will be after us +hot-footed when once they learn the truth of the situation." + +"Do you know anything about the river around here?" + +"A little, but not much. Do you know anything?" + +"No,--I never cared for geography," answered Flapp. "It's getting as +black as pitch, and the rain--Hullo, there's another light!" + +Flapp pointed to the Kentucky side of the river. Through the mist +appeared a dim light, followed by another. + +"Wonder if that is the shore or a boat?" mused Baxter. + +"Better yell and see." + +"Boat, ahoy!" + +No answer came back, and for the moment the lights appeared to fade +from sight. + +"Must have been on shore and we are passing them, Baxter." + +"More than likely, and yet--There they are again!" + +Dan Baxter was right; the lights had reappeared and now they seemed to +approach the houseboat with alarming rapidity. + +"They'll run into us if they are not careful," said Flapp, in fresh +alarm. "Boat, ahoy!" he screamed. "Keep off!" + +"Keep off! Keep off, there!" put in Dan Baxter. + +If those in the other craft heard, they paid no attention. The light +came closer and closer and of a sudden a fair-sized gasolene launch +came into view. She was headed directly for the _Dora_, and a moment +later hit the houseboat a telling blow in the side, causing her to +careen several feet. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +THE HORSE THIEVES + + +For the moment it looked as if the houseboat might be sent to the +bottom of the Ohio River, and from the stateroom in which the two girls +were confined came a loud cry of fright. Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp were +also scared, and rushed toward the gasolene launch, not knowing what to +do. + +"Keep off!" + +"Don't sink us!" + +Loud cries also came from the launch, and those on the deck of the +_Dora_ could see several men, wearing raincoats, moving about. The bow +of the launch was badly splintered, but otherwise the craft remained +undamaged. + +"What do you mean by running into us in this fashion?" cried Baxter, +seeing that the _Dora_ was in no danger of going down. + +"Running into you?" came in a rough voice from the launch. "You ran +into us! + +"Not much we didn't." + +"What boat is that?" came in another voice from the launch. + +"A private houseboat. What craft is that?" + +"None of your business." + +"Thank you." Baxter put on a bold front. "I'm going to report you for +running into us, just the same." + +"Not much, you won't!" came from the launch. There were a few hurried +words spoken in a whisper, and then a boat-hook was thrown on the +_Dora_ and a man leaped aboard and tied fast. + +"Who is in command here?" he demanded, confronting Baxter and Flapp. + +"I am," answered Baxter. + +"Is she your houseboat?" + +"Yes." + +"Where are you bound?" + +"Down to the Mississippi. But what is that to you?" + +"How many of you on board of this craft?" went on the man, ignoring +altogether the last question. + +"That is my business." + +"Well, and I'm going to make it mine," cried the man, and pulled out a +revolver. "Answer up, kid; it will be best for you." + +He was a burly Kentuckian, all of six feet tall and with a bushy black +beard and a breath which smelt strongly of whiskey. + +"Don't--don't shoot us!" cried Lew Flapp, in terror. "Don't shoot!" + +"I won't--if you'll treat me proper-like," answered the Kentuckian. "How +many on board?" + +"Four--two young ladies and ourselves," answered Dan Baxter. He was +doing some rapid thinking. "Say, perhaps we can strike up a. bargain +with you," he went on. + +"A bargain? What kind of a bargain?" And the Kentuckian eyed him +narrowly. + +"We are looking for somebody to tow this houseboat down the river." + +At this the Kentuckian gave a loud and brutal laugh. + +"Thanks, but I ain't in that ere business." + +"All right, then; get aboard of your own boat and we will go on," +continued Baxter. + +"What's doing up there, Pick?" called another man, from the launch. +"Remember, we haven't got all night to waste here." + +"That other boat is coming!" cried a third man. "Boys, we are trapped +as sure as guns!" + +"Not much we ain't," said the Kentuckian who had boarded the houseboat. +"Sculley!" + +"What next, Pick?" + +"You've got a new job. This chap here wants somebody to tow him down +the river." + +"Well?" + +"You start to do the towing, and be quick about it. Hamp, get on board +at once! Remember, Sculley, you ain't seen or heard of us, understand?" + +"All right, Pick." + +The gasolene launch came close once more, and the fellow called Hamp +leaped on board. He carried a rifle and was evidently a desperate +character. + +"See here, I don't understand your game?" began Baxter. + +"Didn't you say you wanted somebody to tow you down the river?" asked +the fellow addressed as Pick. + +"I did, but--" + +"Well, Cap'n Sculley of the _Firefly_ has taken the job. He'll take you +wherever you please, and at your own price. You can't ask for more than +that, can you?" + +"No, but--" + +"I haven't got time to talk, kid--with' that other launch coming after +us. I don't know who you are and I reckon you don't know me and my +bosom pard here. But let me tell you one thing. It won't be healthy for +you to tell anybody that me and my pard are on board here, understand?" + +"You are hiding away from somebody?" asked Baxter, quickly. + +"I reckon that's the plain United States of it. If you say a word it +will go mighty hard with you," and the Kentuckian tapped his revolver. + +"You can trust us," replied Baxter, promptly. "Tell me what you want +done and I'll agree to do it." + +"You will?" The Kentuckian eyed him more closely than ever. "Say, you +can't play any game on me,--I'm too old for it." + +"I shan't play any game on you. Just say what you want done and I'll +help you all I can--providing that launch takes us down the river as +quick as it can." + +"Ha! Maybe you want to get away, too, eh?" + +"I want to get down the river, yes. Perhaps I'll tell you more,--after I +am certain I can trust you," added Baxter, significantly. + +"Good enough, I'll go you. If that other launch comes up, tell 'em +anything but that you have strangers on board, or that you have seen +us." + +"I will." + +"If you play us foul--" + +"I shan't play you foul, so don't worry." + +By this time the second launch was coming up through the mist and the +two men from Kentucky retired to the cabin of the houseboat. In the +meantime the first launch had tied fast to the _Dora_ and was beginning +to tow the houseboat down the stream. + +"Boat, ahoy, there!" was the call. + +"Ahoy!" answered the man on the first launch. + +"Got any passengers on board?" + +"No." + +"What's your tow?" + +"A houseboat." + +"Who is on board?" + +"I don't know exactly. What do you want to know for?" + +"We are looking for a couple of horse thieves who ran away from Kepples +about two hours ago." + +"I haven't seen anything of any horse thieves." + +The second launch now came up to the houseboat. As may be surmised Dan +Baxter and Lew Flapp had listened to the talk with keen interest. + +"Those chaps are horse thieves," muttered Flapp. + +"Yes,--but don't open your mouth, Flapp," answered the leader of the +evil-doers. + +"Houseboat, ahoy!" was the call. + +"Hullo, the launch," answered Baxter. + +"Seen anything of any strangers within the past two hours?" + +"Strangers?" repeated Baxter. "Yes, I did." + +"Where?" + +"About a mile back. Two men in a small sailboat, beating up the +river." + +"How were they dressed?" + +"In raincoats. One was a tall fellow with a heavy beard." + +"That's our game, Curly!" was the exclamation on the second launch. +"About a mile up the river, you say?" + +"About that--or maybe a mile and a half," replied Dan Baxter. + +"Thank you. We'll get after them now!" And in a moment more the second +launch sheered off and started up the Ohio through the mist and rain. + +As soon as it was out of sight the men in the cabin of the _Dora_ came +out again. + +"That was well done, kid," cried he called Pick. "And it was well you +did it that way. If you had said we were aboard you might have got a +dose of lead in your head." + +"I always keep my word," replied Baxter. + +"You're a game young rooster, and I reckon I can't call you kid no +more. What's your handle?" + +"What's yours?" + +"Pick Loring." + +"You're a horse thief, it seems." + +"I don't deny it." + +"My name is Dan Baxter, and this is my friend, Lew Flapp." + +"Glad to know you. This is my pard in business, Hamp Gouch. We had to +quit in a hurry, but I reckon we fell in the right hands," and Pick +Loring closed one eye suggestively and questioningly. + +"You're safe with us, Loring,--if you'll give us a lift." + +"I always stick to them as sticks to me." + +"If you want to stay on this houseboat for a while you can do it." + +"We'll have to stay on this craft. It's about the only place we'll be +safe--for a day or two at least." + +"You can stay a couple of weeks, if you want to--all providing you'll +lend us your assistance." + +"It's a go. Now what's your game? You must have one, or you wouldn't +act in this style," said Pick Loring. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +PLOTTING AGAINST DORA AND NELLIE + + +"In the first place," said Dan Baxter, "perhaps we had better give +some directions to that man on the launch." + +"What kind of directions?" + +"We want to go straight down the river for the present." + +"He'll take you down. I told him not to go near either shore." + +"Is he to be trusted?" + +"Sure. He'll do anything I tell him to." + +"Very well, then, that is settled. In the second place, tell me if +I am right. You are both wanted for stealing sixteen horses over at +a place called Kepples." + +"Who told you we took sixteen horses?" + +"I read about it in the papers a couple of days ago." + +"Well, the report is true. I don't deny it." + +"You were fleeing from the officers of the law." + +"That's as straight as shooting," came from Hamp Gouch. + +"If we help you to escape, will you stick by us in a little game we +are trying to put through?" + +"I will," answered Pick Loring, promptly. + +"So will I," added Hamp Gouch. "No game too daring for me either." + +"Well, it's this way," continued Dan Baxter. "Supposing I told you +I had a game on that beats horse stealing all to bits. Would you go +in for half of what was in it?" + +"Sure." + +"Trust me," added Gouch. "Say," he went on. "Got any liquor aboard? +This rain is beastly." + +"I guess there is some liquor. We'll hunt around and see." + +"Ha!" exclaimed Pick Loring. "Say, perhaps you don't know much more +about this houseboat than we did about them horses we took." + +"As you just said, I don't deny it." + +"You and your pard are running off with the boat?" queried Hamp Gouch. + +"Yes." + +"Good enough. We claim a half-interest in the boat. Don't that go?" + +"That's pretty cheeky," returned Lew Flapp. + +"Let it go at that, Flapp," came from Baxter. "Yes, you can have a +half-interest. But that isn't our game." + +"What is the game?" + +"On board of this houseboat are two girls who are mighty anxious to +get back to their families and friends." + +"Run off with 'em, did you?" cried Pick Loring, and now it must be +confessed that he was really astonished. + +"We carried them off, yes. And we don't expect to let them get back +home unless we can make considerable money out of it," continued Dan +Baxter. + +"Are they rich?" + +"They are fairly well-to-do, and they have close personal friends +who, I feel sure, would pay a good price to see the girls get home +again unharmed." + +"You're putty young to be runnin' a game like this," came from Hamp +Gouch. + +"Maybe, but I know just what I am doing." + +They walked into the living room, and Lew Flapp made an inspection +of the pantry and then of Captain Starr's private apartment. As it +happened, the captain used liquor, and several bottles were brought +out, much to the satisfaction of the horse thieves. + +"This makes me feel more like talking," said Hamp Gouch, after +swallowing a goodly portion of the stuff. + +"Perhaps you had better give us the whole game straight from start +to now," said Pick Loring. "Then we can make up our minds just what +we can do." + +Sitting down, Dan Baxter told as much of himself and Lew Flapp as he +deemed necessary, and told about the trip on the houseboat which the +Rovers, Stanhopes, and the Lanings had been taking. Then he told how +Dora and Nellie had been abducted and how the voyage down the Ohio +had been started in the mist and the darkness. + +"You're a putty bold pair for your years," said Pick Loring. "Hang +me if I don't admire you!" And he smiled in his coarse way. + +"Of course you can see the possibilities in this," went on Dan Baxter. +"Supposing we can make the Stanhopes and Lanings and Rovers pay over +fifty or sixty thousand dollars for the return of the girls. That +means a nice sum for each of us." + +"Right you are," came from Hamp Gouch. "As you say, it beats horse +stealing." + +"Have they got the money?" asked the other Kentuckian. + +"They have a good deal more than that between them. The Rovers are +very rich." + +"But they are only friends?" + +"More than that. Dick Rover is very sweet on Dora Stanhope, and Tom +Rover thinks the world of Nellie Laning." + +"Then of course they'll help pay up--especially if they hear the +girls are likely to suffer. We can write to 'em and say we'll starve +the girls to death if the money don't come our way." + +"Exactly. But we've got to find some place to hide first. We can't +stay on the river any great length of time. They'll send word about +the houseboat from one town to another and the authorities will be +on the lookout for us." + +"I know where you can take this houseboat," put in Hamp Gouch. "Up +Shaggam Creek. There is a dandy hiding place there and nobody around +but old Jake Shaggam, and we can easily 'buy him off, so as he won't +open his mouth." + +"How far is that creek from here?" + +"About thirty-five miles." + +The matter was talked over for fully an hour, and it was at last +decided that the houseboat should go up Shaggam Creek, at least for +the time being. If that place got too hot to hold them they could +move further down the river during the nights to follow. + +The man on the launch was called up and matters were explained to +him by Pick Loring. + +"Sculley is a good fellow," said Loring to Baxter. "He will do whatever +I say and take whatever I give him,--and keep his mouth shut." + +"That's the kind of a follower to have," was Baxter's answer. + +The horse thieves were hungry, and a fire was started in the galley +of the houseboat. The men cooked themselves something to eat and +Baxter and Flapp did the same. It must be confessed that Flapp did +not like the newcomers and hated to have anything to do with them. +But he was too much of a coward to speak up, and so did as Baxter +dictated. Thus is one rascal held under the thumb of another. It was +only when Lew Flapp was among those who were smaller and weaker than +himself that he dared to play the part of the bully. + +Dora and Nellie heard the loud talking after the crashing of the +launch into the houseboat and also heard part of what followed. Both +wanted to cry out for assistance, but did not dare, fearing that +something still worse might happen to them. + +"They might bind and gag us," said Nellie. "That Dan Baxter is bad +enough to do almost anything." + +"Yes, and from the way Lew Flapp treated Dick, I should think he was +almost as wicked as Baxter," answered her cousin. + +The girls wondered who the newcomers on board could be, but had no +means of finding out. Nobody came near them, and at last tired nature +asserted itself and both dropped into a troublous doze. + +When they awoke it was still dark. A steam whistle had aroused them. +They looked out of the stateroom window. It had stopped raining, but +the mist was just as thick as ever. + +"Oh, if only it would clear up!" sighed Dora. "Nobody will be able +to follow the houseboat in such a mist as this." + +"Where do you think they will take us, Dora?" questioned Nellie. + +"Goodness only knows. Perhaps down the Mississippi, or maybe to the +Gulf of Mexico." + +"Oh, Dora, would they dare to do that?" And Nellie's face grew pale. + +Dora shrugged her shoulders by way of reply, and for the time being +the cousins relapsed into silence. Both were thinking of their mothers +and of the Rovers. What had the others said to their strange +disappearance? + +"It is perfectly dreadful!" cried Nellie, at last, and burst into +tears, and Dora followed. The crying appeared to do them some good +and after half an hour they became more at ease. + +"We must escape if we possibly can, Nellie," said Dora. "We cannot +afford to remain a moment longer on this houseboat than is necessary." + +"But how are we going to escape? It looks to me as if we were out in +the middle of the river." + +"That is true. But both of us can row, and there is a small rowboat +on board. If we could launch that and get away we might escape." + +"Well, I am willing to try it, if you think it can be done. But we +must get out of this stateroom first." + +The two girls listened, but nobody appeared to be anywhere near them. + +"I can hear them talking in the kitchen," said Nellie. "More than +likely they are getting something to eat." + +"I could eat something myself." + +"So could I. But I'd rather get away." + +Both looked for some means of getting out of the stateroom and suddenly +Dora uttered a cry of delight. + +"Oh, why didn't I think of it before!" + +"Think of what?" + +"That key on the hook over there. It fits the door." + +"Then we can get out!" + +"If that other key isn't on the outside." + +Dora got down and looked through the keyhole. It was clear and she +quickly inserted the key taken from the hook. It fitted perfectly, +and in a second more the door was unlocked. + +"Wait,--until I make sure that nobody is around!" whispered Dora. +She was so agitated she could scarcely speak. + +She opened the door cautiously and looked out. Not a soul was in +sight. From the galley came a steady hum of voices and a rattle of +pots and dishes. + +"They are too busy to watch us just now--the way is clear," she +whispered. "Come on." + +"Let us lock the door behind us, and stuff the keyhole," answered +Nellie. "Then they will think we are inside and won't answer." + +This was done, and with their hearts beating wildly the two girls +stole to the end of the houseboat, where lay the small rowboat Dora +had mentioned. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +THE SEARCH ON THE RIVER + + +As may be surmised, the news which Dick and Tom had to tell to the +others at the stock farm produced great excitement. + +"Dora and Nellie gone!" gasped Mrs. Stanhope. "Oh, Dick, what has +become of them?" + +"They must have gotten into some trouble!" cried Mrs. Laning. "You +found no trace of them?" + +"We did not," said Tom. "But we tried hard enough, I can assure you." + +"Oh, what shall we do?" wailed Mrs. Stanhope, and then she fainted +away, and it was a good quarter of an hour before she could be restored. + +All the boys were highly excited, and Sam was for making a search +for the missing houseboat without delay. + +"They may have gone on board and Captain Starr may have sailed off +with them," said the youngest Rover. "Remember, he is a queer stick, +to say the least." + +"That doesn't explain the screams I heard," said Tom. + +"I dink me dot Paxter got somedings to do mit dis," said Hans. "He +vos a rascals from his hair to his doenails alretty!" + +"The only thing to do is to make a search," came from Songbird Powell. +"I'm ready to go out, rain or no rain." + +They were all ready, and in the end it was decided that all of the +boys should prosecute the hunt, leaving Mrs. Stanhope, Mrs. Laning, +and Grace with the wife of the proprietor of the stock farm. The +proprietor himself, a Kentuckian named Paul Livingstone, said he +would go with them. + +"If there has been foul play of any sort I will aid you to have +justice done," said Paul Livingstone. "To me this whole thing looks +mightily crooked." + +"One thing is certain,--if the houseboat was stolen, the mist and +rain will aid the thieves to get away with her," said Dick. + +It was a rather silent crowd that rode into Skemport an hour and a +half later. Here a doctor was roused up and sent to the stock farm, +to see if Mrs. Stanhope needed him, for she was weak and might collapse +completely when least expected. + +Once at the spot where the _Dora_ had been tied up, another search was +begun for the girls and the houseboat. Some went up the shore and +others down, each with a lantern which had been provided to dispel +the gloom. + + "Oh, where? Oh, where? + In dire despair + We search the shore in vain!" + +came lowly from Songbird, but then he felt too heavy-hearted to finish +the verse and heaved a sigh instead. "This is simply heart-rending," +he said. + +"That's what it is," answered Dick. + +Hans was not far off, shambling along in his own peculiar fashion. +He held up his lantern and by the dim rays made out a building some +distance away. + +"I yonder vot is in dare?" he said to himself. "Maype I go und look, +hey? It ton't cost me noddings." + +Through the mist and rain he approached the building and walked around +to the door, which was closed. He flung it open and held up his +lantern to see inside. + +"_Du meine Zeit!_ Vot is dis?" he gasped. "Cabtain Starr, or I vos +treaming! Hi, Cabtain, vot you vos doing here, alretty?" he called out. + +"Is that--that you, Mueller?" asked the captain, in a trembling voice. + +"Sure it vos me. Vot you did here, tole me dot?" + +"I--the rascals tied me fast. They said they'd come and give me a +hundred dollars in the morning, but I don't think they'll do it." + +"Py chimanatics! Vait a minute." Hans ran outside and waved his +lantern. "Come here!" he bawled. "Come here, kvick, eferybody!" + +His cry summoned the others, and they quickly gathered at the stable +and released the captain. While they were doing this, they made the +simple-minded fellow tell his story. + +"Describe those two fellows," said Dick, and Captain Starr did so. +The description was perfect. + +"Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp!" cried Tom. + +"Of course, you didn't send that message?" asked the captain, of Dick. + +"I did not, captain. It was a trick to get you away from the _Dora_ +and steal the houseboat." + +"Is the craft stolen?" + +"Yes." + +"Oh, dear!" Captain Starr wrung his hands. "Please don't blame me!" + +"I don't know as I can blame you, exactly. But you want to have your +wits about you after this." + +When Captain Starr heard about the disappearance of the two girls he +was more interested than ever. + +"I heard them scream," he said. + +"Where was that?" + +"I think they must have been right in front of where the _Dora_ was +tied up." + +"When was this?" asked Sam. + +"Not very long after the villains made me their prisoner." + +"It's as clear as day!" cried Fred Garrison. "Baxter and Flapp first +stole the houseboat and then they abducted Dora and Nellie." + +"It's a wretched piece of business," came from Dick. "Oh, if I can +only lay my hands on them they shall suffer for it!" + +"We must chase the houseboat, that's all I know to do," put in Tom. +"And the quicker we begin the better." + +"That's easily said, Tom. How are we going to locate the craft in +this mist? She may have gone up the stream and she may have gone down." + +"More than likely she went down with the current. They hadn't any +steam tug handy to pull her." + +Paul Livingstone was appealed to and told them where they could find +the coal docks at which their own tug was lying. All hurried to the +place and called up Captain Carson. + +"I'll get up steam just as soon as I can," said the tug captain, and +hustled out his engineer and fireman. Soon the black smoke was pouring +from the tug's stack and in less than half an hour they were ready +to move. + +"This seems like a wild-goose chase," remarked Sam. "But it is better +than standing around with one's hands in his pockets." + +"I wish I had dat Dan Baxter heah!" said Aleck Pop. "I'd duck him in +the ribber an' hold him undah 'bout ten minutes!" + +All were soon on the steam tug, which was crowded by the party. The +lanterns were lit, and they moved down the Ohio slowly and cautiously. + +"We had better move from side to side of the river," suggested Dick. +"Then we won't be so liable to pass the houseboat without seeing her." + +As all of the party were wet, they took turns in drying and warming +themselves in the engine-room of the tug. Those on the lookout did +what they could to pierce the gloom, but with small satisfaction. + +Half an hour later they passed a small river steamer and hailed the +craft. + +"What's wanted?" shouted somebody through a megaphone. + +"Seen anything of a houseboat around here?" + +"No," was the prompt answer. + +"All right; thanks!" And then they allowed the river steamer to pass +them. + +"Dis night vos so vet like neffer vos!" remarked Hans. + +"Well, we have got to make the best of it," answered Dick. "I don't +care how wet I get, if only we are successful in our chase." + +"I am mit you on dot," returned the German cadet, quickly. + +Two hours passed and they saw no other craft. They had passed several +settlements of more or less importance, but not a sign of the missing +houseboat appeared. + +"Here comes something!" cried Tom, presently, as they heard a distant +puff-puff. + +"Steer in the direction of that sound," said Dick, to Captain Carson, +and this was done. + +Out of the mist appeared the light of a long launch, having on board +several officers of the law. + +"Steam tug, ahoy!" was the cry. + +"Ahoy!" shouted back Captain Carson. + +"Seen anything of another launch around here?" + +"No." + +"See anything of a small sailboat?" + +"No." + +"Confound the luck!" came in another voice from the launch. + +"What's the matter?" asked Paul Livingstone. + +"Hullo, Mr. Livingstone, is that you?" called out one of the officers +of the law on the launch. + +"It is, Captain Dixon. What's the trouble?" + +"We are looking for those two horse thieves, Pick Loring and Hamp +Gouch. I suppose you know they escaped." + +"So I heard. Well, I hope you get them," answered the owner of the +stock farm. "They took four of my horses once." + +"So I understand. What are you doing out here this time of night?" + +"We are looking for a houseboat that was stolen. Seen anything of +such a craft?" + +"Certainly we did." + +"You did!" burst from Dick and several of the others. "Where?" + +"Down the river four or five miles. The fellows on board told us that +they had seen a sailboat with two men in it beating up the river, +and from the description we took the men to be Loring and Gouch." + +"How did the houseboat look?" asked Tom. + +One of the officers of the law gave a brief description of the _Dora_ +and told what he could of Baxter and Flapp. + +"It's our houseboat beyond a doubt," said Sam. "And those two fellows +were Flapp and Baxter." + +"Did you see anybody else on the houseboat?" questioned Dick. + +"Not a soul. So the houseboat was stolen?" went on the police officer, +curiously. + +"Yes, and, worse than that, two girls have been abducted." + +"Creation! That's serious." + +"It will be serious for those rascals if we catch them!" muttered +Tom. "Where did the houseboat go to?" + +"It was heading straight down the river when we saw it last." + +"Then come!" cried Dick. "Let us go after the craft and lose no time." + +A moment later the steam tug parted company with the launch, and the +chase after the _Dora_ was resumed. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +CAUGHT ONCE MORE + + +The two girls hardly dared to breathe as they stood at the rear of +the houseboat, trying to untie the small rowboat which lay on the deck. + +"Oh, Dora, supposing they find us out?" gasped Nellie. + +"I don't think we'll be any worse off than we were," answered her cousin. + +"Do you think we can launch the rowboat and get into it without +upsetting?" + +"We can try." + +The small craft was soon unfastened and they dragged it to the edge +of the houseboat. There was a small slide, on hinges, and they had +seen the boys use this more than once, and knew how it worked. Down +went the rowboat with a slight splash, and they hauled the craft up +close by aid of the rope attached to the bow. + +"Now the oars!" whispered Dora. + +They were at hand, in a rack at the back of the dining room, and +soon she had secured two pairs. + +"You drop in first, Nellie," went on Dora. "Be quick, but don't fall +overboard." + +Nellie obeyed, trembling in every limb. She landed safely and in a +few seconds Dora followed. Just as this was done a man appeared on +the deck of the houseboat, followed by another. + +"Oh, Dora--" began Nellie, when her cousin silenced her. Then the +rope was untied, and the rowboat was allowed to drift astern of the +larger craft. + +"Hullo, there!" came suddenly out of the darkness. "What's up back +there?" + +"Who are you calling to, Hamp?" came from the galley. + +"Something doing back here," answered Hamp Gouch. "Somebody just cut +loose from our stern." + +"What's that?" burst out Dan Baxter, and tumbled out on deck, followed +by the others. + +"I said somebody just cut loose from this houseboat. There they go," +and the horse thief pointed with his hand. + +"It can't be the girls!" cried Flapp. + +"Run to the stateroom and see," answered Baxter. "I'll get the big +lantern." + +Lew Flapp hurried to the door of the state-room, taking with him the +key Baxter handed over. + +"Hullo, in there!" he shouted. "Are you awake?" + +Receiving no answer he knocked loudly on the door. + +"I say, why don't you answer?" he went on. "I'm coming in." + +Still receiving no reply, he started to put the key in the lock and +found that he could not do so. + +"It won't do any good to block the lock," he called out. "Answer me, +or I'll break down the door." + +Still nothing but silence, and in perplexity he ran back to Baxter. + +"I can't get a sound out of them, and the keyhole is stuffed," he said. + +"We'll break in the door," said the leader of the evil-doers. + +It took but a minute to execute this threat, for the door was thin +and frail. Both gave a hasty look around. + +"Gone!" + +"They must have taken the rowboat and rowed away," said Lew Flapp. + +Both went back to where they had left Pick Loring and Hamp Gouch. + +"The girls are gone," said Baxter. "They must have skipped in that +rowboat." + +"We can soon fix 'em," muttered Loring. "We'll get Sculley to go +after them." + +The launch ahead was signaled and soon came up alongside. + +"What's wanted now?" + +"Take me aboard and I'll tell you," answered Baxter, and he and Pick +Loring boarded the launch. + +In the meantime the two girls had placed the oars into the rowlocks +and were rowing off as fast as their strength would permit. + +"Oh, Dora, do you think we can get away!" gasped Nellie. + +"We must! Do your best, and keep time with me." + +"But which way are we going?" + +"I don't know, yet. The best we can do is to keep away from the lights +of the houseboat." + +Stroke after stroke was taken in dire desperation, and after a while +they had the satisfaction of seeing the lights of the houseboat fading +away in the distance. + +All was gloom and mist around them and they stopped rowing, not +knowing in which direction to turn next. + +"We are lost on the river," said Nellie. + +"Yes, but that is better than being in the hands of our enemies," +was Dora's answer. + +"Yes, Dora, ten times over. But what shall we do next?" + +"Let us try to row crosswise with the current. That is sure to bring +us to shore sooner or later." + +This they set out to do, and after a while felt certain that they +were drawing close to the river bank on the north. + +"We are getting there!" cried Nellie. "Oh, Dora, aren't you glad?" + +Scarcely had she spoken when they saw a light behind them, and a long +launch came unexpectedly into view. In the bow stood Dan Baxter with +a lantern. + +"I thought I heard their oars," cried that rascal. "Here they are!" + +"Pull, pull, Nellie!" cried Dora. "Pull, or we shall be captured!" + +Both of the girls rowed with all their strength, but before they +could gain the shore, which was now less than two rods away, the +launch came up and made fast to the rowboat. + +"Might as well give it up," said Dan Baxter, sarcastically. "It's no +use, as you can see." + +"Oh, Mr. Baxter, do let us go!" pleaded Nellie, more terrorized than +ever before. + +"Not much! You have got to go back to the houseboat." + +At this Nellie gave a loud scream, and Dora immediately followed with +a prolonged call for help. + +"Shut them up!" came from Pick Loring. "There are a whole lot of +people living around here." + +Without answering, Dan Baxter leaped into the rowboat and took Dora +by the arm roughly. + +"If you don't shut up, I'll gag you!" he cried. + +"Let me go!" she said, and struck at him feebly. While this was going +on Pick Loring came over and took hold of Nellie. + +"Tow us along, Sculley!" called the horse thief. "Get back to the +houseboat as soon as you can." + +"What's the matter out there?" came in an unexpected call from the +shore. The speaker could not be seen. + +"Help us!" shrieked Dora. "We are two girls and some men are carrying +us off." + +"You don't say so!" ejaculated the speaker on shore. + +"Tell the Rover boys!" called out Nellie. "Dan Baxter is taking us +down the river on the houseboat." + +"Save us, and we will pay you well," added Dora, and then Baxter's +not over cleanly hand was clapped over her mouth, and she could say +no more. Loring's hand was likewise placed over Nellie's mouth, and +then the launch began to tow the rowboat back into midstream once more. + +The poor girls were utterly disheartened and dropped back on the +seats in something close to a faint. + +"This is a mess," growled Dan Baxter. "Have you any idea who that +was that called from the shore?" + +"Some kind of a watchman," answered Loring. "We have got to get out +of this neighborhood in railroad time or the jig's up," he added. + +"Well, I'm willing." + +It did not take long to catch up to the houseboat, which was drifting +down the river in the fashion it had pursued before being towed by +the Lunch. Flapp and Hamp Gouch were waiting impatiently on the deck. + +"Got 'em?" asked Lew Flapp. + +"Yes, but we had no time to spare," returned Dan Baxter. "Two minutes +more and they would have been ashore." + +"After this maybe we had better stand guard over them, Baxter." + +"Just what I have been thinking." + +Once alongside of the houseboat, the two girls were forced on board +once more and taken to the stateroom next to that which they had +before occupied. + +The window was locked up and nailed and after the girls were inside, +Dan Baxter placed a strong bolt outside. + +"Now if you try to escape again you may get hurt," he called out, +after the job was done. + +"Mr. Baxter, you shall suffer for this!" answered Dora, as spiritedly +as she could. + +"Oh, don't think you can scare me." + +"The Rovers will get on your track soon." + +"I am not afraid of them." + +"You said that before, but you've always been glad enough to hide +from them." + +"It's false!" cried Baxter, in a passion. "I never hid from them." + +"You are hiding now. You dare not face them openly." + +"Oh, give us a rest. I am doing this for the money that is in it." + +"Money?" + +"Yes, money." + +"I do not understand you." + +"Well, you'll understand to-morrow or the day after." + +"We haven't any money to give you," put in Nellie. + +"No, but maybe your folks have." + +"Are you going to make them pay you for releasing us?" + +"That's it." + +"Perhaps they won't pay," said Dora. + +"If they don't, so much the worse for you. But I know they'll pay--and +so will the Rovers pay," chuckled Baxter. + +"What have the Rovers to do with it? Or perhaps you want them to pay +you for giving back the houseboat." + +"They'll pay for both--for the houseboat and for releasing you. I +know Dick and Tom Rover won't want to see you remain in the power of +me and Flapp and our friends." + +"Dan Baxter, you are a villain!" burst out both girls. + +"Thank you for the compliment," returned the rascal, coolly. "I hope +you'll enjoy your stay in that stateroom." + +"You ought to be in prison!" went on Dora. + +"If you talk that way you'll get no breakfast in the morning." + +"I don't want any of your breakfast!" and Dora stamped her foot to +show she meant it. + +"Oh, you'll sing a different tune when you get good and hungry," +growled Dan Baxter, and he walked away, leaving the girls once more +to themselves. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +A MESSSAGE FOR THE ROVERS + + +Morning found the Rovers and their friends still on the steam launch, +looking in all directions for the houseboat. + +The rain had ceased and there was every indication that the mist +would blow away by noon, but at present it was hard to see a hundred +feet in any direction. + +"Nature has assisted them to escape," said Dick, bitterly. + +"Oh, we'll find them sooner or later," answered Sam. + +"Perhaps, Sam. But think of how the girls may be suffering in the +meantime." + +"I know; and Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning are suffering too." + +The steam tug carried only a small stock of provisions, and it was +decided to go ashore at a small place called Gridley's for breakfast. +Here there was a country hotel at which they obtained a breakfast +which put all in a slightly better physical condition. + +The proprietor of the hotel was a bit curious to learn the cause of +their unexpected appearance and became interested when Dick told him +about the missing houseboat. + +"Wonder if that had anything to do with a story Bill Daws told me an +hour ago," said he. "Bill works at the mill clown by the river. Last +night, in the dark and mist, he heard somebody in a rowboat and a +launch having a row. Two gals screamed for help, and somebody said +something about a houseboat and tell somebody something--he couldn't +tell exactly what. I thought Bill had 'em on, but maybe he didn't." + +"Where is this Bill Daws now?" asked Dick. + +"Gone home. He works nights and sleeps in the daytime." + +"Where does he live?" + +"Just up that street over yonder--in the square stone house with the +red barn back of it." + +Waiting to hear no more, Dick set off for the house mentioned, taking +Tom with him. They rapped loudly on the door and an elderly woman +answered their summons. + +"Is Mr. Bill Daws in?" asked Dick. + +"Yes, sir, but he has gone to bed." + +"I must speak to him a minute. Tell him it's about the talking he +heard on the river in the dark." + +"Oh, is that so! He told me something about it," answered the woman. + +She went off and coming back invited them into the house. Soon Bill +Daws appeared, having slipped on part of his clothing. + +"I can't tell ye a great deal," said the watchman. "I heard two gals +cry out and some men was trying to shet 'em up. One gal said something +about a houseboat and about telling somebody about it." + +"Did she say to tell the Rovers?" + +"Thet's it! Thet's it! I couldn't think o' thet name nohow, but now +you hev struck it fust clip." + +"The girls were trying to escape in the rowboat?" + +"I reckon so, and the men in the launch were after 'em." + +"Where did they go?" + +"Out into the river, and thet's the last I see or heard o' 'em." + +"Thank you," answered Dick, and seeing that Bill Daws was poor he +gave the fellow two dollars, for which the watchman was profoundly +grateful. + +"It proves one thing," said Tom, when the brothers were coming away. +"We are on the right track." + +"Right you are, Tom. I hope we stay on the trail until we run down +our quarry." + +Not long after this the entire party was on the steam launch once +more. They took with them provisions enough to last a couple of days +and also an extra cask of drinking water. + +By one o'clock in the afternoon the sun burst through the mist and +an hour later the entire river was clear, so that they could see +steamboats and sailboats a long distance off. The captain of the tug +brought forth his spyglass and they took turns in looking through +the instrument. + +"Nothing like a houseboat in sight," said Sam, disconsolately. "It +beats the nation where they have gone to." + +"They may be hiding around some point or in some cove," suggested +Fred. "They must know that we will follow them." + +"I think you ought to telegraph up and down the river," put in Songbird. + +"Dot's der dalk," came from Hans. "Let eferypody know vot rascals da +vos alretty!" + +In the middle of the afternoon they made a stop at a town called +Smuggs' Landing and from this point Dick sent messages in various +directions. One message was sent to a city ten miles further down +the river and an answer came back in half an hour stating that, so +far as the authorities could find out, nothing had been seen of the _Dora_. + +"Now the question is, has she gone past that town, or is she between +there and this point?" said Dick. + +"Persackly," came from Aleck. "An' I dun gib two dollahs to know de +answer to dat cojumdrum." + +"All we can do is to continue the search," said Tom. "But I must say +it is getting a good deal like looking for a needle in a haystack." + +"Vot for you looks for a needle py a haystack?" questioned Hans, +innocently. "Needles ton't vos goot for noddings in hay. A hoss vot +schwallows a needle vould die kvick, I tole you dot!" And his innocence +brought forth a short laugh. + +"I move we make a swift run down the river for a distance of twenty +or thirty miles," came from Tom. "We can go down on one side and come +up the other, and keep the spyglass handy, so that nothing that can +be seen escapes us." + +The matter was discussed a few minutes and it was decided to follow +Tom's suggestion. Additional coal had been taken on and soon the +steam tug was flying down the river under a full head of steam, +causing not a little spray to fly over the forward deck. + +"Say, dot pow ist like a fountain," was Hans' comment, after he had +received an unexpected ducking. "I shall sit py der pack deck after +dis;" and he did. + +So far Captain Starr had said but little during the pursuit, but now +he began to show signs of interest. + +"Let me lay my hands on the villains who tied me fast in that stable +and I shall teach them a lesson they will not forget in a hurry," +said he, bitterly. "They made a fool of me." + +"That's what they did, captain," said Sam. "Still, they might have +imposed upon anybody." + +"I've been thinking of something. You'll remember about those two +horse thieves?" went on the captain of the houseboat. + +"To be sure." + +"Couldn't it be possible that they got on the _Dora_ too?" + +"It's possible." Sam mused for a moment. "That sailboat story might +have been a fake." + +He called Dick and Mr. Livingstone to him and repeated what Captain +Starr had said. + +"Such a thing is possible," said Dick. "But we have no proofs." + +"If we can catch those thieves as well as Baxter and Flapp it will +be a good job done," said the owner of the stock farm. And from that +moment he took a greater interest in the pursuit than ever. + +Night came on and still they saw nothing of the houseboat. They had +gone down the river a distance of twenty miles and were now on their +way back. + +"We've missed them," said Dick, soberly. + +"It certainly looks like it," returned Tom. Every bit of fun had gone +out of him. "It's rough, isn't it?" + +"I'm thinking of what to telegraph to Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning," +went on the eldest Rover. "I hate to send bad news." + +"Tell them you are still following the houseboat and that you know +Dora and Nellie are on board. It's the best we can do." And when they +landed a message was sent to that effect. Soon a message came back, +which read as follows: + +"Bring them back safe and sound, no matter what the cost." + +"We will, if it can be done," muttered Dick, and clenched his fists +with a determination that meant a great deal. + +The night was spent at a hotel in one of the small towns, and at +daylight the search for the missing houseboat was renewed. It had +been decided to drop down the Ohio further than ever, and look into +every smaller stream they came to by the way. + +Thus several hours passed, when they found themselves on the south +side of the river, not far from the entrance to a good-sized creek. + +Down the stream came a worn and battered rowboat in which was seated +an old man dressed in rags. As he approached the steam tug he stopped +rowing. + +"Say," he drawled. "Kin you-uns tell me whar to find a party called +the Rovers?" + +"That's our party right here," replied Dick, and he added, excitedly: +"What do you want to know for?" + +"So you-uns are really the Rovers?" + +"Yes." + +"Searching fer somebody?" + +"Yes,--two young ladies." + +"Good 'nough. Got a message for ye." + +And the old man rowed toward the steam launch once more. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +JAKE SHAGGAM, OF SHAGGAM CREEK + + +"They will watch us more closely than ever now," said Dora, after +she and her cousin were left to themselves in the stateroom on board +of the houseboat. + +"I presume that is true," answered Nellie, gloomily. + +"They expect to make money by carrying us off, Nellie." + +"I don't see how they can do it. Papa hasn't much money to pay over +to them, and won't have, unless he sells the farm." + +"Mamma has quite some money of mine," went on Dora. "Perhaps they +will make her pay over that. And then they are going to try to get +something out of the Rovers too." + +"It's a shame!" + +"They ought not to have a cent!" + +The girls sat down and talked the matter over until daylight. At +about nine o'clock Lew Flapp approached the stateroom door. + +"Don't you want something to eat?" he asked, civilly. + +"I want a drink," answered Nellie, promptly, for she was exceedingly +thirsty. + +"I've got a pitcher of ice water for you and some breakfast, too. +You might as well eat it as not. There's no sense in starving +yourselves." + +"I suppose that is true," whispered Nellie to her cousin. She was +hungry as well as thirsty, having had no supper the night before. + +The door was opened and Lew Flapp passed the food and drink into +them. Then he stood in the doorway eyeing them curiously. + +"It's too bad you won't be friends with us," said he, with a grin. +"It would be much pleasanter to be friends." + +"Thank you, but I don't want you for a friend, Mr. Flapp," said Dora, +frigidly. + +"I ain't so bad as you think I am." + +"You are bad enough." + +"I ain't bad at all. Dick Rover got me in a scrape at school, and +ever since that time he's been spreading evil reports about me." + +"You robbed that jewelry store." + +"No, I didn't, and I can prove it. The Rovers were the real thieves." + +"You cannot make us believe such .a tale. We know the Rovers too +well," said Dora, warmly. + +"They are as honest as any boys can be," added Nellie. + +"Bah! You do not know what you are talking about. They are crafty, +that is all,--and half the cadets at Putnam Hall know it." + +To this neither of the girls would reply. They wished to close the +stateroom door, but Lew Flapp held it open. + +"I think you might give me a kiss for bringing you the eating," he +said, with another grin. + +"I'll give you--this!" answered Dora, and pushed the door shut in +his face. There happened to be a bolt on the inside and she quickly +shoved it into place. + +"Just you wait--I'll get square on you!" growled Lew Flapp, from the +outside, and then they heard him stamp off, very much out of sorts. + +Fortunately for the girls, the breakfast brought to them was quite +fair and there was plenty of it. They ate sparingly, resolved to save +what was left until later in the day. + +"He may not bring us anything more," said Dora. "Perhaps I did wrong +to shut the door on his nose." + +"You did just right, Dora," answered her cousin, promptly. "I think +he and Baxter are horrid!" + +"But they have us in their power, and have some men to aid them, too!" + +"I wonder who those men can be?" + +"I do not know, but they are very rough. I suppose they would do +almost anything for money. They smell strongly of liquor." + +Slowly the time went by. They tried to look out of the stateroom +window, but Dan Baxter had placed a bit of canvas outside in such a +position that they could see nothing. + +"They do not want us to find out where they are taking us," said +Dora, and her surmise was correct. + +Night was coming on once more when they felt a sudden jar of the +houseboat, followed by several other jars. Then they heard a scraping +and a scratching. + +"We have struck the bottom and are scraping along some trees and +bushes," said Nellie. "Where can we be?" + +"Here is a fine shelter!" they heard Pick Loring exclaim. "They'll +never spot the houseboat in such a cove as this." + +"I believe you," answered Dan Baxter. "It is certainly a dandy hiding +place." + +"Those girls can't very well get ashore neither," said Hamp Gouch. +"If they tried it they would get into mud up to their waists." + +"Is this Shaggam Creek--the place you spoke about?" asked Lew Flapp. + +"Yes." + +"You said there was an old man around here named Jake Shaggam." + +"Yes, he lives in that tumble-down shanty over the hill. I don't +think he will bother us." + +"Does he live there alone?" + +"Yes. He is a bachelor and don't like to go down to the village." + +The girls heard this talk quite plainly, but presently Baxter, Flapp, +and the two horse thieves withdrew to another part of the houseboat +and they heard no more. + +"We are at a place called Shaggam Creek," said Dora. "That is worth +remembering." + +"If only we could get some sort of a message to the Rover boys and +the others," sighed Nellie. "Dora, can't we manage it somehow?" + +"Perhaps we can--anyway, it won't do any harm to write out a message +or two, so as to have them ready to send off if the opportunity shows +itself." + +Paper and pencils were handy, and the cousins set to work to write +out half a dozen messages. + +"We can set them floating on the river if nothing more," said Nellie. +"Somebody might pick one up and act on it." + +The hours slipped by, and from the quietness on board the girls +guessed that some of their abductors had left the houseboat. + +This was true. Baxter and Flapp had gone off, in company with Pick +Loring, to send a message to Mrs. Stanhope and to Mrs. Laning, stating +that Dora and Nellie were well and that they would be returned unharmed +to their parents providing the sum of sixty thousand dollars be +forwarded to a certain small place in the mountain inside of ten days. + +"If you do not send the money the girls will suffer," the message +concluded. "Beware of false dealings, or it may cost them their lives!" + +"That ought to fetch the money," said Dan Baxter, after the business +was concluded. + +"If they can raise that amount," answered Loring. "Of course you know +more about how they are fixed than I do." + +"They can raise it--if they get the Rovers to aid them." + +The prospects looked bright to the two horse thieves, and as soon as +Loring returned to the houseboat he and Hamp Gouch applied themselves +arduously to the liquor taken from Captain Starr's private locker. + +"Those fellows mean to get drunk," whispered Lew FIapp, in alarm. + +"I'm afraid so," answered Baxter. "But it can't be helped." + +Late in the evening, much to their surprise, an old man in a dilapidated +rowboat came up to the houseboat. It was Jake Shaggam, the hermit, +who had been out fishing. + +"How are ye, Shaggam!" shouted Pick Loring, who, on account of the +liquor taken, felt extra sociable. "Come on board, old feller!" + +Against the wishes of Baxter and Flapp, Jake Shaggam was allowed on +board the houseboat and taken to the living room. Here he was given +something to eat and drink and some tobacco. + +"You're a good fellow, Jake," said Hamp Gouch. "Mighty good fellow. +Show you something," and he took the old man to where the girls were +locked in. + +"Better stop this," said Flapp, in increased alarm. + +"Oh, it's all right, you can trust Jake Shaggam," replied Gouch, with +a swagger. Liquor had deprived him of all his natural shrewdness. + +He insisted upon talking about the girls and tried to open the door. +Failing in this he took the hermit around to the window. + +"Nice old chap this is, gals," he said. "Finest old chap in old +Kentucky. Think a sight o' him, I do. Shake hands with him." + +"What are these yere gals doin' here?" asked Shaggam, with interest. + +"Got 'em prisoners. Tell ye all 'bout it ter-morrow," answered Gouch, +thickly. "Big deal on--better'n stealin' hosses.'' + +"They seem to be very nice girls," answered Jake Shaggam. He was a +harmless kind of an individual with a face that was far from repugnant. + +Watching her chance Dora drew close to the old man. + +"Take this, please do!" she whispered, and gave him one of the notes, +folded in a dollar bill. + +"Thank you," answered Jake Shaggam. + +"Say nothing,--look at it as soon as you get away," added Dora. + +The old hermit nodded, and in a few minutes more he followed Gouch +to another part of the boat. + +"Do you think he will deliver that message?" asked Nellie. + +"Let us pray Heaven that he does," answered her cousin. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +THE RESCUE--CONCLUSION + + +The Rovers and the others on the steam tug could scarcely wait for +the old man in the dilapidated rowboat to come up alongside. + +"You have a message for us?" said Dick. "Hand it over, quick." + +"The message says as how you-uns will pay me twenty-five dollars fer +delivering of it in twenty-four hours," said the old man, cautiously. + +"Who is it from?" + +"It is signed Dora Stanhope and Nellie Laning." + +"Give it to me--I'll pay you the money," cried Tom. + +"All right, reckon as how I kin trust you-uns," said the old man. + +It was Jake Shaggam, who had received the message the evening before. +He had read it with interest and started out at daylight to find out +something about the Rovers and where they might be located. Good +fortune had thrown him directly in our young friends' way. + +"This is really a message from the girls!" cried Tom, reading it +hastily. "It is in Nellie Laning's handwriting." + +"And Dora Stanhope has signed her name too," added Dick. "I know her +signature well." + +"Of course you do," put in Fred, dryly, but nobody paid attention to +the sally. + +"They are on the houseboat, and the craft is hidden up Shaggam Creek," +put in Sam. He turned to the captain of the tug. "Where is Shaggam +Creek?" + +"This ere is Shaggam Creek, an' I'm Jake Shaggam," answered the +hermit. "But you-uns said you'd pay me thet twenty-five dollars." + +"I will," said Tom, and brought out the amount at once. + +"Thank you very much." + +"If you'll take us to that houseboat without delay I'll give you +another five dollars," put in Dick. + +"I'll do it. But I don't want them fellers on the houseboat to see me." + +"Why not?" + +"Cos Pick Loring and Hamp Gouch thinks I am their friend. Ef they +knowed as how I give 'em away they'd plug me full o' lead." + +"Then the two horse thieves are with Baxter and Flapp," said Songbird. +"If we bag the lot we'll be killing two birds with one stone, as the +saying goes." + +"Come on!" cried Paul Livingstone. "I want to get those two horse +thieves by all means. Why, there is a reward of one thousand dollars +for their capture, dead or alive." + +"By golly, I'se out fo' dat reward!" came from Aleck, and he pulled +out a horse pistol which he was carrying. "Jess let me see dem +willains." And he flourished the weapon wildly. + +The steam tug was led up the creek by Jake Shaggam for a distance of +two miles. + +"See that air turn yonder?" he said. + +"Yes," said Captain Carson. + +"Thet houseboat is behind the trees and bushes around the p'int. Now +whar's the five dollars?" + +"There you are," said Dick, and paid him. + +"Much obliged. Now I reckon I'll go home an' let you-uns fight it +out," added Jake Shaggam, and tying up his rowboat he stalked off, +just as if he had accomplished nothing out of the ordinary. + +"We had better approach with caution," said Paul Livingstone. "Those +horse thieves are desperate characters. They would not be above +shooting us down rather than give up to the law." + +In the meantime Baxter and Flapp were much disturbed by the condition +of affairs on board the houseboat. Both Loring and Gouch had been +drinking more or less all night and were in far from a sober condition. + +"I don't mind a drink myself, but those chaps make me sick," growled +Dan Baxter. + +"I guess we made a mistake to take them into our scheme," said Lew +Flapp. "Look how Gouch blabbed to that old man last night." + +"Where are they now?" + +"In the captain's stateroom opening a new bottle of liquor. Neither +of them can stand up straight." + +"For two pins I'd pitch them overboard. Where is Sculley?" + +"He is with them, drinking hard, too." + +"If we only knew how to run that launch we could leave them behind +and sail out of here." + +"Perhaps we'll have to do that--if the three keep on drinking." + +Baxter and Flapp were on deck. They had had their breakfast, but had +given nothing more to the girls. + +"I'm going to tame 'em," grumbled Flapp, who had not forgotten how +the door had been slammed in his face. + +"That's right, we'll make 'em come to terms," added Baxter. "We'll +have 'em on their knees to us before we get through." + +Presently both walked to the window of the stateroom Dora and Nellie +occupied. + +"Well, how do you feel--pretty hungry?" questioned Baxter. + +"Not so very hungry?" said Dora, as lightly as she could. + +"Don't you want a nice hot breakfast?" + +"I'd rather have some fruit." + +"Oh, by the way, we've got some nice harvest apples on board--and +some berries. Wouldn't you like some berries, with sugar and cream?" + +"And some fresh breakfast rolls?" put in Flapp. + +"Not if you baked them," came from Nellie. "You can have a good +breakfast, if you'll be a little more civil to us," resumed Dan Baxter. + +"We are more civil than you deserve," said Dora. + +"Do you want to be starved?" + +At this both girls turned a trifle pale. + +"Would you dare to starve us?" cried Nellie. + +"Why not--if you won't be friendly?" asked Lew Flapp. "You've been +treating us as if we were dogs." + +"Yes, and we--" began Dan Baxter, when he chanced to look through +the bushes and down the creek. "Great Scott, Flapp!" he yelled. + +"What's up?" + +"The game is up! Here comes a tug with the Rovers and a lot of other +people on board!" + +"The Rovers!" faltered Lew Flapp, and for the instant he shivered +from head to feet. + +"Oh, good! good!" cried Nellie. "Help!" she screamed. "Help!" + +"Help! help!" added Dora. "Help us! This way!" + +"We are coming!" came back, in Dick's voice, and a moment later the +steam tug crashed into the side of the houseboat, and the Rovers and +several others leaped on board. + +"Stand where you are, Lew Flapp!" cried Tom, and rushed for the bully +of Putnam Hall. "Stand, I say!" and then he hit Flapp a stunning blow +in the ear which bowled the rascal over and over. + +In the meantime Dan Baxter took to his heels and made for the front +of the houseboat. From this point he jumped into the branches of a +tree and disappeared from view. + +"Come on after him!" cried Sam, and away he and Fred went after +Baxter, leaving the others to take charge of Flapp, and round up the +horse thieves and Sculley. + +But Dan Baxter knew what capture meant--a long term of imprisonment +in the future and, possibly, a good drubbing from the Rovers on the +spot--and he therefore redoubled his efforts to escape. + +"Follow me at your peril!" he sang out, and then they heard him +crashing through the bushes. Gradually the sounds grew fainter and +fainter. + +"Where did he go to, Sam?" + +"I can't say," said Sam. "We'll have to organize a regular party to +run him down." + +It was an easy matter to make Lew Flapp a prisoner. Once captured +the former bully of the Hall blubbered like a baby. + +"It was Dan Baxter led me into it," he groaned. "It was all his +doings, not mine." + +When Loring, Gouch, and Sculley were confronted by the party the +intoxicated evil-doers were in no condition to offer any resistance. +Roundly did they bewail their luck, but this availed them nothing, +and without ceremony they were made prisoners, their hands being tied +behind them with stout ropes. + +"Are you hurt?" asked Dick, of the girls, anxiously. + +"Not in the least, Dick," answered Dora. "But, oh! how thankful I am +that you came as you did!" + +"And I am thankful too," came from Nellie. + +"And we are thankful to be on hand," said Tom. + +And the others said the same. + + +Here let me bring to a close the story of "The Rover Boys on the +River." The trip had been full of adventures, but it now looked as +if all would end happily. + +Without loss of time Dora and Nellie were taken care of and the +houseboat was put into proper order for use by the Rovers and their +friends. + +"Dat galley am a mess to see," said Aleck Pop. "But I don't care--so +long as dem young ladies am saved." + +As speedily as possible, messages were sent to the Lanings and to +Mrs. Stanhope, carrying the news of the girls' safety and the recovery +of the missing houseboat. After that Paul Livingstone saw to it that +Pick Loring, Hamp Gouch, and their accomplice, Sculley, were turned +over to the proper authorities. For this the whole party received +the reward of one thousand dollars, which was evenly divided between +them. + +"Dot's der first money I receive playing detecter," said Hans, when +he got his portion. "Maybe I vos been a regular bolice detecter ven +I got old enough, hey?" + +Lew Flapp was taken back to New York State, to stand trial for the +robbery of Aaron Fairchild's shop, but through the influence of his +family and some rich friends he was let out on bail. When the time for +his trial arrived he was missing. + +"He is going to be as bad as Dan Baxter some day," said Sam. + +"Perhaps; but he is more of a coward than Baxter," answered Dick. + +"Wonder where Baxter disappeared to?" came from Tom. + +"We'll find out some time," said Sam; and he was right. They soon +met their old enemy again, and what Baxter did to bring them trouble +will be told in the next volume of this series, to be entitled "The +Rover Boys on the Plains; or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch." In this +work we shall meet many of our old friends again and learn what they +did towards solving a most unusual secret. + +Two days after the missing houseboat was found there was a re-union +on board in which all of our friends took part. There was a grand +dinner, served in Aleck Pop's best style, and in the evening the +craft was trimmed up with Japanese lanterns from end to end, and a +professional orchestra of three pieces was engaged by the Rovers to +furnish music for the occasion. Mr. Livingstone and his family visited +the houseboat, bringing several young folks with them. The girls and +boys sang, danced, and played games, while the older folks looked +on. Songbird Powell recited several original poems, Fred Garrison +made a really comic speech, and Hans Mueller convulsed everybody by +his good nature and his funny way of talking. + +"I never felt so light-hearted in my life!" said Tom, after the +celebration had come to an end. + +"We owe you and the others a great deal," said Mrs. Laning. + +"Yes, and I shall not forget it," put in Mrs. Stanhope. "All of you +are regular heroes!" + +"Heroes? Pooh!" sniffed Tom. "Nothing of the sort. We are just +wide-awake American boys." + +And they are wide-awake; aren't they, kind reader? + +THE END + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Rover Boys on the River, by Arthur Winfield + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER *** + +***** This file should be named 15904.txt or 15904.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/0/15904/ + +Produced by W. R. Marvin + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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