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diff --git a/38617-8.txt b/38617-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f6ef50e --- /dev/null +++ b/38617-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6994 @@ +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: ISO-8859-1 + +*** 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.) + + + + + +[Illustration: On the top of the ridge-boards, the lads saw a +half-dressed negro boy.] + + + + +THE RIVER MOTOR BOAT BOYS +ON THE MISSISSIPPI + +OR + +On the Trail to the Gulf + +By HARRY GORDON + +Author of + + "The River Motor Boat Boys on the Colorado," + "The River Motor Boat Boys on the St. Lawrence," + "The River Motor Boat Boys on the Amazon," + "The River Motor Boat Boys on the Columbia," + "The River Motor Boat Boys on the Ohio." + +A. L. BURT COMPANY + +NEW YORK + + + + +Copyright, 1913 + +By A. L. Burt Company + +THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI + + + + +Contents + + I--A Rambler Reception Day + II--Alex. Goes Fishing + III--A Waif from the River + IV--Two Boys Get a Tumble + V--A New Captain on Board + VI--Captain Joe Makes a Hit + VII--Searching for the _Rambler_ + VIII--Faces at the Window + IX--Red Declines to Talk + X--More River Outlaws + XI--Fire-Faces on the Island + XII--Half Full of Diamonds + XIII--A River Robber in a New Role + XIV--Alex. Breaks Furniture + XV--The Leather Bag Missing + XVI--What Dropped on Deck + XVII--Getting out of the Mud + XVIII--Swept Into a Swamp + XIX--Pilgrims from Old Chicago + XX--The Darkey up the Tree + XXI--Dodging a Police Boat + XXII--The Sheriff Knows a Lot + XXIII--A Night in New Orleans + XXIV--Something Doing All the Time + XXV--Commonplace, After All + + + + +THE SIX RIVER MOTOR BOYS ON THE MISSISSIPPI + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A RAMBLER RECEPTION DAY + + +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! + +The table under which the animals slept stood in the middle of the +small cabin of the motor boat _Rambler_, and the _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +In spite of the wind and snow, however, the cabin of the _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +"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!" + +"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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"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." + +"That's kind of you," Alex. replied. "What's the matter with the +boat?" + +"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." + +"You're a pilot, eh?" asked Alex., with a provoking grin. + +"Yes; and I'm called the best on the river," was the boasting reply. + +"And you're looking for a job?" Alex. continued, insinuatingly. + +"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?" + +"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." + +"Oh, if they're tame!" the other exclaimed. "I might----" + +"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! + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +"Get him, Captain Joe!" cried Alex., angry at the impertinent language +used, but Clay caught the bulldog by the collar and held him back. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"Did he say he was a pilot?" asked Jule Shafer, with a wink at Case. + +"Sure thing he did!" answered Alex. "Said he was the best on the +river!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"But why should he come spying here?" asked Clay. "We're not river +thieves!" + +"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!" + +"Why didn't you ask some one to tell you about it?" demanded Alex. + +"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." + +"Perhaps they think we're the thieves!" suggested Clay. + +"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!" + +"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----" + +"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!" + +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. + +"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." + +"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!" + +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. + +"Let me in!" the voice said. It seemed like the voice of a child, too. + +"Come on in, if you want to!" Alex. answered. "This seems to be our +reception day!" + +"Sure! Come on in! Don't be so mysterious about it, whoever you are!" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"You look the part!" Clay observed, motioning the visitor to a chair. +"Why?" + +"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!" + +"If you know and won't tell," Clay observed, "they surely will put you +in jail!" + +"Why won't you tell?" asked Alex. "Perhaps you helped do the job +yourself!" + +"No I didn't!" the boy said. + +He was about to say more when there came another voice from outside--a +slow, steady voice demanding attention. + +"Listen, you kids in there," the voice said. "Listen, and I'll tell +you what to do to save a couple of lives!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +ALEX. GOES FISHING + + +"Things seem to be coming our way!" Alex. observed. "Can either of you +boys see the fellow who is doing the talking?" + +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. + +"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!" + +"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! + +"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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_. + +"You see!" the unseen man said. "Drop down until this excitement is +over!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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." + +"We'll come, fast enough!" said one of the advancing party. "Keep your +lights on." + +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 +_Rambler_ should be searched. + +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. + +Finally one of the men, who seemed to be in command, demanded of Clay: + +"Where did the boy who came on board go?" + +"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?" + +"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?" + +"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." + +The search continued for some moments, and the men reluctantly went +ashore. + +"Honest!" Alex. then asked of Clay. "Honest, now! Where did the boy +go?" + +"He must have taken a jump into the river," was the boy's reply. "He +certainly is not on board the _Rambler_. He just disappeared when +those men appeared." + +"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. + +"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." + +The _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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!" + +But Alex. did not abandon the idea of having a fish supper. After the +_Rambler_ 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. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"You'll eat the fish, all right!" Alex. taunted, "so help me get the +boat down." + +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! + +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 _Rambler_ 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. + +The little bay where the _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +"There's a roof coming down!" Clay shouted to the boy. "It is likely +to pay you a visit! Better come aboard!" + +"And there's something moving on it!" Jule shouted. "It looks like a +baby!" + +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! + +The piece of roof to which the boys pointed swung around the side of +the _Rambler_ 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 _Rambler_ and send him adrift! + +The boy seized the cable and began to draw the boat up to the +_Rambler_, 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 _Rambler_, struck +it full on the prow! + + + + +CHAPTER III + +A WAIF FROM THE RIVER + + +The cable tying the rowboat to the _Rambler_ 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 _Rambler_ saw him get +out an oar to secure steerway, though he was pressed on by the house +roof which had done the mischief. + +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 _Rambler_ saw a half-dressed negro boy of perhaps ten or eleven +years. The more the roof bobbed on the waves the louder he yelled. + +When the line snapped Clay rushed to the motors and turned on full +power. The _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +"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?" + +"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. + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_ 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. + +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! + +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. + +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 _Rambler_, 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! + +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! + +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 _Rambler_ 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! + +Alex. and Captain Joe were picked up first, the rowboat made secure, +and then the _Rambler_ 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. + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +"Perhaps you think I didn't catch a fish?" the lad demanded, with a +wink at Clay. + +"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!" + +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. + +"That's a pet bear!" explained Clay. "He won't bite you!" + +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! + +"You hungry?" asked Case, coming up. + +The little fellow nodded, and Case went on. + +"What's your name?" + +"Abraham Lincoln Charles Sumner Horace Greeley Banks!" + +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. + +"Jerusalem!" Case cried, as soon as he could control his voice. "What +a name! Where did you get it, chile?" + +"Mah mammy done 'stowed it on me!" was the reply. + +"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. + +In answer the boy laid his hands on the region of his stomach and +grinned. + +"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!" + +"I done run away!" answered the boy. + +"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?" + +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! + +"That bear is a spoiled child!" Case remarked, as Teddy began sparing. +"He is no good at all--just a clown!" + +"Where did you run from?" asked Jule, anxious to know more of the +negro boy. + +"San Louee," was the reply. "I done lived on th' levee!" + +"From St. Louis, eh?" Clay said. "Where do you want to go?" + +"I done hire out to you all," was the reply. + +"Of course!" Alex. laughed. "Didn't we bring him up out of the waters? +He'll make a fine playmate for Teddy Bear!" + +"If he doesn't disappear, as that other waif did," smiled Clay. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"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. + +"I's done gone empty cl'ar to mah toes!" was Mose's reply. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +TWO BOYS GET A TUMBLE + + +"I'd give a cent to know just where we are!" Jule declared, as he +stood on the deck of the _Rambler_, 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! + +"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!" + +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. + +"Do you see what the bulldog wants?" Alex. asked, in a moment. + +"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!" + +"He's pointing to the old house!" Alex. suggested, with a grin. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"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. + +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. + +"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." + +"I'll go back to Hickman in the rowboat," declared Case. "I have a +notion that I'd like to see the town." + +"And row against that current?" asked Alex. "I see you doing it!" + +"You couldn't do it in a thousand years!" Jule observed. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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!" + +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. + +"After Case goes," Jule suggested, "that would leave only Mose and +Teddy Bear on board the _Rambler_. I don't believe it is safe to leave +her alone." + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +"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?" + +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. + +"I don't believe any one lives here!" he insisted. + +"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!" + +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. + +"I'm not going away without knowing more about it!" Alex. declared. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"We're getting nearer to the band!" Jule whispered. + +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. + +"We'll be running into a reception committee next!" Alex. returned. + +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! + +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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +"We're breaking into some one's house!" Jule whispered. + +"I guess that's right!" Alex. returned. "What ought we to do now?" + +"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----" + +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. + +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: + +"The door is not fastened, boys. You are welcome to enter." + +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. + +"Sit down!" he said, almost with an air of command, "and tell me why +you are here." + +The boys sank down into the chairs; then there came a sharp click, and +they felt themselves falling through the floor! + + + + +CHAPTER V + +A NEW CAPTAIN ON BOARD + + +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. + +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! + +"You've got over your scare, eh?" Clay laughed, as the two came to his +side. + +"Ah sure tu'n white las' night!" Mose declared, rolling his eyes until +they looked like white billiard balls. "Ah's so scared!" + +"You are black enough this morning," Clay suggested. "Where did you +come from?" + +"Ah done come f'm San Louee," was the reply. "Ah lib on de levee." + +"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?" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +As the boy reached for his weapon, a gruff voice from the cabin +doorway commanded him to face about and hold up his hands. + +"And hold 'em up empty, too!" the gruff voice said. + +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. + +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. + +"Here, you coon!" the man shouted, "get over in that corner and stay +there! Move, or I'll give you a lift!" + +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. + +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. + +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 _Rambler_, and then hurrying footsteps on the forward deck. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"You bum!" he shouted, lunging at the lad, "I'll give you some of your +own medicine! What do you mean by striking me?" + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"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!" + +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! + +"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." + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"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!" + +"I hope he'll some day take a piece out of that throat of yours!" +roared Sam. + +"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!" + +"You'll have to put the motors together before you move her," Sam +replied. + +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. + +"It seems to need puttin' together," he said, beckoning to Clay. + +Then the boy saw that it was the intention of the outlaws to take +possession of the _Rambler_ 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! + +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. + +"Well, get the engines together!" ordered the giant. + +"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." + +Sam and the giant conversed together for a moment, and then the former +called out to Mose, emphasizing his words with a threatening gesture: + +"Here, coon!" he shouted. "Can you swim?" + +"Ah sho' can," was the reply. + +"Then jump ashore and take this dog with you. If I ever see either of +you again I'll take your hides off!" + +"It would improve matters to hold 'em under a while!" he added, +angrily. + +"I won't have it," the giant returned. "No murder for me!" + +"You'll see what'll come of lettin' 'em go!" Sam warned. + +"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. + +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 _Rambler_ out into the river. + +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. + +Then a great tree struck the stern and half capsized her. The end +seemed at hand. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +CAPTAIN JOE MAKES A HIT + + +While the _Rambler_, 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. + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +"Not a one!" answered Jule. "What kind of hospital treatment do you +require?" + +"If I felt any better," laughed Alex., "I wouldn't know what to take +for it." + +It was dark as pitch where the boys were, and they felt about until +their hands touched. The personal contact gave them new courage. + +"What do you make of it?" asked Jule. "This doesn't look good to me!" + +"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." + +"A moonshiner or a river pirate!" Jule suggested. + +"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 +_Rambler_?" + +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! + +"I wish it wasn't so dark here!" Jule whispered. + +"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!" + +"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." + +"Hello!" Alex. called out, then. "Hello! Come on out an' be a good +fellow!" + +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 +_Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +"Looks like we might rip off a board and walk out," Jule said, still +speaking in a very low tone of voice. + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"I wouldn't do that, boys!" + +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. + +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. + +"I guess it is no use!" he said. "We'll have to surrender!" + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"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." + +"I haven't any," lied Alex. "I brought the light instead." + +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. + +"That's right!" the voice in the darkness said. "Now, you with the +light, send it over here. I might want to use it!" + +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! + +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. + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Rambler_, 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. + +"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?" + +"I'm as weary of it as you are!" was the remarkable answer, still in +that calm voice they had heard before. + +"Then why don't you cut it out?" asked Jule. + +"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!" + +"Next time," Alex. replied, "you hoist a piracy flag, and we'll keep +away." + +"When will this strategy board you refer to make a report?" asked +Jule. + +"I may receive orders at any moment," was the answer. + +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! + +Alex. drew Jule's head over to him and whispered in his ear: + +"That's Captain Joe, for a dollar and a half!" + +"You're on!" Jule responded. "I'll be glad to lose the bet at that, +too!" + +"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!" + +"Aw, Clay sent him!" declared Jule. "He never found his way here +alone." + +"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!" + +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. + +"Come here, you foolish dog!" he said. "Why don't you come in out of +the dark?" + +The pat-pat of the dog's soft feet came nearer, and the guard spoke +again: + +"How the Old Harry did you get in here?" he demanded. "Whose dog are +you, anyway?" + +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. + +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! + +"Get him, Joe!" cried both boys in unison. + +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. + +"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. + +"The brute has bitten my arm!" the old man moaned. + +"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?" + +The old man groaned and made no reply, so the boys secured him and +crept out of the window into the darkness. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +SEARCHING FOR THE _RAMBLER_ + + +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. + +"Now," he thought, "shall I walk back to the _Rambler_ to-night, or +shall I remain here and look over the town?" + +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 _Rambler_ had been anchored. + +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. + +"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. + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +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! + +"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. + +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. + +"Mose!" he said. "Keep quiet! You'll have all the pirates in the state +steering in this direction! What is the matter?" + +"Fo' de Lawd's sake leave dis nigger go!" wailed Mose. "Dar's ghostes +in dat ol' house, an' dey's got de boys!" + +"Are the boys in there?" demanded Case, giving the frightened lad a +gentle shake to bring him back to his senses. "Where is the +_Rambler_?" + +"Ah don' know!" gasped the little negro. "Piruts don' got de boat, an' +dem ghostes don' 'pear fo' dis nigger!" + +"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?" + +Before Mose could reply Captain Joe came dashing through the bushes. +He stopped by Case's side and lay down, trembling with excitement. + +"If the dog could talk he would tell me what's going on," Case said, +reprovingly, to the negro. "Where have you two been?" + +Mose, evidently encouraged by the presence of the dog, told haltingly +of the attack on the _Rambler_ 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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +"Alex.! Jule!" called Case. "What's doing?" + +"Get a move on!" panted Alex. "Get to the boat! Where did that little +coon go?" + +"He must be somewhere near the Rocky Mountains by this time," Case +replied, falling into the fast pace set by the other boys. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Come back or we'll fill you full of air holes!" shouted one of the +pursuers. + +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. + +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! + +"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?" + +"Where is the _Rambler_?" demanded Alex. "We ought to have reached it +long ago." + +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. + +There was little doubt in their minds that the _Rambler_ 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! + +"So that is how Mose and Captain Joe happened to come to the rescue," +Alex. said. "The pirate threw them off the _Rambler_! 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!" + +Mose, nestled in the bottom of the boat, stroking Captain Joe's wet +head, grinned and declared that the boys had looked like ghosts. + +"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!" + +"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. + +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! + +"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?" + +"I'm for going on down the river," Alex. continued. "The pirates can't +run the _Rambler_ up stream, and so we must find her if we keep on +going." + +"But she has nearly ten hours the start of us," urged Jule. + +"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. + +"That's good judgment!" Case declared. + +"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!" + +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. + +"Look out for the log ahead!" cried Jule, as the boat swirled around. + +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. + +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! + +"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. + +"There's a raft ahead, anyway!" shouted Jule. "We can ride down on +that!" + +"Until it takes a notion to dump us into the drink!" complained Case. + +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. + +"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." + +"Wait for a bit of light!" urged Case. "The moon will be out in a +second." + +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. + +"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?" + +Jule reached for his electric, but Alex. caught his arm. + +"There's a light on the Missouri bank," he said, "and it looks to me +like the cabin windows of the _Rambler_ were sending it out. Lay low +in the dark and drift with the raft!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +FACES AT THE WINDOW + + +"Look here, Red," the outlaw who had been called Sam said, addressing +the giant, as the _Rambler_ struck the half-submerged tree, "we've got +up against something hard!" + +"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." + +Sam went into the cabin, where Clay sat, side by side with the bear +cub, on a bunk. + +"Where's your river pole?" he demanded. "You must have something of +the kind!" + +"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." + +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. + +"Mind you," he said, as Clay sprang for the pole, "if you try any +tricks on us we'll chuck you to the fish!" + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +"If that limb wasn't in the way," Red asserted, "we could get the boat +out. It binds on the side of the cabin." + +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. + +"You know what I told you!" Sam shouted, stepping toward the boy. + +"Let him alone!" commanded Red. "I reckon the kid knows what he is +about!" + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"Sure!" answered the boy. "I have no intention of going off and +leaving the _Rambler_! Hand me the axe when I get down on the trunk, +will you?" + +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. + +"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." + +"That is some kid!" Red exclaimed, admiringly, as Clay chopped away at +the limb. "I wish we had him with us!" + +"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----" + +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. + +"May as well get rid of him now," he declared, with an ugly oath. + +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. + +"It will come some time!" + +Red pushed the boy toward the cabin, the look on his face friendlier +than ever. + +"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!" + +The _Rambler_ 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. + +Much to his relief, the _Rambler_ 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. + +The _Rambler_ drifted down for some distance, leaking a little but not +seriously, and was finally worked into a little bay where there was no +current. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Rambler_. + +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. + +"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." + +"All right," Red finally agreed. "I'm willing to take my chance on +being smashed flat by a tree or floating barn." + +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! + +At that time the big fellow had been pleading for the safety of a waif +who had come on board the _Rambler_! 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. + +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. + +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! + +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 +_Rambler_ out into the current. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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! + +"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." + +Red looked at the floating raft and shook his head. + +"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." + +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! + +"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." + +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. + +"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. + +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. + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_ +out into the stream. Clay heard them saying that the raft was, after +all, empty of life except for the dog. + +"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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +RED DECLINES TO TALK + + +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. + +"Are you all right?" Alex. asked. + +"Have you got any dry guns in there?" was Case's question. + +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. + +"Is Jule there?" whispered Clay. + +"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 _Rambler_ only for the flash of +lights in the cabin. What next?" + +"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." + +Clay crawled to the cupboard and secured three revolvers, held as a +reserve stock. + +"Now," he directed, "you boys get through the window while the +ruffians are busy and the moon is out of business." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Now, Sam," Clay said, "we've got to repair the motors and get the +_Rambler_ 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?" + +"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!" + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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." + +"Fo' de Lawd's sake, dat's what he said to dis----" + +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. + +"Well?" asked that individual, a smile on his face. "What next?" + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"Will I? I'm lucky not to be out there on the shore with Sam!" + +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! + +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. + +"Are you thinking of sticking about this section all night?" asked the +latter. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"But he hasn't any gun!" Clay exclaimed. + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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!" + +"I wouldn't advise sticking hereabouts," insisted Red. "I can say no +more!" + +"All right!" Clay replied. "We'll fix the motors and start on down. +Here, Case," he called out, "did you bring the repairs?" + +"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. + +"You know, of course," Clay said to Red, as the _Rambler_, 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?" + +"I never suspected it!" was the slow reply. "How do you know I'm the +man?" + +"Your voice!" was the reply. "It puzzled me at first, though." + +"I'll have to trade voices with some river rascal!" grinned Red. + +"You spoke, that night, about a boy who had come on board?" Clay said, +tentatively. + +"That was my business there," Red replied, with a slight frown. + +"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." + +"He did," was the hesitating reply. "He made it, too!" + +"Why didn't he remain with us?" asked Clay. + +"He got scared! If I had kept away he might have done so." + +"Is he your son?" was the next question Clay asked. + +Red looked the boy in the face steadily for a moment and then asked: + +"You don't want to harm the lad, do you?" + +"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?" + +"Well," Red said, in a perplexed tone, "that is what I can't tell +you." + +"Because you don't know where he is?" demanded Clay. + +"No; not that. I know where he is, but I can't tell you." + +"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?" + +"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!" + +They talked a long time about the boy, about the events of the day, +and about the future plans of the _Rambler_ 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. + +"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! + +"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." + + + + +CHAPTER X + +MORE RIVER OUTLAWS + + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_, which was still leaking a trifle, passed +several river shanties and houseboats, tied up below half-submerged +islands, where they were protected from wreckage. + +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. + +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. + +Shortly after dinner the boys were asked to come on board a shanty +boat navigated by two men and numerous dogs, so the _Rambler_ 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. + +Almost the first question Clay asked was about the Rock Island +robbery. + +"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!" + +"Are you sure they were officers?" asked Clay. + +"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." + +Clay looked at Alex. significantly and asked for any news they might +have of the robbery--any details they might have learned. + +"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. + +"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." + +"Have the officers found any of the stolen property?" asked Alex. + +"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." + +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. + +"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?" + +"It undoubtedly was," Clay replied, thoughtfully. + +"That's your bosom friend!" Alex. grinned. "You let him escape!" + +"What else could I do, under the circumstances?" demanded Clay. "The +fellow saved my life! Sam would have murdered me only for him!" + +"Well, if he's on the level, what's he doing with a man like Sam?" +questioned Alex., still grinning. + +"We shall have to leave that question to the future," was the short +reply. + +"You believe that Red had a hand in the robbery at Rock Island?" +persisted the boy. + +"I don't think anything about it! I'm waiting for additional +information!" + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"Probably to keep you from spying on what was going on there," Clay +suggested. + +"But what was going on there?" asked Alex. "That is what _we_ didn't +find out!" + +"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!" + +At mention of Mose Alex. burst into a roar of laughter. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"That will do for you!" cried Jule, gleefully. "I see you washing the +supper dishes right now!" + +"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." + +"I thought La Salle discovered the Mississippi," Case said, with a +wink at Clay. + +"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." + +"Yes it does!" exclaimed Jule. "You're in need of mental rest, young +man." + +"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!" + +"It does seem as if the longest river should carry the name," said +Case. "In that event, this would be the Missouri river!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"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. + +"Ah sure do feel empty!" answered Mose, rolling up his eyes. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +"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!" + +An inspection of the spot pointed out showed half a dozen evil-looking +negroes watching the boat. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +FIRE-FACES ON THE ISLAND + + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"I don't believe they have any idea of letting us alone, if they can +manage to get on board the _Rambler_," 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." + +"Wouldn't it be wiser to drive them away?" asked Alex., with one of +his grins. + +"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." + +Alex. nudged Jule in the side and whispered in his ear for a moment. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"You usually manage to get into trouble when you are left alone!" +laughed Clay. + +"If I can't be good to-night," grinned Alex., "I'll be careful." + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"I often think dogs have an instinct which warns them of danger," +Alex. replied. + +"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." + +The boys watched for a long time, but there came no sounds of life +from the island. + +"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?" + +"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. + +"Sure I do!" was the reply. "That was the funniest ever!" + +"Well," Alex. explained, "I'm goin' to try something like that on +these negroes." + +"Better let 'em alone!" advised Jule. "They are wise to tricks!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"Going to play ghost, are you," laughed Jule. "Then I'll be a ghost, +too!" + +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. + +"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." + +"I guess I know how!" Jule remonstrated. + +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. + +"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." + +The boys left the dark deck of the _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +The boys, however, were much mistaken in their understanding of the +situation. When they dropped off the deck of the _Rambler_, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +HALF FULL OF DIAMONDS + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Clay wondered if the boys would now understand that their trick had +failed and make for the _Rambler_. 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. + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +"Go on and get aboard!" Alex. urged. "I want to see Clay a moment." + +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: + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"Hurry! Hurry! We have no time to lose, I tell you, if the captive is +in need of our assistance. Who is it?" + +"The kid who came on board the _Rambler_ at Cairo!" replied Alex. + +"And you had to leave him there--tied?" + +"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?" + +"We've got to get that kid!" Clay cried. + +"If they would only go away for a minute," Alex. declared, "I could +get him and bring him to the boat, ropes and all!" + +A shot came from the _Rambler_, 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." + +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. + +"Shall we take them in the rear?" asked Alex. "They have attacked the +boat." + +"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!" + +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! + +While the boys on shore watched with intense anxiety, the motors of +the _Rambler_ were heard, and then the boat began to drop down stream. + +"I wonder if Jule got on board?" Alex. asked. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +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 _Rambler_ grew fainter every instant. For some reason unknown +to Clay, the boat was being moved down stream a long way. + +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. + +"Where's the coon's boat?" he asked, hurriedly. + +Clay smiled happily. He had not thought of that! + +"Off there on the east side," replied the boy. "Have you got a knife +yet?" + +For answer Alex. seized the lad by the feet and called out to Clay: + +"Catch him by the shoulders, and we'll carry him!" + +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. + +The captive was placed on board, and then Clay seized a pair of heavy +oars. + +"Take the helm," he called to Alex., "and you help with the oars, +Jule," he added. + +Then the craft shot out into the current. When she came around the +corner of the little island, where the light from the _Rambler_ 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. + +"Let 'em swim," chuckled Alex. "A bath will be good for what ails +them!" + +"Alex.," remarked Clay, panting with the heavy work at the oars, "you +deserve a Carnegie medal!" + +"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 _Rambler_ disappeared around a distant +bend in the stream. + +"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." + +In ten minutes the lights of the _Rambler_ 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. + +"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." + +"This," grinned Alex., "is the only old and original relief +expedition. We have with us to-night a brand snatched from the coons!" + +"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!" + +With no little difficulty the boys were landed on the deck of the +_Rambler_. Case regarded the visitor with a quizzical smile as he bent +over him. + +"Did you take a dive at Cairo," he asked, "and come up at Memphis?" + +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! + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"Chester Vinton," was the reply, in a frightened voice. "I'm running +away." + +"You wasn't running very fast when we found you!" commented Alex. "How +did you come to mix with those wreckers?" + +"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!" + +"Why didn't you stay on board the boat at Cairo?" asked Clay. + +"I was afraid," was the reply. + +"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." + +"I should think he did!" chuckled Alex. "And he was a first cabin +passenger at that!" + +"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." + +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. + +As the visitor threw his ragged clothes off a thud on the floor told +of something of considerable weight in one of the pockets. + +"Do you carry a gun, lad?" he asked, stooping over to lift the +trousers. + +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. + +An investigation showed that it was half full of diamonds of +exceptional quality! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +A RIVER ROBBER IN A NEW ROLE + + +With half a dozen stones of splendid value rolling over the palm of +his hand, Clay regarded the boy accusingly. + +"Where did you get the diamonds?" he asked. + +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. + +"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. + +Clay, grasping the bag and the lose gems, held his hands high above +his head. + +"Where did you get them?" he persisted. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"I reckon he belongs with Red, the Robber, all right!" Jule put in. + +"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. + +Chet turned a flaming face toward this new accuser. + +"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!" + +"That's good, coming from him!" grinned Alex. "Come on, little one, +and tell us who these stones belong to." + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"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?" + +"I've promised not to tell," was the reply. + +"You are not making a very good beginning," Clay admonished. + +Chet made no reply whatever, but turned his face away. Clay went on, +patiently: + +"Where is your home?" + +"I haven't got any home," was the reply. "I never had one." + +"But you must belong somewhere," Clay insisted. "Where did you live +last?" + +"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." + +"Is the man you mention Red, the riverman?" asked Clay. + +"Didn't I just tell you that I wasn't going to talk?" demanded the +boy. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"You're a frank little chap, anyway!" laughed Clay. + +"I wasn't brought up to tell lies!" was the astonishing reply. + +"Who brought you up?" asked Clay. "You just said you never had any +home!" + +"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. + +"I don't see how I can blame you, after such fair warning," laughed +Clay. + +"And you won't help any one to find me?" persisted the little fellow. + +"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?" + +"Will you shake hands on that?" asked Chet, sitting up on the bunk. + +"Gladly! Now, go to sleep and wake up in a more communicative mood +to-morrow." + +"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. + +"He's a nervy little chap!" Clay concluded, "and I like him very much +already." + +"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!" + +"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." + +"That's a fine idea!" cried Case. "He'll never get them there!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"That is a good idea, too!" Clay exclaimed. "I'll do it!" + +"I'd give a lot to know more about the boy and the diamonds," Clay +mused, as the boys began getting breakfast. + +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. + +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. + +"What are you doing here?" asked Clay, in amazement. + +"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!" + +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. + +"I'll have to be more careful," Clay thought. "That boy is a clever +one!" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Rambler_ and the voyages the boys had made in her, and asked +permission to visit the party that evening if he found time. + +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. + +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. + +"Why not take it on board?" he asked. "We can cook it much better than +any city chef," he added. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Take a good look at that man," he whispered. "Ever see him before?" + +"I saw him when I passed," was the reply, "and brought you here. +That's Red, the Robber." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +ALEX. BREAKS FURNITURE + + +"Unless Red, the Robber, has a twin who is an exact duplicate of +himself," Clay whispered, "that is just who it is!" + +"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?" + +"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 _Rambler_ by holding a gun about the size +of a cannon on me," Clay declared. + +"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!" + +"It can't be!" Clay tried to convince himself. "It can't be the same +man!" + +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 _Rambler_! + +"I have heard that river thieves sometimes make up to look like +bankers and high-up politicians," Alex. whispered. + +"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. + +"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!" + +"He must recognize us," Clay went on. "Watch and see if you catch in +him any signs of joy at the meeting!" + +"He hasn't yet shown that he knows we are in the room," Alex. replied. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"This is a pretty kettle of fish!" grunted the boy, as he looked about +the room. + +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. + +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! + +"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?" + +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. + +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. + +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 _Rambler_, and might now set him free as soon as informed of his +capture. Clay had permitted Red his freedom under much more trying +conditions! + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +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 +_Rambler_, as well as to report to the police the illegal seizure of +the motor boat! + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +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. + +"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. + +"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!" + +"Of course," laughed the man, "you wouldn't come out if I should +unlock the door?" + +"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." + +"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!" + +"All right!" grinned the boy, "anything to oblige," and he went at the +dresser with the leg of a chair! + +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. + +"You wasn't so giddy the last time I saw you!" declared the boy. + +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. + +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 +_Rambler_. + +"Say," he finally asked, wrinkling his freckled nose at the man, "what +is the answer to this? I give it up!" + +"What was it you boys put in the deposit box at the bank?" asked the +man. + +"I didn't put anything in; I didn't go to any bank." + +"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?" + +"It was a long package marked bonds," was the boy's reply. + +"But did the package contain bonds?" + +"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 _Rambler_. + +"Perhaps the lad you call Clay will tell," smiled the giant. "Or the +boys on the _Rambler_ may give the information I seek--when you both +fail to return to-night." + +"So you've got Clay, too, have you?" shouted Alex., and he make a rush +for the door! + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +THE LEATHER BAG MISSING + + +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. + +"Is that the sheriff--the tall man with the red hair?" + +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. + +"Why? Do you want to see the sheriff?" he asked, suspiciously. + +Clay was provoked, but tried not to show it as he replied, + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"We're just going to the river to look over the _Rambler_, 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." + +"No objections whatever," Clay responded. "There isn't much to see, +but such as it is you are welcome to have a look." + +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 _Rambler_, 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"You didn't get too many high balls while in the city, did you?" asked +Case. + +"You might have kept sober enough to bring Alex. back with you!" Jule +put in. + +"Ah believe yo' done scare dat lad off de boat!" little Mose +suggested. + +"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." + +"Why don't you pass it around?" demanded Case. "Let us in on the +laugh!" + +"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." + +"I don't see anything funny in that," observed Case, with a frown. + +"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!" + +"The poor little chap!" exclaimed Case. "I'm sorry for him." + +"So am I," Clay agreed, "but he ought to have been honest with us." + +"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!" + +Clay looked thoughtful for a second and then burst out: + +"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!" + +"You said the visitors were bankers!" exploded Jule. "What about +that?" + +"One of them was, but I don't know anything about the others. Strange +they should all be so eager to inspect the _Rambler_! Strange they +should get off by themselves and talk in whispers! I reckon we're +knee-deep in mystery!" + +"Well, where did you leave Alex.?" asked Jule. "He hasn't come back +yet!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"Did you find who he was?" asked Clay, as the boys all gathered around +Alex. + +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! + +"And how did you get away from him?" demanded Case. "How did you get +back here?" + +"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 _Rambler_ and let +me go! Can you beat it?" + +"What did he have you locked up for?" asked Clay. "I don't understand +that." + +"Just because he wanted that promise," Alex. suggested. "Is that the +answer?" + +"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?" + +"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. + +"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!" + +"I just believe Chet took the bag, thinking the gems were in it," +insisted Jule. + +"We'll never know the truth until we find the lad," Clay said, with a +sigh. + +"Unless Red, the Robber, shows up again in a confidential mood," Alex. +laughed. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"What did he say about that furniture?" grinned Jule. "You've got the +nerve!" + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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 +_Rambler_, if the motor boat was not capsized. + +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. + +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! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +WHAT DROPPED ON DECK + + +"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. + +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 +_Rambler_. + +"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!" + +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. + +"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!" + +"Well," Case returned, "I'd like to get one night off occasionally!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"You see," Case stated, hesitatingly, "I heard a bump on the hull of +the _Rambler_, 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." + +Alex. gave vent to a long, low whistle. + +"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?" + +"Oh, let him sleep! We can run this watch, all right!" + +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. + +"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!" + +"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?" + +Case pulled the other by the arm and both drew away from the gunwale. + +"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!" + +"Got your gun?" asked Alex. + +"Sure thing I have," was the reply. + +"And your searchlight?" + +"You know it!" + +"So have I," Alex. went on. "Now, if they try to board the _Rambler_, +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?" + +"But why not turn on the prow light?" asked Case. + +"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." + +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 _Rambler_. Case and Alex. could hear +the dash of oars, and now and then a rough command. The two boys sat +in silence and waited. + +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! + +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. + +"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!" + +"Suppose we turn on the power and chase 'em up?" asked Case. + +"And give them a chance to do all the shooting!" replied Alex. +scornfully. "I'm not looking for a watery grave in the Mississippi." + +"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!" + +"This is a fierce old stream for strangers to travel on in the dark!" +Alex. said. + +"I know it, but----" + +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. + +"There's our friend!" Case whispered. "Now, get ready with your gun!" + +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. + +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 _Rambler_! Alex. +picked it up, found that it was still half full of some hard +substances, and shut off the light. + +"You saw it?" he asked of Case, as he cuddled down by the boy's side. + +"Of course! The leather bag!" + +"What do you think of it?" demanded Alex. + +"I don't think!" admitted Case. "I've lost the power of thought!" + +"But what did they throw it back here for?" insisted Alex. + +"Why did who throw it back here?" chuckled Case. + +"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." + +"Unless the dog ate it, or Teddy threw it overboard." + +"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." + +"You notice the steamer came UP the river?" asked Case. + +"Yes; what of it?" demanded Alex. "I don't see anything in that." + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"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." + +"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. + +"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!" + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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." + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +GETTING OUT OF THE MUD + + +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 +_Rambler_ lay in a bed of soft, oozy mud, with harder ground between +her and the "tow-head." + +"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?" + +"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?" + +"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." + +Clay scratched his head and estimated the distance to deep water. + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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!" + +"In that case," Clay suggested, "the little rascal will be back soon." + +"Never can tell about boys of the Mose stripe," Alex. predicted. "He +may follow the men off and never show up here again." + +Clay started for the cabin to arouse Case and Jule and then turned +back to ask: + +"Did that pocket book--the bag, rather, that had the diamonds in, make +its appearance before or after Mose disappeared?" + +"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?" + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"Chet was broke, wasn't he?" asked Alex., with a sly grin. + +"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!" + +"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 _Rambler_?" + +"You smash all my solutions," laughed Clay. "Now, give me one of your +own, so I can smash that," + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"He seemed to be the boss." + +"Suppose we quit guessing and get the _Rambler_ out of the mud," +suggested Clay, then. + +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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"What's doing?" asked Case. + +"This ain't no island improvement corporation!" Alex. grinned. + +"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. + +"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." + +"To sleep on?" asked Alex., with a wink at Case. + +"Silly!" roared Jule. "Get busy, both of you." + +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! + +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. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"Get your whale, then," advised Alex. + +"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!" + +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. + +"Watch me now!" he cried. + +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. + +"Give me a hand!" the boy shouted. "He's pulling me in!" + +"Let go the line!" cried Alex. + +"And lose it!" answered Jule. "Not much! Give me a hand!" + +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. + +"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?" + +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. + +"Have all the fun you can," roared Jule, "but don't get gay!" + +"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!" + +"I guess you won't throw him away!" yelled Jule. + +"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." + +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. + +Then the mattresses were hauled alongside the _Rambler_ 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 _Rambler_ out into deep water. + +"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!" + +"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." + +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. + +"There's that little coon!" laughed Case. "See the rascal! He's going +to swim to the boat, or going to try to!" + +"He never can do it," Clay declared. "We'll have to swing the +_Rambler_ over that way and pick him up. He's making a swift run, +though!" + +"Well," Alex. replied, "just you look behind him and see what he's +running from." + +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 _Rambler_ 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! + +Mose dropped down on deck, panting and rolling his eyes. + +"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!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +SWEPT INTO A SWAMP + + +"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?" + +Mose only sat up on deck and rolled his eyes as the _Rambler_ +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. + +"What does he mean?" asked Jule, turning to Clay. "Who's chasing him?" + +"Don't you remember how Sam, the Robber, the fellow who, with Red, +captured the _Rambler_ 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." + +"I didn't know whether it was Red or Sam who threw him in," Jule +explained. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"You swam all that way to steal a chicken?" asked Jule. "Was it +cooked?" + +"Yaller leg chicken!" insisted the boy. + +"Was it cooked?" persisted Jule. "Where did they get it?" + +"Dey say it done lef' de roos' an' follow dem into camp!" + +"Did you eat a whole one?" asked Case. "A whole yellow-legged +chicken?" + +Mose grinned and showed the whites of his eyes. + +"Ah shore did!" he replied, and Jule declared that he would willingly +have helped him do it if he had only known about it! + +"What were they talking about last night?" asked Clay, as the +_Rambler_ turned a bend and lost sight of the negroes and Sam, still +gesticulating fiercely, on the east shore. + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_, but that was all. Of their plans he +knew nothing but this. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"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. + +Mose showed a mouthful of white teeth and a pair of chalk-white +eyeballs. + +"It takes a corkscrew to get conversation out of Mose!" Jule observed. + +"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?" + +"Some one fro' what?" asked the little fellow. + +"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?" + +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. + +"De dawg sho' know who fro' dat bag!" he said, patting Captain Joe on +the head. + +"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. + +"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!" + +"There's an affinity between a boy and a dog, anyway!" Clay laughed. + +"I wonder if the kid is right?" Case questioned. + +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! + +The night passed away without incident, and early morning found the +_Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +"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." + +"This would be a dandy spot for a band of river pirates to inhabit," +Jule added. + +"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?" + +"Ah's 'tented wif mah color," answered the boy. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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. + +"Come on into the cabin, Mose," Jule finally ordered, "and go to bed, +like a good coon! You'll get wet out on deck!" + +The boy entered the cabin and sat down near the stove, in which a +small fire was burning. Jule regarded him attentively. + +"What's the matter with you to-night?" he finally asked. + +"Ah hear a roar!" was the reply. + +"That's the wind in the cypress trees," Jule explained. + +"Is it de win' makes de ribber come up?" asked Mose, in a moment. + +"Is the river rising?" asked Jule, going to the door and switching on +the prow light. "It ought to be running down." + +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. + +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. + +"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?" + +At that moment a timber crashed against the _Rambler_, jarring it +considerably. + +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. + +"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!" + +"You're excited!" Case called out. "We passed the flood two days ago." + +"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." + +"Do you mean that we got down the river in advance of the flood?" +demanded Case. + +"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?" + +"It doesn't look reasonable!" Case insisted. "I don't believe it!" + +"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." + +The roaring sound which Mose had referred to now grew louder, sounding +like the rush of a long and heavily loaded freight train. + +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. + +"There's a camp down there!" he said. + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_. + +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. + +"The water is cutting a new channel below," Clay shouted, as the +_Rambler_ was swept away, "and we are headed for that swamp. Now, we +are in a peck of trouble!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +PILGRIMS FROM OLD CHICAGO + + +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 +_Rambler_ was pitched down toward the swamp like a chip. + +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. + +It was pitch dark out on the river and in the swamp, but the lights of +the _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +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! + +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. + +"Dey done get yo', sho'!" he warned. "Catch on de rope an' shin up!" + +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. + +"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. + +"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! + +At least that was what one of the boys had said to him! + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +Clay followed the line of the pointing finger and laughed. + +"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." + +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. + +"He sees Teddy and wants to ask his advice!" Jule laughed. + +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! + +"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. + +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. + +"There!" Alex. called out to Mose, "you've frightened our bear off!" + +"Dat yo' bear?" asked Mose. "Den yo' keep yo' animile out our ya'd!" + +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 _Rambler_, but for the most part he +sat still, looking about for more things to be frightened at! + +The _Rambler_ 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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"Mattresses!" answered Jule. "They drifted away long ago." + +"Look ahead and see," remarked Case, and Jule did so. + +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. + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_ 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! + +"Wow!" cried Clay, as the boy came, spluttering to the surface. + +"You wouldn't miss this for anything!" roared Case. + +"Bring a couple of snakes and an alligator out with you!" requested +Jule. + +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. + +Disregarding all comment and advice, Alex. crawled back on deck and +sat looking wrathfully into the flood. But his anger did not last +long. + +"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!" + +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. + +"Fo' de Lawd's sake!" he shrieked. + +"What is it now?" asked Jule. "If you don't come down I'll shoot you!" + +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. + +"Just a second," Clay called. "That is near enough!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE DARKEY UP THE TREE + + +While Case talked with the young man Clay went back into the cabin to +talk with Alex., who was now changing into dry clothing. + +"Do you think the story that man is telling is all right?" he asked. + +"I think he is telling the truth about the river thieves," Alex. +replied. + +"I was wondering if that wasn't just a bait to help them get on +board." + +"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." + +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. + +"Where did you live in Chicago?" he heard Case ask. + +"In furnished rooms on Elizabeth street, near Washington boulevard," +was the reply. + +"Where did you work?" was the next question, impertinent and personal, +but seemingly necessary at that time. + +"At a machine shop on Clinton street, not far from West Madison. + +"Then you are machinists?" + +"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." + +"When did you leave Chicago?" + +"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." + +"How do you know we are from Chicago?" asked Clay, stepping forward. + +The other laughed lightly and pointed to the boat's name on articles +scattered about. + +"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." + +"All right, stranger," one of the three answered, in rather a pleasant +tone of voice. "Just as you say!" + +"What do you want?" asked Alex., still shivering from his cold bath. + +"We want a ride out of this consarned swamp," was the reply. + +"How did you get in here?" asked Clay. "Get out the way you got in!" +he added. + +"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?" + +"Was that your fire we saw?" asked Case, drawing closer to the +gunwale. + +"We had a fire before the flood pounced down upon us," was the reply. + +"What shall we do?" asked Clay, facing the others. "If they are on the +square we can't leave them here. They would starve!" + +"They may be pirates!" suggested Jule. + +"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!" + +"One of you come aboard," Clay instructed, "and we'll see what you +look like." + +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. + +"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." + +"That wasn't a bad idea!" Jule declared. + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +"Have the ruffians been here long?" asked Clay. + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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!" + +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. + +"Perhaps something will happen before you get back," Clay grinned. + +"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!" + +"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." + +"What's your name?" asked Alex., abruptly as he pushed off from the +_Rambler_. + +"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." + +"That settles it!" grinned Alex. "I'm going back." + +"What for?" asked Gregg, in surprise. "Don't you want a duck or a +fish?" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +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! + +"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!" + +"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. + +"We want that boat, so we can get on board the motor contraption," +said a voice. + +"That's no negro!" whispered Alex. "It is a white man blacked up!" + +"Right you are!" replied Gregg. + +"What are you boys talking about?" demanded the holder of the +threatening gun. + +"We were telling each other how glad we were to meet you!" Alex. +snarled. + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +This looked like turning the _Rambler_ 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. + +When the boat entered the circle of light the boys on board the +_Rambler_ 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 _Rambler_ would be taken without a shot being fired in her +defense. + +When the boat touched the hull of the _Rambler_ the robber sprang to +his feet, presenting two long guns as he did so. + +"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." + +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. + +"Never mind the dog," he said. "He won't bite!" + +"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." + +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. + +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 _Rambler_! + +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! + +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. + +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. + +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: + +"Go on, white folks," it said, "Ah goin' hang dis immitation coon up +on dis tree!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +DODGING A POLICE BOAT + + +"You little coon!" Clay gasped. + +"Hurrah for Mose!" cried Alex. + +"If you'll come down here I'll hug you!" shouted Gregg. + +"How did you ever think of it?" Case called out. + +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! + +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. + +"Why!" he exclaimed, shrinking back. "The man is dead!" + +"Dead!" echoed Clay. "What killed him?" + +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. + +"You must have a good pull in your arms!" he cried. "How did you +manage to swing him up? You're a wonder, Mose!" + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +"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! + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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." + +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 _Rambler_, and this indicated that there must be +a channel open to the main river not far below. + +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. + +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. + +"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!" + +Something long and twisting dropped on the man's shoulders and fell +off to the deck. + +"Holy smoke!" he shouted. "Look at the snake!" + +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. + +"He smells supper!" explained Clay. "I've a notion to set Captain Joe +on him!" + +"Dat dog don't bite dis coon!" Mose replied. "Ah'm in lub wid dat +dog!" + +Captain Joe and Teddy came forward and looked the three visitors over +approvingly. + +"That bear would make a good meal!" Gregg declared, with a wink at +Case. + +Mose's eyes stuck out for a minute, and then he tickled his own chin +and gave out a sound like a goat. + +"B-a-a-a-a-a-a! B-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a!" he bleated. + +"What's the matter with the coon?" asked Gregg, with a look of +surprise. + +"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." + +"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. + +"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?" + +"He's suggesting that you mow the lawn!" Case explained. "He doesn't +like the fire-escapes!" + +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. + +"You'll all have to wash dishes, I take it!" Gregg declared. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +In the meantime coffee had been made and the fish fried on the +electric coil. + +"I presume you'll want hot biscuits for supper, too?" asked Clay. + +The visitors were too busy with the game to do more than shake their +heads. + +"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. + +"An' possum pie!" the little negro boy added, licking his chops. + +"Sure! I forgot the possum pie!" Alex. declared. "Excuse me!" + +"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." + +"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!" + +"You may lead me to one of them any time you see fit!" Eddie laughed. + +The river was still roaring and foaming about the _Rambler_, 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. + +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. + +"That's strange!" Case exclaimed. "She sees our lights, but what is +she coming over to this side for?" + +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. + +"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?" + +"Why should we run away from them?" asked Clay, suspiciously. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"Can't we follow this bayou current and get out on the river below +them?" asked Jule. + +Clay said no; Gregg and his chums said yes. + +"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." + +"But the propellers!" urged Clay. "They're broken." + +In a moment one of the men had his clothes off to the undersuit and +was diving down at the stern of the _Rambler_. 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. + +"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." + +The plan suggested proved successful, and the _Rambler_, 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! + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +THE SHERIFF KNOWS A LOT + + +It was still raining when the _Rambler_ 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. + +It was evident from the very start that the steamer was no match for +the _Rambler_ when it came to a question of speed. As well might a +delivery truck attempt to compete in swiftness with a perfect touring +car. + +Besides the power of speed, the _Rambler_ 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. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"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." + +"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 +_Rambler_ and captured it. In that case, you know very well what would +have become of us. We should have been murdered!" + +"I have no doubt that you would have taken care of yourselves," Eddie +declared. + +"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?" + +"Yes; a white man blacked up like a negro." + +"Did you look him over carefully enough to be able to give me a +description of him?" + +"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." + +"Can you give me something of a notion of it in a few words?" asked +Clay. + +"Some old acquaintance of yours?" asked the other, with a smile at +Case. + +"He might have been. The fact is, I thought I recognized the voice of +the spokesman." + +"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?" + +"Ah sure done thought so!" was the reply. + +"You think it was Sam, the Robber, the man who accompanied Red?" asked +Jule. + +"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! + +"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. + +"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!" + +"I thought so," Clay exclaimed. "I thought the fellow's voice sounded +like Sam's." + +"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." + +With this bit of good advice the matter was dropped for the time. The +steamer was no longer in sight, but the _Rambler_ was kept on her way +to the Gulf. + +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. + +"If we have any luck at all," Gregg said, as the _Rambler_ pushed out, +"we'll meet you somewhere south of New Orleans. We've always wanted to +see that swamp country." + +The boys moved slowly down the river after that. + +Again they were enjoying themselves, fishing, hunting and exploring +the country on either side of the great stream. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The man who seemed to be the leader looked keenly around the camp, +peered into the cabin of the _Rambler_, and then approached Clay with +outstretched hand. + +"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." + +"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." + +"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?" + +"There was a steamer chased us--for a little while!" grinned Clay. + +"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?" + +"We only suspected that they were officers," was the answer. + +"It wouldn't have taken long for you to have found out," smiled the +officer. + +"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." + +"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." + +"He must refer to Chet Vinton," Case interrupted. + +"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." + +"That is the lad," Clay answered, with an amused smile. "We have had +him on board the _Rambler_ on two occasions, and each time he has +mysteriously disappeared." + +"Where did you see him last?" + +"At Memphis." + +"That was after you rented a deposit box at a bank?" + +"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?" + +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. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"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." + +Clay regarded the sheriff suspiciously. + +"Has there anything happened to us on this trip that you don't know +about?" he asked, then. + +"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?" + +"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?" + +"You ought to know!" smiled the sheriff. "You called on them." + +"Yes, and they insisted on our making a longer visit!" grinned Alex. + +"Now, what is it about the boy?" the sheriff said, changing the +subject. + +"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." + +"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?" + +"We have not, except that he returned to the _Rambler_ during the dark +hours and restored something he had taken away from her." + +"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?" + +"I am not," Clay answered, wonderingly. "I spoke too hastily. Come, +Mr. Sheriff, tell me how you know anything about that leather bag." + +"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?" + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +A NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS + + +"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." + +"Name the three," laughed the sheriff. "Who are they?" + +"First, the man we have always called Red, the Robber." + +"You have referred to him before, my boy." + +"But you gave me no satisfaction," urged Clay, eagerly. "Do you know +him?" + +"I have heard of a man who sometimes answers to the name of Red. What +next?" + +"The boy, Chester Vinton, accused of having had a hand in the Rock +Island robbery." + +"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!" + +"And the third person is the cashier of the bank where I left the +packet. What did he come on board the _Rambler_ for? Who were the men +with him?" + +"The cashier said he was curious to see the famous boat, didn't he?" + +"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?" + +"I don't know what he expected to find, I'm sure. I have never talked +with him." + +"Now," Clay went on, "you have referred to the leather bag, the one +thrown on the deck of the _Rambler_. 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." + +"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!" + +"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!" + +"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?" + +"No, I won't!" replied Clay. + +"That's right! Speak right up, promptly! Now I know just what to +expect!" + +"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." + +"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." + +"We'll think it over," laughed Clay. "We're thankful for the +invitation, anyway." + +"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." + +"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. + +"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." + +"They did ask for the boy Chet," suggested Case. + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"I'm all out of guesses," Jule declared, "and so I'm going to bed." + +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. + +"Shall we spend the night in the city?" asked Case, then. + +"And where would we leave the _Rambler_?" asked Jule. "If we left it +on the river we wouldn't have any boat in the morning." + +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. + +"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." + +"You don't want much!" laughed Clay. + +"Why not go, then?" asked Alex. "I'm not too lazy to put on a decent +suit." + +"Do you mean it?" demanded Case, rising from his chair. + +"If the others will stay and guard the boat I mean it," was the reply. + +"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." + +"Ah done like to see dis town!" Mose suggested. + +"You'll have to wait until some other time, Mose," Clay replied. "You +must stay on board and help repel boarders now!" + +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. + +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! + +"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." + +"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." + +"Perhaps he followed Case and Alex., and will return with them," Jule +suggested. + +"That would be like him," Clay admitted. + +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. + +The boys saw a figure swimming toward the _Rambler_ and got out their +guns. + +"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?" + +"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." + +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. + +"Dey done got um!" he exclaimed. + +"What about it?" demanded Jule. "Who's got them?" + +After much questioning it was learned that Mose had left the _Rambler_ +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. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +"I reckon you were shot at because some one mistook you for a thief." + +Mose looked reproachfully at Jule, and rolled his eyes wider than +ever. + +"What are we going to do now?" questioned Clay. "I don't know how much +of this story to believe." + +"One of us might leave the boat and go back with Mose," the other +suggested. + +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. + +"I believe the dog can find them," Clay remarked, presently. + +"I'm willing to go and try what he can do," Jule answered. + +"If we could get that foolish negro to come along!" Clay commented. + +Jule went back to the bunk and shook Mose by the shoulder. + +"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!" + +"Fo' de Law'd's sake!" wailed the boy. "Let dis coon die in hes bed!" + +"Come on!" insisted Jule. "You've got to come." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"That's Chet!" Jule muttered, starting away, but Mose shook his head +vigorously. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +SOMETHING DOING ALL THE TIME + + +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 _Rambler_, if that were possible. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Alex. in dar!" the little negro exclaimed. + +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. + +"I reckon Alex. is in there, perhaps Case, too," Jule muttered. + +"Yo' sure cain't fool dat purp!" Mose whispered. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +"Get him, Joe!" the voice cried. "Get him good!" + +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. + +Alex. and Case came out of the room, leaping over the fighters, and +seized Jule and Mose in enthusiastic embraces. + +"Wait!" Jule commanded. "Get the man on the floor first. The dog will +take his life. Joe!" he added, "let go!" + +"Take him away!" shrieked the man. "He's chewed my arm off now!" + +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. + +"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." + +"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." + +"But he'll get right out!" advised Jule. + +"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." + +"We tried our best to get out and couldn't," Case added. + +"Suppose we see if he is badly hurt before we leave him?" Jule put in. + +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. + +"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!" + +"Isn't the place watched?" asked Jule, peering out cautiously. + +"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 _Rambler_." + +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. + +"How did you like the play?" he asked? + +"You saw about as much of it as we did!" was the reply. + +"How did you come to get into such a scrape?" was the next question. + +"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 +_Rambler_ 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!" + +"Who was the other boy?" asked Jule. + +"The other boy? Where? When? Oh, that was Chet! We'll settle with +him!" + +"The lad who jumped out of an open window just before we got in and +ducked away toward the river. Was that Chet?" + +"Blessed if I know!" Alex. answered. "It might have been." + +"I believe that really was Chet!" Jule declared. "It looked like him." + +"How did you get here?" asked Case. "You're a wonder! And Mose and +Joe, too!" + +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. + +"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." + +"It is a wonder," Case commented, "that the fellows didn't make an +attack on the _Rambler_! 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!" + +"We ought to make better time," Jule observed. "Where do we get the +trolley?" + +"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." + +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. + +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 +_Rambler_. 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. + +"They've got possession, I reckon," he said, when he came back. + +"Then all we've got to do is to take it away from them!" Alex. +suggested. + +"But how?" asked Jule. "We can't go on board without their seeing us." + +"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." + +The others waited breathlessly for the boy's return. When he came back +he said: + +"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. + +"It's a wonder they didn't run off with the boat," Case said. + +"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?" + +"Probably thought we were fools enough to run up to it," hazarded +Jule. + +"But where is Clay?" demanded Case. "We've got to find him. Do you +know if they left any one on board the boat?" + +"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." + +"Hard luck to lose the boat after getting so far on our journey!" Jule +commented. + +"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." + +"That's a nice long swim," Case objected. "I don't think you can make +it." + +"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 _Rambler_!" + +"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. + +"Oh, I'm only going to walk up a little way and drift as I swim down." + +"Come up on the other side, then," Case cautioned. "Then you won't be +seen." + +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. + +"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." + +"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?" + +"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!" + +"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." + +The boy ceased speaking suddenly, for the motor boat was getting under +way, heading down toward the business wharves! + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +COMMONPLACE, AFTER ALL + + +"Can that be Alex. moving the _Rambler_?" asked Case, as the motors +sputtered out their insistent clamor. "I don't believe he has had time +to get on board yet." + +"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." + +Standing high on the levee, with the lights of the city growing below +them, the lads watched the _Rambler_ for a moment and then started on +a run up the stream toward a small landing that was not far from the +camp-fire. + +"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." + +The _Rambler_ 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. + +"Come aboard!" shouted Alex. "I've arranged a surprise party for you +here." + +"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." + +"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. + +"You see," Alex. grinned, "we don't know where we are going, but we +are on our way." + +"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!" + +"All right," Alex. retorted. "We don't care about knowing what this +all means! I reckon it is too commonplace to refer to again." + +He grinned at Red and Chet as he spoke, and they both laughed back at +him. + +"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! + +"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. + +"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!" + +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. + +"What's the answer?" demanded Case, turning to Chet. + +"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!" + +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 _Rambler_ 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. + +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. + +"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!" + +"I thought it would take until spring," Chet broke in. "I hoped so!" + +Alex. regarded the two with a whimsical smile on his freckled face. + +"How long will it be before you'll both disappear?" he asked. + +"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." + +"Yes, and you prevented Case and I making one at the house in the +city," Alex. said. + +"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 _Rambler_. I +knew that at the time I was with him--at the time I let him go--or +when you boys did, rather." + +"But why didn't you pinch him?" demanded Alex. "There's a reward." + +"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!" + +"Well, of all the nerve!" Jule cut in. "Just think of that, now!" + +"Were they in that old house on the bayou?" asked Alex. + +"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." + +"It was Captain Joe and Mose who did the good job when they got us +out!" Jule said. + +"Did you find Sam again?" asked Case, in a moment. "He was a corker!" + +"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!" + +"So you are a detective?" asked Case. "Why didn't you say so?" + +"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." + +"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." + +"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." + +"And sent this riverman, Gid Brent, on board at Cairo to see if the +boy was there?" + +"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. + +"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. + +"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! + +"When they let Chet go he made for the _Rambler_ 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." + +"How do you know that?" demanded Clay. + +"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." + +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. + +"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." + +"I suppose those three mechanics were detectives, too?" asked Case. + +"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." + +"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!" + +"Yes, they were," replied Chet, "but they didn't suspect me, at first. +The man Brent, who came on board the _Rambler_ at Cairo, would have +killed me had he found me there. I was afraid he would, so I took to +the river." + +"And you took to the river again the night you threw the bag back on +deck, too." + +"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. + +"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!" + +"We wouldn't have had any fun only for that!" cried Alex. + +"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." + +"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." + +"We will decide that when we get done here," Clay answered. + +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. + +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: + +"The Six River Motor Boys on the St. Lawrence; or, the Lost Channel." + +THE END. + + + + + +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 38617-8.txt or 38617-8.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. 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