diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:10:44 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:10:44 -0700 |
| commit | 7bcfc52477a20fbe995cb3dd26ff253c902f5c69 (patch) | |
| tree | e32f1d635bc60facd4b5633a042c7b00a1d4932a /38617-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '38617-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 38617-h/38617-h.htm | 8404 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38617-h/images/illus-001.jpg | bin | 0 -> 80115 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38617-h/images/illus-002.jpg | bin | 0 -> 30555 bytes |
3 files changed, 8404 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/38617-h/38617-h.htm b/38617-h/38617-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bf5c4eb --- /dev/null +++ b/38617-h/38617-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8404 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> + <meta name="generator" content="pph (1.16)"/> + <meta name="title" content="The River Motor Boat Boys on the Mississippi"/> + <meta name="author" content="Harry Gordon"/> + <meta name="date" content="1913"/> + <title>The River Motor Boat Boys on the Mississippi</title> + <style type="text/css"> + p.center {text-align:center} + p.caption {text-align:center; margin-left:20%; margin-right:20%;} + h2.chapter {font-size:1.2em; text-align:center; margin: 2em auto 1em auto; font-weight:normal} + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The River Motor Boat Boys on the Mississippi, by +Harry Gordon + +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 River Motor Boat Boys on the Mississippi + On the Trail to the Gulf + +Author: Harry Gordon + +Release Date: January 18, 2012 [EBook #38617] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RIVER MOTOR BOAT BOYS ON MISSISSIPPI *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div style='text-align:center'> +<img id='ilink01' src='images/illus-001.jpg' alt=''/> +<p class='caption'>On the top of the ridge-boards, the lads saw a half-dressed negro boy.</p> +</div> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.5em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>THE RIVER MOTOR BOAT BOYS</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.5em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:2em;'>ON THE MISSISSIPPI</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>OR</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:2em;'>On the Trail to the Gulf</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:2em;margin-bottom:0;'>By HARRY GORDON</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>Author of</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Colorado,”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence,”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Amazon,”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:0em;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Columbia,”</p> +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0em;margin-bottom:2em;'>“The River Motor Boat Boys on the Ohio.”</p> + +<div style='text-align:center'> +<img id='ilink02' src='images/illus-002.jpg' alt=''/> +<p class='caption'> </p> +</div> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>Copyright, 1913</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>By A. L. Burt Company</p> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:0.8em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI</p> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>Contents</p> + +<table id='toc' style='margin:auto' summary='TOC'> +<tr><td> + <a href='#clink01'>I—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A Rambler Reception Day</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink02'>II—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Alex. Goes Fishing</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink03'>III—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A Waif from the River</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink04'>IV—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Two Boys Get a Tumble</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink05'>V—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A New Captain on Board</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink06'>VI—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Captain Joe Makes a Hit</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink07'>VII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Searching for the <i>Rambler</i></span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink08'>VIII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Faces at the Window</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink09'>IX—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Red Declines to Talk</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink10'>X—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>More River Outlaws</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink11'>XI—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Fire-Faces on the Island</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink12'>XII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Half Full of Diamonds</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink13'>XIII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A River Robber in a New Role</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink14'>XIV—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Alex. Breaks Furniture</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink15'>XV—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Leather Bag Missing</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink16'>XVI—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>What Dropped on Deck</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink17'>XVII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Getting out of the Mud</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink18'>XVIII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Swept Into a Swamp</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink19'>XIX—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Pilgrims from Old Chicago</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink20'>XX—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Darkey up the Tree</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink21'>XXI—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Dodging a Police Boat</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink22'>XXII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>The Sheriff Knows a Lot</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink23'>XXIII—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>A Night in New Orleans</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink24'>XXIV—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Something Doing All the Time</span></a><br/> + <a href='#clink25'>XXV—<span style='font-variant:small-caps'>Commonplace, After All</span></a><br/> +</td></tr> +</table> +<hr style='border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver; width:70%; margin:2em auto' /> + +<p class='center' style='font-size:1.2em;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink01'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER I—A RAMBLER RECEPTION DAY</a></h2> + +<p>A white bulldog of ferocious aspect lay sound +asleep under a small table. Lying across the dog’s +neck, with his soft muzzle hidden between capable +paws, was a quarter-grown grizzly bear. Now and +then Captain Joe, as the dog was named, stirred uneasily +in his sleep, as if in remonstrance at the liberties +which Teddy, the cub, was taking with his +person. The bulldog and the cub snored in unison!</p> + +<p>The table under which the animals slept stood in +the middle of the small cabin of the motor boat +<i>Rambler</i>, and the <i>Rambler</i> was pulling at her anchor +chain in the muddy water of the Mississippi river—pulling +and jerking for all the world like a fat pig +with a ring in his nose trying to get rid of the line +which held him in captivity.</p> + +<p>Although early in November, there were +wandering flakes of snow in the air, and a chill wind from +the northwest was sweeping over the Mississippi +valley. There had been several days of continuous +rain, and, at Cairo, where the motor boat lay, both +the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers were out of their +banks.</p> + +<p>In spite of the wind and snow, however, the +cabin of the <i>Rambler</i> was cozy and warm. In front +of the table where the bulldog and the young bear +lay stood a coal stove, on the top of which two boys +of sixteen, Clayton Emmett and Alexander Smithwick, +were cooking ham and eggs, the appetizing +flavor of which filled the little room. A dish of +sliced potatoes stood not far away, and over the +cherry-red coils of an electric stove at the rear of +the cabin a great pot of coffee was sizzling and adding +its fragrance to rich contributions of the frying +pan.</p> + +<p>While the boys, growing hungrier every second, +stirred the fire and laid the table, footsteps were +heard on the forward deck of the motor boat, and +then, without even announcing his presence by a +knock, a roughly-dressed man of perhaps forty years +stepped into the cabin and stood for a moment staring +at the bulldog and the bear, stood with a hand +on the knob of the door, as if ready for retreat, his +lips open, as if the view of the interior had checked +words half spoken. Alex. Smithwick regarded the +man for a moment with a flash of anger in his eyes, +then he caught the humor of the situation and resolved +to punish the intruder for his impudence in +walking into the cabin without a bit of ceremony.</p> + +<p>“Look out for the bulldog and the bear!” he +warned. “They consumed two river-men last week! +The bulldog tears ’em down, an’ the bear eats ’em!”</p> + +<p>“What kind of a menagerie is this?” began the +visitor, but Alex. gave the bulldog a touch with his +foot, and the dog and the bear were in the middle of +the space between the table and the stove, snarling +fiercely, before the startled intruder could open the +door. “Call the brutes off!” he added as Teddy +began boxing the empty air.</p> + +<p>“Don’t stand in the doorway!” Alex. warned, +while Clay Emmett turned his face away so as not +to betray his enjoyment of the situation. “It makes +’em mad to keep the door open! What do you +want?”</p> + +<p>The visitor stepped outside and beckoned to the +boys through the glass panel. Alex. went out on +the deck and stood waiting. The visitor was evidently +a riverman, tall, muscular, heavy of hand +and sullen of face. He wore rough clothing, neither +clean nor whole, and his face was well covered by a +bushy beard, light in color except around the +mouth, where it was stained with tobacco. Alex. +noted that he looked away whenever their eyes met +for an instant.</p> + +<p>“I’m Gid Brent, the riverman,” he said, in a +moment, “and I’ve come to warn you boys against +starting out alone, on the river in this boat.”</p> + +<p>“That’s kind of you,” Alex. replied. “What’s +the matter with the boat?”</p> + +<p>“It is the river there’s something the matter +with,” replied the other. “The water is high, and is +pouring into all the old channels and ditches from +Cairo to the Gulf. If you start out without a pilot, +you’ll run into some bayou and end in a swamp, a +couple of hundred miles from the main channel.”</p> + +<p>“You’re a pilot, eh?” asked Alex., with a provoking +grin.</p> + +<p>“Yes; and I’m called the best on the river,” was +the boasting reply.</p> + +<p>“And you’re looking for a job?” Alex. continued, +insinuatingly.</p> + +<p>“I might accept the right kind of a job,” Brent +replied, “but I shouldn’t want any menagerie on +board with me. Where are you boys going?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, well,” Alex. said, gravely, though there was +fun in his eyes, “if you object to our pets, that settles +it! We brought Captain Joe, the bulldog, from +the Amazon, and Teddy Bear, the cub, from British +Columbia.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, if they’re tame!” the other exclaimed. “I +might——”</p> + +<p>“I’ll call ’em out an’ see what they say to you!” +Alex. replied, mischief in his eyes, opening the cabin +door and inviting the bulldog and the bear out to the +deck!</p> + +<p>Captain Joe snarled at the man’s feet and Teddy +Bear stood up and squared off in front of him in a +boxing attitude! Brent swung toward the little pier +against which the motor boat lay, and the animals, +thus encouraged, sprang at him.</p> + +<p>In a minute the pilot was on the pier, racing +toward the shore as if for his life! Clay came out +on deck and both boys stood laughing at the retreating +figure. Presently Brent came to an old warehouse, +where security might be found in an open +doorway. Here he stopped and turned back, shaking +a fist at the grinning lads.</p> + +<p>“I’ll be even with you for that!” he shouted. +“I’ll teach you to set your dog on me, you miserable +little bum-boat tramps! I’ll show you!”</p> + +<p>“Get him, Captain Joe!” cried Alex., angry at +the impertinent language used, but Clay caught the +bulldog by the collar and held him back.</p> + +<p>“All right!” smiled Alex. “Let the tramp go, +if you want to! Anyway, I’m about half starved! +Funny, Case and Jule don’t get back! They’ve been +gone three hours!”</p> + +<p>“They’ll get cold beans for supper if they don’t +show up pretty soon!” Clay said, turning back to +the cabin. “The ham and eggs and potatoes are +just done!”</p> + +<p>Even as Alex. closed the cabin door behind +himself, running footsteps were heard, and the next moment +two boys of about his own age, Cornelius +Witters and Julian Shafer, made their appearance, +racing off the pier and on to the deck of the motor +boat like young colts. They dashed into the cabin +and dropped down into seats at the table.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with the fellow at the head +of the pier?” Case Witters asked. “He called to us +not to come down here! Said there was a crazy +boy, a mad dog and a grizzly loose in the boat! +Guess you got him peeved, didn’t you?”</p> + +<p>“He’s too fresh!” Alex. responded. “He came +on board as if he owned the boat, and then had +the nerve to tell us that we’d get lost if we went +down the river without a pilot! He wanted a pilot’s +job! We should have given Captain Joe a bite out +of him!”</p> + +<p>“Did he say he was a pilot?” asked Jule Shafer, +with a wink at Case.</p> + +<p>“Sure thing he did!” answered Alex. “Said he +was the best on the river!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Case began, “if he is a pilot he is out of +practice! I heard him asking a man about the passage +from Hickman to Reelfoot lake. When we +went up-town that same man who spoke to us on +the pier stood on the levee with a bunch of toughs. +Their heads were together, as if they were planning +mischief. I thought they looked at Jule and I in a +strange way, too!”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe he ever came on board to get a +job!” Jule broke in. “He’s a spy! That’s just +what he is, and I wish Captain Joe had eaten him +up!”</p> + +<p>“But why should he come spying here?” asked +Clay. “We’re not river thieves!”</p> + +<p>“Well, there’s something odd going on at Cairo!” +Case asserted. “There are crowds on the streets, +and the policemen seem to be on their metal! I +guess we would have been locked up as suspects if +we hadn’t had on pretty good clothes!”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you ask some one to tell you about +it?” demanded Alex.</p> + +<p>“We did,” Jule answered, “and got our trouble +for our pains! There’s been a warehouse robbery +up the river somewhere, but I don’t see why that +should make such a stir down here at Cairo. The +merchant I ordered the gasoline of said that $100,000 +in diamonds and furs had been taken, and +that a watchman who resisted had been seriously +wounded.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps they think we’re the thieves!” suggested +Clay.</p> + +<p>“I shouldn’t wonder if they did,” Case grinned. +“Anyway, the men I talked with seemed to have +loose shingles—they acted that way, all right!”</p> + +<p>“Loose shingles!” cried Alex. “You’ll wash +dishes for a week for that! Loose shingles is +slang, and we’re not to talk slang. If you wanted +to indicate a slant in the belfry, why didn’t you +say——”</p> + +<p>“Slant in the belfry!” roared Case. “Guess +that isn’t slang! I’ll have plenty of help washing +dishes, all right. S-a-a-y, listen to that, will you!”</p> + +<p>As the boy spoke he lifted a hand for silence, and +the four sat at the table silent and motionless. It +was growing dusk now, and the deck of the motor +boat showed dim under the gathering shadows of +the night. While the lads sat there, listening, Captain +Joe, the bulldog, ran to the closed door and +sniffed suspiciously.</p> + +<p>“There’s some one out on deck!” Case exclaimed, +then. “I wonder if that fellow has had the nerve to +come back here? I’ll go and see who it is, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you wait and see what he will do?” +asked Clay. “If he thinks we’re the robbers, he’ll +show himself directly. If it is only a sneak thief, +he’ll take a jump in the river the minute he knows +we are aware of his presence on the deck. Give him +a chance!”</p> + +<p>Then three words came in a whisper from the +outside of the door. They were spoken in a trembling +voice, accompanied by a soft knock on the +lower panel.</p> + +<p>“Let me in!” the voice said. It seemed like the +voice of a child, too.</p> + +<p>“Come on in, if you want to!” Alex. answered. +“This seems to be our reception day!”</p> + +<p>“Sure! Come on in! Don’t be so mysterious +about it, whoever you are!”</p> + +<p>As he spoke Case arose and opened the door. +Instantly there tumbled into the cabin a boy of +twelve or fourteen—a slender, thin-faced lad whose +whole appearance indicated little food and little +parental care. He did not rise to his feet.</p> + +<p>“Well, what is it?” asked Clay, taking the intruder +by the arm. “Why don’t you get up and +introduce yourself? What do you want here, anyway?”</p> + +<p>“Don’t switch on the light!” the boy pleaded, as +Clay stretched his hand toward the electric switch. +“They are watching the boat from the pier, and I +don’t want them to know I got in. That’s why I +didn’t stand up when the door was opened. The +railing of the deck protected me from the view of +any one up there. I’m running away!”</p> + +<p>“You look the part!” Clay observed, motioning +the visitor to a chair. “Why?”</p> + +<p>“Because they’ll make me tell who stole the +diamonds and furs up at Rock Island,” was the +hesitating reply. “They’ll put me in jail if I don’t +tell!”</p> + +<p>“If you know and won’t tell,” Clay observed, +“they surely will put you in jail!”</p> + +<p>“Why won’t you tell?” asked Alex. “Perhaps +you helped do the job yourself!”</p> + +<p>“No I didn’t!” the boy said.</p> + +<p>He was about to say more when there came another +voice from outside—a slow, steady voice demanding +attention.</p> + +<p>“Listen, you kids in there,” the voice said. +“Listen, and I’ll tell you what to do to save a couple +of lives!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink02'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER II—ALEX. GOES FISHING</a></h2> + +<p>“Things seem to be coming our way!” Alex. +observed. “Can either of you boys see the fellow +who is doing the talking?”</p> + +<p>Clay stepped to the cabin door and opened it. +The night had fallen swiftly, and the deck was quite +dark. The boy started toward the switch which +controlled the prow light, but the voice checked him, +coming, not from the pier, but from the water at +the side of the motor boat.</p> + +<p>“Don’t turn on any lights!” the voice said. +“I’m right here under the overhang. I came to ask +you to do me a favor! You look like decent sort of +chaps!”</p> + +<p>“Thanks for the compliment!” Alex. put in, from +the cabin door, where he stood with a freckled nose +wrinkled to its full capacity—and then a little more!</p> + +<p>“Keep still a minute, can’t you?” demanded +Clay. “Let us see what it is the man wants us to +do for him. Why don’t you come on deck?” the +boy added, bending over in the hope of getting a +view of the strange visitor.</p> + +<p>“I don’t come on deck,” was the reply, “because +I’m not lookin’ for trouble! I’m in bad here, +strangers, an’ I want you to take the boy down the +river with you!”</p> + +<p>The lad who had recently come on board now +came up to the cabin door and stood in a listening +attitude. In the deep dusk his face could not be +seen plainly, but Alex., who stood close to his side, +knew that he was shaking with the chill of the water.</p> + +<p>“The boy says he is running away,” objected +Clay, bending still lower over the deck railing. +“We are not going to aid in any such a game,” he +added.</p> + +<p>“Shucks!” came the answer, still from the water. +“He ain’t got nobody nor nothin’ to run away from, +that kid ain’t! Hide him until you get out of Cairo, +an’ then I may be able to do something for him.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the answer?” Alex. cut in. “Why +should he want to be hidden? Perhaps you’re the +man that robbed the warehouse at Rock Island! +He just told us that he knew who did it! Come on +deck, and we’ll talk it over.”</p> + +<p>“If you want to get away from Cairo without +sampling all the jails in the county,” the unseen +man continued, “you’ll slip anchor an’ get down +the river right soon! The men who are watchin’ +you are comin’ down the pier now. I reckon they +saw me talking from the bosom of the river. Before +I duck under an’ head for Missouri, I’ll tell you +that the kid you’ve got there is O. K. Take him +along with you!”</p> + +<p>Then, much to the amazement of the boys on the +motor boat, a shot came out of the darkness in the +direction of the pier, and a bullet cut the water close +to where the man lay, near the prow, half afloat and +half clinging to the hull of the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“You see!” the unseen man said. “Drop down +until this excitement is over!”</p> + +<p>“That’s a cheerful kind of a merman,” Alex. declared. +“He heard the shot and took his own advice +to disappear, anyway! What do you think of +him? Heading a lot of gunmen in this direction an’ +then advising us to run away!”</p> + +<p>For a moment nothing was heard save the sighing +of the wind and the wash of the river. Lights +were showing in the city, which was not far from +the pier, and one large street lamp disclosed the +figures of a dozen men running toward the motor +boat! The man who had done the shooting stood +near the foot of the pier, a revolver in his hand. +Clay sprang for the switch which controlled the +prow light.</p> + +<p>“That’s more like it!” came a voice from the +shore, as the light flared out on the cluttered pier +and the swirling waters of the river. “Why didn’t +you do that before?”</p> + +<p>“Quit your shooting and come on board!” +Clay advised. “We understand the use of firearms +ourselves! Come aboard and tell us what all this +is about.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll come, fast enough!” said one of the advancing +party. “Keep your lights on.”</p> + +<p>In a minute more the little motor boat was +crowded with rough-looking men, all armed, and all +insisting that every nook and corner of the <i>Rambler</i> +should be searched.</p> + +<p>The boys offered no objections, but sat on the +deck railing waiting for the men to perform their +task and go away. Captain Joe and Teddy, however, +objected strenuously, and it required the +efforts of all four, before the search was completed, +to keep the pets from being shot by those whose legs +had been nipped by sharp teeth.</p> + +<p>Finally one of the men, who seemed to be in command, +demanded of Clay:</p> + +<p>“Where did the boy who came on board go?”</p> + +<p>“He must have gone into the river,” was the +reply. “Just after the shooting I looked for him, +but he was not here. Who is he, and what is he +wanted for?”</p> + +<p>“He belongs to the man who robbed the warehouse +office up at Rock Island,” was the gruff reply. +“If you shelter him you’ll be breaking the law. +What was that swimmer saying to you?” the fellow +continued. “That’s the man we want! Why +should he come to you, anyway?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know why he should come to us any +more than I know why you men should come on +board with your insulting suspicions,” Clay answered. +“When you make up your minds that +neither the man nor the boy is here, we’ll go on +down the river.”</p> + +<p>The search continued for some moments, and +the men reluctantly went ashore.</p> + +<p>“Honest!” Alex. then asked of Clay. “Honest, +now! Where did the boy go?”</p> + +<p>“He must have taken a jump into the river,” was +the boy’s reply. “He certainly is not on board the +<i>Rambler</i>. He just disappeared when those men +appeared.”</p> + +<p>“Then he’s probably drowned!” Alex. commented. +“No one could swim long in that current. +And the man, too, probably went under! Too +bad!” he added, soberly.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay declared, “I’ve got enough of the +hospitality of this city. Suppose we drop down to-night? +It will be risky sailing because of the flood, +but at the same time it may keep us all out of jail. +Those men may come back after they get a few +more drinks.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> was a staunch little motor boat, +fully competent to make her way in almost any body +of water, but the boys were afraid of driftwood and +wreckage, and also of running off into bayous which +ran out into swamps for miles, with almost as +strong a current as the main channel. Those who +have read previous volumes of this series will doubtless +recall the adventures of the four boys in Brazil +on the Amazon river, on the Columbia river, far up +in British Columbia, and on the Colorado river, as +far up as the Grand Canyon.</p> + +<p>A month before that night in Cairo, the boys had +launched the motor boat on the Mississippi far up +near its source. They had struggled with sandbars +and falls, but had at last worked round the Falls of +St. Anthony and struck better water. They had +met with plenty of adventures on the way, but nothing +of the character of the happenings of that evening. +The portion of their journey really worthy of +record begins at Cairo on this early November night.</p> + +<p>The pets, of which the boys were very fond, had, +as already stated by one of the boys, been acquired +in Brazil and British Columbia, Captain Joe having +been bought by Alex. at Para, and Teddy having +been rescued from a tree wreck in the great river of +the north. Both animals had been taught all sorts +of tricks by the boys.</p> + +<p>“That’s all right, about our being in danger +here,” Case observed, “but, at the same time, if we +leave now, in the night, with the river up, we shall +only confirm the suspicions of those on shore. Suppose +we move away from this pier, so as to be out of +the way of the mob, and anchor in another place, +where those whose duty it is to look up suspicious +river boats can find us if they desire to? For one, +I don’t like the idea of being chased down the river.”</p> + +<p>“Solomon had nothing on you!” Alex. agreed. +“We may as well remain here until morning. I +must confess that I don’t like the way the Father of +Waters is acting!”</p> + +<p>“Well, let us get somewhere and settle down for +the night!” Jule suggested. “I’m still hungry! +Those fellows spoiled my supper. Who wants more +ham?”</p> + +<p>“Say,” Alex. cried, with one of his inimitable +grins, “why not have a fish for supper? I won’t be +able to sleep much, on account of watching, and +may as well have a good square meal! Then I’ll sit +up and you boys can go to bed.”</p> + +<p>“Where can you get a fish to-night?” demanded +Jule. “Think one is going to climb up on the deck? +Ham is good enough for me right now!”</p> + +<p>But Alex. did not abandon the idea of having a +fish supper. After the <i>Rambler</i> had been taken a +short distance up the river and anchored in a little +bay which promised protection from the rushing +current, loaded at times with driftwood and the +wreck of houses and barns, the lad again broached +the subject.</p> + +<p>“I can get the rowboat out,” he insisted, “and +let her down stream with a line. Then I can fish +under that bank to the east. Don’t you ever think +all the river fish have moved into top flats because of +the flood! I saw one jump up just a moment ago! +You boys keep a good fire and I’ll guarantee to bring +the fish!”</p> + +<p>“Go it!” Clay laughed. “I wouldn’t go out in +a rowboat for a dozen fish suppers, but you seem +to have the luck of the Irish on such occasions, so get +to going!”</p> + +<p>“You’ll eat the fish, all right!” Alex. taunted, +“so help me get the boat down.”</p> + +<p>The skiff was lowered from the roof of the little +cabin and placed in the water, with a great splash. +It tugged and strained at the cord which held it, and +now and then received severe bumps from floating +debris, but Alex. insisted on drawing it up and +jumping in. Then he set about getting his fish for +supper!</p> + +<p>For a long time the boy fished without receiving +any intimation that there was a fish left in the river! +The boat caught plenty of driftwood, however. At +times great masses of trees and timbers would go +sailing down, advancing out of the darkness into +the circle of light about the <i>Rambler</i> as if brought +to life by the presence of mankind. Then the darkness +would receive them again and the water would +run clear for a time.</p> + +<p>The little bay where the <i>Rambler</i> was moored +was in a measure out of the sweep of the strong +current, still the water eddied and swirled around +the little rowboat in a threatening manner. +Sometimes the boy had all he could do to keep the craft +from turning turtle and dumping him into the river. +The other boys, watching from the deck of the +motor boat, often called to him to draw up on the +line in order to avoid a mass of wreckage drifting +that way.</p> + +<p>The strong, high prow-light of the motor boat +cast a sharp illumination over the river for some +distance up stream, revealing the approach of dangerous +wreckage, and the lone fisherman was often +glad to heed the warnings of his chums. At last, +however, just as he was playing a fish which seemed +to him as large as a whale, and twice as ferocious, +he heard a call which he disregarded for a second.</p> + +<p>“There’s a roof coming down!” Clay shouted +to the boy. “It is likely to pay you a visit! Better +come aboard!”</p> + +<p>“And there’s something moving on it!” Jule +shouted. “It looks like a baby!”</p> + +<p>Alex. was busy with his line. The fish supper was +almost in sight! If he heard what was said to him +he did not heed the warning, for he kept on playing +his fish, which seemed inclined to take the rowboat +down the river to the Gulf of Mexico!</p> + +<p>The piece of roof to which the boys pointed +swung around the side of the <i>Rambler</i> and was +pulled in toward the shore by the eddy which had +drawn so many lesser objects in. Then, for the +first time, Alex. saw his danger. If the mass struck +the boat it might crush it. At the very least it +would be likely to break the line with which it was +attached to the <i>Rambler</i> and send him adrift!</p> + +<p>The boy seized the cable and began to draw the +boat up to the <i>Rambler</i>, seeking protection under its +bulk. Then he heard a cry come from the raft, and +saw a mite of a boy reaching out his hands. The +boat dropped back and the mass, edging in below the +<i>Rambler</i>, struck it full on the prow!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink03'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER III—A WAIF FROM THE RIVER</a></h2> + +<p>The cable tying the rowboat to the <i>Rambler</i> +parted with a snap as the wreckage struck the light +craft, and Alex. went rocking and bobbing down +toward the Gulf of Mexico! The boys on the +<i>Rambler</i> saw him get out an oar to secure steerway, +though he was pressed on by the house roof which +had done the mischief.</p> + +<p>It was not a flat roof, but one with two steep +sides and a sharp apex. It rode the current apex up, +as if floating on a floor crossing under the eaves. +On the top of the ridge-boards, clinging on with +hands and bare heels, and shouting fit to wake the +people of Cairo, the lads on the <i>Rambler</i> saw a half-dressed +negro boy of perhaps ten or eleven years. +The more the roof bobbed on the waves the louder +he yelled.</p> + +<p>When the line snapped Clay rushed to the motors +and turned on full power. The <i>Rambler</i> trembled +as she thrust her nose against the current, wavered, +and then, answering her helm, swung around +broadside to the sweep of water, shook a mass of wreckage +from her prow, as a dog shakes off water, and +edged down stream.</p> + +<p>In a minute after the accident the powerful motor +boat was chasing Alex., the little negro boy, and the +teetering roof down toward Memphis! It was dark +on the river, and the roaring of the waters made the +prospect doubly disagreeable. The current was running +fast, and that one minute of getting under way +had swept the rowboat some distance down stream. +Still it was just visible under the strong prow light.</p> + +<p>“There’s Alex.’s fish!” shouted Chase, pointing +to the cowering negro boy on the apex of the roof. +“Wonder how he wants him cooked for supper?”</p> + +<p>“The last find Alex. made,” Jule laughed, “was a +bear! What will he be finding next? S-a-a-y, you +coon!” he called out, shaping his hands for a trumpet +in order to direct his voice, “don’t you go to +dropping off! We’ll pick you up with the motor +boat,” he continued, as the little fellow began scrambling +toward the water’s edge.</p> + +<p>“There he goes!” shouted Clay, as the negro +boy, not heeding Jule’s directions, went clattering +down the shingles and dropped into the river. +“The little fellow was afraid we would go away +and leave him! What do you think of that?” he +added. “The coon is swimming like a fish to the +rowboat!”</p> + +<p>The boy would have reached the rowboat handily +if a heavy piece of timber had not intervened. It +struck him head-on as he swam, and he went under +the brown waters. Then the boys on the <i>Rambler</i> +saw Alex. throw off his coat, take the broken line +between his teeth, and dive into the river, just missing +the great timber as he went headfirst into the +flood! There was a growl and a snarl on deck, and +then Captain Joe and Teddy Bear were both in the +river, swimming down toward the swaying roof.</p> + +<p>The bulldog, with the instinct of the intelligent +canine, doubtless recognized the peril of the situation +and took to the water on an errand of rescue, +but with the bear it was different. He had been +patiently taught to bathe and play in the water with +the boys, and now he saw only a frolic ahead!</p> + +<p>However this may be, it was the bear cub who +seized the negro boy as he came to the surface, half +supported by Alex.’s arm. The little fellow had not +been rendered unconscious by the blow he had received, +and was able to sustain himself in the water +as soon as he came to the surface.</p> + +<p>Alex. was busy hauling the boat back, or trying +to, with the end of the line in one hand, and Captain +Joe swam directly to him. He knew that if he released +the line the rowboat would drift away, leaving +him and his companions to be rescued by the +<i>Rambler</i>, and he had a stubborn notion that he would +like to get out of the mess without the assistance of +his chums! They would then have no opportunity +to make sly remarks about his skill as a fisherman! +The fishline was wound around his left arm, and he +believed that the fish he had been playing when the +accident took place was still on the hook!</p> + +<p>The situation was clearing, for Alex. held to the +line, and boy, bear, dog, and frightened negro boy, +were doing very well in the swift current when +another mass of wreckage came sweeping down +upon them. As it came down Alex. dove under, and +the negro boy started to do the same, but just then +his eyes fell on the bear, hanging to his arm, and +with a scream which only half disclosed how scared +he was he scrambled on the floating heap of brush +and was swept down stream!</p> + +<p>His round eyes were, apparently, as large as saucers +and as white as chalk as he turned to see Teddy +Bear pursuing him to his place of refuge. Familiar +with the water game, the bear chased the negro boy +to the limit of the wreckage and pushed him in with +his nose. By this time Alex. was clinging to the +rowboat, with Captain Joe serving as chaperon, and +the <i>Rambler</i> was at hand, the boys on board cheering +Teddy and the negro boy as they chased around +the brush heap from which they had been pitched +into the river. Although they called out to the boy +not to be afraid of the bear, his cries rose above the +roar of the waters!</p> + +<p>Alex. and Captain Joe were picked up first, the +rowboat made secure, and then the <i>Rambler</i> rounded +the floating mass of brush and took Teddy on board. +The little fellow scrambled away from the hands +reached out to grasp him, his eyes following the +figure of the bear as it was lifted on deck.</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!” he gasped, his eyes +round and white, “don’ yo’ feed dis coon to dat +bear! He sure done eat dis chile!”</p> + +<p>When passed up to the deck the boy gave one look +at the bear, let out another yell of fright, and, ducking +into the cabin, dodged under the table, where he +crouched on hands and knees, his eyes sticking out +like white doorknobs. The boys were too full of +laugh for the time being to try to explain matters +to him.</p> + +<p>As soon as Alex. was on deck he began unwinding +the fishline from his arm. Then he played it over +the side of the boat, much to the amusement of his +chums.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you think I didn’t catch a fish?” the +lad demanded, with a wink at Clay.</p> + +<p>“If you didn’t get a fish,” laughed Clay, “it is +about the only thing you didn’t bring out of the +river with you! We fished out a bear, a dog, and a +baby coon with you! You surely ought to have a +fish!”</p> + +<p>And Alex. did have a fish! It was firmly hooked, +and came flopping out of the water when he drew in +the line. Still under the table, with his eyes on the +bear, the rescued negro boy licked his chops when he +saw it. Clay observed the action and went to him. +After a time the little fellow was coaxed out of his +hiding-place.</p> + +<p>“That’s a pet bear!” explained Clay. “He +won’t bite you!”</p> + +<p>The boy seemed to want to believe the other, for +the sake of the fish supper which appeared to be +coming soon, but he edged away from the cub, all +the same!</p> + +<p>“You hungry?” asked Case, coming up.</p> + +<p>The little fellow nodded, and Case went on.</p> + +<p>“What’s your name?”</p> + +<p>“Abraham Lincoln Charles Sumner Horace +Greeley Banks!”</p> + +<p>The little chap repeated the names in a sing-song +tone, with the air of one who had been carefully +drilled in the repetition. The boys broke into +shouts of laughter, and even Teddy Bear nosed his +way through the little group and stood gazing at the +negro boy with reproving eyes! The boy tried to +dodge away, but Clay held him fast.</p> + +<p>“Jerusalem!” Case cried, as soon as he could control +his voice. “What a name! Where did you get +it, chile?”</p> + +<p>“Mah mammy done ’stowed it on me!” was the +reply.</p> + +<p>“Well, it is too long,” Clay decided, “so we’ll +just call you Mose! Do you happen to be hungry, +little one?” he added, with a glance at the fish.</p> + +<p>In answer the boy laid his hands on the region of +his stomach and grinned.</p> + +<p>“Where do you live?” asked Alex., ringing the +water out of his clothes, which had been removed as +soon as he reached the deck. “What will your +mammy say to your going off on the river? She’ll +wallop you, chile, good an’ plenty!”</p> + +<p>“I done run away!” answered the boy.</p> + +<p>“That’s two to-night!” grinned Alex., preparing +to dress the fish for supper. “How many more are +we likely to find before we get to the Gulf?”</p> + +<p>Teddy Bear, who seemed to feel that he was deserving +of some attention for having rescued Mose +from instant death in the river, now came up and +brushed his soft nose over the boys’ hand. Mose’s +eyes grew wider, but, seeing that the bear did not +offer to bite, he ventured to stroke his head, +whereat the cub sat up on his hind feet and asked to +have a boxing lesson!</p> + +<p>“That bear is a spoiled child!” Case remarked, +as Teddy began sparing. “He is no good at all—just +a clown!”</p> + +<p>“Where did you run from?” asked Jule, anxious +to know more of the negro boy.</p> + +<p>“San Louee,” was the reply. “I done lived on +th’ levee!”</p> + +<p>“From St. Louis, eh?” Clay said. “Where do +you want to go?”</p> + +<p>“I done hire out to you all,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Of course!” Alex. laughed. “Didn’t we bring +him up out of the waters? He’ll make a fine playmate +for Teddy Bear!”</p> + +<p>“If he doesn’t disappear, as that other waif did,” +smiled Clay.</p> + +<p>“Where do you suppose that boy went to?” +asked Alex. “He never swam to shore, that is, to +the other shore, and if he had landed on the pier +when the men came on board they would certainly +have seen him. I reckon the darkness just ate +him!”</p> + +<p>“And the man who came to speak a good word +for him!” Clay went on. “If he had been the +thief wanted for the Rock Island diamond and fur +robbery, he couldn’t have been more mysterious. +The boy said he would be made to tell about the +robbery if they found him, and this man wanted to +get him out of the way, so I guess we can put the +pieces together and patch out the truth. The man +is one of the robbers and the boy belongs to +him!”</p> + +<p>“If I had the Sherlock genius you toss out so +easily,” Jule cut in, “I’d put it in a book. Why +should the robber come to us to speak a good word +for the boy? He ought to have known that we’d +see through the game.”</p> + +<p>“He may not be the robber at all,” Case observed. +“There was some mystery connected with the two, +and that’s all we know about it! The man is gone, +and the boy is gone, and they are probably drowned, +so we may as well count the story closed.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll go you a dinner at the Bismark, as soon as +we get back to Chicago,” Clay insisted, “that we +find both the man and the boy before we get down +to the Gulf!”</p> + +<p>“You’re in for the dinners, then!” Case exclaimed. +“And now,” he went on, “what are we +going to do to-night? Are we going on down the +river, or are we going to get into some cozy little +slip and anchor for the second time?”</p> + +<p>“I’m no good Solomon on an empty stomach,” +laughed Clay. “Wait until Alex. has his fish supper +served! You want some, too, don’t you Mose?” he +added, turning to the little fellow, who stood gazing +from the bear to the fish, now ready for the +pan.</p> + +<p>“I’s done gone empty cl’ar to mah toes!” was +Mose’s reply.</p> + +<p>After the fish had been eaten Mose was put to +bed in one of the bunks, and the boys decided to go +on down the river. They wanted to get away from +any such entanglement as had been suggested by the +visit of the officers and the search of the motor +boat.</p> + +<p>They made a long distance with little trouble, as +they were going with the driftwood, and at daylight +tied up in a small bayou, at the end of which a deserted +old house stood lowering down upon the +flood with a touch of mystery in the broken windows +and overhanging eaves!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink04'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER IV—TWO BOYS GET A TUMBLE</a></h2> + +<p>“I’d give a cent to know just where we are!” Jule +declared, as he stood on the deck of the <i>Rambler</i>, +waiting for Case’s call to breakfast, the advance +odors of which were creeping out of the cabin, +where Mose and Teddy Bear lay on a rug together, +evidently the very best of friends!</p> + +<p>“Give me the coin, then,” Alex. exclaimed. “We +are about ten or fifteen miles below Hickman, Kentucky, +and we are on the Missouri side; and there’s +a loop of river which runs north a long way and +comes back again. Some day the Mississippi will +cut through the neck of land, and then there’ll be +another large island, with houses set back from the +river a long distance! Give me the cent!”</p> + +<p>Jule gravely passed the coin over to Alex., who +as gravely pocketed it, and drew Jule to a seat beside +himself on the gunwale of the boat. Captain Joe +came up to the boys as they sat there and wagged +his tail, his nose pointing toward the deserted old +house at the end of the bayou.</p> + +<p>“Do you see what the bulldog wants?” Alex. +asked, in a moment.</p> + +<p>“He wants a run on shore,” replied Jule. “He +wants to get off the boat and do stunts on the grass. +I’m with him in that, too!”</p> + +<p>“He’s pointing to the old house!” Alex. suggested, +with a grin.</p> + +<p>“Good idea!” winked Jule. “Suppose we go +over to the ranch and see what sort of a place it +is? We’ll just sneak off after breakfast and be +back in an hour.”</p> + +<p>“Right,” agreed Alex. “We may find a buried +treasure! Or plunder from the Rock Island warehouse +may be hidden in some dusty attic! What? +That sounds like a story of John Paul Jones, out +of a book!”</p> + +<p>“I reckon all we’ll find will be rats,” the practical +Jule replied. “But I like to ramble over old houses. +It evidently used to stand on the bank of the river, +but some washout left it back so far that it was +deserted. It looks like there might be ghosts hiding +in it right now! Do you hear anything?” the boy +added, as he bent his ear toward the neglected mansion, +sinking to decay now for many a long year. +“Do you hear anything that sounds uncanny? I +thought I heard a ghost call!”</p> + +<p>“I half believe you mean it!” laughed Alex. +“I believe you really think you hear something +ghostly! If I were rich once for every ghost there +is in the world, I wouldn’t have a cent to my name! +What does this ghost call sound like?” added the +boy.</p> + +<p>“It sounded like a long, low call for help!” was +the reply. “I believe all the calls from deserted +houses are long and low, what?”</p> + +<p>“Right you are!” Alex. answered. “Say, what’s +the matter of taking Captain Joe with us when we +go to the house? If there’s a ghost behind the casings, +he’ll be certain to find and bring it out to us!”</p> + +<p>“Then I’m strong for Captain Joe!” cried Jule. +“We’ll bring the perturbed spirit on board and put +it with our collection of animals! And there’s the +breakfast call, at last!” he continued, whereat both +boys rushed into the cabin.</p> + +<p>Clay, who had been tinkering around the motors +for half an hour, entered the cabin before breakfast +was over, his face looking troubled, his clothing +smeared with grease.</p> + +<p>“I have an idea that we’ll stop here a few days +until some one goes to one of the towns hereabouts +and brings back some bolts,” he said. “The motors +are out of whack, and ought not to be operated in +the shape they are in.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll go back to Hickman in the rowboat,” declared +Case. “I have a notion that I’d like to see +the town.”</p> + +<p>“And row against that current?” asked Alex. +“I see you doing it!”</p> + +<p>“You couldn’t do it in a thousand years!” Jule +observed.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Case went on, looking at his map of the +river, “there’s New Madrid, on the Missouri side. +I might walk up there and back in a day.”</p> + +<p>“Up there?” laughed Alex., looking over Case’s +shoulder. “Why do you say up there? New +Madrid is north from here, all right, but it is down +stream, for all that!”</p> + +<p>“Well, walk down there, then!” Case replied. +“I want to learn something about that robbery anyway, +and there may be news of it; besides, a walk +along the river will be a sort of a picnic. It isn’t +more than ten or twelve miles to the town.”</p> + +<p>“Then you’d better arrange to return to-morrow,” +Clay advised. “You are not used to such +long walks. We are in no hurry to go on, for we +have all the time there is until this time next year!”</p> + +<p>So it was finally arranged that Case should walk +down to New Madrid and get the needed repairs +for the motors, while the others looked over the +country which lay about them. When Alex. suggested +the visit to the deserted house, Clay was anxious +to become one of the party. He said he had +had the same idea in his mind ever since seeing the +old place.</p> + +<p>“After Case goes,” Jule suggested, “that would +leave only Mose and Teddy Bear on board the +<i>Rambler</i>. I don’t believe it is safe to leave her +alone.”</p> + +<p>“Of course it isn’t,” Clay admitted, “so I’ll remain +here to-day and visit the old building to-morrow. +Then you two boys can remain at home.”</p> + +<p>Everything being satisfactorily arranged, Alex. +and Jule started away up the bayou in the rowboat. +The old basin was full of water, and so there was +little current, which made it easy rowing. In half +an hour they were at the foot of an old pier, slanting +over on weak legs like a tipsy man. It was plain +that the landing had not been used for commercial +purposes for a long time.</p> + +<p>The boys fastened the boat and ran briskly up the +rotting footway which led to the enclosure in which +the old house stood. There was a wilderness of +trees and shrubs in the enclosure, and the walks, +which had evidently once been carefully tended, +were now overgrown with weeds and long grass. +Lizards darted out of unseen places and sped away +as the boys advanced along a broken walk which +led to the front door of the mansion.</p> + +<p>At the very threshold the boys paused, listening. +The ragged blinds were flapping in the breeze, and +the trees which rimmed the enclosure rustled and +creaked in a most uncanny way, but these sounds +were not the ones which brought the adventurous +boys to a halt.</p> + +<p>The noise they heard sounded like the tones of a +violin, coming from a great distance. The notes, +faint, sweet, perplexing, rose and fell on the wind, +now lifting into a weird song, now dropping to the +softest melody!</p> + +<p>“There’s some one here, after all!” Jule suggested, +though there was a question in the way the +words were spoken. “Some one lives here? What +do you think?”</p> + +<p>Alex. pointed to the broken door which opened +into the disordered hall, to the window blinds, beating +the casings at the will of the wind, and at the +long grass and weeds growing between the planks +and stones of the walks.</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe any one lives here!” he insisted.</p> + +<p>“Then what is it making the music?” demanded +Jule. “If that isn’t some one playing the violin you +may eat my head for a cabbage!”</p> + +<p>They listened again. The sounds stopped directly, +then there came a banging of doors and a +rustle, as if some one in trailing clothes was being +dragged through the hall. Then a shriek which appeared +to come from directly under the feet of the +boys cut the air, lifting into a terrifying yell at the +end. The lads involuntarily started back down the +path, but both stopped and faced the house again.</p> + +<p>“I’m not going away without knowing more +about it!” Alex. declared.</p> + +<p>“That’s the way I look at it!” grinned Jule. +“We can’t turn tail and run like a couple of +cowards. I wish we had brought Captain Joe along +with us!”</p> + +<p>“Clay wanted him for company,” Alex. explained. +“Joe looked like his heart was broken +when we came off without him! I’ll bet he runs +away and comes after us!”</p> + +<p>Seeing that their automatic revolvers were in +working order, the boys walked back up the broken +walk, mounted the steps, and passed into the ancient +hallway of the mansion. All was ruin and decay +there. The floor was broken out in places, and there +were marks of an axe on the casings of the door and +on the narrow windows beside it.</p> + +<p>The stairway leading to the rooms above was +broken, too, some of the steps being gone entirely. +The lads stopped at the foot of the steps for an instant +to gaze upward and then turned into a lofty +room on the left. This must have been the parlor, +and the apartment beyond it must have been the +library.</p> + +<p>The furniture, which had once been valuable, was +broken into bits, and a charred spot on the floor +showed where a fire had been kindled. The rooms +on that floor were all desolate and dismantled, and +the boys soon turned their attention to those above +the ruined staircase.</p> + +<p>Scarcely had they gained the head of the stairs +when the music began again. It seemed to come +down the wide hallway which ran nearly through +the house parallel with the front.</p> + +<p>“We’re getting nearer to the band!” Jule whispered.</p> + +<p>There was such a hush over the place, such a +weird, uncanny atmosphere, that, somehow, the boys +did not feel like being loud-voiced or boisterous.</p> + +<p>“We’ll be running into a reception committee +next!” Alex. returned.</p> + +<p>The music continued for a few seconds, then +ended in a repetition of the dragging, rustling sound +and the shriek which had been heard before. This +time the noise indicating physical motion appeared +to come from the very hallway where the boys were +standing!</p> + +<p>Alex. and Jule continued on through the hall +until they came to a partition which shut off the +north end of it. There was a door in this partition, +but it was locked. At first all the efforts of the lads +failed to budge it.</p> + +<p>“There’s one part of the ranch that hasn’t rotted +away,” Alex. observed, as red-faced and perspiring, +he paused in his attack on the door.</p> + +<p>“That shows there’s some one taking care of it,” +Jule decided. “Suppose we try the door once more? +It ought to give way before our weight.”</p> + +<p>They both threw their shoulders against the upper +panels and they dropped back, revealing a small +room which had the appearance of having recently +been occupied. There was a wide fireplace at the +back of the room, which was at the end of the house, +and a chair standing near the hearth was softly +cushioned. There was a window on each side of the +fireplace, but the curtains were drawn so all the details +of the apartment were not visible. The boys +drew back for an instant.</p> + +<p>“We’re breaking into some one’s house!” Jule +whispered.</p> + +<p>“I guess that’s right!” Alex. returned. “What +ought we to do now?”</p> + +<p>“Keep right on until we get at the solution of +the mystery,” Jule answered. “It may be that we +shall find a maiden in distress, and——”</p> + +<p>The boy stopped in the midst of his light-hearted +speech and looked again through the broken panels +of the door at the end of the hall. What he saw was +a side door opening.</p> + +<p>As the door swung back an old man, white haired +and walking with a stout cane, came into the room +and sat down in the chair by the hearth. Then, +without glancing toward the broken panels and the +boys beyond, he spoke:</p> + +<p>“The door is not fastened, boys. You are welcome +to enter.”</p> + +<p>The boys entered, feeling ashamed and half +afraid, and the old man pointed to two chairs by the +hearth which had not been seen through the broken +door.</p> + +<p>“Sit down!” he said, almost with an air of command, +“and tell me why you are here.”</p> + +<p>The boys sank down into the chairs; then there +came a sharp click, and they felt themselves falling +through the floor!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink05'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER V—A NEW CAPTAIN ON BOARD</a></h2> + +<p>Clay continued his work on the motors for a +long time after the departure of Alex. and Jule. +It was impossible to make them work with safety +without the repairs Case had gone after, but the +boy decided that the present would be a fine time to +clean them.</p> + +<p>While he worked, polishing and oiling, Mose and +Teddy came out of the cabin arm-in-arm! At least +the little negro boy had one arm around the cub’s +neck!</p> + +<p>“You’ve got over your scare, eh?” Clay laughed, +as the two came to his side.</p> + +<p>“Ah sure tu’n white las’ night!” Mose declared, +rolling his eyes until they looked like white billiard +balls. “Ah’s so scared!”</p> + +<p>“You are black enough this morning,” Clay suggested. +“Where did you come from?”</p> + +<p>“Ah done come f’m San Louee,” was the reply. +“Ah lib on de levee.”</p> + +<p>“Did you run away from St. Louis?” asked +Clay. “Did you come all the way from the levee +on the roof Alex. fished you off from?”</p> + +<p>Mose, still playing with the cub, explained that he +had sneaked on board a steamer at St. Louis, but +had been put ashore at a landing above Cairo by the +mate. Then, so great had been his desire to get +farther south for the winter, he had taken a drifting +boat and pushed out into the swollen stream.</p> + +<p>The boat had been crushed in a mass of wreckage, +but the boy had managed to crawl up on the floating +roof where he had been found. The mammy he had +spoken of as having been so liberal with him in the +bestowal of names was an old colored lady who +had given him a place to sleep on cold nights and +occasionally fed him when he was hungry. He +knew nothing of his parents or any relatives. He +was just a levee waif.</p> + +<p>After a time Clay went to the cabin and lay on his +bunk, which let down from the ceiling, being usually +drawn up during the daytime. The motors were +still under process of cleaning, and various parts lay +scattered about.</p> + +<p>Presently the boy heard a great racket on deck. +Captain Joe’s deep voice came in threatening growls, +and Mose and Teddy scampered into the cabin. +Clay sprang to his feet and made for the deck, not +doubting that Alex. and Jule had returned and were +up to some mischief. Before he reached the door +he heard the sound of a heavy blow.</p> + +<p>He could see no one through the doorway, which +Mose had left open, although most of the deck was +in sight, yet the blow he had heard warned him that +something out of the ordinary was taking place. +He stepped back to a shelf for his revolver.</p> + +<p>He knew that during floods bands of outlaws +frequented the river in quest of plunder, and it was +his first impression that one of these had discovered +the motor boat and was trying to board her. He +wondered at the silence of the dog.</p> + +<p>As the boy reached for his weapon, a gruff voice +from the cabin doorway commanded him to face +about and hold up his hands.</p> + +<p>“And hold ’em up empty, too!” the gruff voice +said.</p> + +<p>There was nothing for Clay to do but to obey. +It was with an effort, however, that he kept his +arms extended. The leering eyes of the man with +the face of a fox who stood before him with a revolver +pushed almost into his face caused such hot +surges of rage to fill the boy’s brain that he came +near facing the peril and springing upon the outlaw.</p> + +<p>Mose, levee bred and wise to the unlawful purpose +of the intruder, moved stealthily toward the +shelf where Clay’s revolver lay, in plain sight. In +another second it would have been in the little fellow’s +hand, with what result Clay could not imagine, +but the outlaw saw the movement and edged +forward, still keeping the revolver leveled at Clay, +much to the latter’s disgust.</p> + +<p>“Here, you coon!” the man shouted, “get over +in that corner and stay there! Move, or I’ll give you +a lift!”</p> + +<p>The brute gave Mose a savage kick in the side as +he spoke. It was one thing for Clay to be placed in +a humiliating position, to be threatened with a gun, +but it was quite another for him to stand inactive +and see a boy brutally treated! Disregarding all +his thoughts of the uselessness of the move, the boy +sprang at the outlaw.</p> + +<p>Although only a boy, Clay was muscular and in +training. The man he had attacked was stronger +and heavier than the lad, but he was slower of movement, +and the result of the conflict might have been +a victory for Clay if the two had been permitted to +continue the struggle unmolested.</p> + +<p>While the meager furniture of the little cabin was +being broken and tossed hither and yon by the +combatants, while Teddy was jumping about, eager +to get hold of one of the fighters—as he had been +taught to do when the boys were wrestling—and +while Mose was doing his best to get over to the +shelf where the revolver lay, there came a quick +jar on deck, a jar caused by the bunting of a boat +against the hull of the <i>Rambler</i>, and then hurrying +footsteps on the forward deck.</p> + +<p>Clay fought all the harder when the sounds +reached his ears, for he was sure that Alex. and +Jule had returned, and that short work would now +be made of the intruder. He was gradually securing +a hold on his enemy which would have ended the +battle when he was seized and lifted—by a giant, it +seemed to him—clear of the cabin deck and held +there while the outlaw slowly regained his feet and +picked up his weapon.</p> + +<p>Clay saw that it was the other side that had received +the reinforcements, and motioned to Mose +to remain quiet and keep out of sight. He feared +that further activity on the part of the negro boy +would add to his punishment.</p> + +<p>After catching his breath, the outlaw with whom +Clay had been struggling lifted a pair of bloodshot +eyes to Clay’s face and sprang at him, his huge fists +clenched until the knuckles showed hard and white.</p> + +<p>“You bum!” he shouted, lunging at the lad, +“I’ll give you some of your own medicine! What +do you mean by striking me?”</p> + +<p>The blow would have landed squarely in the boy’s +face, but the man who had picked him off the outlaw +warded it off with a fist like a ham, and set the +boy behind the great bulk of his own person. Clay +was encouraged by this defense, and began hoping +that he had found a friend instead of another enemy.</p> + +<p>But this hope was soon shattered, for the newcomer +produced a hard cord, which had evidently +once been used as a fishline, and coolly proceeded to +tie the boy’s wrists. This task completed to his +satisfaction, he pushed the boy over on his bunk +and tossed Mose on top of him.</p> + +<p>“There!” he cried. “You keep quiet, or I’ll turn +Sam loose on you! And, Sam, if you molest the +boy again I’ll settle with you for it. I take it he +had a right to fight for his boat! And the little +coon! You keep your hands off him, too!”</p> + +<p>The man called Sam flashed an ugly look out of +his foxy, inflamed eyes and went out on deck. In a +moment he was seen in the doorway again, dragging +Captain Joe after him.</p> + +<p>“Shall I pitch the dog overboard?” he asked, in +a surly tone. “He took a piece out of my leg and +I gave him a rap on the head. He’s knocked out!”</p> + +<p>Clay sat up on the bunk and glared at the man, +who was still holding the bulldog by the collar. At +that moment, whatever the consequences, the fellow’s +life would not have been worth a farthing if +the boy had had a gun!</p> + +<p>“Don’t let him kill the dog!” Clay said, appealing +to the giant. “He’s a good fellow, that dog! +Of course he bit that robber! He wouldn’t have +been a good dog if he hadn’t. Take what you want +on the boat, but let the dog live.”</p> + +<p>The giant, who was at least six foot six inches in +height and large in proportion, looked Captain Joe +over after the manner of one acquainted with dogs +while Clay awaited his decision anxiously.</p> + +<p>“The kid is right,” he finally declared. “This is +a good dog, and we’ll keep him with us. Took a +piece out of your leg, did he?”</p> + +<p>The big fellow placed his hands on his mammoth +hips, threw back his head until his hairy throat rose +like a sturdy column of strength, and poured forth +such a torrent of laughter that Teddy came out of +the cabin to see what new sport was being prepared +for his amusement. Sam struck at the cub, but the +other pushed him away before he had done any mischief.</p> + +<p>“That’s a good one!” roared the giant. “Took +a piece out of your leg, did he? If he ain’t pizened, +and lives after that, I’ll keep him. There’s a heap +of pizen snakes down my way that need looking +after. Took a piece out of your leg! That’s too +good for anything! Ho! Ho! Ho! Took a piece +out of your leg!”</p> + +<p>“I hope he’ll some day take a piece out of that +throat of yours!” roared Sam.</p> + +<p>“No doubt, no doubt!” replied the giant. “He +may be a doin’ of it when the hangman is busy puttin’ +a new hemp tie about that weazen of yours! +Now let the kids and the dog and bear alone, and +help work the boat out into the current. We’ve got +to be getting out of this!”</p> + +<p>“You’ll have to put the motors together before +you move her,” Sam replied.</p> + +<p>The giant looked thoughtfully at the scattered +fragments, then at Clay, still in the bunk, and +scratched a thatch of red hair which looked like a +hayrick.</p> + +<p>“It seems to need puttin’ together,” he said, beckoning +to Clay.</p> + +<p>Then the boy saw that it was the intention of the +outlaws to take possession of the <i>Rambler</i> and shift +her down stream before any of the boys returned. +He thought of Alex. and Jule, marooned on that +desolate point of land where the old house stood, +of Case, trudging back from New Madrid with the +repairs to find the boat gone!</p> + +<p>He glanced about hopelessly, searching the shores +of the bayou on the faint chance of seeing Alex. +and Jule returning. Captain Joe was now regaining +consciousness in the cabin, and Teddy was trying +to interest him in a boxing match! Mose sat in a +corner motionless, except that his eyes rolled about +in anger or panic, the boy could not determine which.</p> + +<p>“Well, get the engines together!” ordered the +giant.</p> + +<p>“There are parts missing,” Clay answered. +“One of the boys has gone to New Madrid for repairs. +She won’t run a foot without them.”</p> + +<p>Sam and the giant conversed together for a moment, +and then the former called out to Mose, emphasizing +his words with a threatening gesture:</p> + +<p>“Here, coon!” he shouted. “Can you swim?”</p> + +<p>“Ah sho’ can,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Then jump ashore and take this dog with you. +If I ever see either of you again I’ll take your hides +off!”</p> + +<p>“It would improve matters to hold ’em under a +while!” he added, angrily.</p> + +<p>“I won’t have it,” the giant returned. “No +murder for me!”</p> + +<p>“You’ll see what’ll come of lettin’ ’em go!” Sam +warned.</p> + +<p>“Git!” ordered the big fellow, in a not unkind +tone, and Mose, nothing loth, gathered the dog in +his arms and leaped into the bayou.</p> + +<p>Clay almost held his breath for a moment, until +he saw that the cold water had revived the dog, and +that he was swimming. Then his attention was attracted +to the outlaws, who were, with pole and oar, +edging the <i>Rambler</i> out into the river.</p> + +<p>He believed that the boat would be wrecked the +moment it, helpless, struck the mass of floodwood +sweeping down. Presently he felt the push of the +current, and the boat went whirling down stream, +tipping from side to side as she spun around, helpless +in the current.</p> + +<p>Then a great tree struck the stern and half capsized +her. The end seemed at hand.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink06'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VI—CAPTAIN JOE MAKES A HIT</a></h2> + +<p>While the <i>Rambler</i>, in charge of reckless river +pirates, was swinging down with the current, threatening +to capsize every instant, Alex. and Jule sat +flat on a rotten, yielding floor somewhere in the +interior of the deserted house, feeling tenderly over +their limbs to see if they had received severe injuries +during the fall from the room where they had +been so inhospitably welcomed by the aged man.</p> + +<p>The boys had not fallen far. In fact, it seemed to +them that they had only slid down a gentle incline to +the story below. A hatch in the floor in front of the +hearth had been dropped back, and their chairs had +slid into a chute which seemed, from its smoothness, +to be in frequent use.</p> + +<p>For a minute the boys were alarmed, excited, +angry, then the humor of their sudden removal +from the apartment above appealed to them. Alex. +was first to speak.</p> + +<p>“Vot iss?” he exclaimed. “This must be a page +of a comic section in one of the Chicago newspapers. +How many legs and arms have you +broken?”</p> + +<p>“Not a one!” answered Jule. “What kind of +hospital treatment do you require?”</p> + +<p>“If I felt any better,” laughed Alex., “I wouldn’t +know what to take for it.”</p> + +<p>It was dark as pitch where the boys were, and +they felt about until their hands touched. The personal +contact gave them new courage.</p> + +<p>“What do you make of it?” asked Jule. “This +doesn’t look good to me!”</p> + +<p>“We’ve simply butted in on some other fellow’s +game,” Alex. replied. “We seem to have visited a +crank who thinks it best to be prepared in advance +for unwelcome guests.”</p> + +<p>“A moonshiner or a river pirate!” Jule suggested.</p> + +<p>“That’s about it!” Alex. answered. “We’ve +interrupted the industry of a set of illicit whisky +makers or warehouse thieves. The valley is said to +swarm with bandits whenever the river is out of its +banks. Now, the question is how are we going to +get out and back to the <i>Rambler</i>?”</p> + +<p>They did not know that at that moment Clay and +the motor boat were in a situation far more serious +than that in which they now found themselves!</p> + +<p>“I wish it wasn’t so dark here!” Jule whispered.</p> + +<p>“Why the soft pedal?” asked Alex. “We’ve +got a right to talk as loudly as we like, I take it, +being alone in a dark old donjon keep!”</p> + +<p>“There’s some one in the room with us!” Jule +explained, in a whisper which barely reached his +chum’s ears, so faint it was. “I hear him breathing.”</p> + +<p>“Hello!” Alex. called out, then. “Hello! +Come on out an’ be a good fellow!”</p> + +<p>There was no answer, and then Alex., reaching +into a capacious pocket, brought out a small electric +torch and pushed the button. On board the <i>Rambler</i> +or on shore, it was a rule of the boys never to +move about without an electric torch and an automatic +revolver ready for use.</p> + +<p>When the light flashed out, its round circle showed +only a room twenty feet square in size, with bare +discolored walls. Plastering hung to broken lath, +so they knew that they were on the ground floor of +the deserted house, and not in the cellar. The floor +was worn, and the rough boards which half protected +the broken windows showed signs of having +been long in position. There was no furniture at +all in the place.</p> + +<p>“Looks like we might rip off a board and walk +out,” Jule said, still speaking in a very low tone of +voice.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you ever think we’re not watched!” Alex. +hastened to say. “I don’t know but I made a mistake +in showing this light.”</p> + +<p>“There’s only one way to discover whether we +are watched or not,” said the other, “and that is to +try to get away. I’m going after that window.”</p> + +<p>As Jule spoke he moved toward a window which +seemed to open on the bayou, as a gleam of water +could be seen through the cracks in the window-guard. +The instant his hand touched a crumbling +board a voice came out of the darkness.</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t do that, boys!”</p> + +<p>That was all. Jule stopped at the uncanny interruption +with a hand suspended in air, and Alex. +quickly flashed his light in the direction from which +the sound had come.</p> + +<p>There was no one in sight. Rats or other creeping, +crawling, things seemed to be working in the +disreputable walls, for there was a continuous +scratching noise, but there were no other sounds. +Alex. shut off the light and sat down on the floor +again.</p> + +<p>“I guess it is no use!” he said. “We’ll have to +surrender!”</p> + +<p>“There will always be someone here to see that +you don’t get away!” said the voice. “If you make +any trouble, you won’t get anything to eat! Now, +be good!”</p> + +<p>“You can keep me as gentle as a lamb by feeding +me right!” Alex. said, with a chuckle which was +rather forced. “Why don’t you show up?”</p> + +<p>“You’ll see me soon enough,” the voice went on. +“In the meantime, don’t show that electric light +again, and if you have any weapons lay them on the +floor in this corner.”</p> + +<p>“I haven’t any,” lied Alex. “I brought the light +instead.”</p> + +<p>As he spoke the boy nudged Jule, and he, understanding, +slid his revolver along the floor in the direction +of the voice. It struck against the wall with +a metallic thud.</p> + +<p>“That’s right!” the voice in the darkness said. +“Now, you with the light, send it over here. I +might want to use it!”</p> + +<p>Alex. slid his torch along the floor. In its progress +the button was pressed and a round illumination +sprang up on the wall. Almost in the center +of this they saw the white hair and beard of the old +man who had invited them into the room above!</p> + +<p>The boys sat for a long time in serious thought +after that, well knowing that every word uttered +would be heard by their guardian. Alex. was more +than hopeful in his views of the situation.</p> + +<p>“If these fellows were professionals,” he mused, +“they wouldn’t take any chances on us not having +more weapons and more lights. They would make +sure by searching us! I don’t believe they ever took +a prisoner before, or that they are very anxious +about keeping us. I guess we just butted in where +we’re not wanted, and they’ll let us go after a time. +Anyway, they’re easy!”</p> + +<p>Directly loud noises were heard in the old house, +and the insecure walls shook under heavy burdens. +It seemed to the listening lads that huge boxes and +barrels were being transferred from one room to another.</p> + +<p>There were excited voices, too, although no words +could be understood. It seemed to the two prisoners +that the old mansion was being deserted, and +their impression was that the thieves were removing +their plunder because their hiding-place had been +intruded upon. In that case, they thought, they +might soon be released.</p> + +<p>After what seemed a whole day, food was pushed +into the room, and the boys ate heartily of the fresh +pork sausages, corn pones, and sweet potatoes given +them.</p> + +<p>“You’re all right on the feed!” Alex. called back +in the direction of the corner where for an instant +the old man had been seen.</p> + +<p>There was no answer, but, somehow, the boys +were convinced that there was some one there in the +room with them. It does not always require the +eyes, or the hands, or the ears, or the sense of smell, +to show one that others are close by.</p> + +<p>There is a tingling of the nerves which warns of +the presence of hostile elements, and this it was +which showed the prisoners that they were still +under guard.</p> + +<p>That was a long afternoon. For the most part +there were no sounds in the old house; still, now and +then, there came the jar of heavy burdens on the +floors, and the sharp and angry voices of men, +speaking in a tongue the boys did not understand.</p> + +<p>When the cracks in the boards at the windows +began to darken, they knew that night was falling. +They thought of the comfortable cabin of the <i>Rambler</i>, +and of the companionship of the other boys +with spasms of anger and regret. As the darkness +became more complete outside, they arose and +walked up and down the floor of their little room.</p> + +<p>“Say, Mister!” Alex. called out to their invisible +guard, directly, “how many acts are there in +this drama? When do the persecuted c-h-e-i-l-d-s +return to their agonized and heart-broken parents?”</p> + +<p>“I’m as weary of it as you are!” was the remarkable +answer, still in that calm voice they had heard +before.</p> + +<p>“Then why don’t you cut it out?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“There are men in the party who advise that,” +was the significant answer. “They are at present +discussing your fate. Many declare that it is not +wise to permit you to leave the place! I’m sorry for +you, but you had no right to snoop in here!”</p> + +<p>“Next time,” Alex. replied, “you hoist a piracy +flag, and we’ll keep away.”</p> + +<p>“When will this strategy board you refer to make +a report?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“I may receive orders at any moment,” was the +answer.</p> + +<p>Silence followed. There were crunchings and +chatterings, in the walls where rodents were busy +making nests, but no sound of human action. In the +long wait the boys heard a low, inquisitive sniff!</p> + +<p>Alex. drew Jule’s head over to him and whispered +in his ear:</p> + +<p>“That’s Captain Joe, for a dollar and a half!”</p> + +<p>“You’re on!” Jule responded. “I’ll be glad to +lose the bet at that, too!”</p> + +<p>“I guess I know that inquisitive snort!” Alex. +went on. “Besides, I told you that the dog would +find some way to get to us!”</p> + +<p>“Aw, Clay sent him!” declared Jule. “He +never found his way here alone.”</p> + +<p>“The boys may be with him,” Alex. suggested, as +the sound came again. “I hope he won’t make +enough noise to disturb his nibs, over in the corner. +Good old dog!”</p> + +<p>After a time they heard the patter of the dog’s +feet, and then the guard whistled softly, as if attempting +to make friends with whatever animal +was approaching.</p> + +<p>“Come here, you foolish dog!” he said. “Why +don’t you come in out of the dark?”</p> + +<p>The pat-pat of the dog’s soft feet came nearer, +and the guard spoke again:</p> + +<p>“How the Old Harry did you get in here?” he +demanded. “Whose dog are you, anyway?”</p> + +<p>The dog growled and there came a flash of light. +The guard, becoming afraid of this thing which had +found its way into a room supposed to be secure +from intrusion, and had switched on the electric.</p> + +<p>The light revealed the two prisoners, grouped +together in the middle of the room, the old man, +standing with weapon extended and with staring +eyes, Captain Joe all ready for a spring, an open +window, and, lastly, the black face of Mose overlooking +the scene with eyes which seemed too large +for his head!</p> + +<p>“Get him, Joe!” cried both boys in unison.</p> + +<p>The light dropped as the dog leaped, and a revolver +clattered to the floor. Alex. had hold of the +dog in an instant, his other hand reaching for the +rolling flashlight.</p> + +<p>“Don’t eat him up, Joe!” the boy said, tearing +the dog away from the fallen man. Captain Joe +fell away with a sullen growl.</p> + +<p>“The brute has bitten my arm!” the old man +moaned.</p> + +<p>“If you remain quiet,” Alex. said, “you won’t +have any more wounds to complain of. We’ll just +tie you up and get out! After we are gone some +one will come and let you out. What sort of a place +is this, anyway?”</p> + +<p>The old man groaned and made no reply, so the +boys secured him and crept out of the window into +the darkness.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink07'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VII—SEARCHING FOR THE <i>RAMBLER</i></a></h2> + +<p>Case found the walking fairly good and reached +New Madrid shortly before noon, having started +about 8 o’clock. He procured the supplies for which +he had been sent and then sought the hotel and partook +of an excellent dinner.</p> + +<p>“Now,” he thought, “shall I walk back to the +<i>Rambler</i> to-night, or shall I remain here and look +over the town?”</p> + +<p>The question was soon decided, for all there was +of the town could be seen in a very short time. At +1 o’clock he started back to the motor boat. At 5 +o’clock, just as the sun was setting, he came to the +bayou where the <i>Rambler</i> had been anchored.</p> + +<p>There was no boat there. The night was falling +fast, and the bayou and the river were dimly seen +through a slight mist. The boy stood on the bank +of the bayou for a long time, studying the situation.</p> + +<p>“There’s something wrong!” he decided. “The +motors could never have been forced into motion +with the parts missing! The boys would never +attempt to drift down, for the river is still filled with +drifting timbers and wrecks of houses and barns.</p> + +<p>“And even if they should have decided to change +locations, notwithstanding the peril of the undertaking, +they would never have gone away without +leaving some one here to notify me of the new position!”</p> + +<p>Passing on up the bank of the bayou, searching +for some sign in the darkness, Case finally came +upon the rowboat which Alex. and Jule had left +half concealed in a tangle of bushes in a little bay. +Before him, then, lay the old house, dim in the +night. He had heard the boys talk of visiting the +place, and at once concluded that they were there.</p> + +<p>He looked over the structure for lights, but saw +none. Then he listened, catching in time the sounds +which the two boys had noted. He crouched down +in a patch of shrubbery and waited, listening for +some indication of the presence of his chums.</p> + +<p>Directly he heard a shrill scream of fright, then +the bushes between his hiding-place and the house +were shaken violently, and a small figure darted out, +running at top speed and sending a scream into the +night at every jump!</p> + +<p>“If that isn’t Mose,” Case thought, “then there +are two young negroes with most extraordinary +calliope possibilities! He runs like the Old Scratch +was after him, and has plenty of wind left to tell +how scared he is!” he added.</p> + +<p>The small figure came smashing through the +shrubbery and finally landed in the thicket where +Case had secreted himself. Here he stumbled over +a trailing vine and fell forward on his face. Before +he could regain his feet Case had him by the arm.</p> + +<p>“Mose!” he said. “Keep quiet! You’ll have +all the pirates in the state steering in this direction! +What is the matter?”</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake leave dis nigger go!” wailed +Mose. “Dar’s ghostes in dat ol’ house, an’ dey’s +got de boys!”</p> + +<p>“Are the boys in there?” demanded Case, giving +the frightened lad a gentle shake to bring him back +to his senses. “Where is the <i>Rambler</i>?”</p> + +<p>“Ah don’ know!” gasped the little negro. +“Piruts don’ got de boat, an’ dem ghostes don’ ’pear +fo’ dis nigger!”</p> + +<p>“If you don’t brace up and tell me what’s going +on,” Case declared, “I’ll throw you in the river. +Where are the boys?”</p> + +<p>Before Mose could reply Captain Joe came dashing +through the bushes. He stopped by Case’s side +and lay down, trembling with excitement.</p> + +<p>“If the dog could talk he would tell me what’s +going on,” Case said, reprovingly, to the negro. +“Where have you two been?”</p> + +<p>Mose, evidently encouraged by the presence of the +dog, told haltingly of the attack on the <i>Rambler</i> +that morning, of his being thrown overboard, with +the dog, of his day of wandering, hungry and afraid, +about the old place, and of Captain Joe following +the tracks of the boys to the entrance to the house.</p> + +<p>He said that he had lain in hiding, afraid to enter, +and had kept the dog quiet until it began to get dark, +when he had followed Captain Joe to a window from +which the sound of voices had issued. The dog had +leaped in, after he had pulled away the rotten board, +he said, and there he had seen Alex. and Jule, enveloped +in a ghostly light, with a white ghost struggling +with the dog!</p> + +<p>The story was told with many sidelong glances at +the shadows which lay heavy on the landscape, for +a moon was now struggling through drifting banks +of clouds.</p> + +<p>As the boy concluded his story, often delayed by +his fright, another commotion came from the +grounds nearer the old house. Lights flashed from +the windows and pistol shots were heard. Getting +one sniff of the acrid smell of powder, Mose leaped +to his feet and bounded away again. Captain Joe +lifted his nose, wrinkled it in derision, and rose to +meet two figures which were pounding down the +broken walk toward the bayou.</p> + +<p>“Alex.! Jule!” called Case. “What’s doing?”</p> + +<p>“Get a move on!” panted Alex. “Get to the +boat! Where did that little coon go?”</p> + +<p>“He must be somewhere near the Rocky +Mountains by this time,” Case replied, falling into the +fast pace set by the other boys.</p> + +<p>Very soon there were sounds of running feet behind +them, and the lads redoubled their efforts to +reach the boat before any one else could get to it. +Now and then a bullet cut the air close to their ears, +but they were not struck.</p> + +<p>When they came to the edge of the bayou, Mose +had the boat out a rod from shore, and was doing +his best to row it across with one oar. The boys +did not wait for him to return to the bank, but +plunged into the water and waded and swam out, +Alex., the last one in, giving the craft a vigorous +shove as he crawled over the stern.</p> + +<p>Without loss of a minute’s time Alex. and Case +took the oars and Jule seized the helm. They were +soon proceeding down the bayou at a rapid rate of +speed, but, fast as they were going, others were +moving faster along the bank.</p> + +<p>“Come back or we’ll fill you full of air holes!” +shouted one of the pursuers.</p> + +<p>The boys might have been forced to return to the +shore only for the fact that at that moment the +moon’s face was hidden by a mass of clouds. Taking +advantage of this, and sitting as low in the boat +as possible in order to avoid the bullets which were +coming in their direction, the boys made for the +mouth of the blind channel, and soon felt the push +of the current of the Mississippi.</p> + +<p>Before long the sounds of pursuit died out. The +old mansion, which stood on the point of land between +the river and the bayou, was now in darkness. +When the moon came out again it stood silent and +solitary in its neglected enclosure. It seemed to +the lads that everything that had taken place there +must be a dream!</p> + +<p>“Now where?” Jule asked, as the boat passed a +bend and the house was no longer in sight. “Do we +know where we are going, any of us?”</p> + +<p>“Where is the <i>Rambler</i>?” demanded Alex. +“We ought to have reached it long ago.”</p> + +<p>Then, briefly, Case repeated the story told by +Mose of the capture of the motor boat. There was +silence for a moment, for the boys recognized the +seriousness of the situation.</p> + +<p>There was little doubt in their minds that the +<i>Rambler</i> would be wrecked. No boat could drift +down that surging river, cluttered with driftwood +as it was, without meeting with disaster. And Clay +was on board, bound, and helpless in case the worst +happened!</p> + +<p>“So that is how Mose and Captain Joe happened +to come to the rescue,” Alex. said. “The pirate +threw them off the <i>Rambler</i>! Well, he did a good +job when he did it, anyway! But how that coon +did run when we made for the window he had +opened!”</p> + +<p>Mose, nestled in the bottom of the boat, stroking +Captain Joe’s wet head, grinned and declared that +the boys had looked like ghosts.</p> + +<p>“It is a wonder the boy and the dog were not discovered +in the grounds!” Jule remarked. “I don’t +see how they came to keep out of sight!”</p> + +<p>“I can tell you!” Case put in. “Mose was so +afraid that the pirates would come and get him that +he lay in the bushes with his face in the dead leaves! +Is that right, Mose?” he asked.</p> + +<p>Mose had to admit that he was “sho’ scared +white,” and Captain Joe tried to explain, in perfectly +good dog talk, that he wasn’t frightened a bit, but +only lay by Mose to help keep his courage up!</p> + +<p>“Well, boys,” Alex. said in a moment, “we’ve +got to study out some plan to get to Clay. We can’t +dodge the issue by talking of something else. What +shall we do?”</p> + +<p>“I’m for going on down the river,” Alex. continued. +“The pirates can’t run the <i>Rambler</i> up +stream, and so we must find her if we keep on +going.”</p> + +<p>“But she has nearly ten hours the start of us,” +urged Jule.</p> + +<p>“I don’t think they will go far, as it is risky +drifting a boat down now. They will probably go +far enough to get out of the zone of pursuit and then +tie up, if the boat isn’t wrecked before that,” he +added, gravely.</p> + +<p>“That’s good judgment!” Case declared.</p> + +<p>“We’re lucky if we don’t get wrecked ourselves,” +Jule declared, swinging the boat about to avoid a +mass of wreckage which lay before her. “When +we come to the bend just ahead we’re likely to be +pushed over to the other shore. See how the current +sets that way? We’ll have to go some to beat +it!”</p> + +<p>The current was indeed swift and treacherous. It +swept toward the east shore with almost resistless +force, and the rowboat was like an eggshell in its +grasp.</p> + +<p>“Look out for the log ahead!” cried Jule, as the +boat swirled around.</p> + +<p>But there was more than one log ahead. It +seemed that a whole drive of logs, or timbers, had +been caught by the flood and whirled down stream. +The boys backed water, and Jule did all he could to +keep out of the mass, but the current was remorseless.</p> + +<p>The boat struck a great timber and the force of +the shock and the cracking sound which followed +told of an injury to the craft. Mose stood up in the +boat, for water was now coming in!</p> + +<p>“This seems to be our good-luck night!” Case +grumbled, in a sarcastic tone, as the boat lurched +against a great log and came near tipping over.</p> + +<p>“There’s a raft ahead, anyway!” shouted Jule. +“We can ride down on that!”</p> + +<p>“Until it takes a notion to dump us into the +drink!” complained Case.</p> + +<p>The boat filled fast, and Captain Joe mounted the +prow and looked longingly toward the bobbing timber +raft just ahead. From the raft he looked back +to the boys.</p> + +<p>“I reckon the dog has more sense than we have!” +Alex. exclaimed. “We’ll have to take to the raft, +all right, so here goes.”</p> + +<p>“Wait for a bit of light!” urged Case. “The +moon will be out in a second.”</p> + +<p>In the darkness which followed the boys could +feel the water rising in the boat. The current was +pressing the craft down against the timber raft, and +the creaking of the hull proclaimed a badly wrecked +boat.</p> + +<p>“Say,” Case called out, “one of you boys get out +a light. We’ve got to make a jump right soon. +This is some adventure! What?”</p> + +<p>Jule reached for his electric, but Alex. caught his +arm.</p> + +<p>“There’s a light on the Missouri bank,” he said, +“and it looks to me like the cabin windows of the +<i>Rambler</i> were sending it out. Lay low in the dark +and drift with the raft!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink08'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER VIII—FACES AT THE WINDOW</a></h2> + +<p>“Look here, Red,” the outlaw who had been +called Sam said, addressing the giant, as the <i>Rambler</i> +struck the half-submerged tree, “we’ve got up +against something hard!”</p> + +<p>“We never should have put out into the river!” +retorted Red. “A few more bumps like that, and +to the fishes we go! Get a pole out, and see if you +can push away from that consarned tree. Then +we’ll soon get to shore.”</p> + +<p>Sam went into the cabin, where Clay sat, side by +side with the bear cub, on a bunk.</p> + +<p>“Where’s your river pole?” he demanded. +“You must have something of the kind!”</p> + +<p>“There’s one in hooks at the side of the cabin,” +replied the boy. “If you’ll cut this cord I’ll help +you get out of the current.”</p> + +<p>Sam leered savagely at the boy for a moment, +picked up the revolver which lay on the floor not far +away, put it into a pocket, and then severed the cord.</p> + +<p>“Mind you,” he said, as Clay sprang for the pole, +“if you try any tricks on us we’ll chuck you to the +fish!”</p> + +<p>Without paying much attention to the threat, Clay +grasped the pole and ran to the prow, which was now +entangled in a wilderness of branches springing from +the bole of the tree the boat had struck. The boy’s +strength was insufficient, and Red came to his assistance. +Both pried and pushed, but it seemed impossible +to back the boat against the sweep of the +current.</p> + +<p>As if to make matters worse, a long timber lodged +against the stern and added its weight to that of the +motor boat and the running water. Sam stood looking +on with a cynical smile on his hard face.</p> + +<p>“You never can do it,” he finally declared. +“We’ll have to let the boat drift down in company +with the tree. Just our luck to strike such a snag!”</p> + +<p>“If that limb wasn’t in the way,” Red asserted, +“we could get the boat out. It binds on the side of +the cabin.”</p> + +<p>Clay hastened into the cabin and soon returned to +the prow with an axe. Both men eyed him sharply +as he came forward with the keen-edged implement.</p> + +<p>“You know what I told you!” Sam shouted, +stepping toward the boy.</p> + +<p>“Let him alone!” commanded Red. “I reckon +the kid knows what he is about!”</p> + +<p>“Now,” Clay explained, addressing the big fellow, +who seemed more inclined to be friendly than +his companion, “if you’ll stand ready with the pole, +I’ll get over on the trunk and cut that limb away. +Then we can edge over to the shore.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes!” sneered Sam. “We let you off on +the tree, and you go on down and call out the police +at the first landing. Not for your uncle!”</p> + +<p>“Go on,” shouted Red, to Clay. “I’ll steady you +with the pole, and when the limb is off you give it +a poke and come on board. Will you do that?”</p> + +<p>“Sure!” answered the boy. “I have no intention +of going off and leaving the <i>Rambler</i>! Hand +me the axe when I get down on the trunk, will +you?”</p> + +<p>Without waiting for any further conversation, +which was difficult because of the roaring of the +river, Clay crept over the gunwale and landed on +the tree, which sank lower under his weight. Then +he reached for the axe, which Red promptly passed +to him.</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t get down on that tree for a thousand +dollars!” cried Sam. “If he don’t time himself +to a second, he’ll get knocked into a cocked hat +by the boat when she swings loose! I’m not stuck +on taking any such chances.”</p> + +<p>“That is some kid!” Red exclaimed, admiringly, +as Clay chopped away at the limb. “I wish we had +him with us!”</p> + +<p>“You want to look out for him!” Sam cautioned. +“He may prove to be too much of a kid for both of +us, but I’ve got him covered, so if he tries to——”</p> + +<p>The limb dropped away after a few strokes with +the axe, and the boat righted and swung against the +trunk. The swaying of the trunk upon which Clay +stood threw him into the water, but he clung to the +tree and tried to work back to the boat. Sam lifted +the pole to strike his unprotected head.</p> + +<p>“May as well get rid of him now,” he declared, +with an ugly oath.</p> + +<p>Red struck the would-be murderer a savage blow +in the face and reached down to assist the boy to the +deck. For a moment it seemed that both of them +must be drawn under the boat, but the big fellow’s +strength won, and Clay was hauled, dripping and +exhausted, up on deck. Sam eyed him malevolently +and snarled.</p> + +<p>“It will come some time!”</p> + +<p>Red pushed the boy toward the cabin, the look +on his face friendlier than ever.</p> + +<p>“Go and get into dry clothes,” he said. “Never +mind what Sam says! He means all right, only he +don’t know how to express himself!”</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> now swung off toward the shore, +and Red and Sam were kept busy working wreckage +out of her course. They snarled at each other +as they worked, and Clay was in constant fear that +Sam would play some treacherous trick on the big +fellow in return for the blow he had received. The +marks of the short encounter were still on his face.</p> + +<p>Much to his relief, the <i>Rambler</i> was edged into +calmer water next to the Missouri shore. He had +no idea at that time, even, that he would lose the +boat. He did not know what had become of his +chums, but he believed that in some way they would +be able to come to his rescue. They had never failed +him.</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> drifted down for some distance, +leaking a little but not seriously, and was finally +worked into a little bay where there was no current.</p> + +<p>That was a long day for the boy. Several boats +passed up and down on the river, and relief parties +searching for flood victims were frequently seen, but +Red always announced that they were in no trouble +whatever when questioned.</p> + +<p>Clay was not bound again, but was kept in the +cabin, with the door closed. He could hear calls +from passing boats, but did not dare make the situation +known.</p> + +<p>During the day the outlaws devoured what cooked +food there was in the cabin and gave some to the +boy. Once Sam lay down for a short nap. Red +was not communicative, and refused to answer any +questions as to his intentions regarding the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>A fine mist came down as the night shut in, but +presently the moon came out, and the outlaws began +discussing the advisability of proceeding on down +the river.</p> + +<p>“We can get to our landing,” Sam insisted. +“Once there, we can get into the bayou back of the +island, where no one will think of looking for us. +We must get the boat out of sight,” he went on, +“before reports of her capture spread along the +river. Besides, the boys will be waiting for us at +the shanty.”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Red finally agreed. “I’m willing +to take my chance on being smashed flat by a tree or +floating barn.”</p> + +<p>Clay listened to the talk with interest. Somehow +he began to recognize the voice of the big fellow! +Where had he heard it before? Then, like a flash, +the memory came to him! The man had talked +with him from the river at Cairo! There is where +he had heard the voice!</p> + +<p>At that time the big fellow had been pleading for +the safety of a waif who had come on board the +<i>Rambler</i>! Both the man and the waif had disappeared +when the officers had come on board. Clay +wondered where the boy was, and why this outlaw +had taken an interest in him. The man appeared to +be kind, though his appearance and his modes of life +were against him. It was all a deep mystery to the +boy.</p> + +<p>However, the giant’s defense of himself, when +Sam would have mistreated and, perhaps, murdered +him, led Clay to believe that he was not wholly +depraved. There might be some powerful motive for +his adopting the life of a river outlaw.</p> + +<p>The boy resolved, at the first opportunity, to question +Red regarding the fate of the lad who had so +suddenly disappeared from the boat that night. +He now saw that the willingness of his companions +and himself to aid the waif had led to good results, +for it was this willingness which had undoubtedly +caused the giant to stand between him and injury or +even death. His little loaf of bread cast on the +waters had returned to good purpose!</p> + +<p>Sam seized the pole, as soon as Red agreed to his +proposition to make their way down the river without +delay, and began working the <i>Rambler</i> out into +the current.</p> + +<p>“Better wait until that mess of wreckage passes!” +Red advised, as a crush of floating timbers made its +appearance under the moonlight. “If we get into +that bunch we’ll never get out again. It will go by +in a few moments.”</p> + +<p>Sam stood looking at the mass with a frown on +his sullen face. He was anxious to be away for +more reasons than one. The boat had undoubtedly +been reported seized long before this, and every +craft passing up or down would soon be looking for +her. His idea was that the lads who had left the +boat would soon return and report the disappearance.</p> + +<p>He did not know, of course, that Case was at New +Madrid, or on the way there, when they had attacked +Clay, nor did he suspect that Alex. and Jule had +fallen into the hands of a band of bandits in every +way as desperate and unscrupulous as that to which +he belonged.</p> + +<p>But, aside from the question of safety, there was +another matter he wished brought to a conclusion. +He had been assaulted by Red, and was raging for +revenge. Once in the company of his lawless fellows, +his revenge might be gained!</p> + +<p>“There is some one on that wreckage,” the watchful +Sam finally declared. “I saw a movement there. +Good thing we are not near enough to be asked for +help.”</p> + +<p>Red looked at the floating raft and shook his +head.</p> + +<p>“There is a boat lodged against the mess,” he +said, “but there’s no one on board her, and there’s +no one on the raft, either.”</p> + +<p>The light of the moon was now shut out by a +drive of clouds, and the two men waited for a clear +sky again. When the raft was revealed they saw a +white bulldog running up and down across the timbers!</p> + +<p>“That’s the brute I pitched overboard up in the +bayou!” cried Sam. “I wish I had knocked him on +the head. Some of those boys are not far off.”</p> + +<p>Red laughed at the idea of the boys being there, +But Clay, listening with every faculty awake, had a +different notion of the capabilities of his chums.</p> + +<p>“If Captain Joe is there,” the boy mused, his +heart bounding with hope, “the boys are not far off! +Anyway, I’ll give them a chance to see the old boat +once more!” he continued, reaching out and turning +on the cabin lights.</p> + +<p>Sam uttered a fierce oath as the lights flashed out +on the rushing water, and made for the cabin, but +Red caught him by the arm and faced him around.</p> + +<p>“Look here!” he snarled, “if you go to making +trouble for that boy I’ll send your worthless hulk +bobbing down to the Gulf! The lights won’t hurt! +We don’t have to answer any calls for help that may +come. Now, edge her out into the current and leave +the boy to me. There’s no sense in beating up the +kid!”</p> + +<p>With a word of warning to Clay, not unkindly +spoken, Red switched off the cabin lights, and then +went to assist Sam in getting the <i>Rambler</i> out into +the stream. Clay heard them saying that the raft +was, after all, empty of life except for the dog.</p> + +<p>“The boat lodged against it seems to be broken,” +Red said, and Clay’s heart went into his throat again. +He feared that the boys had been caught in wreckage +and drowned. The presence of the dog +showed that they had been with the broken boat, he +thought.</p> + +<p>Then, while the two men worked frantically in +front, Clay heard the window leading to the cabin +from the stern deck cautiously pushed aside, and +then the faces of Alex. and Case appeared at the +opening!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink09'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER IX—RED DECLINES TO TALK</a></h2> + +<p>In a moment the ray of moonlight slanting +through the west window of the cabin was cut off +by a floating cloud, and the faces of the two boys +passed out of view. Their voices, however, came to +Clay, enquiringly.</p> + +<p>“Are you all right?” Alex. asked.</p> + +<p>“Have you got any dry guns in there?” was +Case’s question.</p> + +<p>Clay answered both questions in a whispered +affirmative and moved softly toward the window. +It was necessary that some definite plan of action +should be agreed upon, for the lads’ presence there +might be discovered at any time.</p> + +<p>“Is Jule there?” whispered Clay.</p> + +<p>“We’re all in this neighborhood!” snickered +Alex., “including Mose, Teddy and Captain Joe! +We came down the river in a busted boat and on a +poor raft! We should have passed the <i>Rambler</i> +only for the flash of lights in the cabin. What +next?”</p> + +<p>“First,” Clay answered, “I’ll get the reserve +weapons. One of the outlaws has my gun, but the +others are in the lower drawer of the cupboard. +I’ve been trying to get at them for a long time, but +this is the first time, since I was set free of bonds, +that the men have been too busy to notice me.”</p> + +<p>Clay crawled to the cupboard and secured three +revolvers, held as a reserve stock.</p> + +<p>“Now,” he directed, “you boys get through the +window while the ruffians are busy and the moon is +out of business.”</p> + +<p>As the boys wiggled their way through the small +opening, Teddy began uttering growls of joy and +welcome. He pranced about the cabin, too, in spite +of all Clay could do to restrain him, tipping over +chairs and rattling the dishes in a great pan on the +floor, where the pirates had left them after their +luncheon.</p> + +<p>And then, as if to add to the perplexities of the +situation, the clouds which veiled the moon drifted +away, and a slant of light shone full on the little +stern deck, and on the figures grouped there. Case +and Jule pulled themselves through into the cabin, +but Alex. was left crouching on the outside. Clay +passed him a revolver, and started to close the window.</p> + +<p>At that moment, attracted by the unusual commotion +on the inside, Sam lurched to the door and +looked through the glass panel. He saw Clay at the +window, and caught sight of a figure outside and +called out to Red, who was still busy at the prow, +trying to keep the boat out of a mass of wreckage +which was coming down faster than the boat was +going for the reason that it was farther out in the +current.</p> + +<p>Almost before Red could turn around, before his +brain could grasp the significance of Sam’s warning +shout, Clay swung the door open and turned the +switch which operated the prow light. In an instant +the deck of the <i>Rambler</i> was as light as it had ever +been at noon. The cabin was still in darkness, save +for the light which came through the glass panel of +the door.</p> + +<p>The hands of both outlaws swung to their hips as +the light flashed out, but did not bring forth the +weapons carried there. Instead, they came up +empty and were pushed out straight and held there. +It was Clay who had given the order to keep hands +out.</p> + +<p>Clay advanced along the unsteady deck to Sam +and held his gun within an inch of his crooked nose, +at the same time calling to Case to come and relieve +the outlaw of his weapons.</p> + +<p>Sam’s looks would have committed murder, if +savage eyes and revengeful frowns could have done +so, when the weapons were taken from him. Glancing +hastily at Red, Clay thought he saw an amused +smile lurking in the giant’s eyes.</p> + +<p>“Now, Sam,” Clay said, “we’ve got to repair the +motors and get the <i>Rambler</i> out of this ruck, where +the leak can be repaired, so we’ve got no time to +waste guarding a skunk like you. You would have +murdered me if Red hadn’t interfered, but I’m going +to give you a chance for your life! Can you +swim?”</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!” grunted Mose, appearing +on the deck, wet and shivering from the river, +“dat’s de ’dentical question he done ask me!”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe, who had come on board from the +raft with the negro, sniffed at the heels of the outlaw +and seemed to ask permission of Clay to take a +bite out of him. The cub pranced around the little +waif as if he had found a friend from whom he had +long been parted. Sam did not answer the question. +He glared at the weapons, at the exposed fangs of +the bulldog, and turned a scowling face to Red.</p> + +<p>“These rascals seem to be friends of yours,” he +said. “I don’t hear anything about your being given +a chance to swim! Is this a frame-up?”</p> + +<p>Red’s already flushed face darkened at the insulting +question, and he would have struck Sam only +that Case, whose gun was at his breast, motioned +him to desist.</p> + +<p>“There’ll come a time!” growled Sam. “Me an’ +you will have a settlement right soon after we get +shut of these imitation tramps. Understand that?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, kiddo,” Red cut in, turning to Clay, “Sam +can swim. He’s great on giving exhibition stunts in +the water. He can do anything with water except +drink it.”</p> + +<p>“Glad to know it!” Clay replied, “for I want to +see how far he can swim! Take a run-and-jump, +you toy pirate, and get overboard.”</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake, dat’s what he said to +dis——”</p> + +<p>Sam did not wait to hear the completion of the +sentence, for Captain Joe, sensing, doubtless, that +the outlaw was in bad with the party, advanced +upon him. The pirate sprang for a floating timber, +missed it, and went under. He came up in a second +and struck out for the shore through a comparatively +clear channel. The boys watched him until he +crawled out on a mud bank and then turned to Red.</p> + +<p>“Well?” asked that individual, a smile on his +face. “What next?”</p> + +<p>“First,” Clay said, “I want to thank you for +saving me from that ruffian, and then I want you to +sit down and wait until we get up the greatest dinner +that ever was served on the Mississippi. I’m +half starved, and I know that the boys are. Of +course, if you want to land right now, we’ll put you +ashore.”</p> + +<p>“I reckon,” Red replied, with a slight tremble in +his gruff voice, “that I can’t do better than to stick +here for a time!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay went on, “the boys are wet and +cold, as well as hungry, and so I’ll have to do the +cooking. Will you come in the cabin and sit by me +while I do it?”</p> + +<p>“Will I? I’m lucky not to be out there on the +shore with Sam!”</p> + +<p>The two passed into the cabin, after the boys +had put on dry clothes and warmed themselves at the +coal stove, and Clay set about cooking a mammoth +steak which had been bought at Cairo and kept in +the tiny refrigerator. Then he boiled potatoes, and +made light biscuit, and the coffee he produced was a +hearty meal in itself! There were tinned beans, and +sardines, and salmon, and many other things when +the meal began, but when it was over the table was +bare of everything in the provision line!</p> + +<p>In the joy and comfort of being full-fed, Mose, +Captain Joe, and Teddy rolled up in a common rug +on the floor, in a corner where they would not be in +the way, and went to sleep. Clay and Red went out +on deck while the others washed the dishes.</p> + +<p>“Are you thinking of sticking about this section +all night?” asked the latter.</p> + +<p>“Only for a short time,” Clay answered. “We’ll +fix the motors, directly, and go on down the river. +Why do you ask the question? Don’t you want to +stay here?”</p> + +<p>“I was thinking,” Red observed, quite coolly, +“that, with the lights going, and the shore not far +away, Sam might be thinking of taking a shot or +two at the boys!”</p> + +<p>“But he hasn’t any gun!” Clay exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“Yes, he has,” Red returned. “He has a gun +that wasn’t found on him. He keeps it in a watertight +sack under his left arm. He’s used to taking +to the water!”</p> + +<p>“And you think he will hang about the bank, +walking down from where he was put off, and try to +pick us off?” asked Clay. “How far are we now +from the mud bank he mounted?”</p> + +<p>“Not more than a couple of miles,” was the reply. +“We are in water that shows only a trace of current +now, because there is a great headland just +below, and the flood has packed the curve full. He +probably has been able to keep up with the boat.”</p> + +<p>“That isn’t going very fast!” laughed Clay, “for +it has been at least two hours since he left the boat. +The moon, which is in the first quarter, sets about +eleven, and it is hiding itself in the trees already!”</p> + +<p>“I wouldn’t advise sticking hereabouts,” insisted +Red. “I can say no more!”</p> + +<p>“All right!” Clay replied. “We’ll fix the motors +and start on down. Here, Case,” he called out, +“did you bring the repairs?”</p> + +<p>“Surest thing you know!” was the answer, and +in a short time Clay was at work on the motive +power, which was not much out of repair and was +soon fixed.</p> + +<p>“You know, of course,” Clay said to Red, as the +<i>Rambler</i>, under perfect control, started down stream +at a pace which kept the driftwood from lunging +against her stern, “that I recognize you as the man +who talked with me out of the river at Cairo?”</p> + +<p>“I never suspected it!” was the slow reply. +“How do you know I’m the man?”</p> + +<p>“Your voice!” was the reply. “It puzzled me +at first, though.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll have to trade voices with some river rascal!” +grinned Red.</p> + +<p>“You spoke, that night, about a boy who had +come on board?” Clay said, tentatively.</p> + +<p>“That was my business there,” Red replied, with +a slight frown.</p> + +<p>“Where did the boy go that night? We never +saw him after the officers came on board. He must +have swum to the Missouri shore.”</p> + +<p>“He did,” was the hesitating reply. “He made +it, too!”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t he remain with us?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“He got scared! If I had kept away he might +have done so.”</p> + +<p>“Is he your son?” was the next question Clay +asked.</p> + +<p>Red looked the boy in the face steadily for a moment +and then asked:</p> + +<p>“You don’t want to harm the lad, do you?”</p> + +<p>“I want to help him,” was the reply. “He looked +so forlorn, and wet, and cold, and hungry, that I’ve +thought of him a lot since. Where is he now?”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Red said, in a perplexed tone, “that is +what I can’t tell you.”</p> + +<p>“Because you don’t know where he is?” demanded +Clay.</p> + +<p>“No; not that. I know where he is, but I can’t +tell you.”</p> + +<p>“Is the child implicated in any crime?” Clay +asked, looking sharply into the man’s flushed face. +“Is there any reason why he can’t go with us?”</p> + +<p>“Why do you suggest crime in connection with +the kid?” demanded Red, a frown on his face. +“He may be associated with criminals, innocently, +and yet be worthy of all your confidence and esteem!”</p> + +<p>They talked a long time about the boy, about the +events of the day, and about the future plans of the +<i>Rambler</i> boys. The boat made good progress during +the night while all save Clay and his strange +companion slept. With the first flush of dawn Red +asked to be put ashore, refusing to give any reason +for wanting to leave the boat.</p> + +<p>“You’ve used me mighty white,” he said at parting, +“and there’ll come another day! Don’t you +ever forget that, lads! There’ll come another day! +And if you come across that waif again, just feed +him, and warm him, and clothe him, and pass him +on to wherever he wants to go. Thank you all!” +and he was gone!</p> + +<p>“What do you think of that for a mystery?” +Clay asked as the man disappeared in a grove near +the landing. “We shall hear from Red again.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink10'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER X—MORE RIVER OUTLAWS</a></h2> + +<p>“And I have a notion that we’ll run across that +waif again,” Case said. “I imagine that he is somewhere +down the river, and that Red will not be far +away when we come to him. Somehow, we bunt +into mysteries wherever we go!”</p> + +<p>“I’ve got a hunch,” Alex. exclaimed, “that we +are headed for news of that warehouse robbery at +Rock Island! It seems to me too, that the boy had +something to do, with it, or is mixed up in it in some +way.”</p> + +<p>“He looked pretty lean and shabby for a chap +who had been interested in a diamond robbery!” +Jule suggested. “Perhaps he’s not guilty—just suspected!”</p> + +<p>The day was fine and the flood was running out. +The river showed less wreckage than had been seen +the day before, for the lowering water caused much +of it to land on headlands and sandbars. During +the forenoon the <i>Rambler</i>, which was still leaking +a trifle, passed several river shanties and houseboats, +tied up below half-submerged islands, where they +were protected from wreckage.</p> + +<p>These houseboats are common all along the Ohio, +Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers. +Fishermen and indolent river characters live in them +the year round. Some of the boats are of good size +and well built and furnished, while others are +merely shanties built on rafts of logs and other +spoils taken from the waters.</p> + +<p>Many of the boats carry whole families, and go +sailing toward the Gulf with streamers of shirts and +petticoats blowing from clotheslines. Others carry +two or three men and numberless dogs. Those who +reside on the boats live principally on fish, and on +corn meal and pork purchased with the proceeds of +fish sales.</p> + +<p>Shortly after dinner the boys were asked to come +on board a shanty boat navigated by two men and +numerous dogs, so the <i>Rambler</i> was run alongside +and Clay and Alex. went aboard, where they were +warmly welcomed by two Chicago young men who +were making the river trip in the way of a winter +vacation. Their quarters were crude but comfortable. +They had had a rough voyage because of the +flood, but declared that they were going down to the +Gulf if the raft held out.</p> + +<p>Almost the first question Clay asked was about +the Rock Island robbery.</p> + +<p>“So you have been overhauled by the officers, too, +have you?” laughed one of the young men, called +Ben by his chum. “We had a bit of that, also, +but the officers didn’t remain with us very long. It +doesn’t take a week to search our craft!”</p> + +<p>“Are you sure they were officers?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes, they were officers, all right. They +asked for a boy of about twelve, who, they declared, +had been seen down the river, and who is believed +to have been associated with the Rock Island robbers. +They also asked for a man of six feet and +over, with red hair.”</p> + +<p>Clay looked at Alex. significantly and asked for +any news they might have of the robbery—any details +they might have learned.</p> + +<p>“Oh, we got the story from a St. Louis newspaper +we begged of a steamer captain,” was the +reply. “It seems that the silks, furs, and diamonds +stolen were stored in the warehouse one day and +taken out by thieves that same night. A boy answering +to the description of the one the officers +asked for was seen about the premises during the +afternoon, and at one time he was observed in the +company of a giant of a man with red hair.</p> + +<p>“It is the theory of the police that the thieves +captured the boy and forced him to enter through +a broken window and unfastened the door, à~la +Oliver Twist. They believe that if he can be caught +he will be able to identify the robbers if they are +caught. The red-headed man was seen in the city, +wandering about the streets, aimlessly, on the night +of the crime. It is not believed that he was interested +in the robbery personally. However, they +want him because he seemed to take a great interest +in the boy.”</p> + +<p>“Have the officers found any of the stolen property?” +asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Not that we know of,” was the reply. “The +robbers got off handily, and it is believed they put +the goods on board some river boat and sent them +down toward New Orleans. Diamonds, silks and +furs can be hidden in a small space.”</p> + +<p>The boys visited with the strangers for an hour +or more and then went on down the river, sailing a +very little faster than the shanty boat, which depended +entirely on the current, and which was +obliged to tie up at intervals to avoid wreckage.</p> + +<p>“I’ve got a notion,” Alex. said, as the boys left +the shanty boat in the distance, “that the newspaper +story is the right one. That boy never took part in +that robbery of his own free will, though. I am +sure of it! And the man? That was Red he described, +eh?”</p> + +<p>“It undoubtedly was,” Clay replied, thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>“That’s your bosom friend!” Alex. grinned. +“You let him escape!”</p> + +<p>“What else could I do, under the +circumstances?” demanded Clay. “The fellow saved my +life! Sam would have murdered me only for +him!”</p> + +<p>“Well, if he’s on the level, what’s he doing with +a man like Sam?” questioned Alex., still grinning.</p> + +<p>“We shall have to leave that question to the +future,” was the short reply.</p> + +<p>“You believe that Red had a hand in the robbery +at Rock Island?” persisted the boy.</p> + +<p>“I don’t think anything about it! I’m waiting +for additional information!”</p> + +<p>“Well, we’ve got a long way to go yet,” Case cut +in, “and we may meet with the red-headed man +again. We may meet him in some jail yet, if our +luck doesn’t change!”</p> + +<p>“Speaking about jails,” Alex. questioned, “what +do you make of the old jail of a house Jule and I +were locked up in? What do you think they wanted +to hold us for?”</p> + +<p>“Probably to keep you from spying on what was +going on there,” Clay suggested.</p> + +<p>“But what was going on there?” asked Alex. +“That is what <i>we</i> didn’t find out!”</p> + +<p>“Whatever it was,” Jule observed, “the people +interested in keeping it secret took long chances +when they left us in the dark room with only an old +man to guard us. And imagine them never knowing +that Mose and the dog were in the grounds!”</p> + +<p>At mention of Mose Alex. burst into a roar of +laughter.</p> + +<p>“I never saw a human face that showed real fear +until I saw Mose looking in at the broken window!” +he said, directly. “I have seen men and +women show fright, but never anything like that! +He thought he had come on a collection of ghosts! +I presume he thought we, Jule and I, were dead and +buried in the cellar, and that our spirits had come +forth to haunt the murderers! And he streaked it +away like a flash of light!”</p> + +<p>“There’s probably nothing worse than the manufacture +of moonshine whisky going on in the old +house,” Case contributed. “Or the loot from the +warehouse may have been stored there,” he added. +“The boys heard heavy articles being moved, +though they may have been scared stiff and mistook +the footsteps of a mouse for the heavy noises!”</p> + +<p>“I hope you’ll get in just such a predicament +some day!” growled Jule. “It wasn’t any fun, +sitting there in the dark! And I expected that crazy +old man to shoot us any moment! I believe he was +crazy! He acted as if he was!”</p> + +<p>“That’s right!” exclaimed Case. “Keep on +talking, and I won’t have to wash a dish all the way +to the Gulf. I love to hear you get funny.”</p> + +<p>“That will do for you!” cried Jule, gleefully. +“I see you washing the supper dishes right now!”</p> + +<p>“I’d like to go back and investigate that old +house,” Alex. observed. “It would be great fun! I +believe it stood there when the cave-dwellers lived +along the Chickasaw bluffs, and that was before De +Soto discovered the river and was buried in its +depths.”</p> + +<p>“I thought La Salle discovered the Mississippi,” +Case said, with a wink at Clay.</p> + +<p>“He made a stab at navigating it from the Illinois +river down,” Alex. answered, seeing that Case was +prodding him in the desire of receiving information. +“But he gave the wrong course to the stream. The +real Mississippi turns at St. Louis and runs off toward +the Rocky Mountains.”</p> + +<p>“Yes it does!” exclaimed Jule. “You’re in +need of mental rest, young man.”</p> + +<p>“Certainly it does,” Alex. insisted. “The +longest stretch of water takes the river name, +doesn’t it? Well, the Missouri is about three +thousand miles long from the fountain-heads of the +Gallatin, Madison and Red Rock lakes to the junction +with the Mississippi, while from the junction to +headwaters the Mississippi is only about twelve +hundred miles long!”</p> + +<p>“It does seem as if the longest river should +carry the name,” said Case. “In that event, this +would be the Missouri river!”</p> + +<p>“Sure it would,” insisted Alex. “The river from +the Red Rock lakes to the Gulf is the longest river +in the world—eight hundred miles longer than the +Amazon, though not so wide! Some day the name +of the Missouri will become the Mississippi, or the +Mississippi will be called the Missouri!”</p> + +<p>The boys argued over the proposition for a long +time, until it was time to get supper, and then Clay +and Alex. began watching for ducks, with which the +river swarms at times. While they secured three +fair-sized birds, Alex. caught fish, and insisted on +their being cooked with the ducks.</p> + +<p>“I’ll never get enough to eat if I leave the menu +to you boys,” he declared, “and Mose feels about it +just as I do!” he added, pulling the little negro’s +ear.</p> + +<p>“Ah sure do feel empty!” answered Mose, rolling +up his eyes.</p> + +<p>The Mississippi is a tangle of channels and +islands above Memphis, and the boys decided to tie +up for the night on the down-stream side of one of +the little “tow-heads” which are so frequently seen +close to larger islands. These are formed by deposits +of sand and vegetable matter, but they increase +in size rapidly as soon as cotton-wood brush +takes possession of the new ground, assisting materially +in resisting the encroachments of the current.</p> + +<p>The islands of the Mississippi are numerous and +uncertain as to location. They have all been formed +by the cutting of new channels across headlands. +The river itself winds like a very crooked snake +through the soft bottom lands of the south, and the +water is forever finding new and shorter ways to +reach the Gulf.</p> + +<p>From the junction of the Ohio, there are one hundred +and twenty-five numbered islands from Cairo +to Bayou la Fourche, in Louisiana, and besides these +there are nearly as many more which bear the names +of the owners. Many of these islands are grown up +with impenetrable thickets or show only deserted +fields.</p> + +<p>In proceeding down the great river the boys had +kept on only sufficient power to gain steerway, as +they were in no haste to reach the Gulf of Mexico, +which was their final destination on that trip. They +decided that day to travel nights no more.</p> + +<p>After supper had been eaten the boys switched on +all the lights and sat out on deck. There was a brilliant +moon, but they preferred to let everybody in +that vicinity know that they were there—hence the +electric lights.</p> + +<p>“If any one sneaks up on us now,” Alex. laughed, +“he’ll have to get to us by the under-water route! +And, even then, one of us would be apt to see him. +Captain Joe is losing his record as a watch dog, but +I guess Teddy can take his place.”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe, as if he understood every word that +had been said, and resented the insinuation, walked +up to the prow and sat in a meditative mood, looking +over the small “tow-head” which sheltered the +boat from the current. He sat there motionless so +long that Alex. finally called attention to him.</p> + +<p>“Ah knows what he’s done seein’!” exclaimed +Mose. “Dar’s a big fat coon watchin’ us from dat +mess ob bushes. Ah done seen him long time ago!”</p> + +<p>An inspection of the spot pointed out showed half +a dozen evil-looking negroes watching the boat.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink11'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XI—FIRE-FACES ON THE ISLAND</a></h2> + +<p>“What are they squatting there watching the +boat for?” queried Jule, as the prow light fell full +on the group of negroes on the island. “They don’t +look good to me!”</p> + +<p>“If we keep away from them,” Case suggested, +“and don’t try to stare them out of countenance, +they’ll probably keep away from us. They do look +fierce, though!”</p> + +<p>While the boys discussed the matter the negroes +moved away from the shore of the island, where +they were under the boat lights, and secreted themselves +behind a patch of willows which fringed the +“tow-head,” for the place where they were was +little else.</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe they have any idea of letting us +alone, if they can manage to get on board the +<i>Rambler</i>,” Clay declared. “I have often read that +lawless negroes and whites are alike alert for plunder +during flood seasons, and it is floating goods +those fellows are after, unless I am much mistaken. +We’ll have to keep a sharp watch to-night.”</p> + +<p>“Wouldn’t it be wiser to drive them away?” +asked Alex., with one of his grins.</p> + +<p>“We have no right to drive them away,” Case +suggested. “We may get into trouble if we try it. +I’ll watch half the night and not mind it at all.”</p> + +<p>Alex. nudged Jule in the side and whispered in +his ear for a moment.</p> + +<p>“Jule and I will watch the first half,” he then +said. “Perhaps they will go off home by midnight, +and Case won’t have to watch at all.”</p> + +<p>“Alex.,” Clay exclaimed, “you’ve got some mischief +in your mind. Heretofore you’ve come out of +your scrapes with whole bones, but sometime you’ll +get into serious trouble if you don’t stop running out +nights. I strongly advise you to let those levee +negroes alone! You go to bed early, and I’ll watch +the boat!”</p> + +<p>“Who’s got mischief in the mind?” grinned +Alex. “I guess I can stay up until midnight without +gettin’ into trouble! You see if I don’t make the +dandy watchman to-night! When it comes to keeping +guard, I’m the candy boy!”</p> + +<p>“You usually manage to get into trouble when +you are left alone!” laughed Clay.</p> + +<p>“If I can’t be good to-night,” grinned Alex., +“I’ll be careful.”</p> + +<p>Nothing more was seen of the negroes at that +time, although the boys were satisfied that they were +still on the island, as no boat had been seen to leave +it.</p> + +<p>After a time Clay, Case and Mose went to bed, +leaving Alex., Jule, Captain Joe, and Teddy on +deck. The dog seemed particularly wide awake, +moving about as if he scented danger, while the cub +sat looking toward the island with twitching nostrils.</p> + +<p>“Seems as if the dog and the cub know there’s +something coming off here to-night,” Jule remarked, +as Captain Joe put his paw on the gunwale and +sniffed the air. “Do you really think they have a +way of discovering approaching peril which human +beings have not? Captain Joe certainly looks as if +he saw something unpleasant coming.”</p> + +<p>“I often think dogs have an instinct which warns +them of danger,” Alex. replied.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Jule went on, “we’ll soon see what +comes of the signals of danger he is now handing +out to us! Whatever he sees or senses is on that +island.”</p> + +<p>The boys watched for a long time, but there came +no sounds of life from the island.</p> + +<p>“You’re like the dog,” Jule said to Alex., presently. +“You are getting ready for a break of some +sort! Suppose you loosen up and tell me what it +is?”</p> + +<p>“You remember that night on the Amazon, when +we scared the life out of a couple of renegade +Englishmen and a native Indian?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Sure I do!” was the reply. “That was the +funniest ever!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Alex. explained, “I’m goin’ to try something +like that on these negroes.”</p> + +<p>“Better let ’em alone!” advised Jule. “They are +wise to tricks!”</p> + +<p>“Shucks!” Alex. laughed. “I’ll have them +walking on their heads, and walking the water at +that. I wish I had a boat, so I wouldn’t have to +swim to the island!”</p> + +<p>“We’ve lost a rowboat every trip!” Jule exclaimed. +“I wonder why we didn’t pick the one we +had off the raft and fix it up. It wasn’t badly +smashed.”</p> + +<p>“We may find it yet,” Alex. said, hopefully. +“We have come down just a little faster than the +current, and so it is probably behind us. When it +comes down we’ll get it and make it as good as +new.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, when we get it!” laughed Jule. “There’s +a thousand people along the island beaches and +mainland levees watching for boats! Just like these +negroes are watching for anything at all that seems +worth picking out of the water!”</p> + +<p>“It won’t do any harm to keep a lookout for it,” +Alex. decided. “Now,” he added, turning out the +lights and throwing off his coat, “do you want to go +to the shore with me? If you will go I’ll show you a +race that will beat anything you ever saw.”</p> + +<p>“And leave the boat alone?” demanded Jule. +“I should say not. I’ll remain here and see that +your retreat is properly covered. You’ll want some +one here to hold a gun on the negroes you seem determined +to stir up.”</p> + +<p>“Now don’t get a grouch on,” pleaded Alex. +“I’m doing this purely in the interest of science! I +want to see how far the emancipation proclamation +has relieved the negroes of the south from the old-time +superstitions of the race! Not to put too fine +a point upon it, kid, I want to see what a good +healthy ghost will do to a lot of river thieves! Do +you get me?”</p> + +<p>“Going to play ghost, are you,” laughed Jule. +“Then I’ll be a ghost, too!”</p> + +<p>Alex. listened at the cabin door for a moment, but +heard no sounds indicating the lack of sleep on the +inside. Then he crept in, fumbled around in the +darkness until he found two old bathing suits and a +square package which smelled of sulphur.</p> + +<p>“Now,” he explained to Jule, as he came out, +“we’ll put on these bathing suits, so as to have dry +clothes ready when we return from the island! +You take a part of the matches, for we may become +separated in the thicket. We won’t do the Mephisto +act until we get to the island, then rub the sulphur +on thick—on your hands and face.”</p> + +<p>“I guess I know how!” Jule remonstrated.</p> + +<p>The boys placed their clothing in two piles on the +deck and donned the bathing suits—much to the +wonder of Captain Joe, who wrinkled his nose and +looked suspiciously at the boys. His remarks on the +subject of bathing in a swift river in the night time +were not in favor of the experiment. However, he +crouched down by Alex.’s feet and expressed himself +as willing to share in the doubtful expedition.</p> + +<p>“When we get into the willows,” Alex. explained, +“I’ll let out a yell which will put Mose’s efforts in +that direction away to the bad! Then you run at +them on the right and I’ll close in on the left, and +we’ll see a race that will put the Greek events out on +a blind siding with fires banked. When you are +ready, drop in and swim for the bunch of willows +straight ahead. Swim slow and don’t make any +noise.”</p> + +<p>The boys left the dark deck of the <i>Rambler</i> and +entered the water. There was little current where +the boat lay, and they had no difficulty in making the +willows pointed out by the promoter of the midnight +excursion. The lights of Memphis made a faint +haze in the sky to the south. The wash of the river +drowned all individual noises. In the distance the +caving of a bank sent down a heavy sound.</p> + +<p>Believing that they had left the boat without +awakening any of the sleepers and landed on the +island without attracting the attention of the +negroes, the boys crouched down in a thicket and +listened.</p> + +<p>The moon, which would set about midnight, was +low down in the west, and gave a fitful light at rare +intervals. There was a heavy mass of thunderheads +in the sky, and few stars showed through. There +were no indications of a light or fire on the island.</p> + +<p>The boys, however, were much mistaken in their +understanding of the situation. When they dropped +off the deck of the <i>Rambler</i>, Clay poked his head +out of the cabin and watched them as far as the +darkness would permit. Then he returned to the +cabin, put on a bathing suit and took a square box +from the cupboard.</p> + +<p>The box contained the reserve weapons and flashlights +of the party and was waterproof. With this +in his hand, and leaving Captain Joe on guard, with +strict orders not to leave the deck, he entered the +water and swam toward the shore, turning away +from the bunch of willows where the two boys had +landed.</p> + +<p>Of course he did not know that Alex. and Jule +had left the water there, but it seemed to him that +they would naturally select the nearest point as their +landing place. Once on shore he sat down to await +developments.</p> + +<p>He was certain that Alex. and Jule had entered +upon a dangerous expedition. The river negroes of +the south are by no means as superstitious as is +generally believed, and Clay knew it. He doubted +if they would run far at sight of a face blazing with +sulphur. It was his opinion that the boys would be +the ones to start the race!</p> + +<p>The negroes were sure to be armed, and they +might be drunk, in which case they would not be +likely to permit the outer spirits to bluff the inner +spirits! Besides, they might have valuable plunder +on the island, and some would be brave enough to +remain and fight for it.</p> + +<p>Of course, if Clay had gravely asked the boys to +give over their proposed joy visit to the island, they +would undoubtedly have done so, but he did not +care to do that. His thought was that he ought not +to attempt to control the actions of he boys, as they +all stood equal on the trip, no one having authority +over the others.</p> + +<p>Besides, if the truth must be told, Clay, himself, +was not averse to a little excitement! In addition, +he was anxious to know what was doing on the island, +and why the negroes were assembled there.</p> + +<p>Another feature of the situation was that a +watcher on the beach saw all three forms in the +water as they left the boat! When the lads landed, +Alex. and Jule at the clump of willows and Clay farther +to the west, this watcher lost no time in +communicating with his fellows in their rough-and-ready +camp near the center of the little “tow-head.”</p> + +<p>The noise made by the negroes in getting ready to +meet whatever attack might be made upon them +gave the location of their camp to Clay, and he +pressed as close to it as it was possible for him to do +without advancing into the open, where he might +have been seen during any moment of moonlight.</p> + +<p>It was a chill night, and there was a wind blowing +from the west which seemed to cut into his bones, +but Clay sat down not far from the camp and +awaited the opening of the drama! He could hear +the campers moving about, but could not distinguish +the words spoken. The moon sank out of sight for +good before any movement was made.</p> + +<p>Then Clay saw a figure fit to frighten the most +courageous leave the fringe of willows and advance +deliberately toward the center of the island. +He had hard work to make himself understand that +the thing he saw was only one of the boys. If the +very Old Scratch himself had set foot on the “tow-head” +he could not have presented a more sinister +appearance. Clay watched the advance of the figure +with bated breath.</p> + +<p>In a second after the figure appeared, flaming of +face and pointing hands, with a great cross of fire on +what appeared to be a naked breast, a long, wavering +cry went up from the camp, and then there came +a rush of feet. Clay could not tell at first which way +the feet were going, but a moment convinced him +that they were putting a swift distance between the +camp and the devil-figure approaching.</p> + +<p>When a second figure, marked like the first, appeared +the shrieks of alarm, the running of frightened +feet, were drowned by the commands of a bull-like +voice to stop the panic-stricken flight and use +revolver and knife!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink12'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XII—HALF FULL OF DIAMONDS</a></h2> + +<p>At that moment, notwithstanding the commotion +and the threats of coming trouble, Clay felt like +congratulating Alex. and Jule on the manner in +which they were carrying out their reckless plans. +More blood-curdling shrieks than now proceeded +from the throats of the boys he had never heard.</p> + +<p>Knowing that defeat, perhaps death, would instantly +follow on the heels of retreat, Alex. and Jule +charged the camp, swinging their fire-coated arms +and uttering cries which it did not seem possible +could issue forth from human lips. There naturally +followed a swifter flight on the part of the negroes.</p> + +<p>But three or four black men, less superstitious, or +having more at stake, than the others, stood their +ground, calling to their companions that it was a +white man’s trick, and that they should return and +ascertain by the use of steel and lead just how human +their visitors were. For a time the voices of +the courageous ones did not check the mad rush for +the river, but finally a group gathered on the beach +and engaged in conversation, which, of course, Clay +could not hear.</p> + +<p>Alex. and Jule now “disappeared” in approved +“ghost” fashion—that is, they drew black cloths +over their faces and hands so that their flaming +make-up could no longer be seen. In fact, it was +now so dark, the moon having set, that even the +figures of the boys could not be seen when they +crouched on the ground. The negroes on the beach +were only visible because they formed quite a large +group and kept constantly in excited motion.</p> + +<p>Clay wondered if the boys would now understand +that their trick had failed and make for the +<i>Rambler</i>. At the first rush the negroes had fled, but +they were now listening to arguments intended to +reassure them, and the ultimate result was not in +doubt.</p> + +<p>Before long the black men would swarm back to +the camp, perhaps make a thorough search of the +entire “tow-head,” in which case the boys were +sure to be discovered, unless they made their way +back to the boat before the search began. Clay +placed himself between the camp and the boat and +waited, thinking that his reserve weapons might be +needed.</p> + +<p>The information that he had seen figures leaving +the boat just before the advent of the “ghosts,” as +given by the watcher, had instant effect on the +negroes. They swarmed back toward the camp, +making a great many more threats than Clay +thought was necessary! Two familiar figures now +came dashing toward Clay, and he called out softly +to them to halt a moment. The figures developed +into two rather frightened boys as soon as they came +close to the watcher.</p> + +<p>“Me for the boat!” panted Jule. “I reckon +these coons know a ghost when they see one—not! +Me for the feathers, too when I light! Come on, +Alex!”</p> + +<p>“Go on and get aboard!” Alex. urged. “I want +to see Clay a moment.”</p> + +<p>Jule darted away and was soon out of sight. Although +he had carefully made up as a disciple of +Old Nick, he was careful not to exhibit any of his +trade-marks as he moved towards the boat! Clay +and Alex. stood listening to the commotion for a +moment, and then the latter panted, taking Clay’s +arm as he did so, and drawing him back toward the +camp:</p> + +<p>“When I got up there,” he said, “I stumbled over +some one lying on the ground! I felt about for a +minute and found pretty much rags! Then some +one told me to get off the island or I would be +murdered.”</p> + +<p>“Go on!” Clay said excitedly. “We have no +time to lose if we are to investigate this matter. +Was the person you talked with a prisoner?”</p> + +<p>“Sure he was. He asked me to cut the cords, +but I had no knife with me and so had to make an +effort to untie them. The captive talked while I was +at work on the knots, and who do you think it was. +Give you three guesses!”</p> + +<p>“Hurry! Hurry! We have no time to lose, I tell +you, if the captive is in need of our assistance. Who +is it?”</p> + +<p>“The kid who came on board the <i>Rambler</i> at +Cairo!” replied Alex.</p> + +<p>“And you had to leave him there—tied?”</p> + +<p>“What else could I do?” asked Alex. “I didn’t +have even a knife! This foolish bathing suit has no +pockets, so I brought no arms with me. What +could I do, when the coons were making a rush for +the camp?”</p> + +<p>“We’ve got to get that kid!” Clay cried.</p> + +<p>“If they would only go away for a minute,” Alex. +declared, “I could get him and bring him to the +boat, ropes and all!”</p> + +<p>A shot came from the <i>Rambler</i>, and, turning, the +boys saw that the craft was aglow with electric +lights! Instantly they crouched lower in the willows, +for the strong prow lamp cast a ray far over +on the “tow-head.”</p> + +<p>Another shot came from the boat, and then the +negroes at the camp made a break for the beach, +passing within a rod of where the two boys lay concealed.</p> + +<p>“Shall we take them in the rear?” asked Alex. +“They have attacked the boat.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t shoot!” warned Clay. “Remember that +we had no right to molest them in the first place! +The boys on the boat are awake, or the lights +wouldn’t be on. They can protect themselves, I +reckon. I hope Jule is in a safe place!”</p> + +<p>The lights were still on, but not a person could be +seen. Then more shots came, and Clay saw that the +boys were firing through the small port holes in the +gunwale, and that the negroes were contenting themselves +with firing volley after volley at the cabin +windows, which were now void of glass!</p> + +<p>While the boys on shore watched with intense +anxiety, the motors of the <i>Rambler</i> were heard, and +then the boat began to drop down stream.</p> + +<p>“I wonder if Jule got on board?” Alex. asked.</p> + +<p>“If he met with no opposition on the way he +probably did,” was the reply. “At least we must +suppose that he is either on the boat or in hiding on +the island.”</p> + +<p>“Come on, then!” shouted Alex. “We’ll make +a success of this excursion yet. We’ll take possession +of the camp. I want a confidential talk with +the prisoner!”</p> + +<p>“You’ll be getting a confidential talk with a bullet +pretty soon, if you don’t pay more attention to +getting off!” Clay answered. “The boat has +dropped down, and the negroes will soon be back +here. It is another swim! What?”</p> + +<p>Almost before Clay had done speaking Alex. was +off in the darkness. Clay could just see his figure +moving along the ground, so he followed on after +him, wondering what new trick the lad had in +mind. The light from the <i>Rambler</i> grew fainter +every instant. For some reason unknown to Clay, +the boat was being moved down stream a long way.</p> + +<p>In a moment Clay saw Alex. bending over a figure +lying on the ground at the edge of a rude windbreak +of willow bushes, cut and woven together.</p> + +<p>“Where’s the coon’s boat?” he asked, hurriedly.</p> + +<p>Clay smiled happily. He had not thought of that!</p> + +<p>“Off there on the east side,” replied the boy. +“Have you got a knife yet?”</p> + +<p>For answer Alex. seized the lad by the feet and +called out to Clay:</p> + +<p>“Catch him by the shoulders, and we’ll carry +him!”</p> + +<p>Clay was not slow in following the suggestion, +and the boys soon had the captive between the +fringe of willows and the water. The boat was +there, a large, four-oared craft which was partly +filled with plunder taken from the river. The +negroes were evidently making a business of gathering +supplies from the flood. Just then Jule came +up, out of breath from a stumbling run in the dark.</p> + +<p>The captive was placed on board, and then Clay +seized a pair of heavy oars.</p> + +<p>“Take the helm,” he called to Alex., “and you +help with the oars, Jule,” he added.</p> + +<p>Then the craft shot out into the current. When +she came around the corner of the little island, +where the light from the <i>Rambler</i> struck her a series +of frantic shouts came from the men huddled on +the south bank, and a few shots were fired, but, the +current running swiftly, they were soon out of +range.</p> + +<p>“Let ’em swim,” chuckled Alex. “A bath will be +good for what ails them!”</p> + +<p>“Alex.,” remarked Clay, panting with the heavy +work at the oars, “you deserve a Carnegie medal!”</p> + +<p>“Sure!” chuckled the other. “I’m the Johnny-on-the-Spot +when it comes to prescribing healthful +stunts for the working classes! Where is that boat +going?” he added as the <i>Rambler</i> disappeared +around a distant bend in the stream.</p> + +<p>“This is what comes of running off in the night +without telling the boys what we were up to!” +panted Jule. “This is some boat, when it comes to +weight.”</p> + +<p>In ten minutes the lights of the <i>Rambler</i> were in +sight again, the rowboat having passed around the +bend. Then Clay took out a searchlight and began +making signals to those on board. Directly an +answering signal came from the boat, and then the +lights halted, turned, and came up stream.</p> + +<p>“You’re a nice lot of watchmen!” Case called +out, as the two boats came close together. “We +thought you had caught a floater boat and drifted +down stream.”</p> + +<p>“This,” grinned Alex., “is the only old and +original relief expedition. We have with us to-night +a brand snatched from the coons!”</p> + +<p>“Hand down a knife!” called Clay. “This lad +is capable of climbing on board by his own self! +And swing around a little so as not to tip us over!”</p> + +<p>With no little difficulty the boys were landed on +the deck of the <i>Rambler</i>. Case regarded the visitor +with a quizzical smile as he bent over him.</p> + +<p>“Did you take a dive at Cairo,” he asked, “and +come up at Memphis?”</p> + +<p>The boy answered only by a weary smile, and +Mose stood staring at him with widening eyes, +while Captain Joe sniffed suspiciously at his worn +garments. Teddy invited him to a boxing match!</p> + +<p>“I’ll go you boys a dollar to an apple,” Case observed, +“that this kid is still empty! He looks it! +Anyway, I’ll go and get him something to eat!”</p> + +<p>“And don’t forget the heroic rescuers!” Alex. +called out. “I haven’t had a thing to eat since supper! +Say, kid,” he went on, “what’s your name?”</p> + +<p>“Chester Vinton,” was the reply, in a frightened +voice. “I’m running away.”</p> + +<p>“You wasn’t running very fast when we found +you!” commented Alex. “How did you come to +mix with those wreckers?”</p> + +<p>“I was on a raft,” was the answer, “and I was +hungry, and I saw them on the island, and asked +them for something to eat. They tied me up!”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you stay on board the boat at +Cairo?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“I was afraid,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Red is back up the river looking for you,” Jule +observed, still shivering from his exposure to the +cold water. “He took passage with us part of the +way down.”</p> + +<p>“I should think he did!” chuckled Alex. “And +he was a first cabin passenger at that!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay decided, presently, “perhaps we’d +better feed this boy and put him to bed. He looks +as if he’d been up against something hard.”</p> + +<p>The lad ate ravenously, and then began undressing. +Clay sat in the cabin with him. He was full +of wonderment at this second meeting with the boy, +and wanted to ask him a hundred questions, but +decided to wait until the lad was in better condition.</p> + +<p>As the visitor threw his ragged clothes off a thud +on the floor told of something of considerable +weight in one of the pockets.</p> + +<p>“Do you carry a gun, lad?” he asked, stooping +over to lift the trousers.</p> + +<p>The boy bounded forward and snatched at the +trousers, but Clay was too quick for him. The +article which had made the noise on the floor was a +leather bag.</p> + +<p>An investigation showed that it was half full of +diamonds of exceptional quality!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink13'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIII—A RIVER ROBBER IN A NEW ROLE</a></h2> + +<p>With half a dozen stones of splendid value rolling +over the palm of his hand, Clay regarded the +boy accusingly.</p> + +<p>“Where did you get the diamonds?” he asked.</p> + +<p>The boy did not answer. Clay had expected confusion +and shame. Instead he met with anger and +reproach. Chester (“Chet” from that day forward) +shot forward like an arrow and tried to +wrest the bag from his hands. Clay put him back +tolerantly.</p> + +<p>“Give them back to me!” Chet shouted so loudly +that the boys out on the deck entered the cabin and +stood in an astonished group about the two.</p> + +<p>Clay, grasping the bag and the lose gems, held his +hands high above his head.</p> + +<p>“Where did you get them?” he persisted.</p> + +<p>“Give them back to me!” yelled Chet. “You’ve +been following me for this, have you? You’re all as +bad as the river thieves I’ve met up with! Give +them to me!”</p> + +<p>“What do you think of the little one for a diamond +dip?” asked Alex., pointing at the flushed +face of the agitated boy. “He’s some clever!”</p> + +<p>“I reckon he belongs with Red, the Robber, all +right!” Jule put in.</p> + +<p>“He seems to be pretty well fixed!” laughed +Case. “Those gems are worth more than a hundred +thousand dollars! Did you swipe them from the +men who robbed the Rock Island warehouse, kid?” +he added.</p> + +<p>Chet turned a flaming face toward this new accuser.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you dare call me a thief!” he shouted. +“The diamonds are mine! I never stole them. +Give them back to me, you—you—river pirates!”</p> + +<p>“That’s good, coming from him!” grinned Alex. +“Come on, little one, and tell us who these stones +belong to.”</p> + +<p>“I tell you they are mine!” Chet again insisted. +“I never stole them! You give them back to me! +If I had the strength I’d tear your heart out!”</p> + +<p>“Of course!” laughed Clay. “Of course you’d +do something desperate if you had the strength! +But don’t trouble yourself about the diamonds! If +they belong to you, you shall have them. But we +don’t want to harbor a thief, you know!”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe you’ll ever give them back to +me!” sobbed the boy. “I’ve brought them down the +river, all this way, to be robbed of them at last!”</p> + +<p>In a spasm of grief the lad threw himself on the +cabin floor and burst into an uncontrollable fit of +weeping. The boys stood around for a moment, +looking rather sheepishly at each other, and then all +left the cabin but Clay.</p> + +<p>“Come kid,” the latter said, lifting Chet from the +floor and holding him in his arms like a baby, “don’t +act like you’d lost your last friend! If you’re +honest, you’ve found friends instead of losing them. +You shall have the diamonds back, if you can show +that they belong to you. Brace up, now, and go on +to bed!”</p> + +<p>Chet regarded Clay through wet eyes for a moment +and then slipped away to the bunk which had +been set aside for him. The frank inspection seemed +to have in a measure restored his equanimity. Clay +sat down by the side of the bunk, the diamonds in +his hands.</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you tell me all about it?” he asked +of the boy. “Why not settle the whole matter right +here, and so have done with it? Where did you get +them?”</p> + +<p>“I’ve promised not to tell,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“You are not making a very good beginning,” +Clay admonished.</p> + +<p>Chet made no reply whatever, but turned his face +away. Clay went on, patiently:</p> + +<p>“Where is your home?”</p> + +<p>“I haven’t got any home,” was the reply. “I +never had one.”</p> + +<p>“But you must belong somewhere,” Clay insisted. +“Where did you live last?”</p> + +<p>“I’m not going to tell you anything at all,” Chet +replied, “until I see the man that made me promise +to keep silent, and until he gives me leave to talk +with you.”</p> + +<p>“Is the man you mention Red, the riverman?” +asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Didn’t I just tell you that I wasn’t going to +talk?” demanded the boy.</p> + +<p>“All right,” Clay responded. “Take all the time +you want! In the meantime, I’ll keep the diamonds. +Will you promise to remain on the boat?”</p> + +<p>“If I had the diamonds, I’d quit you right now!” +said the boy, savagely. “I may as well tell you the +truth. If you keep the diamonds, I’ll stay until I get +them, but I’ll find them and take them with me if I +can. You just mind that!”</p> + +<p>“You’re a frank little chap, anyway!” laughed +Clay.</p> + +<p>“I wasn’t brought up to tell lies!” was the astonishing +reply.</p> + +<p>“Who brought you up?” asked Clay. “You +just said you never had any home!”</p> + +<p>“Never did!” was the reply. “Say, you won’t +blame me if I find where you put the diamonds and +run off with them, will you?” he added, quite +gravely.</p> + +<p>“I don’t see how I can blame you, after such fair +warning,” laughed Clay.</p> + +<p>“And you won’t help any one to find me?” persisted +the little fellow.</p> + +<p>“No,” answered Clay, “if you are sharp enough +to get the diamonds away from me, I’ll never let on +that I ever saw or heard of you. Is that satisfactory +to you?”</p> + +<p>“Will you shake hands on that?” asked Chet, +sitting up on the bunk.</p> + +<p>“Gladly! Now, go to sleep and wake up in a +more communicative mood to-morrow.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll stick to what I said!” Chet answered, and +Clay left him alone in the cabin. When he reached +the deck he was at once surrounded by the boys, all +eager to know the outcome of the conference. Clay +told them of what had taken place.</p> + +<p>“He’s a nervy little chap!” Clay concluded, “and +I like him very much already.”</p> + +<p>“You bet he’s all right, that kid!” Alex. said. +“If he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have told you that he +would get the gems the first time he got a chance. +Besides, see how he is keeping the promise made to +some other fellow! Where are you going to keep the +diamonds, Clay?” the boy continued. “Don’t you +ever think the kid won’t try hard to find them! I +hope he won’t feel called upon to cut all our throats +in order to obtain possession of them! I believe he +would do it if he thought it necessary!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay answered, speaking in a low tone +and looking in through the glass panel of the cabin +door to see that Chet was still in his bunk, “I think +I’ll go ashore at Memphis, for supplies, you know, +and put the gems in a deposit box at one of the +banks.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a fine idea!” cried Case. “He’ll never +get them there!”</p> + +<p>“But you want to look out that you’re not pinched +in the bank,” Alex. advised. “That warehouse robbery +is making some noise, and if a boy from a river +boat is seen to have diamonds, it is the jail house for +yours!”</p> + +<p>“If you put them in a bank deposit box,” Jule observed, +“you’d better do them up so as to look like +a package of papers—bonds, or stocks, or something +like that.”</p> + +<p>“That is a good idea, too!” Clay exclaimed. +“I’ll do it!”</p> + +<p>“I’d give a lot to know more about the boy and +the diamonds,” Clay mused, as the boys began getting +breakfast.</p> + +<p>They had talked so long, after reaching the boat, +that they had not before realized that it was most +morning, and now there was a flush in the east which +told of sunrise.</p> + +<p>When Clay went back into the cabin to see about +the fire, he found Chet crouching on the floor just +back of the door. He yawned as Clay entered the +apartment.</p> + +<p>“What are you doing here?” asked Clay, in +amazement.</p> + +<p>“Guess I’m trying to find my way to the door!” +was the half-smiling reply. “I didn’t seem to know +where I was when I woke up!”</p> + +<p>Clay accepted the excuse, and went on with his +preparation of breakfast. However, he doubted +what the boy had said. Notwithstanding the previous +good impression he had formed of the waif, he +wondered if the lad had not crept out of bed and +stationed himself by the door in order to hear what +was said about the disposition of the gems.</p> + +<p>“I’ll have to be more careful,” Clay thought. +“That boy is a clever one!”</p> + +<p>After breakfast the waif was rigged out with a +suit of Alex.’s clothes. In the new attire he seemed +to be a different boy from the one taken from the +camp.</p> + +<p>The boys did not accept as the truth all he said +about himself, though that was not much. When he +declared that he had never had any home, they +commented on the fact that his speech and manners +were those of a boy who had been given a fair +education.</p> + +<p>Chet at once took to the pets of the boat, Mose, +Captain Joe, and Teddy, the bear cub, and they +immediately recognized him as a member of the +family.</p> + +<p>While he was playing with the cub on the prow, +Clay made an oblong package of the diamonds, scattering +them in between sheets of paper, and marked +them “Bonds.” The bag in which they had been +found was half filled with burrs, and small bits of a +broken dish and tied tight. It resembled the bag as +it had stood before any change had been made when +Clay had finished with it.</p> + +<p>This bag Clay resolved to keep in his pocket until +he could place it under the eyes of the boy who +claimed it, the idea being to see if he really would +snatch the supposed prize and take to the river +again. Clay hoped that he would not, for all liked +the little fellow. That afternoon they ran down to +a Memphis pier and Clay went ashore with the +gems.</p> + +<p>He was in time to secure a deposit box at a bank +and stow the diamonds away. The cashier with +whom he did business asked questions regarding his +age and permanent residence, and seemed satisfied +with his answers. He was, indeed, especially interested +in Clay’s description of the <i>Rambler</i> and the +voyages the boys had made in her, and asked permission +to visit the party that evening if he found time.</p> + +<p>Clay gladly gave the required permission, ordered +supplies sent to the pier, and then started out for a +look at the beautiful city. Almost at the entrance +to the bank he met Alex., who had the flushed appearance +of a boy who had been walking pretty fast.</p> + +<p>The two walked together for a block without +speaking, save for the initial greeting, and then +Alex. proposed that they go to a restaurant and have +a “steak about as big as a parlor rug,” as he expressed +it. Clay agreed, but laughed at the notion.</p> + +<p>“Why not take it on board?” he asked. “We +can cook it much better than any city chef,” he +added.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Alex. replied, “I saw a neat little restaurant +back here, not far from the river front, and I +thought I’d like to go there and have a feed.”</p> + +<p>So the two turned into the restaurant, when they +came to it, and took a small table at a rear corner of +the room. It being late for dinner and early for +supper, there were few in the place.</p> + +<p>One party, at the front of the room, at once attracted +Clay’s attention. There were three men in +the party, one young, smiling and flashily dressed; +one old, grizzled and clad in a well-worn business +suit; and another dressed expensively and with great +care. This man had a surprising growth of red +hair which showed evidences of great care. His +face was smooth-shaven, and had the appearance of +having recently been divested of a beard, the flesh +showing soft and white, as if not long exposed to +the weather.</p> + +<p>When this man arose to pay the check and laid a +hand on the back of a chair, Clay noticed that the +hand was very large and finely kept. The man was +something over six feet in height! Clay gave Alex. +a kick under the table and directed his gaze to the +large man, then passing over to the cashier’s window.</p> + +<p>“Take a good look at that man,” he whispered. +“Ever see him before?”</p> + +<p>“I saw him when I passed,” was the reply, “and +brought you here. That’s Red, the Robber.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink14'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIV—ALEX. BREAKS FURNITURE</a></h2> + +<p>“Unless Red, the Robber, has a twin who is an +exact duplicate of himself,” Clay whispered, “that +is just who it is!”</p> + +<p>“When I passed here,” Alex. explained, “the +three were just sitting down to dinner, and I knew +that I could get you back here in time to see Red, +the Robber, before he could finish the big steak he +had just tackled. There he is! Now what?”</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t seem possible that that finely-dressed, +well-groomed man is really the one who talked with +us out on the river at Cairo, and who afterwards +captured the <i>Rambler</i> by holding a gun about the +size of a cannon on me,” Clay declared.</p> + +<p>“And the man who bespoke kind treatment for +Chet, the waif,” Alex. went on. “I guess we’re +both seeing things not present to the senses! There +ain’t no such man!”</p> + +<p>“It can’t be!” Clay tried to convince himself. +“It can’t be the same man!”</p> + +<p>Yet he knew deep down in his heart that it was the +same man! If there had been any doubt of the +complete identification at the start, there was none +when the man spoke to the cashier in the full, deep +voice which Clay knew that he had heard while he +was tied up in the cabin of the <i>Rambler</i>!</p> + +<p>“I have heard that river thieves sometimes make +up to look like bankers and high-up politicians,” +Alex. whispered.</p> + +<p>“And I have heard that bankers and high-up +politicians occasionally assume the disguises of river +characters for some purpose of their own,” Clay returned.</p> + +<p>“Do they mix with murderers and steal motor +boats when they do that?” asked Alex., with a provoking +snicker. “’Cause if they do, this may be +one of the high-ups!”</p> + +<p>“He must recognize us,” Clay went on. “Watch +and see if you catch in him any signs of joy at the +meeting!”</p> + +<p>“He hasn’t yet shown that he knows we are in the +room,” Alex. replied.</p> + +<p>“There’s one way to find out who he is,” Clay +suggested. “When he leaves here, you follow him +until he enters some house or office and ask questions +about him after he goes on. I’ll do the same +here—that is, I’ll see what the cashier knows about +him.”</p> + +<p>Alex., glad of an opportunity of showing what he +could accomplish as a detective, readily agreed to +this arrangement, and, the man leaving the restaurant +at the moment, Alex. darted away after him, +leaving Clay to question the cashier.</p> + +<p>The big man, still in the company of his two companions, +walked briskly toward the river front, after +leaving the restaurant, and finally came to a stop at +a pier some distance down the stream from that at +which the motor boat lay. Alex. watched the three +men shake hands gravely and part, the one he believed +to be Red going on board a small steamer +which lay close by with smoke pouring from her +stacks.</p> + +<p>“Now,” thought the boy, “shall I give it up, or +shall I sneak on board the boat and see what I can +learn of this man who poses as a river pirate one +day and as a gentleman of great respectability the +next?”</p> + +<p>Alex.’s horse sense told him to wait about the +pier until some one came off the boat and engage +that person in conversation in an effort to learn the +identity of the man he was following, but his natural +love of adventure told him to make his way on board +and learn there what he could, not only of the man, +but of the steamer and its destination and cargo.</p> + +<p>The spirit of adventure won, and Alex., waiting +until there was no one in sight on the freight deck, +ventured on board. There was still no one in sight +when he reached the staircase leading to the cabin, +and he proceeded to climb up, listening between steps +for indications of human life.</p> + +<p>He found the indications he sought with a vengeance +at the head of the stairs. As he stepped up +a husky negro seized him by the collar and dragged +him toward the prow. Alex. kicked and struggled +to no purpose. The negro was too strong for him. +All the time he was carrying him along, almost as +he would have carried a kitten, the negro kept up a +running fire of comment.</p> + +<p>The boy gathered from this comment that he was +regarded as a sneak thief, and tried more than once +to explain, but the negro kept on talking to himself +and paid no attention to the words of his prisoner. +Alex. administered a sturdy kick and gave it up.</p> + +<p>Presently a door was opened at the very front end +of the cabin and the boy was thrust into a small +stateroom. The force of his entrance sent him +against a berth and he crawled up and lay down to +think things over. He heard the door behind him +locked.</p> + +<p>“This is a pretty kettle of fish!” grunted the boy, +as he looked about the room.</p> + +<p>It was just an ordinary stateroom, with one bunk, +a dresser, and a chair. The window looking out on +deck was covered by green slat-blinds, and ornamental +metal-work covered the glass panel of the +door opening into the cabin.</p> + +<p>After taking in the room in all its details, Alex. +arose and tried to open the green blinds so as to get +a look outside. To his surprise he found that they +would not open. They were of steel, and were there +to protect the window! The room was as stoutly +guarded as a prison cell!</p> + +<p>“Red, the Robber, seems to have use for a cell,” +the boy thought, “that is, if this is his boat! I wonder +what he thinks he’s going to do with me?”</p> + +<p>Alex. had now no doubt that Red had recognized +Clay and himself at the restaurant. He wondered if +Clay, too, had been trapped! He could not make +up his mind as to whether the man was a robber or a +gentleman of business standing, but he knew that +he was in a most undesirable situation.</p> + +<p>Then he began to wonder if Red knew that he was +on board! The man had given no intimation that he +had knowledge of being followed. He, Alex., had +sneaked on board, like a veritable wharf rat, and +the husky negro had been fully justified in taking +him into custody! Still, the negro should have listened +to his explanations and given him a chance to +prove his innocence.</p> + +<p>This last view of the case was much more to the +liking of the boy than the previous one, for Red had +shown a friendly spirit while on board the <i>Rambler</i>, +and might now set him free as soon as informed of +his capture. Clay had permitted Red his freedom +under much more trying conditions!</p> + +<p>“If he’s a river thief,” Alex. concluded, “he’ll +keep me here until he is sure I can’t injure him by +telling of his raid on the motor boat, but if he is on +the level—if he was, for some purpose of his own, +masquerading while in company with Sam—he will +release me as soon as he knows I am here—for +Clay’s sake, if not for my own!”</p> + +<p>This was a rather comforting conclusion, so the +boy began beating with all his might on the panels +of the door. He pounded away for some moments +without hearing the least response, and then sat +down to rest.</p> + +<p>While he sat there on the berth, panting from his +unnoticed exertions, the boat quivered in all its timbers, +the noise of escaping steam reached his ears, +and then he knew that the steamer was under way. +This was the worst thing that could happen to the +boy, and he knew it.</p> + +<p>The steamer might go to Cuba, or to the upper +reaches of the Missouri or the Mississippi, separating +him from his chums for weeks. If Red really +was a robber, he would not take the chance of releasing +him, for that would give him an opportunity +to warn those on board the <i>Rambler</i>, as well as to +report to the police the illegal seizure of the motor +boat!</p> + +<p>“I’m going to find out about this!” Alex. declared, +springing off the berth. “I’m going to do +an English suffragette stunt and smash windows!”</p> + +<p>As his whole mind was set on making a noise so +as to attract the attention of the man he had followed +on board, the boy was by no means conservative in +his next move.</p> + +<p>First he took the light-framed chair which stood +by the berth and smashed it against the fancy metal +work which protected the glass panel. The chair +went to pieces without touching the glass, so Alex. +took up a slender leg and, poking it through in between +the metal work, punched out the pane.</p> + +<p>It fell back into the cabin with a rattle, and then +Alex., putting his face close to the opening, let out a +yell which would have done credit to an Apache Indian +on the warpath! In the meantime the steamer +was backing out into the current.</p> + +<p>“I guess that will let ’em know they have a +cabin passenger!” Alex. grunted, as he began tossing +the fragments of the chair out on the cabin +floor.</p> + +<p>The boy was just considering the firing of his +automatic, which had not been taken from him by +the negro, when a heavy voice near at hand broke +into a hearty laugh, and the face of the red-headed +man appeared before the opening, half-shielded by an +arm, for the boy was still looking for things to throw +through.</p> + +<p>“What seems to be the difficulty?” the man +asked, and Alex. thought he saw a twinkle of humor +in the blue eyes fixed upon him.</p> + +<p>“No difficulty at all,” Alex. answered, with a +touch of irony in his tone. “I’m just doing this for +exercise, and to make business for boat builders!”</p> + +<p>“Of course,” laughed the man, “you wouldn’t +come out if I should unlock the door?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t know,” Alex. replied. “I’ve got a +good deal of work to do in here yet, and I might +bring back an axe to help out.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll find that the berth is of steel,” the red-headed +man said. “You can’t chop that up. How +long will it take you to finish the dresser? I might +come back and let you out as soon as you have got +through with that!”</p> + +<p>“All right!” grinned the boy, “anything to +oblige,” and he went at the dresser with the leg of a +chair!</p> + +<p>The giant unlocked the door, stepped inside, and, +taking Alex. by the ear, marched him out of the +wrecked room. Once in the cabin he let go of the +ear and walked toward the stern with a hand on the +boy’s arm.</p> + +<p>“You wasn’t so giddy the last time I saw you!” +declared the boy.</p> + +<p>The man laughed, opened the door of a large +stateroom toward the stern, pushed the boy inside, +and stepped in after him. This was a handsome +room, elaborately furnished. Alex. dropped into a +chair and looked about.</p> + +<p>The steamer now seemed to be making fast time +down the river, and Alex. looked out of a window in +the hope of seeing the location of the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“Say,” he finally asked, wrinkling his freckled +nose at the man, “what is the answer to this? I +give it up!”</p> + +<p>“What was it you boys put in the deposit box at +the bank?” asked the man.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t put anything in; I didn’t go to any +bank.”</p> + +<p>“But your chum did. You met him at the bank +entrance, and brought him back to look at me! +You know what he put in the vault box. What was +it?”</p> + +<p>“It was a long package marked bonds,” was the +boy’s reply.</p> + +<p>“But did the package contain bonds?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know; I never saw the inside of it,” answered +Alex., wondering if this man had followed +all their movements since being allowed to leave the +<i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps the lad you call Clay will tell,” smiled +the giant. “Or the boys on the <i>Rambler</i> may give +the information I seek—when you both fail to return +to-night.”</p> + +<p>“So you’ve got Clay, too, have you?” shouted +Alex., and he make a rush for the door!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink15'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XV—THE LEATHER BAG MISSING</a></h2> + +<p>When Clay went to the cashier’s desk to pay the +check for the meals the two boys had eaten, also +with a view of finding out what was known there of +the red-headed man, he asked the first question +which came into his mind.</p> + +<p>“Is that the sheriff—the tall man with the red +hair?”</p> + +<p>The cashier eyed the boy keenly for a moment +and then answered the question by asking one, as +many who wait on the public have a habit of doing.</p> + +<p>“Why? Do you want to see the sheriff?” he +asked, suspiciously.</p> + +<p>Clay was provoked, but tried not to show it as he +replied,</p> + +<p>“I thought I knew the man, that’s all. Perhaps +I was mistaken, for he would have recognized me, +I’m certain, if he had ever seen me before.”</p> + +<p>“Well, that’s not the sheriff,” the cashier replied, +more civilly; “I don’t know who he is. He came +in here this forenoon, for the first time, with those +two men, and he has been in here twice since. There +are others with him, too, for people kept coming +in and making reports of some kind to him. One +made a sign to him, through the glass, while you +were eating. He may be a crook, for all I know.”</p> + +<p>Clay thanked the cashier and went away, turning +in the direction of the river front immediately. At +the next corner he came face to face with the +cashier of the bank where he had secured the deposit +box. The banker extended a hand in greeting.</p> + +<p>“I was just wishing,” he said, “that I could run +across you this afternoon. I have a little spare time, +and I’d like to look over that wonderful boat of +yours. Not long ago I saw a full-page description +of your river trips in a Chicago newspaper.”</p> + +<p>“Come along, then,” Clay replied. “You’ll have +a good chance to see it by daylight if you go now. +It isn’t very much of a boat, but we’re proud of +it. It is just an ordinary motor boat, with electrical +attachments which provide for lighting and cooking. +There’s also a little refrigerator, cooled by +water, and a container for holding electricity in +storage, so we have plenty of light when the boat is +not running. But come along and take a look at +it.”</p> + +<p>As the two walked arm-in-arm down the street +two men fell in behind them, moving as they moved, +fast or slow, and stopping whenever the cashier +drew up to explain some city feature to the boy. +After a couple of blocks of this work, the two +walked faster and, coming in advance of the two +they had followed, turned about and greeted the +cashier warmly. They were promptly introduced +to Clay as Hilton and Carney.</p> + +<p>“We’re just going to the river to look over the +<i>Rambler</i>, the famous motor boat we have talked so +much about,” Benson, the cashier said. “If Mr. +Emmett, here, has no objections, I’d like to have +you go along with us.”</p> + +<p>“No objections whatever,” Clay responded. +“There isn’t much to see, but such as it is you are +welcome to have a look.”</p> + +<p>Clay did not observe the significant look which +passed from the cashier to the two men, as they +walked along toward the boat. They soon reached +the pier and went aboard the <i>Rambler</i>, finding Case, +Chet, Jule and Mose there. The bear cub attracted +a great deal of attention, and Chet seemed to take +special interest in the doings of the party.</p> + +<p>The three men did not hurry themselves at all, +but took their time about everything. They inspected +the bunks and the cupboard, and even looked +into the storage places under the decks and the cabin +floor.</p> + +<p>Clay was with them most of the time, but now +and then they halted and conversed together in low +tones, so, of course, the boy dropped away from the +group. He considered this a strange proceeding on +the part of the guests, but said nothing.</p> + +<p>Finally they asked Clay all sorts of questions +about their progress down the river, when they left +Rock Island, when they touched at St. Louis, and +when they reached Cairo. The boy, though wondering, +answered the rather personal questions +frankly.</p> + +<p>It was almost dark when the visitors left the boat. +Their last visit had been made to the cabin, to inspect +the electric stove, and they passed the boys on +the prow as they went ashore. For a time after their +departure the boys discussed the unusual conduct of +the visitors, and then Chet and Clay went in to prepare +supper.</p> + +<p>Taking advantage of a momentary absence of +Chet from the cabin, Clay looked in the hiding-place +where he had left the leather bag in which the diamonds +had been brought on shore. The bag was +gone! Clay hastened out on deck to meet two astonished +boys.</p> + +<p>“Say,” Case said, “what’s come over Chet? He +came out of the cabin like a shot and jumped off on +the pier. Then, without even stopping to look back, +he ran down into the city! What have you been +doing to him?”</p> + +<p>Clay stood for a moment like one incapable of +speech, then he dropped into a deck-chair and +laughed until the tears ran down his cheeks. Captain +Joe and Teddy joined the others in their +criticism of his strange actions.</p> + +<p>“You didn’t get too many high balls while in the +city, did you?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“You might have kept sober enough to bring +Alex. back with you!” Jule put in.</p> + +<p>“Ah believe yo’ done scare dat lad off de boat!” +little Mose suggested.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay explained, presently, “I suppose I +ought to treat the matter more seriously, for we +may have lost Chet for good, but it is funny for all +that.”</p> + +<p>“Why don’t you pass it around?” demanded +Case. “Let us in on the laugh!”</p> + +<p>“You all know what I did with the articles we +found on Chet,” Clay responded. “Well, when I +took the valuables out of the leather bag, I put burrs +from the repair kit and pieces of broken dishes into +the bag and hid it where I thought Chet might find +it if he looked long enough.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t see anything funny in that,” observed +Case, with a frown.</p> + +<p>“Just wait! When I looked for the bag, just +now, it was gone, and the next thing I hear is that +Chet has taken to his heels. You see what has happened!”</p> + +<p>“The poor little chap!” exclaimed Case. “I’m +sorry for him.”</p> + +<p>“So am I,” Clay agreed, “but he ought to have +been honest with us.”</p> + +<p>“We knew what to expect,” Jule suggested. +“He said he’d get the gems back if he could, didn’t +he? Now he thinks he’s got them, and is lugging +off a lot of truck not worth a cent! I call that a +shame!”</p> + +<p>Clay looked thoughtful for a second and then +burst out:</p> + +<p>“But is he? Look here, fellows,” he went on, excitedly, +“suppose he never took the bag at all! Suppose +Chet found it and changed his mind about running +off with it! Suppose one of the visitors took +it! Suppose that is what they were here for; suppose +Chet missed it as soon as they went away and +chased on after them!”</p> + +<p>“You said the visitors were bankers!” exploded +Jule. “What about that?”</p> + +<p>“One of them was, but I don’t know anything +about the others. Strange they should all be so eager +to inspect the <i>Rambler</i>! Strange they should get +off by themselves and talk in whispers! I reckon +we’re knee-deep in mystery!”</p> + +<p>“Well, where did you leave Alex.?” asked Jule. +“He hasn’t come back yet!”</p> + +<p>“And here’s another funny thing,” Clay went on, +without answering the question, directly. “We saw +Red, the Robber, up town, dressed like a gentleman! +Alex. followed him out of the place where we saw +him, and may have got into trouble!”</p> + +<p>“Then the stealing of the bag is Red’s work!” +decided Case. “No need to guess about that any +more! How he got his men in with the banker I +don’t know, but he did it, and one of them took it, +and poor Chet saw that it was gone, and now he is +following a bag filled with crockery about the city!”</p> + +<p>“Pshaw!” Jule exclaimed. “It is dollars to +doughnuts that Chet got the bag himself! He said +he’d swipe it if he got a chance. You all know +that!”</p> + +<p>A figure now came dashing down the pier at +break-neck speed and Alex. leaped on the deck and +dropped into a chair, wiping the sweat from his face.</p> + +<p>“Did you find who he was?” asked Clay, as the +boys all gathered around Alex.</p> + +<p>Alex. told the story of the steamer and the +wrecked stateroom, and ended with the talk he had +had with Red, while the boys looked on in wonder +at the odd twist things were getting into. Even +Teddy Bear seemed impressed by the mystery, Jule +declared!</p> + +<p>“And how did you get away from him?” demanded +Case. “How did you get back here?”</p> + +<p>“I jumped and ran, and he caught me,” was the +reply. “Then he made me promise not to say a +word about his escapade on the <i>Rambler</i> and let me +go! Can you beat it?”</p> + +<p>“What did he have you locked up for?” asked +Clay. “I don’t understand that.”</p> + +<p>“Just because he wanted that promise,” Alex. +suggested. “Is that the answer?”</p> + +<p>“It may be,” Clay admitted, “but here’s the +question: Is he a robber or a detective? Is he on +the level, or is he just a clever scoundrel?”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps Alex. can judge better of that when he +knows what has taken place here,” Case suggested, +going on with the story of the disappearance of the +leather bag.</p> + +<p>“Red’s gang got it,” laughed Alex., without a moment’s +hesitation, as Case finished the story. “He +knew Clay put something in the bank, and asked me +what it was. Yes, we know all about it now!”</p> + +<p>“I just believe Chet took the bag, thinking the +gems were in it,” insisted Jule.</p> + +<p>“We’ll never know the truth until we find the +lad,” Clay said, with a sigh.</p> + +<p>“Unless Red, the Robber, shows up again in a +confidential mood,” Alex. laughed.</p> + +<p>“If the supplies I ordered are all in,” Clay went +on, “I think we’d better be on our way. There’s +mystery in the very air here!”</p> + +<p>“If we stay here long,” Alex. prophesied, “the +coon I biffed on the shin may show up, lookin’ for +revenge, or Red may come after pay for the furniture +I smashed!”</p> + +<p>“What did he say about that furniture?” grinned +Jule. “You’ve got the nerve!”</p> + +<p>“He never mentioned it,” was the reply. “Say,” +the lad went on, “I believe that chap is all to the +good, after all! He seemed to think the smash act +was funny.”</p> + +<p>During the afternoon Case and Mose had caught +a large fish and Chet had succeeded in bringing +down a wild duck, so the cooking of supper was an +elaborate affair. Then Clay made light biscuits and +coffee, and fried potatoes, and the boys were as +happy as well-fed boys with no one to “boss,” usually +are, except that they missed Chet.</p> + +<p>After supper they discussed the proposition of +waiting there a day in the hope of finding the runaway +boy, but it was finally decided that he could +find them easier than they could find him, so they +started the motors and went on toward the Gulf.</p> + +<p>The early part of the night was bright, so the +boys ran down about twenty miles, as the river ran, +and then tied up below a “tow-head” which stuck +up out of the water below an island of good size. +They found it necessary to take this precaution always, +for the wash of large steamers passing up and +down would have rattled things in the <i>Rambler</i>, if +the motor boat was not capsized.</p> + +<p>At midnight the sky became overcast with threatening +clouds and the wind blew in fitful gusts. +There seemed to be no danger of their being disturbed +by visitors that night, but all the same they +thought best to station a watchman, and Case volunteered +to keep awake and see that “no one flew +away with the boat,” as he expressed it.</p> + +<p>Somewhere about two o’clock in the morning, the +boy, who was having hard work keeping awake, +heard the puff and bellow of an approaching +steamer, toiling up against the strong current. Almost +at the same instant he felt a jar, as if the boat +had been struck by floating driftwood. He switched +on the prow light to see what was doing, but quickly +extinguished it as the steamer came up and a heavy +rowboat dropped away from her!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink16'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVI—WHAT DROPPED ON DECK</a></h2> + +<p>“I guess my turning on that light started something!” +the boy mused, as he darkened the small +electric globe in the cabin and sat down to await +developments. He kept just inside the cabin door at +first, for the wind was cold and searching.</p> + +<p>For a few moments he could hear the working of +oars and the push of the current on an advancing +boat, and then all was silent save the sighing of the +wind and the wash of the river, still burdened at +times with floating wreckage. It seemed to him that +the boat which had slipped away from the steamer +had anchored somewhere near the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“I fully believe,” Case grunted, as he finally left +the cabin and looked out upon the dim river from the +deck, “that if we should fly through the air on a +cloud there would be some scamp watching us from +another cloud! It’s rotten, the way we are chased +about!”</p> + +<p>The boy did not know that his complaint had +found words until he heard a chuckle close to his +side and turned about to faintly distinguish the +freckled face of Alex., who stood looking over the +river to the south.</p> + +<p>“You’ve got no kick coming!” Alex. declared. +“You wouldn’t go on these river trips if we found +nothing more than scenery, any more than I would! +It seems like living to be chased about, as you call it! +If it wasn’t for the mystery and adventure in the +jaunts I’d be at home in little old Chicago—and +that’s where you’d be, too!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Case returned, “I’d like to get one night +off occasionally!”</p> + +<p>“What is it now?” asked Alex. “I heard the +steamer pass, but that didn’t mean anything to me. +What’s going wrong now? Tell your old uncle +Alex. all about it!”</p> + +<p>“Uncle nothing!” laughed Case, restored to better +humor by the optimism of the other. “If you +want to know what’s on the string, go and get a +glass and try to find a rowboat in this mess of river +and black sky. A safety razor that won’t cut air +will be given to the first one that discovers the +boat!”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” cried Alex. “There’s a boat watching +us! All right! Now I feel better! I was beginning +to wonder when we’d have something to stir us up!”</p> + +<p>“The boat dropped off when the steamer went +up,” Case explained. “I saw it under the lights, +but of course it vanished in the darkness as soon +as the big boat passed.”</p> + +<p>“There’s something going on, then!” Alex. declared. +“Of course they wouldn’t know on board +the steamer in the dark, that we were here, and so +the thing which is going to happen is set to come off +on shore. I’m going to stay awake and see what it +is.”</p> + +<p>“You see,” Case stated, hesitatingly, “I heard a +bump on the hull of the <i>Rambler</i>, just as the steamer +was churning into sight, around that bend, and +turned on the prow light to see about it! That’s +why the rowboat dropped off here, I take it.”</p> + +<p>Alex. gave vent to a long, low whistle.</p> + +<p>“Then we’ve got into the spot-light again!” he +said. “It won’t be any trouble for me to keep +awake now! Shall we tell Clay the glad news, or +let him sleep?”</p> + +<p>“Oh, let him sleep! We can run this watch, all +right!”</p> + +<p>While the boys whispered and listened, the long, +bellowing roar of a locomotive whistle came to their +ears from the east. Then came the distant rumble +of a train.</p> + +<p>“What do you make of that?” asked Case. “I +thought we were in the heart of a wild river country, +and here come a train of cars—palace cars, I’ll go +you, at that!”</p> + +<p>“About three or four miles from the river, in the +state of Mississippi,” laughed Alex., “runs the old +Yazoo & Mississippi railroad. There are little towns +all along its line. Perhaps the boat dropped off the +steamer to make one of the country bergs! We +never thought of that, did we?”</p> + +<p>Case pulled the other by the arm and both drew +away from the gunwale.</p> + +<p>“There’s a boat out there now,” he declared, in a +whisper. “I heard the tunk of an oar then! I’ll +bet they are trying to get on board!”</p> + +<p>“Got your gun?” asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Sure thing I have,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“And your searchlight?”</p> + +<p>“You know it!”</p> + +<p>“So have I,” Alex. went on. “Now, if they try +to board the <i>Rambler</i>, we’ll lie low until they begin +to climb over the rail. Then we’ll turn on our electrics. +If they are strangers, and look like river +pirates, we’ll shoot them up! What?”</p> + +<p>“But why not turn on the prow light?” asked +Case.</p> + +<p>“Because we can handle the electric flashlights +quicker. If we have to show the light and shoot, +be quick to change your position after the light is +switched off. Then, if they shoot back, they won’t +hit you.”</p> + +<p>There was a boat approaching. There was no +doubt about that. And the people on board of her +were doing their best to keep their movements from +being known by those of the <i>Rambler</i>. Case and +Alex. could hear the dash of oars, and now and then +a rough command. The two boys sat in silence and +waited.</p> + +<p>Then, as Case and Alex. afterward complained, +something happened which “spoilt all the fun!” +Captain Joe came out of the cabin and gave forth a +series of threatening growls, and Teddy added to +the warning by saying things in bear talk!</p> + +<p>The mysterious boat came on no longer. There +were still sounds of the working of a heavy craft in +a strong current, but these gradually died out.</p> + +<p>“I’d like to throw you both into the river after +them!” Alex. scolded at the animals, as they came +around him, asking to be congratulated on their +success in driving off the visitors! “Now we’ll be +haunted by those fellows for a week, while if you +had kept quiet we’d have settled with them right +here!”</p> + +<p>“Suppose we turn on the power and chase ’em +up?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“And give them a chance to do all the shooting!” +replied Alex. scornfully. “I’m not looking for a +watery grave in the Mississippi.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Case continued, “if you don’t want to +follow them up, just to see what they look like, perhaps +we’d better drop down a short distance. If we +can’t fight them, we don’t want to feel that they’re +right under our noses, waiting for a chance to get +us into a hole! I’d rather face a hundred men in +the open than know that one was skulking about me +in the darkness!”</p> + +<p>“This is a fierce old stream for strangers to travel +on in the dark!” Alex. said.</p> + +<p>“I know it, but——”</p> + +<p>Before the boy could finish the sentence a faint +jar came, as if some person had caught hold of +the anchor chain and given it a pull, or hung his +weight on it.</p> + +<p>“There’s our friend!” Case whispered. “Now, +get ready with your gun!”</p> + +<p>In a second, while the boys listened, they heard a +hard substance fall on the deck. Alex.’s light flashed +around the gunwale, but there was no one in sight.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the deck, however, still dripping +from the river, lay the leather bag which had held +the diamonds, and which had held only burrs and +broken crockery when last seen on board the <i>Rambler</i>! +Alex. picked it up, found that it was still half +full of some hard substances, and shut off the light.</p> + +<p>“You saw it?” he asked of Case, as he cuddled +down by the boy’s side.</p> + +<p>“Of course! The leather bag!”</p> + +<p>“What do you think of it?” demanded Alex.</p> + +<p>“I don’t think!” admitted Case. “I’ve lost the +power of thought!”</p> + +<p>“But what did they throw it back here for?” insisted +Alex.</p> + +<p>“Why did who throw it back here?” chuckled +Case.</p> + +<p>“Now, look here, Smarty,” Alex. continued. +“There are only four persons who could have taken +that bag from the boat, the cashier and his two +friends, and Chet.”</p> + +<p>“Unless the dog ate it, or Teddy threw it overboard.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, quit your foolishness! Now, which one of +the four is out there in the river? Whoever it is has +a sense of humor, for the tossing of the bag back +shows that the situation is appreciated.”</p> + +<p>“You notice the steamer came UP the river?” +asked Case.</p> + +<p>“Yes; what of it?” demanded Alex. “I don’t +see anything in that.”</p> + +<p>“Well, that shows that whoever threw the bag on +deck came from down stream! It shows, too, that +we have been watched every minute, for reasons +which we don’t know anything about!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, in order to keep track of us they might +have taken the railroad down the river bank and +then taken a steamer up, so as to meet us on the way +down! I see something in it now. But who is it?”</p> + +<p>“It may be Chet!” suggested Case. “He may +have returned the bag just to show us that he knows +about the removal of the diamonds.”</p> + +<p>“I just believe Chet is out there somewhere, and +that he would come on board if he knew we wouldn’t +raise a row about the way he left us!” declared +Alex.</p> + +<p>“I give it all up!” Case returned. “It’s your +watch now, and I’m going to bed! If there’s anything +good to eat thrown on deck out of the darkness, +just wake me up, otherwise let me alone. I’ll +hunt up my dream book to-morrow and find what it +says about leather bags dropping out of the sky!”</p> + +<p>Alex. sat alone in the dim night, watching the +river and the dark bottom lands of the island for a +long time before anything attracted his attention. +Then a light, like that made by a camp-fire, sprang +up on the Mississippi side of the river.</p> + +<p>He could see figures moving about in front of the +blaze, but of course could not distinguish faces. +Presently the low, weird chant of a plantation song +came over the waters. It was evident that a gang of +negroes, possibly railroad repair men, was passing +the night in camp on the shore.</p> + +<p>As Alex. listened to the plaintive songs he heard +a splash in the water at the side of the boat, and +shot his light in that direction. A stick was floating +away, and the boy concluded that it was that which +had made the noise he had heard.</p> + +<p>He heard the negroes come to the bank of the +river to gather driftwood for the fire, and heard +their drawling voices saying something of the river +going down fast, but could not catch the full import +of their words.</p> + +<p>The companionship of the fire and the voices was +something to the boy, and he sat until daylight began +to show in perfect contentment. Then he went into +the cabin to get a line, it being his idea to surprise +the boys with a fish breakfast.</p> + +<p>He looked at the sleeping faces for a moment and +started when he came to a rug in the corner where +Mose usually slept! Captain Joe was there, his nose +in his paws, but Mose was not there! Alex. searched +the boat. The negro boy was gone! The amazed +boy half pulled Clay out of his bunk and began the +story of the night.</p> + +<p>“We’re not yet out of the enchanted land,” he +said. “We are still seeing things! The leather bag +comes back out of the sky, and Mose goes up in the +air. I’m for getting down to the Gulf right soon.”</p> + +<p>“Have you looked in the bag for any solution of +the puzzle?” asked Clay. “There may be a note of +some kind there: a note of explanation. See?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” declared Alex., pointing over the side, and +not answering the question about the bag, “I see +that we are stuck in the mud, and not likely to get +out until another flood, a year, or perhaps two years, +off.”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink17'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVII—GETTING OUT OF THE MUD</a></h2> + +<p>Clay’s face plainly expressed the dismay he felt +as he bent over the gunwale and looked downward +in the growing light of the morning. The <i>Rambler</i> +lay in a bed of soft, oozy mud, with harder ground +between her and the “tow-head.”</p> + +<p>“I presume,” Alex. said, “that the people of this +country will be glad to see that the river lowered in +the night! So are we?”</p> + +<p>“We ought to have provided against this,” Clay +exclaimed, in self-reproach. “We might just as +well have anchored a few yards farther down. +What next, I wonder?”</p> + +<p>“The longer we wait before getting the motor +boat into the water,” Alex. said, “the harder work +it will be, for the river is lowering every minute.”</p> + +<p>Clay scratched his head and estimated the distance +to deep water.</p> + +<p>“We’ll have to put on our bathing suits and take +to the mud,” he decided. “By all taking hold, we +may be able to get her out of this mess. Nice job it +is, too!”</p> + +<p>“Sure!” Alex. grinned. “Mud baths are healthful! +There’s Mike Cogan, the Chicago politician, +he goes to take mud baths twice a year! If we had +him here now we wouldn’t charge him a cent for his +cure! I think he’d like it, too.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll wake Case and Jule, and we’ll get right at +it,” Clay said. “I wish a lot of husky plantation +hands would happen along in a shanty boat.”</p> + +<p>“There was a group of them over on the Mississippi +side last night,” Alex. explained. “We might +get them, if they are there yet. Say,” he continued, +with a grin, “I believe that is where the little coon +went! He saw the camp-fire and heard the plantation +songs, and couldn’t remain away from his own +people!”</p> + +<p>“In that case,” Clay suggested, “the little rascal +will be back soon.”</p> + +<p>“Never can tell about boys of the Mose stripe,” +Alex. predicted. “He may follow the men off and +never show up here again.”</p> + +<p>Clay started for the cabin to arouse Case and Jule +and then turned back to ask:</p> + +<p>“Did that pocket book—the bag, rather, that had +the diamonds in, make its appearance before or after +Mose disappeared?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know when Mose lit out,” was the reply. +“At one time I heard a splash in the river and looked +to see what it was about, but Mose was not in sight +then. There was only a large stick floating in the +stream. Still, he might have gone at that time. If +he did, he left long after the bag was thrown on +deck. What about it?”</p> + +<p>“I was thinking that he might have followed off +the person who threw the bag,” Clay explained, +“though I can’t understand why he should have +gone away so secretly. Did the dog make any remarks +about the time the bag reached the deck?”</p> + +<p>“Nix on Captain Joe! He’s getting too sleepy! +He stirred only once in the night, and that was when +the boat was coming up to us. He frightened the +pirates away, when Case and I had planned to shoot +’em up!”</p> + +<p>“Then,” concluded Clay, “when we reach the +truth of it, we’ll discover that it was Chet who was +around here last night, and who threw the bag on +deck. You know we have been thinking, all along, +that he might have taken it.”</p> + +<p>“That’s what Jule insists on,” Alex. returned, +“while the rest of us think one of the visitors took +it, and that Chet chased off the boat to get it back, +not knowing that the diamonds had been taken out +of it.”</p> + +<p>“It seems clear now,” Clay replied, “that Chet +took it. In the first place, there is no good reason +for supposing that the visitors would find the bag, +or take it if they did find it; or take any trouble to +return it after they had found its contents of no +value. Chet got it, all right, and, disappointed and +chagrined at the substitution we had made, he lost +no time in throwing it back at us.”</p> + +<p>“Chet was broke, wasn’t he?” asked Alex., with +a sly grin.</p> + +<p>“So far as I know, yes. Anyway, he didn’t look +like a millionaire when we took him on board and +fixed him out with a suit of your clothes!”</p> + +<p>“Then how would he ride up the river in a +steamer, or ride down the river to the next town to +take the steamer, or hire a rowboat and pay the +captain of the steamer for letting him off in his boat +as soon as he saw the light of the <i>Rambler</i>?”</p> + +<p>“You smash all my solutions,” laughed Clay. +“Now, give me one of your own, so I can smash +that,”</p> + +<p>“I ain’t no prophet!” grinned the red-headed +boy, “but I’m gambling that when we get down to +the bottom of matters we’ll find Red, the Robber, in +the mess!”</p> + +<p>“We have already found him in the mess,” +laughed Clay. “He knew, according to your story, +that I had put something in the safety vaults! Besides, +he seemed to own the steamer you were on, +didn’t he?”</p> + +<p>“He seemed to be the boss.”</p> + +<p>“Suppose we quit guessing and get the <i>Rambler</i> +out of the mud,” suggested Clay, then.</p> + +<p>Case and Jule were called out on deck, and the +lads, clad only in their bathing suits, were soon wallowing +in the soft mud, which was so deep that they +could get no footing at all, and so could not lift on +the boat. In fact, the more they tried to lift the +boat, to slide it toward deep water, the deeper she +seemed to sink.</p> + +<p>“We’re up against a beautiful proposition!” Jule +exclaimed, climbing back on deck and leaning over +the gunwale. “If we jar the boat any more, we’ll +have to take a trip to China and pull it through +from the other side!”</p> + +<p>Clay plowed out of the mud and made his way to +the “tow-head” where he began examining the +growth of willows. He seemed satisfied with what +he saw, for he began cutting the long wands and +called to the others to join him.</p> + +<p>“What’s doing?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“This ain’t no island improvement corporation!” +Alex. grinned.</p> + +<p>“I know what he’s up to!” Jule shouted, and in +a second he was off the deck, cutting willows and +throwing them into a heap at the edge of the hard +ground.</p> + +<p>“We’ve got to make mattresses of these willows,” +Jule declared, wiping the sweat from his face. +“I read about that in a paper not long ago.”</p> + +<p>“To sleep on?” asked Alex., with a wink at Case.</p> + +<p>“Silly!” roared Jule. “Get busy, both of you.”</p> + +<p>When a great stack of the willow wands had been +cut, Clay and Jule began roughly braiding them together. +In this way two mattresses a foot in thickness +and nearly twelve feet square were constructed +before noon. During all this time the boys had seen +nothing of Chet, of Mose, or of the negroes who had +camped on the shore the previous night. They had +also overlooked breakfast!</p> + +<p>The novelty of their employment had so engaged +their attention that they felt no need of food until +Teddy appeared on the deck sitting up like a man, +begging for his breakfast! Then Alex. threw down +the wands he was carrying to Clay, who was doing +the weaving at that time, and sprang over to the +boat with a chuckle of amusement.</p> + +<p>“You’re all right, Teddy Bear!” he cried. “We +don’t know enough to eat when we’re hungry, do +we? We’ll show ’em what it is to feed up right +without delay.”</p> + +<p>“What you going to get for dinner?” demanded +Jule, putting a hand to his stomach to show how +empty it was. “I want a whale fried whole!”</p> + +<p>“Get your whale, then,” advised Alex.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps you think I can’t!” laughed Jule. +“Pass out my line and rod and I’ll show you +whether I’m a fisherman or not!”</p> + +<p>Alex. did as requested and Jule waded through +the mud to where there was a bit of hard ground, +next the island, with a little swirl of water close by.</p> + +<p>“Watch me now!” he cried.</p> + +<p>But the boys did not care to watch him. Case +and Clay continued the work of braiding mattresses, +and Alex. got out a gun and sat on deck watching +for ducks, of which there were plenty in that vicinity. +Presently a yell from Jule called the attention +of the others to him. He was fighting a fish +which seemed to the astonished boys to be not less +than ten feet in length, and the fish was pulling him +down stream.</p> + +<p>“Give me a hand!” the boy shouted. “He’s pulling +me in!”</p> + +<p>“Let go the line!” cried Alex.</p> + +<p>“And lose it!” answered Jule. “Not much! +Give me a hand!”</p> + +<p>Case and Clay both rushed to the boy’s assistance, +and with great effort a monster fish was landed in +the mud. Jule was jubilant.</p> + +<p>“The biggest catch of the trip!” he declared. +“Who says I can’t produce a whale when I feel the +need of a whole one fried?”</p> + +<p>Case and Clay leaned back and screamed with +amusement. Alex. looked on with a grin which +was more provoking than the laughter of the others.</p> + +<p>“Have all the fun you can,” roared Jule, “but +don’t get gay!”</p> + +<p>“Throw him back into the river!” Clay advised, +poking at the catch. “That is just a big catfish, +and no one eats them save the negroes! They’re +tougher than the tripe at Bill’s restaurant, in +Chicago!”</p> + +<p>“I guess you won’t throw him away!” yelled +Jule.</p> + +<p>“All right!” Clay answered. “Take him to bed +with you, if you want to, but kindly see if you can’t +get a bass for our dinner. There are plenty of them +in here.”</p> + +<p>Reluctantly Jule started the catfish back toward +his natural element, and the big fellow seemed to +thank him with a parting wave of his tail as he took +to the water. In a few moments he had a fine large +bass, weighing six or eight pounds, and before long +Alex. had a couple of ducks, so work was suspended +while dinner was cooked and eaten. After the meal +the work was continued until Case declared there +were enough willow mattresses on hand to float a +city.</p> + +<p>Then the mattresses were hauled alongside the +<i>Rambler</i> and a considerable part of the cargo of the +boat was put out on them. Thus lightened, and +having a strong footing, the lads had no difficulty in +pushing the <i>Rambler</i> out into deep water.</p> + +<p>“What shall we do with the mattresses now?” +asked Clay, as the boat swung off the bottom. “We +have spent too much time on them to throw them +away!”</p> + +<p>“Tow them along,” advised Case. “It won’t +cost us anything to tote them along, and we may +have use for them. A man could build a tent on +them, by fastening them together, and live there. +I’m strong for taking them with us.”</p> + +<p>This was finally agreed to, and the boys were +about to start down the stream again when a shout +from the Mississippi side of the river attracted their +attention.</p> + +<p>“There’s that little coon!” laughed Case. “See +the rascal! He’s going to swim to the boat, or going +to try to!”</p> + +<p>“He never can do it,” Clay declared. “We’ll +have to swing the <i>Rambler</i> over that way and pick +him up. He’s making a swift run, though!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Alex. replied, “just you look behind him +and see what he’s running from.”</p> + +<p>Half a dozen negroes and one white man were +now seen running down the river bank in pursuit of +Mose. They seemed to redouble their exertions +when the <i>Rambler</i> shot over toward the boy, but +were obliged to halt when the boy was picked up +and the boat went on down stream, towing the willow +mattresses in her wake!</p> + +<p>Mose dropped down on deck, panting and rolling +his eyes.</p> + +<p>“Ah’m scared white!” he chattered. “Fo’ de +Lawd, dat’s de man what trun dis coon an’ Captain +Joe into the ribber up no’th! Ah’s scared of him!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink18'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XVIII—SWEPT INTO A SWAMP</a></h2> + +<p>“Who threw you and Captain Joe into the river, +up north?” demanded Jule. “Wake up and tell +us what’s the matter with you. What were those +people chasing you for?”</p> + +<p>Mose only sat up on deck and rolled his eyes as the +<i>Rambler</i> increased the distance between the pursuers +and himself. Seeing that he was now beyond their +reach, he arose and leaned over the gunwale and +made funny insulting faces at them.</p> + +<p>“What does he mean?” asked Jule, turning to +Clay. “Who’s chasing him?”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you remember how Sam, the Robber, the +fellow who, with Red, captured the <i>Rambler</i> in the +bayou, threw the boy and the dog out, and how they +lay in the grounds at the old house until dusk and +then came to your rescue?” asked Clay. “You +must have a poor memory, I think.”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know whether it was Red or Sam who +threw him in,” Jule explained.</p> + +<p>“So that’s Sam over there with the negroes?” +questioned Alex. “What did you do to them, +Mose? Where did you go last night? What do +you mean by forming an exploring expedition all by +yourself and having all the fun?”</p> + +<p>“Ah went ’shore to hear de singin’,” the boy replied, +“an’ dey cotch me stealin’ de yaller leg +chicken, an’ say de’s goin’ to beat dis coon up +plenty!”</p> + +<p>“You swam all that way to steal a chicken?” +asked Jule. “Was it cooked?”</p> + +<p>“Yaller leg chicken!” insisted the boy.</p> + +<p>“Was it cooked?” persisted Jule. “Where did +they get it?”</p> + +<p>“Dey say it done lef’ de roos’ an’ follow dem into +camp!”</p> + +<p>“Did you eat a whole one?” asked Case. “A +whole yellow-legged chicken?”</p> + +<p>Mose grinned and showed the whites of his eyes.</p> + +<p>“Ah shore did!” he replied, and Jule declared +that he would willingly have helped him do it if he +had only known about it!</p> + +<p>“What were they talking about last night?” asked +Clay, as the <i>Rambler</i> turned a bend and lost sight +of the negroes and Sam, still gesticulating fiercely, +on the east shore.</p> + +<p>“They’re sho’ goin’ to get you-all!” was the +reply. “They goin’ to steal dis boat, first thing you +know. Ah’m scart ob dat white man!”</p> + +<p>The little fellow could tell very little of the talk +he had heard while detained in the negro camp. He +knew that Sam, the Robber, was there with the +negroes, and that he was continually urging them to +help him secure the <i>Rambler</i>, but that was all. Of +their plans he knew nothing but this.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon the boys passed a great +many steamers, going up the river, some with supplies +for those who had been made homeless by the +flood. Fortunately the levees had held, but the +water had filled in back of them, in some instances +and destroyed much property. The lagoons and +swamps up river were still flooded, and in places +farming land was still being washed away.</p> + +<p>All the way down, until night closed in, they saw +gangs of negroes on the levees, fishing drift wood +out of the water. In some instances small out-houses +were brought out in good condition. One shanty +boat the boys saw had the cupola of a house set up +on the prow, and a farm bell in the top of it was +ringing as the raft bobbed in the currents of the +river. Now and then families were seen gathered +on the levees, evidently waiting for a steamer to +take them off.</p> + +<p>The boys kept up good speed until night and then +tied up in a small cove on the lower side of an island, +not far from the Mississippi side.</p> + +<p>“We have been going pretty fast,” Clay observed, +as the boat was worked in behind a point so as to be +out of the wash of the steamers. “We haven’t a +thing to do until we get back to Chicago, and we +can take all the time we want getting back. How is +that for a peaceful life, Mose?” he added, turning to +the little negro boy.</p> + +<p>Mose showed a mouthful of white teeth and a +pair of chalk-white eyeballs.</p> + +<p>“It takes a corkscrew to get conversation out of +Mose!” Jule observed.</p> + +<p>“I think I can make him talk,” laughed Alex. +“Mose,” he went on, “I’ll give you a plate of honey +for supper if you’ll tell me where Chet is and who +threw the leather bag on deck last night?”</p> + +<p>“Some one fro’ what?” asked the little fellow.</p> + +<p>“Some one threw this on the boat in the night,” +Alex. answered, handing the bag to the boy. “Did +you hear any one around before you left?”</p> + +<p>The negro boy rolled his eyes for a minute then +took the bag and held it under the nose of Captain +Joe, who sniffed at it for a second and then walked +back to the place in the cabin where Chet had slept.</p> + +<p>“De dawg sho’ know who fro’ dat bag!” he said, +patting Captain Joe on the head.</p> + +<p>“That shows why the dog didn’t make a row +when the person who threw it got close enough to +the boat to heave it on deck!” Jule laughed.</p> + +<p>“It takes a little coon to find out things about +animals!” grinned Alex. “Here we’ve been studying +over who tossed the bag, and Mose settles the +question in a minute. That is sure some coon!”</p> + +<p>“There’s an affinity between a boy and a dog, +anyway!” Clay laughed.</p> + +<p>“I wonder if the kid is right?” Case questioned.</p> + +<p>The boys discussed the matter during supper, and, +right or wrong, Mose was given his plate of honey, +which he was obliged to divide with Teddy!</p> + +<p>The night passed away without incident, and +early morning found the <i>Rambler</i> on her way to the +Gulf again. The day was not different from other +days for a week. The boys passed plantations and +villages, swamps and lagoons, which seemed to have +escaped the force of the flood, but now and then +came to a wrecked cabin toppling from a bank.</p> + +<p>They secured a supply of gasoline at a small +place near the Arkansas line and at night found +themselves in the heart of a desolate country. When +they tied up they were at the mouth of a lagoon +which seemed to lead into a great swamp.</p> + +<p>“It is a sure thing that no leather bags will be +thrown on deck to-night,” Clay observed, as supper +was prepared. “We are even off the track of the +steamers, for they seem to stick to the opposite side +of the stream.”</p> + +<p>“This would be a dandy spot for a band of river +pirates to inhabit,” Jule added.</p> + +<p>“Don’t talk about pirates!” admonished Clay. +“You’ll have Mose turning white again. Some +day he’ll turn so white with fright that he will never +turn black again, and he wouldn’t like that, would +you, Mose?”</p> + +<p>“Ah’s ’tented wif mah color,” answered the boy.</p> + +<p>“That’s all right, as long as you are on the boat,” +Alex. put in, “but you jump into the lagoon and +see how long you’ll last. An alligator will leave a +fat pig any time to make a dinner off a black boy!”</p> + +<p>“Quit scaring the boy!” exclaimed Case. “First +thing you know, he will be afraid to swim ashore to +steal a yellow-legged chicken roasted by tramps!”</p> + +<p>When darkness fell a soft wind came out of the +west and a slow rain began falling. It was wild and +uncanny outside, but bright and warm in the cabin. +Alex. entertained his chums for a time with stories +of the Mississippi, and explained how Grant had +shortened the stream by cutting a new channel at +Vicksburg, but all were tired, and by nine o’clock all +were asleep save Jule, who was to stand guard that +night, and Mose who was moving restlessly about.</p> + +<p>“Come on into the cabin, Mose,” Jule finally +ordered, “and go to bed, like a good coon! You’ll +get wet out on deck!”</p> + +<p>The boy entered the cabin and sat down near the +stove, in which a small fire was burning. Jule regarded +him attentively.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with you to-night?” he finally +asked.</p> + +<p>“Ah hear a roar!” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“That’s the wind in the cypress trees,” Jule explained.</p> + +<p>“Is it de win’ makes de ribber come up?” asked +Mose, in a moment.</p> + +<p>“Is the river rising?” asked Jule, going to the +door and switching on the prow light. “It ought +to be running down.”</p> + +<p>By the light of the electric the boy saw that the +river was indeed rising. Little knolls which were +above water when the boat had been anchored were +now under a swift current. The river was sweeping +past the mouth of the lagoon with a new force.</p> + +<p>Presently trees and wreckage of different sorts +were seen drifting down, and there came a rushing +sound which added greatly to the weirdness of the +scene.</p> + +<p>“This beats me!” Jule muttered. “The flood +has been going down for nearly a week. There +must have been heavy rains up to the north, and at +the sources of the rivers emptying into the Mississippi. +I wonder if it will do anything to us?”</p> + +<p>At that moment a timber crashed against the +<i>Rambler</i>, jarring it considerably.</p> + +<p>Clay and the others were out of their bunks in a +minute, and out on deck to see what had taken +place. Alex. was the first one to grasp the situation.</p> + +<p>“We’ll have to turn on the motors to hold this +boat,” he said. “The anchor lies in the mud, and +will pull away at the first push of a current. First +thing we know, we’ll be down there in a cypress +swamp!”</p> + +<p>“You’re excited!” Case called out. “We passed +the flood two days ago.”</p> + +<p>“That’s the trouble,” Alex. explained. “We +passed the flood! The crest of it is still to the north +of us. It has undoubtedly been raining up river, and +that has swelled the volume of water.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean that we got down the river in advance +of the flood?” demanded Case.</p> + +<p>“We have been going a little faster than the +current, haven’t we, notwithstanding our tying up +nights?” Alex. asked. “This little boat has been +going some! To-night the crest of the flood overtakes +us. See?”</p> + +<p>“It doesn’t look reasonable!” Case insisted. +“I don’t believe it!”</p> + +<p>“The kid is right,” Clay declared. “I have often +read about boats meeting the flood the second time, +once when they passed it, and once when it caught +up with them.”</p> + +<p>The roaring sound which Mose had referred to +now grew louder, sounding like the rush of a long +and heavily loaded freight train.</p> + +<p>While the lads listened, hardly knowing what to +do to protect themselves, Mose pointed a shaking +hand at a spot far down the lagoon. Clay looked +and saw a great blaze on what seemed a wooded +knoll to the west of the river.</p> + +<p>“There’s a camp down there!” he said.</p> + +<p>“That makes it nice!” grinned Alex. “No +honest men ever made camp in that hole at this +season of the year! It is dollars to tripe that if we +don’t put on power the crest of the flood will wash +us down, when the full strength comes, and beach us +among a band of river pirates! If we don’t get +under way up stream we’ll have do to something to +make the anchor hold!”</p> + +<p>While the boys were discussing some way of accomplishing +this, for they did not like the idea of +breasting the flood, the crest of the flood came seething +down the stream, a wall of water four feet high! +It swept over the point of land between the river and +the bayou and dashed against the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>The anchor held for a minute, then the boys knew +that they were in motion. The current seemed +stronger there than in the river itself.</p> + +<p>“The water is cutting a new channel below,” +Clay shouted, as the <i>Rambler</i> was swept away, +“and we are headed for that swamp. Now, we are +in a peck of trouble!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink19'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XIX—PILGRIMS FROM OLD CHICAGO</a></h2> + +<p>The “peck of trouble” referred to as their portion +by Clay turned out to be a full bushel, and good +measure at that, in a very short time. Although the +boys turned on the power—a thing they should have +done long before—as soon as the crest of water +came in sight, the <i>Rambler</i> was pitched down toward +the swamp like a chip.</p> + +<p>If the boys had been able to direct her course, +they might have held her in the current, and so kept +out of the muck hole into which she was swept when +the water cut around a bend, driving straight on the +shore. But just as the craft was getting under control +a mass of limbs and cane-brake tangled her propellers, +and she went down with the flood, striking, +as has been said, in a swamp where the head of the +bayou had been, and into which the water still +poured.</p> + +<p>It was pitch dark out on the river and in the +swamp, but the lights of the <i>Rambler</i> cast a circle +of illumination about the spot where she lay, so that +the black, bubbling water, with all the unclean reptiles +it was forcing forth from their haunts, was in +full view. It was carrying wreckage now, and this +was piling up between the current and the boat, +shutting off all chances of backing out, even if the +current would have permitted it. It was indeed a +desperate situation.</p> + +<p>The motor boat had come to a stop against two +monster cypress trees, between which she had +wedged her nose. Only for this she might have been +carried farther into the swamp, the water being deep +for some distance ahead.</p> + +<p>During the whirling passage down the bayou, +while the boat was bumping against tree trunks and +bounding off with a jar and a swish to go swinging +around again, like a foolish dancer doing the time +limit, Mose had clung tightly to one of Clay’s legs. +At the very beginning of that mad race he had +caught sight of a couple of alligators, and was in +deadly fear that they would climb on board and +make a meal of him!</p> + +<p>When the boat finally lodged between the giant +trees, the little negro boy bounded from the deck +and, seizing hold of a mass of vines, clambered up +the tree to the west like a young monkey! Believing +that he would have to help the others up, he carried +a rope with him! Finally, sitting astride of a limb, +he called down what he considered very good advice +to the boys on the boat.</p> + +<p>“Dey done get yo’, sho’!” he warned. “Catch +on de rope an’ shin up!”</p> + +<p>Serious as the situation was, with the water trinkling +in over the stern of the motor boat, the boys +grinned at each other at the fright of the boy.</p> + +<p>“Come on down!” Alex. called. “If the boat +should break away from the trees, you would be +left alone in the swamp. Come on down and help +get the boat out of this blessed swamp! You may +get out with your rope and tow her if you want to!” +he added, with a chuckle.</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Lawd!” cried Mose, shuddering at the +idea of getting into water inhabited by monsters +who would leave a fat pig to feast off a black boy!</p> + +<p>At least that was what one of the boys had said +to him!</p> + +<p>Attracted by the strange lights, walking and +creeping things now began gathering in the shadows +at the rim of the circle of light. Once Clay caught +sight of the soft, appealing eyes of a deer, and now +and then the howls of a swamp cat came to their +ears above the roaring of the flood. Great water +snakes struck their heads above the surface and +looked, red-eyed, and hostile, at the boys.</p> + +<p>Swamp creatures with soft fur and frightened +eyes crouched on fallen trees and scanned the deck +as a possible refuge. To make the scene more desolate +still, if possible, two round-eyed owls answered +each other’s cries from a near-by cypress.</p> + +<p>“Say,” Jule whispered to Clay, during a little +lull in the rain, “there’s a man by that tree. I’ve +been watching him a long time. Look at him!”</p> + +<p>Clay followed the line of the pointing finger and +laughed.</p> + +<p>“Why, that’s a bear!” he shouted. “A swamp +bear—one of the kind Teddy Roosevelt came down +here to shoot when he was president! Let him +alone and he’ll let us alone. They fight like devils +when wounded or molested.”</p> + +<p>The boys all agreed to let the bear alone, but Captain +Joe and Teddy seemed to have notions of hospitality. +The dog barked invitingly, and Teddy did +a stunt of bear talk which brought the wanderer one +tree nearer to the boat. He was now in the +circle of light, and could get no nearer without +swimming.</p> + +<p>“He sees Teddy and wants to ask his advice!” +Jule laughed.</p> + +<p>At that moment Mose, noting that the boys were +gazing fixedly in one direction, turned his eyes that +way and saw the bear. The shriek he let out might, +it seemed, have been heard in New Orleans, if the +wind had been blowing in that direction!</p> + +<p>“Ah’s a gone coon!” he wailed, after that one +yell. “Ah’s a goin’ whar de good niggers go! +Good bear! Good bear!” he added coaxingly.</p> + +<p>The bear looked upon the scene for a moment +longer with disapproving eyes and then turned +away. For a moment he was seen walking on +jammed logs, alternately wading through shallow +places, and then he was lost in the darkness.</p> + +<p>“There!” Alex. called out to Mose, “you’ve +frightened our bear off!”</p> + +<p>“Dat yo’ bear?” asked Mose. “Den yo’ keep +yo’ animile out our ya’d!”</p> + +<p>Although frequently invited to return to the boat, +Mose insisted on keeping his place in the tree. Now +and then he called out that a bear or a deer was +about to board the <i>Rambler</i>, but for the most part +he sat still, looking about for more things to be +frightened at!</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> was now securely fastened in between +the two trees, standing on a level, or floating +on a level, rather. There was considerable water +under the deck, it having worked its way down +through the joints about the hatches, and the boys +proceeded to lift all available covers and bail it out.</p> + +<p>“How are we ever going to get out of here?” +asked Jule, working away with a basin and a sponge. +“These trees will hold us forever.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll have to cut them down, Silly!” answered +Case. “Just as soon as the water goes down, we’ll +crawl out on one of the mattresses and fix the propellers.”</p> + +<p>“Mattresses!” answered Jule. “They drifted +away long ago.”</p> + +<p>“Look ahead and see,” remarked Case, and Jule +did so.</p> + +<p>The willow and brake mattresses which had been +towed down stream were loose from the motor boat, +but they were in sight, having lodged against the +mud bank farther in the swamp. They could be +reached, the boys figured, by a little wading after +the flood subsided, which it was certain to do before +long.</p> + +<p>“You see,” Case went on, “the trees will hold +the boat up, like it was in a dry dock, and we can fix +the propellers and the leak and then chop down the +trees and get out. Perhaps we can follow this channel +out to the river. If there wasn’t an opening +somewhere, the current here wouldn’t be so fierce!”</p> + +<p>“There may be a channel,” Clay agreed, “but if +there is it must be full of standing trees and hidden +snags. If we ever get out of here, we’d better run +back to the main channel, and keep out of such holes +in future!”</p> + +<p>“There wouldn’t be any fun in river trips,” +laughed Alex., swinging an axe at the head of a +water snake which was trying to get up on the deck, +“if it wasn’t for the adventure there is in it! I +wouldn’t have missed this for anything!”</p> + +<p>With the last word of this endorsement of the +situation on his lips Alex. took a header over the +gunwale of the boat into the water! A great trunk +had bunted the <i>Rambler</i> on the port side, and she +had tipped so as to knock the boy off his feet and +over the railing before he could make up his mind +what was coming off!</p> + +<p>“Wow!” cried Clay, as the boy came, spluttering +to the surface.</p> + +<p>“You wouldn’t miss this for anything!” roared +Case.</p> + +<p>“Bring a couple of snakes and an alligator out +with you!” requested Jule.</p> + +<p>Mose, sitting on the limb, high up in the tree, +called down to the boy that a water snake was trying +to get into his pocket, and that an alligator was nosing +about his leg.</p> + +<p>Disregarding all comment and advice, Alex. +crawled back on deck and sat looking wrathfully +into the flood. But his anger did not last long.</p> + +<p>“If that log hadn’t come along,” he said, “I +should have forgotten my bath. When it comes +daylight, I’m going to get up a race with that alligator, +with the snake as referee! Mose can enter +if he wants to!”</p> + +<p>Mose shivered at the thought. He was now +climbing higher. When near the top he gave another +yell and hustled down to a lower limb, where he sat +with his hands clinging tightly to the trunk.</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Lawd’s sake!” he shrieked.</p> + +<p>“What is it now?” asked Jule. “If you don’t +come down I’ll shoot you!”</p> + +<p>Mose pointed to the rim of the light zone and +cried that the river robbers had come to get the boat. +The boys looked where he pointed and saw three +young men standing in a submerged grove of cypress +trees. All were armed and all were bearded +and forbidding in appearance. As the boys looked +one stepped forward.</p> + +<p>“Just a second,” Clay called. “That is near +enough!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink20'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XX—THE DARKEY UP THE TREE</a></h2> + +<p>While Case talked with the young man Clay +went back into the cabin to talk with Alex., who +was now changing into dry clothing.</p> + +<p>“Do you think the story that man is telling is +all right?” he asked.</p> + +<p>“I think he is telling the truth about the river +thieves,” Alex. replied.</p> + +<p>“I was wondering if that wasn’t just a bait to +help them get on board.”</p> + +<p>“It may be, but there are river robbers in this +section. They told us that where we bought the +gasoline. These may be the robbers, for all I know, +but we ought to make sure of that before turning +them down. They’ll starve here, if they have lost +their boat and provisions. Of course they can get +wild game, but I don’t see how they are going to +cook it. We ought to give them a chance, anyway.”</p> + +<p>Clay went back to the deck and listened to the +conversation between Case and the visitor, who +seemed a little annoyed at the doubting of his word.</p> + +<p>“Where did you live in Chicago?” he heard Case +ask.</p> + +<p>“In furnished rooms on Elizabeth street, near +Washington boulevard,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Where did you work?” was the next question, +impertinent and personal, but seemingly necessary +at that time.</p> + +<p>“At a machine shop on Clinton street, not far +from West Madison.</p> + +<p>“Then you are machinists?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, all of us. Business is dull in our line just +now, and we thought we’d make a hit with ourselves +by spending a winter in the south.”</p> + +<p>“When did you leave Chicago?”</p> + +<p>“We left Chicago last September,” answered the +man, turning toward the rail. “We expect to get +back sometime during the next century, if all +Chicago boys are as hospitable as you are! Now, +with your permission, I’ll go back to my friends.”</p> + +<p>“How do you know we are from Chicago?” +asked Clay, stepping forward.</p> + +<p>The other laughed lightly and pointed to the +boat’s name on articles scattered about.</p> + +<p>“But, aside from that,” he said, “we’d know you +anywhere. The Chicago newspapers carried a lot of +feature stuff about your boat and your trips.”</p> + +<p>“All right, stranger,” one of the three answered, +in rather a pleasant tone of voice. “Just as you +say!”</p> + +<p>“What do you want?” asked Alex., still shivering +from his cold bath.</p> + +<p>“We want a ride out of this consarned swamp,” +was the reply.</p> + +<p>“How did you get in here?” asked Clay. “Get +out the way you got in!” he added.</p> + +<p>“Our shanty boat is smashed to flinders and our +grub is gone,” complained the other. “It don’t +look as if we could walk out of here, does it?”</p> + +<p>“Was that your fire we saw?” asked Case, drawing +closer to the gunwale.</p> + +<p>“We had a fire before the flood pounced down +upon us,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“What shall we do?” asked Clay, facing the +others. “If they are on the square we can’t leave +them here. They would starve!”</p> + +<p>“They may be pirates!” suggested Jule.</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe it,” Case declared. “They don’t +look the part. Besides, if they had designs on the +boat, they could have picked us off in the darkness, +and we’d never have known where the bullets came +from. They’re all right!”</p> + +<p>“One of you come aboard,” Clay instructed, +“and we’ll see what you look like.”</p> + +<p>In plain view of the boys the man who had done +the talking handed his gun to a companion and +struck out for the boat, walking on logs part of the +way, wading part of the way, and swimming when +he could do neither. In a moment he was on deck.</p> + +<p>“The three of us,” he explained, “were out of +work at Chicago. We had a little cash, and decided +to come down here and spend the winter where we +wouldn’t have room-rent or restaurant bills to pay. +We thought we could cut and market enough fish-poles +out of the brake swamps to pay our way back +in the spring.”</p> + +<p>“That wasn’t a bad idea!” Jule declared.</p> + +<p>“We were getting along all right,” the other +went on, “until the river thieves began troubling us. +They stole our food, and at last began stealing our +poles. We were getting ready to go out when the +flood smashed our shanty boat into smithereens. +Now we are up against it, unless you take us with +you. And,” he added, with a quick glance around, +“you’d better take us on board, for the thieves are +back there in the swamp, with their envious eyes +fixed on this boat. They are mostly negroes, and +escaped convicts.”</p> + +<p>“You ought to know that we’ve got to be careful,” +Clay said, as the man was about to leave the +boat. “We don’t know anything about you, except +what you have told us, but we’re going to take a +chance on you. Tell your friends to come on +board.”</p> + +<p>In five minutes the three were in the cabin, trying +on some of Clay’s clothes, for their own were not +only wet but they oozed black muck. When they +were dressed again they passed their revolvers over +to Clay, with the statement that they wouldn’t need +them unless the river pirates took a hand in the +game that night.</p> + +<p>“Have the ruffians been here long?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“About a month ago,” was the reply, “a lot of negroes +broke away from a convict camp off to the west +somewhere. They came into this swamp and built +a camp on a knoll, which must, by the way, be under +water now. They are murderers, housebreakers +and sneak thieves of the most desperate kind. We +tried to make friends with them, but it was of no +use. They think their camp is unknown, and so +object to our getting out and telling where it is. I +half believe they will try to keep you from getting +out for the same reason.”</p> + +<p>“If it is all the same to you boys,” another of the +visitors said, “we’d like something to eat. We were +half starved when we came on board. I think I can +catch a fish or shoot a duck, so our supper won’t +cost you anything only the bother of having us +around. What do you say? Do we eat?”</p> + +<p>“I should say so!” cried Alex., sticking his head +out of the cabin, “and when you are out after game +get enough for me a little lunch. I haven’t had anything +to eat since dark!”</p> + +<p>“Is that rowboat at the side all right?” asked +the visitor, pointing to the boat which had been +found up the river. “If it is, I’ll get a little ways +from the motor boat, in the shadows, and see what +I can do getting ducks.”</p> + +<p>“The boat is all right,” Alex. answered, “and +I’ll go with you. I’m beginning to feel the lack of +adventure. I get awfully tired of this monotony +sometimes!”</p> + +<p>They all laughed at the idea of there being any +monotony in the situation, there in the swamp, with +the river roaring around them and the watchful +thieves in the thicket, and Alex. seemed quite annoyed +at the thought that they regarded his remark +as a joke.</p> + +<p>“Perhaps something will happen before you get +back,” Clay grinned.</p> + +<p>“The boat may smash,” said Jule, cheerfully. +“It has been banged about quite a lot since we got +it. Or you may find some of the robbers. There’s +no knowing what streak of good luck you may get +into!”</p> + +<p>“I’m not looking for any good luck of that +kind!” the visitor said, as he drew the rowboat +around and clambered into it. “I’ve had all the +cheerful incidents of that character I care to have. +When I get back to Chicago, I’m going to get a +room next to the Desplaines street police station and +go to bed at seven o’clock every night.”</p> + +<p>“What’s your name?” asked Alex., abruptly as +he pushed off from the <i>Rambler</i>.</p> + +<p>“Gregg Holder,” was the reply. “I’m just +Gregg to all my friends, but I’m Bully Gregg on +South Halstead street. The others are Eddie Butler +and Hank Quinn.”</p> + +<p>“That settles it!” grinned Alex. “I’m going +back.”</p> + +<p>“What for?” asked Gregg, in surprise. “Don’t +you want a duck or a fish?”</p> + +<p>“Sure I do,” was the reply, “but I’m afraid! +You’re the man that fought Murphy to a draw? +What? And Eddie Butler is the boy that bested +Murray!”</p> + +<p>“You’ve got that right, kid,” was the reply. +“We’ve all been in the prize ring, but we’re no slum +toughs. If you think the bears and snakes and robbers +are better company than we are,” he added, +“we’ll get out of your boat!”</p> + +<p>“You’re just the lads to give the pirates a good +drubbing!” Alex. laughed, “and so we’ll ask you +to remain with us and learn something of the rules +of polite society! Let me take one oar, unless you +want to keep on going round in a circle!”</p> + +<p>“There’s something pulling on the boat,” Gregg +said. “I can’t keep it on a straight line. See if you +can find out what has tangled us.”</p> + +<p>Alex. turned on his searchlight and cast its rays +on the water ahead. Then he dropped his light in +the bottom of the boat and stuck his hands out +straight. Gregg looked up as the light fell, then +dropped the oars and stuck his hands out straight!</p> + +<p>“This is the adventure you wanted!” Gregg said, +as half a dozen negroes showed on a hummock only +a few feet away. “We’re held up by the river +thieves!”</p> + +<p>“What do you fellows want?” Alex. demanded, +looking straight into the muzzle of a gun that +seemed to have a bore as large as the Hudson river +tunnel.</p> + +<p>“We want that boat, so we can get on board the +motor contraption,” said a voice.</p> + +<p>“That’s no negro!” whispered Alex. “It is a +white man blacked up!”</p> + +<p>“Right you are!” replied Gregg.</p> + +<p>“What are you boys talking about?” demanded +the holder of the threatening gun.</p> + +<p>“We were telling each other how glad we were +to meet you!” Alex. snarled.</p> + +<p>“You’re a nervy kid, anyhow,” said the other. +“Push the boat up here, so we can get in. We were +raised as pets, and don’t want to get wet.”</p> + +<p>There was nothing to do but obey instructions. +They knew the desperate character of the men they +were facing. If they followed orders and waited +for an opportunity to turn the tables on their captors, +they might get out of the mess with whole +skins, but if they forced a fight there and then there +would be little hope for them. When there were +four of the pirates in the boat, crouching down +under the gunwales, who made the fifth, the spokesman +gave his orders.</p> + +<p>“Now you boys row back. When we get close up +I’ll show myself and put the whole party under +cover. See? My men will also have their guns, +and if you disobey instructions in the slightest particular, +you’ll be shot in the back.”</p> + +<p>“That’s where you like to shoot, I take it!” +growled Gregg. “If I had one of you out on the +bank I’d break him in two pieces and feed him to +the snakes.”</p> + +<p>“Cuss if you want to!” commented the robber. +“We can settle all that after a time. Just now, get +over to that boat, and call out that you’ve found +another castaway in the swamp! We’ll be on board +before they can say a word.”</p> + +<p>This looked like turning the <i>Rambler</i> over to +thieves, but there was no way in which the boys +could reverse conditions just then, so they rowed +toward the motor boat, calling out that they had +found a sick man in the jungle. The robber prodded +them with the muzzle of his gun when they did not +give the right inflection to their voices.</p> + +<p>When the boat entered the circle of light the boys +on board the <i>Rambler</i> were all leaning over the gunwale, +looking for the boys and the rescued individual. +There were no weapons in sight, and Alex. +feared that all the revolvers were stowed away in +the cabin, and that the <i>Rambler</i> would be taken +without a shot being fired in her defense.</p> + +<p>When the boat touched the hull of the <i>Rambler</i> +the robber sprang to his feet, presenting two long +guns as he did so.</p> + +<p>“I’ll empty these guns into the crowd of you,” he +said, in a low, even voice, “if there is one move on +deck. We are coming aboard, and the better you +use us the better we shall use you. Just sit still, +boys,” he added, addressing his men, “until I get on +deck.”</p> + +<p>He was lithe and strong, and was on the deck in +an instant, without opposition, his guns threatening +the amazed boys and their visitors. Captain Joe +gave forth a volley of ugly growls, and would have +attacked the man, but Clay ordered him back.</p> + +<p>“Never mind the dog,” he said. “He won’t +bite!”</p> + +<p>“If he does, he’ll get a chance to bite lead!” the +robber exclaimed. “Now, men,” he went on, +“climb up into the boat. Leave the rowers where +they are.”</p> + +<p>Four husky negroes, all with traces of whisky +in their breath, began climbing over Alex. and +Gregg to reach the motor boat. As they were +steadying the rocking craft, they carried no weapons +in their hands.</p> + +<p>Then something happened which was as much of +a surprise to the boys as it was to the men who were +trying to capture the <i>Rambler</i>!</p> + +<p>A rope with a wide noose at one end came whirling +out of the sky and fell over the robber’s head, +resting for an instant in a neat coil on his shoulders!</p> + +<p>He clutched his weapons closer and looked up. +Then the line tightened about his muscular neck +until his feet left the deck and his face grew red +with the blood of strangulation, then grew white. +The revolvers clattered to the floor, and the man’s +figure toppled and fell as the rope slacked.</p> + +<p>When this strange thing happened, Alex. and +Gregg were bending their heads down to permit the +negroes to clamber over them. Still they saw the +rope fall, saw the man gasp as it closed about his +neck, and felt the negroes springing back in dismay.</p> + +<p>Then they arose with their heavy oars in their +hands and struck slashing, crunching blows at the +heads below them! One negro lifted an arm to +shoot, but it fell with the bones of the shoulder +crushed to pulp. One by one they dropped out of +the boat, some with broken arms, some with broken +heads. After they had all disappeared, either under +the surface of the lagoon or into the darkness of the +swamp, a shrill voice came from the tree where +Mose had taken refuge from the snakes and the +alligators:</p> + +<p>“Go on, white folks,” it said, “Ah goin’ hang +dis immitation coon up on dis tree!”</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink21'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXI—DODGING A POLICE BOAT</a></h2> + +<p>“You little coon!” Clay gasped.</p> + +<p>“Hurrah for Mose!” cried Alex.</p> + +<p>“If you’ll come down here I’ll hug you!” shouted +Gregg.</p> + +<p>“How did you ever think of it?” Case called out.</p> + +<p>Mose, now the happiest little negro boy in the +United States, sat astride of his limb and grinned +until it seemed that the top of his head would drop +off backward!</p> + +<p>In the meantime, the river pirate had remained +unnoticed on the deck, the rope so deftly dropped by +Mose still around his neck. Case finally bent over +him.</p> + +<p>“Why!” he exclaimed, shrinking back. “The +man is dead!”</p> + +<p>“Dead!” echoed Clay. “What killed him?”</p> + +<p>Then they all bent over the still figure for a closer +examination. Just as Case had declared, the robber +was dead. His neck had been broken by the rope +when Mose had drawn him off his feet! Alex. +looked up at the boy.</p> + +<p>“You must have a good pull in your arms!” he +cried. “How did you manage to swing him up? +You’re a wonder, Mose!”</p> + +<p>Mose only grinned in reply, but Clay explained +the matter by saying that the boy had thrown the +rope over a limb higher up and used that as a pulley.</p> + +<p>“Still,” he added, “it took a lot of muscle to jerk +that heavy man off his feet. I didn’t think the boy +had it in him.”</p> + +<p>Then came the question as to what disposition +should be made of the body. There was no hard +ground near at hand so that a decent grave could +be prepared. There were marshy knolls, it is true, +but any excavation made there would instantly fill +with water.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Gregg said, “the best we can do is to +bury him in the water. I don’t mean in the lagoon +or in the river, but in a grave which will fill with +water. There he will at least be out of the reach of +reptiles and wild animals when the water subsides.”</p> + +<p>“But how are we ever going to get out there and +dig a grave?” asked Jule, who was not inclined to +waste much effort on the body of a man who, in life, +would have robbed, perhaps murdered, them!</p> + +<p>“With your permission,” Gregg said, “we’ll take +the body out and bury it. I haven’t much use for +men of his type, but he’s dead, and that settles all +accounts!”</p> + +<p>“We may be able to get a couple of birds for supper +while we are away,” suggested Eddie Butler. +“We have been so busy lately, that we haven’t eaten, +or provided anything to eat! I’m empty clear to my +toes!”</p> + +<p>“And I’ll catch a fish off the boat!” Jule volunteered. +“I saw some big ones jumping up not long +ago! They’ve been driven out of their nests by the +flood.”</p> + +<p>So Gregg and his friends went away in the rowboat +to bury the outlaw and get a couple of ducks +for supper, while Jule and Alex. angled over the +stern of the boat for a fish. The first rush of the +flood was past, but the water was still high. There +was a strong current rushing past the stern of the +<i>Rambler</i>, and this indicated that there must be a +channel open to the main river not far below.</p> + +<p>The boys caught a great catfish and two +awkward-looking buffalo-fish and turned them loose in +the stream before they succeeded in getting anything +they wanted for supper. Then they caught a dozen +perch of good size and proceeded to clean them.</p> + +<p>By the time the fish were ready for the pan Gregg +and his friends were back from their expedition +with half a dozen fat ducks, already dressed.</p> + +<p>“We’ll have some for breakfast, and some for +dinner!” Eddie declared. “I feel now as if I’d +never get enough to fill me up again!”</p> + +<p>Something long and twisting dropped on the +man’s shoulders and fell off to the deck.</p> + +<p>“Holy smoke!” he shouted. “Look at the +snake!”</p> + +<p>A shout from up the tree told of the trick Mose +had played on the man, and the rope was coiled +away. In a short time Mose came sliding down the +trunk.</p> + +<p>“He smells supper!” explained Clay. “I’ve a +notion to set Captain Joe on him!”</p> + +<p>“Dat dog don’t bite dis coon!” Mose replied. +“Ah’m in lub wid dat dog!”</p> + +<p>Captain Joe and Teddy came forward and looked +the three visitors over approvingly.</p> + +<p>“That bear would make a good meal!” Gregg +declared, with a wink at Case.</p> + +<p>Mose’s eyes stuck out for a minute, and then he +tickled his own chin and gave out a sound like a +goat.</p> + +<p>“B-a-a-a-a-a-a! B-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!” he bleated.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with the coon?” asked +Gregg, with a look of surprise.</p> + +<p>“He’s telling us to get wise to the alfalfa!” Jule +cut in. “Alex. don’t know how to translate so white +men can understand.”</p> + +<p>“You’ll both wash dishes for a month!” roared +Clay, doubled over with laughter. “We make that +a penalty for talking slang,” he explained, turning +to Gregg.</p> + +<p>“But I don’t understand yet,” the other went on. +“What is the matter with the boy? Has he turned +himself into a billy goat?”</p> + +<p>“He’s suggesting that you mow the lawn!” Case +explained. “He doesn’t like the fire-escapes!”</p> + +<p>Clay roared and pointed to the beards worn by the +three, and then they understood and joined in the +laugh until the swamp echoed back the sounds.</p> + +<p>“You’ll all have to wash dishes, I take it!” Gregg +declared.</p> + +<p>“That’s about the way it usually turns out, when +one starts talking slang,” Clay explained. “We’re +all so full of it that it just bubbles out.”</p> + +<p>“It is fine that we have something to be jolly +over,” Gregg hastened to say, “for the prospects of +getting out of here are not alluring.”</p> + +<p>“Wouldn’t be no fun if everything went right!” +Alex. insisted. “We have the most sport when +we’re lost, or stolen, or strayed away. Now, you +watch me cook these ducks.”</p> + +<p>The boy got out a baking pan standing on three +short legs. The bottom was double so as to prevent +burning. Then he put two fat ducks inside, secured +the cover, and removed what seemed to Gregg to be +the whole top of the stove.</p> + +<p>The short legs of the pan rested on the red-hot +coals in the firebox, while the cover was always +within reach. As soon as the ducks, which had +previously been hastily parboiled, began to simmer +and send forth appetizing odors, the boy watched +them every minute, turning and basting until they +were a beautiful golden brown.</p> + +<p>In the meantime coffee had been made and the +fish fried on the electric coil.</p> + +<p>“I presume you’ll want hot biscuits for supper, +too?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>The visitors were too busy with the game to do +more than shake their heads.</p> + +<p>“We usually have three kinds of meat, fish, baked +potatoes, pancakes, light bread, pie, honey, and three +or four vegetables on the side,” Alex. explained, +with a wink at Mose, who sat in a corner next to the +deck with Joe and Teddy watching the meat disappearing +from a “drumstick” he was busily engaged +on.</p> + +<p>“An’ possum pie!” the little negro boy added, +licking his chops.</p> + +<p>“Sure! I forgot the possum pie!” Alex. declared. +“Excuse me!”</p> + +<p>“Certainly!” laughed Gregg, “and we’ll excuse +you, too, for all future products of the imagination! +The twenty course dinners at the La Salle haven’t +got anything on this little banquet! For my part, +I don’t care whether we ever get out of here, now, +or not.”</p> + +<p>“Some day,” Alex. observed, “I’ll show you how +to cook a steak à la brigand! After you eat one of +them you’ll go hungry for a week before you’ll +touch anything else!”</p> + +<p>“You may lead me to one of them any time you +see fit!” Eddie laughed.</p> + +<p>The river was still roaring and foaming about the +<i>Rambler</i>, caught in the narrow space between the +two cypress trees. Just where the boat lay the current +turned away to the east, that is the current of +the lagoon. The Mississippi was, of course, across +the inundated spit of land which lay on the west +shore of the river and on the east side of the bayou +or lagoon.</p> + +<p>Just as the boys finished their somewhat delayed +supper the lights of a steamer showed up the stream. +It passed the mouth of the bayou and hugged the +opposite shore of the Mississippi for a time, then +headed for the west shore.</p> + +<p>“That’s strange!” Case exclaimed. “She sees +our lights, but what is she coming over to this side +for?”</p> + +<p>The mystery became more of a mystery still when, +reaching the west side, the steamer turned prow up +stream and started to breast the flood, still carrying +great masses of wreckage down stream. She made +her way up to the mouth of the bayou and stopped, +her propellers going just fast enough to keep from +dropping back.</p> + +<p>“If I’m not mistaken,” Gregg suggested, “that +is a boat carrying officers on a hunt for the escaped +convicts. Can’t we get out of here before they +reach us?”</p> + +<p>“Why should we run away from them?” asked +Clay, suspiciously.</p> + +<p>“Because they will mistake us for convicts,” replied +Gregg. “An officer in a position to abuse his +authority always does so. Many of the man-hunters +along the river are little better than the men they +hunt. Some of them are worse. This, of course, +does not apply to the sheriffs and deputies of the +counties touching the river, but to hired detectives +and gunmen who come here to make a living hunting +others.”</p> + +<p>“You must be sore on the police,” Alex. exploded. +“I’ve got a lot of friends on the Chicago police +force. They’re good fellows, at that!”</p> + +<p>“All right!” Gregg assented. “There are a lot +of good men there. But if you want to remain here +and permit those ruffians to overrun your boat, insult +you, and hold you prisoners until you can get to +some town where identification is possible, you can +do so. We can stand it if you can.”</p> + +<p>“There may be some sense in what he says,” Clay +urged, “and if we could get out of the trap we are +in and make the propellers go, I’d be willing to go +on down the river and let the officers have the whole +country to themselves.”</p> + +<p>“Can’t we follow this bayou current and get out +on the river below them?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>Clay said no; Gregg and his chums said yes.</p> + +<p>“The water has been cutting a channel for a long +time,” Gregg explained. “It needed only a slight +push to send the remaining bank down. There are +few obstructions in the new channel, as I figure it +out, and I believe we would go through like a top +once we got started. And we’d better hurry, if we +are going to do anything, for, of course, they have +seen your lights. They wouldn’t have stopped here +if they hadn’t.”</p> + +<p>“But the propellers!” urged Clay. “They’re +broken.”</p> + +<p>In a moment one of the men had his clothes off to +the undersuit and was diving down at the stern of +the <i>Rambler</i>. He remained under the water so long +that the boys began to fear that he had met with +some accident, or been attacked by a snake or an +alligator. He came up smiling, however.</p> + +<p>“Only clogged!” he cried. “You, Gregg and +Eddie, get axes and chop the east tree down! The +boat will then swing away from the other. You +must make the cut down in the water, then we’ll +have to lift the prow over the stump.”</p> + +<p>The plan suggested proved successful, and the +<i>Rambler</i>, under power, and trailing the mattresses, +was soon feeling her way down the new channel. +Then excitement was observed on the steamer, and +she was headed about for the main stream again. +It looked like a race was on!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink22'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXII—THE SHERIFF KNOWS A LOT</a></h2> + +<p>It was still raining when the <i>Rambler</i> headed +into the Mississippi, and there was no glimmer of +light in sight save that which came from the +steamer, still puffing at the mouth of the bayou, and +that which lighted the path of the motor boat. The +wind had gone down, and the slow, soft rain dominated +the night.</p> + +<p>It was evident from the very start that the +steamer was no match for the <i>Rambler</i> when it +came to a question of speed. As well might a delivery +truck attempt to compete in swiftness with a +perfect touring car.</p> + +<p>Besides the power of speed, the <i>Rambler</i> had +another quality which enabled her to rapidly increase +the distance between the two boats. The +river was still covered with wreckage, and the motor +boat was a good dodger! She responded quickly +to her helm, avoiding the driftwood ahead easily, +while the steamer was slower in picking her way.</p> + +<p>“Your boat is a peach!” Gregg exclaimed, enthusiastically, +as the lights of the steamer dropped +out of sight behind a bend in the river. “Nothing +would please me better than a long trip in her.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay replied, “why not? We are going +to the Gulf, and are in no hurry to get there. We +are shy sleeping bunks, but if you boys can put up +with beds on the floor you are welcome to go along +with us. I reckon you’ll manage to supply your +share of the provisions!”</p> + +<p>“The prospect is an attractive one,” Gregg replied, +“but I think we’d better stop at Vicksburg +and find employment of some kind. Later, we may +go on down the river in a houseboat of our own. +That depends on how lucky we are in getting good +jobs.”</p> + +<p>“We shall be sorry to part with you,” Case put +in. “We have been together only a few hours, but +a great deal has happened in that time! Only for +your warning, the river thieves might have sneaked +aboard the <i>Rambler</i> and captured it. In that case, +you know very well what would have become of us. +We should have been murdered!”</p> + +<p>“I have no doubt that you would have taken care +of yourselves,” Eddie declared.</p> + +<p>“There’s one thing I want to ask you,” Clay went +on, “and that is about the outlaw you buried back +in the swamp. He was a white man, wasn’t he?”</p> + +<p>“Yes; a white man blacked up like a negro.”</p> + +<p>“Did you look him over carefully enough to be +able to give me a description of him?”</p> + +<p>“Well, we washed him up a little when we saw +that he was a Caucasian, and I got a fair impression +of his face, which wasn’t a prepossessing one, by any +means.”</p> + +<p>“Can you give me something of a notion of it in +a few words?” asked Clay.</p> + +<p>“Some old acquaintance of yours?” asked the +other, with a smile at Case.</p> + +<p>“He might have been. The fact is, I thought I +recognized the voice of the spokesman.”</p> + +<p>“There!” Alex. exclaimed. “I had that same +notion. Mose,” he added, turning to the negro boy, +“was that the man who threw you and the dog into +the water?”</p> + +<p>“Ah sure done thought so!” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“You think it was Sam, the Robber, the man who +accompanied Red?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know but it might be!” answered Clay, +and Alex. at once insisted that it was the same man. +Mose was ready to swear to the fellow’s identity by +this time!</p> + +<p>“Tell us how he looked after the black was +washed off,” requested Clay, after a short pause, +during which the three men compared notes—mental +notes—of their impressions of the man they had +left in the lonely grave in the swamp.</p> + +<p>“We have decided on one word that expresses +our thought of the man,” Gregg finally replied. +“You know that all human beings in some manner +resemble some wild animal species. Some men are +lions, some are monkeys, some are dogs, some are +bears, some are foxes. Well, this man was a fox!”</p> + +<p>“I thought so,” Clay exclaimed. “I thought the +fellow’s voice sounded like Sam’s.”</p> + +<p>“There are many men with fox-faces,” Gregg +warned. “This man may not have been the individual +you refer to as Sam. If he is an enemy of +yours, keep looking for him.”</p> + +<p>With this bit of good advice the matter was +dropped for the time. The steamer was no longer +in sight, but the <i>Rambler</i> was kept on her way to +the Gulf.</p> + +<p>In the middle of the next forenoon they came to +Delta, which is at the bottom of the Vicksburg cutoff, +on the west bank of the river. Here, with many +handshakes and expressions of regret at parting, +the three men left the boat.</p> + +<p>“If we have any luck at all,” Gregg said, as the +<i>Rambler</i> pushed out, “we’ll meet you somewhere +south of New Orleans. We’ve always wanted to +see that swamp country.”</p> + +<p>The boys moved slowly down the river after that.</p> + +<p>Again they were enjoying themselves, fishing, +hunting and exploring the country on either side of +the great stream.</p> + +<p>There were lowlands, swamps, winding bayous +and forests in places. Again, there were plantations, +with noble houses showing from the river. +Whenever they halted at a plantation landing they +were received most hospitably.</p> + +<p>The wreckage of the flood was running out of +the stream, and the water was dropping down to +normal. Occasionally they left the boat at night +and built rousing camp-fires on high banks. At +such times plantation hands often gathered about +them with banjo and mandolin and violin and made +the night musical.</p> + +<p>They heard no mention of the Rock Island warehouse +robbery until they approached Baton Rouge. +The night before they sighted that beautiful city +they camped on a piece of high land on a small +island. No sooner was their fire blazing high than +a couple of rowboats skimmed across the river and +drew up near the little camp.</p> + +<p>There were three men in one boat and two in the +other, and the whole five hastened to greet the boys. +They were evidently planters, for they were well +dressed and gave the impression of being gentlemen.</p> + +<p>The man who seemed to be the leader looked +keenly around the camp, peered into the cabin of the +<i>Rambler</i>, and then approached Clay with outstretched +hand.</p> + +<p>“I don’t need to ask who you boys are,” he +laughed. “I am a regular reader of the Chicago +newspapers. One of them, not long ago, printed +your pictures, including those of the dog and the +cub! If you’ll desert this camp and come over to +the house, I’ll be glad to put you up for the night.”</p> + +<p>“I hardly think we would sleep well under a +roof,” Clay laughed, “but we’re all very thankful +for your kindness. Besides, we’ll have to remain +here and watch the boat. We’ve had some trouble +coming down, and are determined to be on our +guard.”</p> + +<p>“You won’t find any river thieves around here,” +smiled the visitor. “I’m sheriff of this parish, and +I’ve taken considerable trouble to clear the country +of them. You say you’ve had trouble on the way +down? Then this must be the party that gave the +officers such a race up above Vicksburg?”</p> + +<p>“There was a steamer chased us—for a little +while!” grinned Clay.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I understand,” replied the sheriff. “The +newspapers were full of the incident the next day, +and you were held forth to the public as the boldest +of river brigands! Why did you run away from the +officers?”</p> + +<p>“We only suspected that they were officers,” was +the answer.</p> + +<p>“It wouldn’t have taken long for you to have +found out,” smiled the officer.</p> + +<p>“It might have taken us a long time to get away +from them,” Clay answered. “You know how +eager some officers are to make a capture. Well, we +didn’t want to be bothered with them, so we just took +to our heels.”</p> + +<p>“The officers were looking for a boy believed to +be on your boat,” the sheriff remarked. “They had +information that he had been seen with you on two +occasions.”</p> + +<p>“He must refer to Chet Vinton,” Case interrupted.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know his name,” the sheriff went on, +“but he is the boy believed to have taken a hand in +the Rock Island robbery.”</p> + +<p>“That is the lad,” Clay answered, with an amused +smile. “We have had him on board the <i>Rambler</i> +on two occasions, and each time he has mysteriously +disappeared.”</p> + +<p>“Where did you see him last?”</p> + +<p>“At Memphis.”</p> + +<p>“That was after you rented a deposit box at a +bank?”</p> + +<p>“You seem to know all about it,” grinned Clay. +“Yes, he left soon after I rented the deposit box +in the bank. By the way, do you know a giant of +a man, red-headed and kind-hearted, who is a gentleman +of leisure one moment and a river pirate the +next?”</p> + +<p>Clay thought he saw suppressed excitement in the +face of the sheriff as he asked the question, and +waited expectantly for an answer. The officer hesitated +before saying a word, then he pushed the direct +question aside.</p> + +<p>“There are a good many men along the river who +might answer to the description,” he said, “but I +can’t call any names to mind just now. What about +him?”</p> + +<p>“Why, I met him on the river,” Clay answered, +resolved to be just as secretive as the officer, “and I +also met a man I took to be him at Memphis. I +have a notion that I would like to meet him again +some time. He’s all right, that man!”</p> + +<p>“Tell me this,” said the sheriff, then, “what did +you boys discover in the old house on the bank of +the lagoon? I understand that at least two of your +party spent the day there. I’d like to know what +they saw and heard in the house.”</p> + +<p>Clay regarded the sheriff suspiciously.</p> + +<p>“Has there anything happened to us on this trip +that you don’t know about?” he asked, then.</p> + +<p>“Why,” replied the other, “we’ve been hearing +about you all down the river. Don’t forget that we +have telegraph wires in this country, as well as up +north. Yes, we’ve heard a lot about you, and, to +tell the truth, I’ve been waiting rather anxiously for +you to make your appearance. What about the old +mansion, where the negro boy and the dog got your +friends out of a bad mess?”</p> + +<p>“Say,” Alex., who had been listening, cut in, +“what do you know about that old mansion? What +kind of a gang is it that holds forth there?”</p> + +<p>“You ought to know!” smiled the sheriff. “You +called on them.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and they insisted on our making a longer +visit!” grinned Alex.</p> + +<p>“Now, what is it about the boy?” the sheriff said, +changing the subject.</p> + +<p>“You know all that I know about him,” replied +Clay. “He ran away from us following the visit +to the boat of the bank cashier and two friends.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I heard about that,” said the officer. +“Now, will you be good enough to tell me if you +have seen him since that night?”</p> + +<p>“We have not, except that he returned to the +<i>Rambler</i> during the dark hours and restored something +he had taken away from her.”</p> + +<p>“Are you sure it was the boy who came back +with the leather bag?” asked the sheriff, with a +most exasperating laugh. “Are you sure it was the +boy?”</p> + +<p>“I am not,” Clay answered, wonderingly. “I +spoke too hastily. Come, Mr. Sheriff, tell me how +you know anything about that leather bag.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know much about it, that’s the trouble,” +was the reply. “I wish I knew more. Now, tell +me this: Have you an appointment with this boy +farther down the river? Do you expect to meet +him again during your trip?”</p> + +<p>Clay replied that he hoped to, and the sheriff said +little more on the subject. He expected the sheriff +to ask for the key to the deposit box, but he did not.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink23'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXIII—A NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS</a></h2> + +<p>“I believe,” Clay declared, after a long pause, +during which the voices of negroes along the levee +came softly through the night, “that you know +something about the three persons we are just now +interested in.”</p> + +<p>“Name the three,” laughed the sheriff. “Who +are they?”</p> + +<p>“First, the man we have always called Red, the +Robber.”</p> + +<p>“You have referred to him before, my boy.”</p> + +<p>“But you gave me no satisfaction,” urged Clay, +eagerly. “Do you know him?”</p> + +<p>“I have heard of a man who sometimes answers +to the name of Red. What next?”</p> + +<p>“The boy, Chester Vinton, accused of having had +a hand in the Rock Island robbery.”</p> + +<p>“Why do you think I know anything of him? +If I knew where he was I’d be sure and keep him +long enough to find out what he knows about that +robbery!”</p> + +<p>“And the third person is the cashier of the bank +where I left the packet. What did he come on board +the <i>Rambler</i> for? Who were the men with him?”</p> + +<p>“The cashier said he was curious to see the +famous boat, didn’t he?”</p> + +<p>“Pshaw!” exclaimed Clay. “That wasn’t the +reason he came on board! Honest, now, didn’t he +expect to find some of the plunder taken from the +warehouse on the boat?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what he expected to find, I’m sure. +I have never talked with him.”</p> + +<p>“Now,” Clay went on, “you have referred to the +leather bag, the one thrown on the deck of the +<i>Rambler</i>. Who told you about the bag if the cashier +didn’t? I begin to think the cashier took the bag +and threw it back, or caused it to be thrown back, +when he discovered that it contained nothing of +value.”</p> + +<p>“What did it contain when you first saw it?” +asked the sheriff, a twinkle in his eyes. “Let us +talk about that, for a time!”</p> + +<p>“I’m going to show you,” Clay replied, half +angrily, “that I can be just as secretive as you can! +I don’t know anything about the leather bag!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” the officer went on, with a puzzling expression +on his face, “if you come across this boy +Chet will you let me know about it?”</p> + +<p>“No, I won’t!” replied Clay.</p> + +<p>“That’s right! Speak right up, promptly! Now +I know just what to expect!”</p> + +<p>“You might clear up the whole matter,” Clay +complained, “and yet you won’t open your mouth! +I’m not going to assist you—not if I get a chance, +which is doubtful.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said the sheriff, moving toward the +boats, “I must be getting along! I may see you +later. If you come back this way don’t forget that +you are all to be my guests for a few days. I really +want to get better acquainted with you boys.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll think it over,” laughed Clay. “We’re +thankful for the invitation, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“And when you get down below New Orleans,” +the officer suggested, “look out for the real thing in +pirates! That boat of yours would make a fine +craft for a freebooter. And human life is not regarded +as very valuable down there.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll be careful, thank you!” Clay answered, +and the sheriff and his men went off in their boats, +leaving the boys looking wonderingly at their retreating +forms.</p> + +<p>“Now,” Alex. grumbled, “what did they come +here for, anyway? They simply let us know that +they were wise to our troubles and went away—without +finding out anything, or giving us any information +except that they were acquainted with +our movements.”</p> + +<p>“They did ask for the boy Chet,” suggested Case.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you suppose they know what it was I put +in the deposit box at the bank?” asked Clay. “Of +course they know! Now, why didn’t the sheriff demand +the key and claim the diamonds as stolen +property?”</p> + +<p>“It is peaches to prunes that he has opened the +box long before this, or that some one has!” Alex. +put in. “He’s the original little pry-in!”</p> + +<p>“I’m all out of guesses,” Jule declared, “and +so I’m going to bed.”</p> + +<p>The boys saw nothing of the sheriff the next +morning. They were on their way at an early hour, +and, going at a swift clip, were within sight of New +Orleans by nightfall.</p> + +<p>“Shall we spend the night in the city?” asked +Case, then.</p> + +<p>“And where would we leave the <i>Rambler</i>?” +asked Jule. “If we left it on the river we wouldn’t +have any boat in the morning.”</p> + +<p>Without deciding the point the boys tied up some +distance above the city and prepared supper. The +moon arose in a clear sky about eight o’clock and +the boys did not turn on the electric lights after eating. +They sat in the moonlight on the deck and +watched Captain Joe, Teddy and Mose tumbling +about.</p> + +<p>“If it wasn’t so much trouble to dress,” Case said, +after a time, “I’d like to go to a theatre to-night, +and have a swell supper afterwards.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t want much!” laughed Clay.</p> + +<p>“Why not go, then?” asked Alex. “I’m not too +lazy to put on a decent suit.”</p> + +<p>“Do you mean it?” demanded Case, rising from +his chair.</p> + +<p>“If the others will stay and guard the boat I +mean it,” was the reply.</p> + +<p>“Go if you want to,” Clay answered the inquiring +look, “for Jule and Mose can help me keep off the +pirates! Only don’t remain away all night.”</p> + +<p>“Ah done like to see dis town!” Mose suggested.</p> + +<p>“You’ll have to wait until some other time, +Mose,” Clay replied. “You must stay on board and +help repel boarders now!”</p> + +<p>The little negro grinned as if perfectly satisfied +with the arrangement, and went on with his boxing +match with Teddy. Case and Alex. dressed as +rapidly as possible and were taken ashore, in the +four-oared boat captured above Memphis, at the +foot of a street not far from a trolley line running +to the business center of the city. When Clay returned +with the rowboat, Mose was on one of the +willow mattresses which had been brought down +the river.</p> + +<p>In a few minutes Clay called to him to come on +board, but there was no reply. Mose was nowhere +in sight. He had evidently started out to see the +city on his own hook!</p> + +<p>“I reckon that is the last we’ll ever see of him,” +Jule commented, as they gave up the search for the +boy. “He’ll get to shooting craps in the city and +live there forever. Can’t do anything with a kid +like that.”</p> + +<p>“It is hard work to knock any sense into the head +of a boy brought up on the St. Louis levee,” Clay +admitted, “but I hope he’ll return.”</p> + +<p>“Perhaps he followed Case and Alex., and will +return with them,” Jule suggested.</p> + +<p>“That would be like him,” Clay admitted.</p> + +<p>The boys were not sleepy and the moonlight was +fine, so they sat on the deck until midnight, waiting +for the others to return. They had not returned at +one o’clock, and the watchers were becoming anxious +when a call from the shore came to their ears. +In a moment the call was repeated, shriller than before, +and then there followed a splash in the river +and a shot.</p> + +<p>The boys saw a figure swimming toward the <i>Rambler</i> +and got out their guns.</p> + +<p>“Doesn’t look very formidable!” Clay observed, +as the figure came nearer. “It looks like Mose! +Now, what the mischief is the little coon up to, I’d +like to know?”</p> + +<p>“It is Mose, all right,” Jule assented, “and there’s +some one on shore shooting at him. He may have +been up to some of his pranks on shore.”</p> + +<p>Directly the shooting on the shore ceased, and +then Mose came on faster, not being obliged to +swim under water half the time. He crawled, +chilly and dripping, on deck and rolled his eyes at +Clay.</p> + +<p>“Dey done got um!” he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“What about it?” demanded Jule. “Who’s got +them?”</p> + +<p>After much questioning it was learned that Mose +had left the <i>Rambler</i> in time to overtake Case and +Alex., that he had followed them into the city, and +had seen them talking with Chet Vinton, the mysterious +boy who seemed to turn up in the oddest +places and to disappear in the strangest manner.</p> + +<p>The boys had talked with Chet for a long time, +the little negro said, and had not gone to the theatre +at all. Instead, they had gone into a disreputable +part of the city with the boy, and had there met +two men believed by the negro to be thieves.</p> + +<p>At last, at a late hour, the boy declared, still with +much hesitation, Case and Alex. had attempted to +leave the little cottage where they were sitting and +had been forcibly detained. Chet, Mose said, had +been the first one to oppose their departure. Then +he, Mose, had dashed away to warn those on the +boat and had been followed by some of the men he +had been watching.</p> + +<p>He described in glowing terms and very bad +English how he had jumped fences and chased +through moonlit backyards, and how he had been +shot at at every step of the way!</p> + +<p>“I reckon you were shot at because some one +mistook you for a thief.”</p> + +<p>Mose looked reproachfully at Jule, and rolled his +eyes wider than ever.</p> + +<p>“What are we going to do now?” questioned +Clay. “I don’t know how much of this story to believe.”</p> + +<p>“One of us might leave the boat and go back +with Mose,” the other suggested.</p> + +<p>At mention of his going back to the place from +which he had fled, Mose rushed into the cabin, +lowered his bunk, and covered up, head and ears, in +the bedclothes! Captain Joe tried to worry him +out, but without success.</p> + +<p>“I believe the dog can find them,” Clay remarked, +presently.</p> + +<p>“I’m willing to go and try what he can do,” Jule +answered.</p> + +<p>“If we could get that foolish negro to come +along!” Clay commented.</p> + +<p>Jule went back to the bunk and shook Mose by +the shoulder.</p> + +<p>“Come on,” he cried. “We’re going to take Captain +Joe out with us and find the boys. You’ll +have to go along and show the way!”</p> + +<p>“Fo’ de Law’d’s sake!” wailed the boy. “Let +dis coon die in hes bed!”</p> + +<p>“Come on!” insisted Jule. “You’ve got to +come.”</p> + +<p>After many arguments and many promises of reward +in the shape of yellow shoes and red shirts, the +boy consented to go ashore again. Clay warned +Jule to be watchful and cautious and saw him go +away with Mose and Captain Joe with a feeling that +a great deal depended on his good judgment.</p> + +<p>Jule and Mose were obliged to wait some time for +a late car, and the walk to the quarter of the city +toward which their steps were turned was a long +one, so it was nearly three o’clock in the morning +when they came to a dilapidated old shanty near the +river front. Mose declared this was the place, and +Captain Joe seemed to think so also, for he said +quite positively, in his best dog-English, that there +were people he knew in that old ruin, which was +dark in every window and door.</p> + +<p>Now and then, as the boys and the dog stood in +front of the house, loiterers of the night paused in +their aimless wanderings and regarded them speculatively, +possibly mistaking them for disreputables +like themselves. For a long time there was no sign +of life in the house, and then a soft footstep was +heard at the front door and the boys heard a knob +stealthily turned.</p> + +<p>Listen as they might, they heard nothing more for +a long time, and then a figure dropped softly out +of an open window and moved off toward the river, +evidently failing to see the watchers crouched near +at hand.</p> + +<p>“That’s Chet!” Jule muttered, starting away, +but Mose shook his head vigorously.</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink24'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXIV—SOMETHING DOING ALL THE TIME</a></h2> + +<p>Jule was at a loss what course to pursue. The +boy who had left the house might be Chet, in which +case he felt that he ought to follow and induce him +to return to the <i>Rambler</i>, if that were possible.</p> + +<p>The diamonds which had been placed in the deposit +vault belonged to Chet. At least the boy had +had them in his possession when he came aboard the +boat, and in the absence of any other claim upon +them they belonged to him. If they did not belong +to him, then their owner ought to be found. If they +did, he ought to have possession of them.</p> + +<p>Just how a boy had become possessed of a fortune +in precious stones, Jule was not trying to figure out +at that time. What was in his mind was the thought +that the question of ownership ought to be settled +at once. This question, he believed, could best be +settled by the boy himself.</p> + +<p>He waived, for the time being, all consideration +of the possible connection of the gems with the +Rock Island robbery, all consideration of the possible +connection of the boy with the man known to +him as Red, the Robber. Chet himself could best +decide the question of ownership, and Jule thought +he ought to be taken back to the boat, by force if +necessary.</p> + +<p>Just as the boy was on the point of pursuing the +figure, now fast disappearing in the shadows along +the levee, Mose pulled at his arm and pointed to +Captain Joe. The dog, with short ears and tail rampant, +was crouching close to the closed door of the +house, uttering low growls as his paws moved +toward the threshold.</p> + +<p>“Alex. in dar!” the little negro exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Then there came a heavy, stumbling footstep +along the walk, and a burly man in the garb of a +riverman paused at the door, overlooking the boys +crouched at the angle of the house, but cursing the +dog drunkenly. Captain Joe behaved remarkably +well under the kicks delivered at him, and the newcomer +took a key from his pocket and opened the +door. Before he could enter the dog had disappeared +in the darkness of the interior.</p> + +<p>“I reckon Alex. is in there, perhaps Case, too,” +Jule muttered.</p> + +<p>“Yo’ sure cain’t fool dat purp!” Mose whispered.</p> + +<p>The boys did not attempt to follow on into the +house by the open doorway, but passed on to the +window and entered there. All was still dark inside. +They could hear the man who had just entered +moving about, still striking at and cursing the dog.</p> + +<p>Directly another key was turned, and then all was +confusion. Jule switched on his flashlight and the +circle it cut in the darkness revealed the man standing +in a doorway with a long-barreled revolver in +one shaking hand. The casings of the doorway appeared +to be of two-inch plank, and the door itself +was crossed by iron bands.</p> + +<p>The man turned as the light flashed out and +fired, the bullet going wide of the mark. Then a +voice came from the interior of the room, a voice +which brought joy to the hearts of boys outside. +The voice of Alex.</p> + +<p>“Get him, Joe!” the voice cried. “Get him +good!”</p> + +<p>The man wheeled and shot at the springing dog, +but the bullet went off into the ragged ceiling instead +of into Captain Joe’s head, as intended. +Directly the dog and the man were in a struggle on +the floor, the only light Jule’s electric.</p> + +<p>Alex. and Case came out of the room, leaping over +the fighters, and seized Jule and Mose in enthusiastic +embraces.</p> + +<p>“Wait!” Jule commanded. “Get the man on +the floor first. The dog will take his life. Joe!” he +added, “let go!”</p> + +<p>“Take him away!” shrieked the man. “He’s +chewed my arm off now!”</p> + +<p>Jule picked up the fallen man’s revolver and held +it to his head while Alex. forced the dog away. +There was blood on Captain Joe’s jaws, and the man +on the floor was breathing heavily.</p> + +<p>“Shut the door and put down the window!” +Alex. said, presently, “and put the light out! +There’s no more fight in this chap just now.”</p> + +<p>“Here, I’ll fix him,” Case said. “I’ll chuck him +into this refrigerator and lock him up. See how +well he likes his own medicine.”</p> + +<p>“But he’ll get right out!” advised Jule.</p> + +<p>“Oh, will he!” Alex. answered. “Then he’ll do +more than we could. I’ll bet the walls of that hole +are a foot thick! And the air? I’m choked to +death.”</p> + +<p>“We tried our best to get out and couldn’t,” Case +added.</p> + +<p>“Suppose we see if he is badly hurt before we +leave him?” Jule put in.</p> + +<p>An examination showed that the dog had seized +the fellow by the shoulder and bitten through the +flesh, making an ugly though not serious wound.</p> + +<p>“That won’t hurt him!” Alex. declared. “His +chums will come and get him in the morning, anyway. +Chuck him in and lock the door and we’ll +climb out of this!”</p> + +<p>“Isn’t the place watched?” asked Jule, peering +out cautiously.</p> + +<p>“It would be if the outlaws weren’t drunk,” Alex. +replied. “There’s a copper over on the other side +of the street. Probably he heard the shots. We’ll +duck out of a back window and make for the +<i>Rambler</i>.”</p> + +<p>The boys were watched furtively by the policemen +in that section of the city as they made their way +along the streets with the dog, but they were not +molested. When they came to the residence district +where there was little fear of their being followed, +Jule turned to Alex. with a grin.</p> + +<p>“How did you like the play?” he asked?</p> + +<p>“You saw about as much of it as we did!” was +the reply.</p> + +<p>“How did you come to get into such a scrape?” +was the next question.</p> + +<p>“The outlaws followed us from the boat,” was +the answer. “Oh, yes they did,” the boy insisted +as Jule grinned. “They were waiting for the <i>Rambler</i> +to come down stream! They thought we had +the diamonds and were going into the city to dispose +of them. They swore they’d keep us in that hole, +without food or drink, until we told them where the +stones were! I wish I’d never heard of the +diamonds!”</p> + +<p>“Who was the other boy?” asked Jule.</p> + +<p>“The other boy? Where? When? Oh, that +was Chet! We’ll settle with him!”</p> + +<p>“The lad who jumped out of an open window +just before we got in and ducked away toward the +river. Was that Chet?”</p> + +<p>“Blessed if I know!” Alex. answered. “It +might have been.”</p> + +<p>“I believe that really was Chet!” Jule declared. +“It looked like him.”</p> + +<p>“How did you get here?” asked Case. “You’re +a wonder! And Mose and Joe, too!”</p> + +<p>As the boys walked along the story of Mose’s +runaway expedition was told, and Alex. immediately +grasped the little negro boy by the collar.</p> + +<p>“You’re a little brick!” he exclaimed, “and I’m +going to see that you have a ’possum for dinner to-morrow—or +to-day, rather—if there is one to be +found in the city.”</p> + +<p>“It is a wonder,” Case commented, “that the fellows +didn’t make an attack on the <i>Rambler</i>! After +they searched us, they talked for a long time in +whispers and then started away. I believe they did +go to the boat—and Clay there alone!”</p> + +<p>“We ought to make better time,” Jule observed. +“Where do we get the trolley?”</p> + +<p>“Unless we get an owl car,” Alex. replied, “we’ll +get none at all until the early run, and that will be +after five o’clock. Guess we’ve got to walk it.”</p> + +<p>Eager, yet almost dreading, to learn the exact +state of affairs on the motor boat, the boys traveled +fast, breaking into a run now and then, much to the +wonder and amazement of the few negroes they encountered +making their way to the business section.</p> + +<p>At last, just before daylight, they came in sight +of the boat. A short distance up the bank a bright +camp-fire was burning, and several figures could be +seen moving around it. All was quiet on board the +<i>Rambler</i>. No lights were in sight, either from the +cabin or the prow. The boys waited a short time, +wondering, and then Jule went to the levee and +looked for the rowboat. It was not there.</p> + +<p>“They’ve got possession, I reckon,” he said, +when he came back.</p> + +<p>“Then all we’ve got to do is to take it away from +them!” Alex. suggested.</p> + +<p>“But how?” asked Jule. “We can’t go on +board without their seeing us.”</p> + +<p>“First,” Alex. went on, “I’m going to make a +sneak up to that fire and find out what those men are +talking about. They may be all-right fellows, for +all we know.”</p> + +<p>The others waited breathlessly for the boy’s return. +When he came back he said:</p> + +<p>“They’ve been on board and ransacked the cabin. +They found no one there! Now, what do you think +has become of Clay?” he added.</p> + +<p>“It’s a wonder they didn’t run off with the boat,” +Case said.</p> + +<p>“Oh, they wouldn’t do that,” Alex. ventured. +“They want to get us. I half believe the men are +officers. What gets me is what they built that fire +for?”</p> + +<p>“Probably thought we were fools enough to run +up to it,” hazarded Jule.</p> + +<p>“But where is Clay?” demanded Case. “We’ve +got to find him. Do you know if they left any one +on board the boat?”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t hear anything said about that,” was the +reply, “but it is a cinch that they did. And I believe +there’s more than one on board, too.”</p> + +<p>“Hard luck to lose the boat after getting so far +on our journey!” Jule commented.</p> + +<p>“We don’t lose the boat, if they are officers,” +Alex. hastened to say. “What they want is the +crew! We’ll fool ’em at that. I’m going to swim +over and see what’s doing on board. If everything +is all right, I’ll make a noise like an owl.”</p> + +<p>“That’s a nice long swim,” Case objected. “I +don’t think you can make it.”</p> + +<p>“Mose made it, didn’t you, coon?” Alex. replied. +“I’m the boy that poured the water into the Mississippi! +Nice adventure this?” he continued. “I’m +going to give the residents of the valley a chromo +each for the manner in which we have been entertained +by them! Here goes for the <i>Rambler</i>!”</p> + +<p>“You act like you meant to walk back to Chicago,” +Case suggested, as Alex. started away, turning +away from the river in order to avoid the people +at the fire.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’m only going to walk up a little way and +drift as I swim down.”</p> + +<p>“Come up on the other side, then,” Case cautioned. +“Then you won’t be seen.”</p> + +<p>When Alex. started away on his perilous trip +Mose disappeared, and Captain Joe was nowhere to +be seen the next minute. Case searched and grumbled, +but did not find them.</p> + +<p>“They’ve gone with Alex.,” he suggested. +“They always do. Well, let them go, they can +swim better than I can! Wish I was along, also.”</p> + +<p>“If they are officers, the men at the fire,” Jule +asked, “why don’t we go right up to them and find +out what’s doing? They won’t lock us up, will +they?”</p> + +<p>“That is just about what they will do if they get +us,” was the slow reply. “We would get out of +jail in time, but who wants to lie in a cell when +there is so much fun to be had on the river? These +fellows have been wired to head us off, probably by +the sheriff we met up there. It may be that the +diamonds Clay put in the deposit box have been identified +as the ones stolen from Rock Island. I wish +Chet would show up right now!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, well, if they want to coop us up,” Jule +agreed, “we’d better cut our luck until they find +out who stole the diamonds—or, at any rate, find +out that we didn’t.”</p> + +<p>The boy ceased speaking suddenly, for the motor +boat was getting under way, heading down toward +the business wharves!</p> + +<h2 class='chapter' id='clink25'><a href='#toc'>CHAPTER XXV—COMMONPLACE, AFTER ALL</a></h2> + +<p>“Can that be Alex. moving the <i>Rambler</i>?” asked +Case, as the motors sputtered out their insistent +clamor. “I don’t believe he has had time to get on +board yet.”</p> + +<p>“Well, Captain Joe has, anyway!” Jule declared, +as a sharp bark came from the craft, which +now seemed to be turning around. “That’s the +Captain’s voice, all right.”</p> + +<p>Standing high on the levee, with the lights of the +city growing below them, the lads watched the <i>Rambler</i> +for a moment and then started on a run up the +stream toward a small landing that was not far +from the camp-fire.</p> + +<p>“If Alex. wasn’t on board,” Case reasoned, +“Captain Joe wouldn’t be there. If Alex. is running +the boat up to that landing, it is safe for us to +go there.”</p> + +<p>The <i>Rambler</i> did tie up at the landing, and then +the boys saw that the rowboat they had missed was +tied to her stern. The willow mattresses were also +still hanging on to the cords to which they had been +tied. The men at the fire started up toward the landing +as the boys reached it, but, much to the +surprise of the lads, they did not attempt to go on +board. In a moment Clay, Alex. and Mose showed +their faces on deck.</p> + +<p>“Come aboard!” shouted Alex. “I’ve arranged +a surprise party for you here.”</p> + +<p>“What is Chet doing on there?” demanded Case. +“I thought we left him with his new friends, the +thieves, in that old house in the city.”</p> + +<p>“This is no time for story-telling!” said another +voice on board, and the man who had been known as +Red, the Robber, came out of the cabin and sat +down, calmly, on the gunwale. The boys on shore +were, by this time, prepared for almost anything. +When they reached the deck, Red waved a farewell +to the men on the levee and the boat whirled down +toward the Gulf of Mexico.</p> + +<p>“You see,” Alex. grinned, “we don’t know +where we are going, but we are on our way.”</p> + +<p>“I know!” Clay insisted, “we are going to complete +our trip to the Gulf of Mexico. We’ve had all +the mystery we need on this voyage, and the next +one that starts anything in that line will be banished +to one of the mattresses!”</p> + +<p>“All right,” Alex. retorted. “We don’t care +about knowing what this all means! I reckon it is +too commonplace to refer to again.”</p> + +<p>He grinned at Red and Chet as he spoke, and they +both laughed back at him.</p> + +<p>“We have with us to-night,” Alex. went on, in a +very good imitation of the after-dinner orator, +“Red, the Robber! His specialty is taking boats +away from boys and sneaking off down the river +with them—until some one gets the drop on him!</p> + +<p>“We also have with us,” he continued, “Chester +Vinton, the waif who was rescued from a barren +island in the Mississippi with a hundred thousand +dollars’ worth of diamonds in his possession! He +will soon do his stunt of telling how he found them +in a piece of pie at a Rock Island restaurant.</p> + +<p>“This wonderful Chet is also the last word in +friendship. When he sees boys who have befriended +him, it is his habit to turn them over to thieves, who +lock them up—not in anger, but to protect them +from other naughty boys!”</p> + +<p>Instead of showing anger at this blunt talk, Red +and Chet sat down on the gunwale and laughed +until the river echoed back their voices. Clay also +seemed much amused.</p> + +<p>“What’s the answer?” demanded Case, turning +to Chet.</p> + +<p>“Now you boys just wait a short time,” Red observed, +“and you’ll know all about it. I would tell +you right now, only I see how hungry you all are. +And, seeing that I have a monster beefsteak in the +cabin, with ducks ready to roast, and eggs ready to +fry, why, it seems like we ought to eat before we +mix with any long yarns!”</p> + +<p>So Case and Alex. took to the cabin, and the odors +of steak and coffee and roasting duck soon filled the +boat. While the good things were cooking the <i>Rambler</i> +dropped down to a wharf where a tank wagon +of gasoline awaited them, and there, also, loads of +provisions of all kinds were put on board.</p> + +<p>And the strangest part of it all was that there was +nothing to pay! Red appeared to have temporary +charge of the boat, and the bills seemed to have all +been paid in advance. They were headed down +stream when breakfast was eaten.</p> + +<p>“We ought to reach the Gulf in three or four +weeks, if we hurry!” Red observed, as he carved +the ducks. “That is, if we hurry in the right way!”</p> + +<p>“I thought it would take until spring,” Chet broke +in. “I hoped so!”</p> + +<p>Alex. regarded the two with a whimsical smile on +his freckled face.</p> + +<p>“How long will it be before you’ll both disappear?” +he asked.</p> + +<p>“Never again!” laughed Chet. “Say, boys, I +did make a quick get-away a couple of times? +What? I hated to go, but I just had to.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, and you prevented Case and I making one +at the house in the city,” Alex. said.</p> + +<p>“It is all as simple as twice two,” Red observed, +sitting back from the table. “The robbery at Rock +Island was planned and carried out by Sam, the +outlaw who assisted me in the capture of the <i>Rambler</i>. +I knew that at the time I was with him—at +the time I let him go—or when you boys did, +rather.”</p> + +<p>“But why didn’t you pinch him?” demanded +Alex. “There’s a reward.”</p> + +<p>“Because I hadn’t then discovered the goods +which had been taken. He was going to take me to +them, I being a possible purchaser!”</p> + +<p>“Well, of all the nerve!” Jule cut in. “Just +think of that, now!”</p> + +<p>“Were they in that old house on the bayou?” +asked Alex.</p> + +<p>“Some of them were. As soon as I got off your +boat I wired back to have the place surrounded and +searched. They found all the silks and furs there! +You boys did a good job for me when you permitted +yourselves to be trapped.”</p> + +<p>“It was Captain Joe and Mose who did the good +job when they got us out!” Jule said.</p> + +<p>“Did you find Sam again?” asked Case, in a +moment. “He was a corker!”</p> + +<p>“You boys found him in the swamp,” Red replied +soberly, “and Mose executed the sentence of +the law upon him—hanged him by the neck!”</p> + +<p>“So you are a detective?” asked Case. “Why +didn’t you say so?”</p> + +<p>“I am not,” was the reply. “I am the owner of +the warehouse that was robbed, and I set out to get +the goods back, that is all.”</p> + +<p>“But you asked us to take Chet on down the +river when he had the diamonds in his clothes!” +Alex. exclaimed. “What about that? It was a +funny stunt.”</p> + +<p>“Of course I didn’t know that he had the diamonds,” +added Red, now to be known as Mr. George +Redmond. “He told me about his having had +them when I told him that Sam was dead, that was +last night, in New Orleans. Then he told me that +he had taken the diamonds from Sam because he +wanted to restore them to me, but had promised +Sam that he would never reveal his, Sam’s, connection +with the crime. Of course Sam never knew +positively that the boy had stolen the diamonds, +but he suspected.”</p> + +<p>“And sent this riverman, Gid Brent, on board at +Cairo to see if the boy was there?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, he did that. By that time I was satisfied +that the boy had been in on the robbery—that he +had been forced to enter the building by way of a +window and open the door for the thieves to enter.</p> + +<p>“I knew that the boy would tell the whole story +to me if I could get him away from the robbers, and +not scare him half to death by putting him in jail. +So I followed him along down the river. As the +robbers were making their way down toward New +Orleans, too, I was doing a pretty good job following +him—and especially as the robbers were after +him, too. They believed, all but Sam, he had taken +the diamonds, you see.</p> + +<p>“They got him last night and searched him, but +found nothing. Then they told him that if he would +get Alex. and Case into their hands they would let +him go. So Chet did that very thing, and now the +two boys are witnesses that the robbers admitted to +them that they were in on the robbery!</p> + +<p>“When they let Chet go he made for the <i>Rambler</i> +on a run, and found me on the way. All the +people who were in the old house are under arrest. +And the diamonds are up at Memphis in the deposit +vault, and all is well.”</p> + +<p>“How do you know that?” demanded Clay.</p> + +<p>“Why, we opened the box, the cashier and I,” +was the reply. “I knew they were there before I +knew that Chet had ever had them. My one great +difficulty was to get hold of the boy after he ran off +at Memphis! Your boat was watched all the way +down, you know, of course.”</p> + +<p>Then Clay told of his talk with the sheriff, and +they all laughed at the idea that they had not seen +through it all long before.</p> + +<p>“If Chet had kept to boats I could have found +him,” Red went on, “but he rode on wreckage, and +that made it difficult. I might have saved you boys +and Chet some of this mystery talk if I had told +you about it when I had Alex. in the cabin of my +boat, after I knew where the diamonds were, but I +thought I would let it work out for itself, especially +as I was having the time of my life.”</p> + +<p>“I suppose those three mechanics were detectives, +too?” asked Case.</p> + +<p>“They were just what they represented themselves +to be,” was the reply, “and they got good positions +at Vicksburg. They are expecting to meet +you down the river, in a houseboat of their own. I +saw them soon after they left you.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t wonder the robbers wanted to get hold +of Chet,” laughed Alex. “They must have been +red-headed when they found that the diamonds had +been stolen from them!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, they were,” replied Chet, “but they didn’t +suspect me, at first. The man Brent, who came on +board the <i>Rambler</i> at Cairo, would have killed me +had he found me there. I was afraid he would, so I +took to the river.”</p> + +<p>“And you took to the river again the night you +threw the bag back on deck, too.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I got pretty cold, too. I knew where the +bag was, in the cabin, all the time, and I thought +the diamonds were in it. Believing it would be safe, +I did not take it and run away, as I had threatened +to do, but when the cashier and another came on the +boat I did take it and skip. When I found that the +diamonds were not there I threw the bag back just +to let you know I was wise to the game,” he added.</p> + +<p>“It is a commonplace story, after all, when you +come to get it all told,” said Mr. Redmond. “If it +has spoiled your river trip I’m sorry for it!”</p> + +<p>“We wouldn’t have had any fun only for that!” +cried Alex.</p> + +<p>“Well,” Clay cut in, “now we’ll go down the +river and have fun! We’ll spend two months or +more on the way to the Gulf, and then we’ll put the +motor boat on board a ship and sail her around to +some point where we can get into the St. Lawrence +river. The St. Lawrence comes next, you know.”</p> + +<p>“Why not put her on a gondola car again and +take her as near to the headwaters of the St. Lawrence +as we can?” asked Case. “I’d rather float +down than sail up, any day.”</p> + +<p>“We will decide that when we get done here,” +Clay answered.</p> + +<p>Those were two golden months for the boys, and +Mr. Redmond seemed to enjoy the outing fully +as much as any of them. They fished and hunted +and loafed in the numerous passages of the delta of +the Mississippi, and built roaring fires on the knolls, +when they found them, and lived the care-free lives +boys enjoy so much.</p> + +<p>And then they were off for Chicago, and from +there to the headwaters of the St. Lawrence. Their +adventures on this noble river will be found in the +next volume of this series; entitled:</p> + +<p>“The Six River Motor Boys on the St. Lawrence; +or, the Lost Channel.”</p> + +<p class='center' style='margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;'>THE END.</p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The River Motor Boat Boys on the +Mississippi, by Harry Gordon + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RIVER MOTOR BOAT BOYS ON MISSISSIPPI *** + +***** This file should be named 38617-h.htm or 38617-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/6/1/38617/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + +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. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/38617-h/images/illus-001.jpg b/38617-h/images/illus-001.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..817e275 --- /dev/null +++ b/38617-h/images/illus-001.jpg diff --git a/38617-h/images/illus-002.jpg b/38617-h/images/illus-002.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..84a448e --- /dev/null +++ b/38617-h/images/illus-002.jpg |
