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diff --git a/42019-0.txt b/42019-0.txt index 6bf7894..91c9270 100644 --- a/42019-0.txt +++ b/42019-0.txt @@ -1,35 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Motor Boat Boys' River Chase, by Louis Arundel - -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: Motor Boat Boys' River Chase - or, Six Chums Afloat and Ashore - -Author: Louis Arundel - -Release Date: February 5, 2013 [EBook #42019] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS' RIVER CHASE *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42019 *** [Illustration: THERE CAME A SHARP REPORT AND A FLASH OF FLAME] @@ -5983,359 +5952,4 @@ _For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of 75c._ End of Project Gutenberg's Motor Boat Boys' River Chase, by Louis Arundel -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS' RIVER CHASE *** - -***** This file should be named 42019-0.txt or 42019-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/0/1/42019/ - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -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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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: Motor Boat Boys' River Chase - or, Six Chums Afloat and Ashore - -Author: Louis Arundel - -Release Date: February 5, 2013 [EBook #42019] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS' RIVER CHASE *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - -</pre> - - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42019 ***</div> <div class="figcenter" style="width: 501px;"> <img src="images/cover.jpg" width="501" height="600" alt="cover" title="cover" /> @@ -8620,381 +8582,6 @@ attractive multi-color jacket wrapper around each book. Bound in cloth.</p> Bumpus, has been retained as in the original.</p> </div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Motor Boat Boys' River Chase, by Louis Arundel - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS' RIVER CHASE *** - -***** This file should be named 42019-h.htm or 42019-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/0/1/42019/ - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -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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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: Motor Boat Boys' River Chase - or, Six Chums Afloat and Ashore - -Author: Louis Arundel - -Release Date: February 5, 2013 [EBook #42019] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS' RIVER CHASE *** - - - - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - -[Illustration: THERE CAME A SHARP REPORT AND A FLASH OF FLAME] - - - - - MOTOR BOAT BOYS' - RIVER CHASE - - _OR_ - - _Six Chums Afloat and Ashore_ - - - _By_ - LOUIS ARUNDEL - - - [Illustration] - - - Chicago - M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY - - - - - Copyright 1914 - by - M. A. DONOHUE & CO. - CHICAGO - - - Made in U. S. A. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I. READY FOR THE START 7 - II. THE CRUISE BEGUN 21 - III. BUSTER CAPTURES A FISH 33 - IV. A MYSTERY LOOMS UP 43 - V. THE FIRST CAMP FIRE OF THE TRIP 57 - VI. A STARTLING INTERRUPTION 69 - VII. THE TREASURE CACHE 81 - VIII. JACK PLAYS SCOUT 91 - IX. OPENING THE STRANGE BOX 103 - X. DISAPPOINTMENT 112 - XI. BUSTER HAS A SHOCK 121 - XII. THE MAN WITH THE BLUE MOON SWEATER 131 - XIII. THE RIVER PIRATE 140 - XIV. READY FOR TROUBLE 150 - XV. JUST A MINUTE TOO LATE 160 - XVI. IN HOT PURSUIT 169 - XVII. THE MOONLIGHT CHASE 178 - XVIII. OVERHAULED 187 - XIX. ABOARD THE FLOATING RAFT 196 - XX. HOLDING THE FORT 206 - XXI. MAKING THINGS WARM 211 - XXII. "DROP THAT BAG" 221 - XXIII. EVERYTHING LOVELY--CONCLUSION 230 - XXIV. CONCLUSION 237 - - - - -The Motor Boat Boys' River Chase - -_or_ - -Six Chums Afloat and Ashore - -By Louis Arundel - - - - -CHAPTER I - -READY FOR THE START - - -"What are we waiting for, Commodore Jack?" - -"Yes, I'm the last one to be in a hurry, boys, but it seems to me we -ought to be getting away. The river ain't waiting up for us, you -notice." - -"Hold your horses, Buster, and count noses; perhaps you'll find that -there are only five of us present." - -"Huh! guess you're right, Josh Purdue; but what's become of Jimmie. I -never heard a splash, and I don't see him swimmin', if he is a regular -water duck. Water's too cold any way, this fine April day, for goin' -in." - -"Why, Jack sent him back to the post office to see if there was any -mail. He's thinking of George here, who's expecting a letter from that -sweet little Southern girl he met last fall, when we were knocking -around the Florida Keys in our motor boats, after coming down the -coast." - -"Rats! speak for yourself, Josh!" exclaimed the fifth member of the -party, whose name seemed to be George, and who was a nervous, active -boy, one of those kind who are always wanting to do things in a hurry; -"didn't I see you get a lavender colored letter only last week, and -when I walked past him purposely in the post office, fellows, oh! my -goodness! you ought to have sniffed the lovely perfume that oozed out of -that envelope. Did Josh tear the end off? Not that I could notice; but -he took out his knife, and cut it so carefully like, you'd think----" - -"Sure we've got all the grub aboard, Jack?" asked the said Josh, who -had turned more or less red in the face with confusion at being so -unexpectedly attacked, "because it'd be a mighty tough thing to get -snugly settled in the first camp of the season, and find you've gone and -left that elegant home-cured ham to home." - -"Our ham's safe, all right; I'm looking right at it now!" declared -George, as he stared at the rosy face of Josh, and chuckled aloud. - -"I've gone over the list, and checked things off, with the help of Herb -here; and so far as we could tell, there's nothing missing. Things seem -to be in good shape, after lying all winter in the boat-yard. And the -engines work splendidly," was the report of the boy named Jack, to whom -the others seemed to look as though he might have some right to that -title of "Commodore," being the chief officer of the motor boat club. - -They were standing on the river bank just below a small town that was -situated on the Upper Mississippi; and fastened to the shore by stout -cables were three power boats of vastly different patterns. - -One of them, owned by George Rollins, was a speed boat, narrow of beam, -and capable of doing wonderful stunts in the way of annihilating space, -whenever the big powered motor chose to act decently, which happened -more frequently in these days than in the past, when it used to give the -skipper much trouble. This boat was known as a freak, and went under the -name of the Wireless. - -The second was a good, roomy craft, which George called a "punkin-seed," -because it took up so much room. Herbert Dickson was the satisfied owner -of this boat, and as it bore the name of Comfort, it may readily be -understood that the captain was a quiet, unassuming lad, who as a rule -minded his own business, and always wanted comfort before speed. Still, -it had often happened that Herb got to his destination long before -George, who spent so much time tinkering with his balky engine, while -that of the roomy craft had never been known to act sulky, or quit -business, but worked right along like a well-oiled clock. - -The third boat was a happy medium between the other two, and went under -the name of the Tramp. Jack Stormways held the wheel of this, and as a -rule the absent member, Jimmie Brannagan, served as the crew. The Tramp -was a reliable article, and probably better fitted for cruising than -either of the others, when one wanted an all-round craft, capable of -speed, and yet not cramped for room, or cranky in action. - -These six lads had formed a club, and during the last two years had been -able, by reason of fortunate circumstances whereby they came into a -considerable sum of money, to make several long cruises. - -These have been narrated at length in previous volumes of this Series, -and the reader of the present book, who has not had the pleasure of -making the acquaintance of Jack and his chums up to now, and would -know more about them, is referred to the earlier numbers for full -particulars, with the assurance that he will find an abundance of lively -reading there. - -Their first cruise had been down the Father of Waters all the way to New -Orleans, where they had a mission to perform. After that they had the -boats shipped to Clayton on the St. Lawrence; and for the better part -of vacation time cruised among the Thousand Islands, and on the Great -Lakes, going up through the wonderful Soo Canal, and seeing everything -that was worth while in that enchanted region. - -Then, in the winter, they were given a glorious chance to start down -the Atlantic coast, taking the inside route away from the ocean, and -reaching Florida after some of the most stirring adventures ever told. - -And as their time had not been exhausted, they put in some weeks of -pleasure in navigating among the Keys of the Florida peninsula, meeting -with many stirring adventures, all of which have been faithfully -chronicled for the reading of our boys. - -And now, here were the Easter holidays come, and a little river -excursion planned, down to a big island that lay some ninety miles or -more below the home town, and which was an object of more or less -curiosity to the passengers on the river steamboats, because of the -strange stories that were told about mysterious lights seen there, and -queer noises that had been heard from time to time. - -Fishermen sometimes stopped there, in several little old huts they had -erected; but of late years they seemed to have rather abandoned the -island for other more favored localities; declaring that the fishing was -no longer good there, and all that; but it was secretly passed around -that they had been frightened off through some means; and so the island -had come to have a bad name. - -These bold lads liked nothing better than to explore such a place, and -learn for themselves whether there was any truth in the wild stories -going around. There was always a sort of peculiar fascination for them -in exploding silly stories about haunted houses, and mills, and all such -things. On several occasions Jack and his five chums had just looked -into such affairs, and proved how foolish the talk had been. And during -the winter they had often talked about Bedloe's Island, and what people -were saying about it; until finally some one proposed that when Easter -came along, with more than a week of freedom from school duties, they -take a run down the river, and camp there; fish and loaf, and just have -the best possible time, in spite of all the ghosts that ever rose up -from the grave when the solemn hour of midnight came around. - -And here they were, only waiting for the return of Jimmie, when they -meant to go aboard, cast off the lines, float out upon the swirling -waters of the great river, and then starting their engines, go speeding -down the current. - -Although George, always in a hurry, might be expected to show impatience, -even stout Buster, who was well named, had confessed to a feeling of -anxiety to get started. They all loved this life on the water so much, -that after being shut up between the walls of the high school building -for some months now, five days in a week, they were just wild to be -afloat. - -"What d'ye suppose Clarence Macklin'd say if he saw our bully little -flotilla all ready, with steam up, to start on this new voyage?" Buster -asked, a few minutes afterwards, as they stood there, keeping an anxious -eye toward the border of the near-by town, and along the river road -which Jimmie would have to use to reach them. - -This same Clarence had always been a thorn in the flesh of the motor -boat boys ever since the club was started. He had certain habits that -the others did not like, and when he applied for admission, it was no -surprise that he had been black-balled. - -After that Clarence, who was of a mean disposition, could never forgive -Jack and his chums; and he had lost no opportunity to annoy them, often -going to extremes in his desire to make them all the trouble that he -could. - -During their cruise down the Mississippi, and when upon the St. Lawrence -and the Great Lakes he had bobbed up every little while, with his fast -boat, known under the name of Flash, and there were times when Jack and -his friends just hated the sight of that contemptuous face of Clarence -Macklin. - -So when Buster mentioned it now, the boys looked at each other, with a -little anxious expression on their faces. - -"Oh! I guess we needn't look for any more trouble from Clarence," Jack -remarked. "He's kept clear of us all winter, you know; and perhaps he's -let the whole thing drop. I hope so, anyway." - -"Well, I know Clarence better than the rest of you," said Herb, "because -I used to chum with him before I found better fellows to go with; and -you can take it from me that when he's quiet, that's the time he's to be -feared most of all, for he's sure to be hatching up mischief. That brain -of his is never still. And ever since we got back from Florida he's been -listening, second-hand, to the great stories we had to tell, and just -eating his heart out with envy because he couldn't have been there too." - -"Yes," put in Josh Purdue, with a frown, for he had had many unpleasant -experiences with the said Clarence, and the mention of that name acted -on him as a red flag would on a bull; "and I happen to know that Bully -Joe, the feller Clarence still hangs on to for his crony, heard me tell -a gentleman about the trip we expected to take during Easter holidays; -and when I saw him running down the street so fast you could a-played -marbles on his coat-tail, I just knew he was in the biggest hurry ever -to tell Clarence all about it." - -"Oh! then that explains why you've been keeping an eye out on the river -so much all the time we've been standing here," remarked Jack. "Now, I -thought you were only trying to figure on the strength of the current, -and how long it ought to take us to drop down to Bedloe's Island." - -"We'll be there before the sun drops out of sight; that is, wind and -weather, and the engine of the Wireless permitting," said Josh. - -"Now, never you mind about what my motor is going to do," spoke up -George, who, in spite of all the tricks that had been played on him by -his balky engine, still had an abiding faith in its ability to do -wonders, and was always sure he had solved the combination that had been -bothering him, this time for good. "I've been working a whole lot on -that same machine since our last cruise down among the oyster reefs of -Florida, and I'm dead sure I've got it fixed now so that she'll never go -back on me again. P'raps she won't be quite as swift as before, but then -I'm coming to the conclusion that speed ain't everything when you're on -a long trip. You fellows used to take it so comfy, while I was always -fretting, and worrying over my motive power." - -"Hear! hear!" exclaimed Jack, "the old buccaneer has seen a great light, -and is half converted right now. Chances are, Herb, he'll be offering to -trade with you before long." - -At that George looked daggers at the Comfort, riding like a contented -duck on the water near by. - -"Perhaps I may, when I want a tub," he said, severely; "but I don't -think that day'll ever arrive, Jack." - -"All the same," spoke up Josh, who had often been Herb's companion on -the beamy boat, and knew the luxury of having plenty of room, without -being told a thousand times to keep still, because he was rocking the -boat; "I can remember the time when you were mighty glad to come aboard -that same tub, and beg a breakfast from the skipper, because your silly -cranky Wireless was out of commission or sunk. Don't look a gift horse -in the mouth, George. Time may come again when you'll feel like begging -the pardon of that noble craft. Many's the happy day I've had while -serving my time on her. She's a dandy, that's what." - -"Thank you, Josh!" said Herb, quietly; but there was a satisfied gleam in -his eyes that spoke louder than words; for Herb really loved his boat, -and took it to heart more than easy-going, reckless George imagined, when -the scornful member of the club chose to speak slightingly of her. - -Possibly George felt twinges of remorse, as his memory carried him back -to certain occasions in the adventurous past; for he tossed his head, -and went on to say: - -"Oh! she's all right, for those who don't care anything about getting -along in a rush; but you know I never could stand that sort of thing. -I'm too much a bundle of nerves. When I've set my mind on doing a thing -I don't like to be kept waiting. Herb wouldn't fancy my boat any more'n -I do his; and there you are." - -"Well, we'll soon be off now," remarked Buster, joyfully. - -"Yes, because there comes Jimmie," added Jack. - -Jimmie Brannagan was an Irish boy, as his name announced. He was a sort -of ward of Jack's father, who held some little money in trust until the -lad came of age. His parents had been of a good family, and while Jimmie -chose to talk in a species of brogue, that was amusing to his mates, he -could really use as good language as any fellow, if he chose to exert -himself. He lived with the Stormways, and was much in the company of -Jack, being a warm-hearted boy, impulsive, and a friend who would stick -through thick and thin. - -He was seen to be half running along the road, as though eager to join -his comrades, and get started on the joyous trip; for Jimmy was as -happy as a bird when aboard a boat. As a rule he acted as Jack's -team-mate; but there were times when changes in the crews had to be -made, owing to a disinclination on the part of Buster, Jimmy, and Josh -to serve any great length of time aboard the wobbly Wireless; for they -declared that the narrow boat was just about as nervous as its skipper, -and kept the crew on edge all the time. - -"What's he waving that newspaper for, d'ye think?" Buster asked, -presently. - -"You might guess a thousand years, and never know," remarked George, -"but he'll be along right soon now, and then we'll find out. Take a -sprint, Jimmie; stretch a single into a two-bagger, and slide for -second! Here you come, old top! Now, what's all the row about; tell us?" - -Jimmie, red-faced, freckled, good-natured Jimmie, grinned, and held out -the open newspaper toward them. - -"Sure and they do be havin' the dickens av a time up beyant us. Look at -the illegant head-lines, would ye? 'Bowld robbery! Thaves break into the -Bank, and loot the Safe av a Forchune! Lawrence all excited over the -visit av yeggmen! Reward offered for tha apprehension av the Rascals.' -Whoop! now, don't that sound loike another time when we was sthartin' -down the river. History, begorra, does love to repate itsilf. But for -the love av goodness lit's get off. I'm that ager to feel the water -gurgling underneath the keel av a boat, I could straddle a log, and take -me chances av a cruise down the ould river. Jack, darlint, give the -worrd!" - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE CRUISE BEGUN - - -"All aboard!" sang out Jack, as he thrust the paper containing such -sensational news into his pocket, to be glanced over at some more -convenient season, and little suspecting how it would enter into the -fortunes of the party of fun-loving boys while on their Easter holidays' -cruise. - -Everybody immediately seemed to be in motion, and the way in which the -various crews stood by to cast off hawsers, while the skippers looked to -their engines, was well worth seeing. - -"Let go!" called the commodore of the boat club, when he saw that -everything was ready. - -The ropes were unfastened, and the three lads sprang aboard, just as -the current began to grip each boat, and cause it to slowly start upon -the new voyage that appeared so mild in the beginning, yet which was -destined to be written down as one of the most adventurous of all those -the six boys had enjoyed. - -"Whoop! we're off!" yelled Buster, as he scrambled on board the Wireless, -in his usual clumsy way, that brought a word of warning from George, and -caused the boat to careen badly. - -"You will be off, if you try that sort of racket many times," declared -the skipper. "What d'ye take this racer for, a canalboat? Be more -careful Buster, how you lounge around. I guess they nicknamed you right -when they called you Hippopotamus, Pudding, and all that sort. Now, sit -down exactly in the middle, and when you do have to move, be careful not -to shift your weight too sudden-like. No boat can do its prettiest when -it isn't on an even keel." - -"Say, is my hair parted exactly in the middle, George? If it ain't, -please let me get it straight before you start!" observed the fat boy, -with a touch of satire in his voice, something Buster seldom indulged -in; but he had sailed the stormy seas with George before and could look -back to many a sad time aboard that most uncomfortable Wireless; still -the three fellows had drawn lots to see who would have to stand for the -agony on this new cruise, and it had fallen to poor Buster to play the -part of victim. - -George did not reply to this shot. He was busy with his engine, and both -the other boats were already moving off, with the rapid popping of their -exhausts announcing that everything was working in apple-pie order. - -"Please don't tell me that we're all up the flue, even before we get -started, George?" pleaded Buster, turning pale with apprehension. - -"Keep still, won't you, Buster; you bother me," replied the other, still -working at his engine. "It's only a little thing, that don't matter -much. And you see, it gives us a chance to let the others get a lead. -You know how much I like to come up from behind, and rush ahead? Well, -that's what we're going to do now. Be a sport, Buster, and don't whine -so much. Everything's going to be lovely, and the goose will hang high, -I can tell you." - -"I guess it will," sighed the fat boy, with a resigned expression on his -face, as though he realized that he was in for it, and might as well -make the best of a bad bargain. - -The boat was floating down the current, as Buster had pushed out from -the shore with a pole, after getting aboard. The other craft had gotten -some little distance away, and doubtless those on board were indulging -in the usual "I told you so's" that accompanied every mishap on the part -of the Wireless, for both Jimmie and Josh could be seen looking back, -and even waving their hands, as though saying good-bye. - -Then all at once there came a quick series of sharp sounds, and George -looked up with a proud expression on his face, as the little power-boat -began to rush through the water at racehorse speed. - -"What did I tell you, Buster?" he observed, as he clutched the wheel, -and turned the boat's head in a direct line with the others of the -little fleet; "and after this, please don't act so impatient. Leave it -all to me. An engine's a delicate thing to handle, and as full of whims -as a girl. Even the weather affects them at times; and they just have to -be coaxed, and led along. But I flatter myself I've got this thing down -fine, now, and we won't have any trouble with it on this trip, while I -cut circles around the other fellows." - -That was a pet hobby with George, making speed, and "running rings" -around his comrades. Nothing tickled him more than to be able to do -this, even though it failed to bother Jack or Herb in the least. - -"Mebbe you're right, George," replied Buster, meekly, "you see, when it -comes to mechanics my education has been sadly neglected, and I couldn't -run an engine if my very life depended on it. All I've noticed is, that -the other motors don't seem to bother about weather, or any old thing. -They go plodding right along like they had business to do, and didn't -mean to be halted." - -"That's just it, Buster," remarked the other eagerly, "they never have -troubles of their own because they're slow-pokes, like heavy farm -horses. It's the highly bred racer that's all nerves, you know. But look -at us eating up space, will you? Don't we fly along, though? This is -what I like, Buster. What are you looking at me that way for?" - -"I'm afraid I'm going to sneeze, George, and I hope it won't--ker-chew! -oh! my, it's coming again, ker-chew! Excuse me, George. I'll try and not -let that happen often, if I can help it." - -George looked at his companion rather suspiciously. He could not tell -whether Buster really meant what he said, or was speaking in irony. But -the gallant way in which the narrow boat was cutting the water gripped -his attention again, and after that he could not bother himself with -minor things. - -They soon overtook the other two boats moving along in company. Jack -could have easily gone ahead of the beamy Comfort had he wished, but he -preferred to stay by Herb, so that the crews could exchange opinions -from time to time. In his mind a large part of the pleasure to be gotten -out of cruising came from this sociability; whereas George would be -rushing off by himself, satisfied if only he could make a mile in a -fraction less time than at any previous time. - -In ten minutes George was far ahead, and making the water fly out on -either side as he urged his engine on to do its prettiest. - -"Up to his old tricks again," remarked Josh, as he tidied up a little -aboard the Tramp, secretly delighted that luck had given him a berth -with the commodore, whom he admired greatly. - -"Well, what did you expect?" replied Jack, who was taking things easy, -with his engine working like a charm, "what's bred in the bone can never -be beaten out of the flesh, they say; and George, with his nervous ways, -cares only for racing, whenever he can coax anybody to give him a go. -But mark what I say, Josh, it's only a question of time before he rubs -up against his old motor troubles again. He's never satisfied when he's -got the thing running smoothly, but has to go tinkering at it to see if -he can't get another fraction of speed out, and then all at once it -balks, and refuses to work at all." - -"Yes," remarked Josh, with a wide grin, "we may be towing the Wireless -back home yet; and it wouldn't be the first time, either, Jack." - -"Well, hardly," mused the skipper, smiling himself as memory carried him -back to other scenes connected with their numerous cruises in these same -boats. - -"Does George know that we expect to tie up at noon, and have a bite -ashore; or will he be silly enough to want to rush along that way, and -get to the island long before we think of pulling in there?" Josh went -on to ask. - -"He knows our plans all right," answered the other, "though you can -never tell what George will do, he's so full of notions. But as stuff to -eat is aboard the roomy Comfort, and we're carrying the rest, unless he -wants to starve poor old Buster, so as to cut down his weight, and make -less ballast for the speed-boat to carry, I guess he'll haul in about -eleven and wait for us." - -"Oh! I don't envy Buster his job of holding down that bucking broncho of -a Wireless," Josh chuckled. "I c'n see him right now, sitting there, -holding on, and looking like he was tryin' to accommodate his breathin' -with the panting of the engine, while George he looks daggers every time -Buster gulps in a wad of air at the wrong time." - -"Oh! come now, Josh, it isn't quite so bad as all that," declared Jack, -with a shake of his head. "And even George couldn't keep Buster from -having his own way, once he gets started. It's good he learned how to -swim long ago, because chances are, he'll be overboard more than once -before this voyage is done." - -"Mebbe George'll throw him over, when he gets nervous, and Buster keeps -wobbling around, making the boat roll to beat the band, eh, Jack?" - -"Well, you know how that is yourself, because that's what happened when -you had the job of crew aboard his boat," the skipper of the Tramp went -on to say; which reminder seemed to afford Josh considerable amusement, -to judge from his laughter. - -They went on steadily, putting mile after mile behind them. Now and then -some river craft was encountered, though these were of course not near so -numerous as would have been the case below the confluence of the Missouri -and Ohio with the Father of Waters. Sometimes it was a steamboat that was -breasting the current; or it might be a plodding towboat, with a barge or -two alongside. And then again they overtook a queer looking shantyboat, -which had the appearance, with its cabin, of a cheese box on a raft. - -All these familiar sights were eagerly observed by Jack and his -companion, as well as the two upon the other boat, for they recalled -pleasant memories. - -George had gone so far ahead that his little boat looked like a dot upon -the water; but possibly he would remember in time that he had no means -of satisfying hunger aboard the Wireless, and might anchor to await -their coming, giving Buster a chance to wet a line, for the fat boy had -taken a great fancy for fishing, and was always complaining that he did -not get half the opportunities to indulge in his favorite sport that he -would like. - -Now and then they would pass a town upon either shore of the river, -although as a rule these were not so plentiful in this section, where -the banks were inclined to be marshy. - -The morning was gradually wearing away, and everything seemed to be -going smoothly. Josh expressed himself as surprised that hours had -passed, and still the nettlesome speed-boat continued to keep going -along, as though George had indeed finally mastered the secret of its -precious unreliable behavior. - -"But when George is around, you c'n expect any old thing to happen," he -wound up with, "and even when things are working smoothly, he won't be -satisfied till he upsets the combination again, you see if it ain't so." - -Jack did not attempt to contradict his prediction, because he also knew -George like a book and thought pretty much the same way. - -Just about eleven, Josh declared that they seemed to be gradually -getting nearer the pilot boat of the party, as George liked to have his -craft called; though for that part he would have made a most unreliable -guide, and had the others chosen to follow him, they would have been led -into many more messes than actually fell to their lot. - -"That's because Buster has rebelled," Jack observed, "there's been a -mutiny aboard that craft; and George had been told that for one Buster -doesn't mean to miss his lunch at noon, just because the Wireless is -making a record run." - -"Oh! you mean they've thrown the old mud hook over, and are waiting for -us slow-pokes to come along, eh, Jack?" - -"Just about that; but we're getting all the fun we want out of making -slower time; and our engines won't go back on us either, in spite," -laughed the other. - -"Well, while we're gliding along in this fine way--I always like to use -that word when speaking of cruising, it sounds so fine--I'll be getting -up the menu for our first dinner ashore. It makes my mouth water just to -think of a campfire again, after all that time. Brought your little old -Marlin along, didn't you, Jack? P'raps we might get a few late ducks -while we're out, if all of 'em ain't gone north by now. And if Buster -only does his duty, and grabs up a fish now and then, why, it'll be just -great." - -So Josh, who used to be something of a cook in times past, amused -himself in a way that suited his fancy, while they drew closer and -closer to the place where the speed-boat awaited them. - -George was full of boasting as usual, and predicted a record run for his -craft. None of the others disputed his assertions, but they exchanged -looks, for they had heard all this sort of talk before, and then seen -poor disappointed George only too glad to take a tow in the end, with -his engine stubborn, or broken down. - -Together they continued on down the river; where they could readily tie -to the bank, and go ashore to cook dinner. - -There was a great deal of climbing back and forth, and everybody but -George seemed bustling with business; he sat there, and pottered with -his engine, as though some new idea had seized hold of him, and he -meant to try one of his everlasting experiments that always ended so -disastrously. - -Then the voice of Buster was heard in the land, lamenting. - -"It was there yesterday, because I put it in away with my own hands; and -George here says he never opened that locker once; but now that I want -to put it on, my new sweater has disappeared the funniest way ever. I -wouldn't be surprised, fellers, if we found that some thief got aboard -our boats last night, and couldn't resist taking that bully sweater with -the red moon on the front; and that's what!" - - - - -CHAPTER III - -BUSTER CAPTURES A FISH - - -"Chances are you left it behind in the shed where the boats were kept," -George remarked, looking up from his work, "but I wish you'd just step -ashore, and let me go on with my little job here, Buster. Excuse me for -saying it, but whenever you swing around it makes the boat rock just -awful." - -"Oh! I'm a-goin' right away, George, and only too glad for a chance to -set foot again on something solid, that won't sway every time I breathe -wrong. Wait till I get my fish lines, will you? P'raps if I can't have -the pleasure of wearing my new sweater, I might manage to pick up a few -small finny denizens of the mighty Mississippi. And when it comes to -_fish_, I know you fellows are fond of most any kind that swims." - -"Except dog-fish; I draw the line there," objected Josh. "But here's -some meat to bait your line with, Buster; you see, Jack brought a steak -along, thinking we'd miss it all of a sudden; and we're going to fry -some onions with that. Makes your mouth water, don't it?" - -"Makes me eyes run a-peelin' these same onions!" groaned Jimmie; -"somebody please do be koind enough to take out me hanky, and woipe me -tears away. 'Tis remimberin' me ould grandmither I am at this blissed -minute and that's what makes me cry." - -Buster kindly performed that brotherly duty, and then busied himself -with his fish lines. Rod or pole he had none, nor did Buster ever bother -with such a thing as a reel. A large hook, with a hunk of meat fastened -to it, and dropped overboard, suited his ideas all right; after which he -trusted to luck to bring him a capture. - -The fire was started by Jack, and already Josh could be seen getting -ready to serve as chef. He had fetched along a cute little white cap -without a peak, which he donned whenever he had to serve as the -"dish-slinger and pot wrestler," as he was fond of calling his -occupation. It was intended to stand for his badge of authority; and -when he had it on, the rest were supposed to be his willing slaves, -ready to jump at his bidding. - -There is no part of an outing that suits boys better than preparing -meals, unless it is in disposing of the same after they are cooked. -With appetites whetted to a keen edge by the air, and freedom from -anxiety, they can hardly wait until called to the feast, but wander -around, begging the cook to please hurry, if he does not want to have a -funeral on his hands. - -There was always more or less merry talk passing back and forth while -these six comrades tried and true, got dinner ready; for they were -a good-natured lot, and very fond of each other, despite frequent -bickerings, usually between George on the one hand, and some chum on the -other. - -Buster had managed to set his two lines, as best the conditions allowed. -Since George was so touchy about his rocking the narrow boat with his -clumsy movements, Buster had gone out to the beamy Comfort, and fastened -one of his stout lines to a cleat he found handy. The other he had -thrown out from the shore above, and tied to a stake driven into the -earth, just as he had seen a snubbing-post used down in Florida, when -sharks were being fished for around the inlets. - -Every little while he would glance toward these lines, having arranged -so that if a fish took hold, a little piece of white rag would be -hoisted as a signal; very much on the order of that frequently used by -pickerel fishermen, when watching a dozen or two holes cut through the -ice, each with its separate line. - -The cooking progressed slowly. Josh said he was out of practice, but -that when he got his hand in, all would be smooth sailing again. - -He had plenty of assistance, for every one but George and Buster hung -around, ready to lend a hand; and after he had fixed his snares with the -baited hooks at the end, even the fat boy was willing to do anything -Josh asked. - -Finally the cook announced that everything was ready, and that they -could draw up to the board. Of course this latter was only a figure of -speech, for there was not a sign of a board around; the things were -placed right on the ground, while the diners were expected to get their -supplies on a tin platter, and in a tin cup; after which they were at -liberty to squat like tailors, with their legs drawn up under them; or -else retreat to the boats for more comfortable seats. - -"Talk to me about your banquets," remarked Herb, as he started in on his -rasher of steak and fried onions, "this beats anything that was ever -invented. I wouldn't change places with a king, right now." - -"Them's my sintimints!" echoed Jimmie, as well as a fellow could who had -his mouth crammed full at the moment, so that he had to talk from one -side. - -"Hurry up, George, or you'll get left!" called Josh, noticing that the -skipper of the speed boat had not come ashore. - -"Oh! I suppose I'll just have to, but I'd rather be left to work here," -replied George, nervously, whereat the rest glanced at each other, and -the looks thus exchanged seemed to say as plainly as anything: "Wonder -now if he's gone and done it, mixed things up with his cranky old -engine, and don't seem able to get it to working right again; that would -be just like Fussy George!" - -It was more than pleasant to sit there, looking out upon the broad river -and enjoying the feast that had been prepared as a starter to their camp -life. The very wind that came sweeping across from the further shore, -cool and delicious, seemed to be of a different brand to any that they -enjoyed at home; so much do surroundings have to do with things. - -No one seemed in any particular hurry but George, who bolted his dinner, -and was back again on his boat long before any of the others had -finished. - -"Are we nearly half way there, do you think Jack?" asked Herb, who knew -that the skipper of the Tramp kept track of all these things and had -charts as well of the river. - -"We've come forty-five miles since starting, because, you see, the -current is pretty strong; and for once we haven't been held up by -George's cranky boat," replied Jack, lowering his voice a little when -saying this last, since there was no necessity for offending the chum -whose little oddities gave them more or less fun during a cruise. - -"Then that would mean we've still got a good fifty to go," suggested -Buster. - -"Somebody get a leather medal for Buster here, our Lightning Calculator. -Now, it would take me ever so long to figure that forty-five from -ninety-five really leaves fifty; but just see how he grabs the answer -right off the reel. It won't be long before he has a little 'Professor' -tacked to his name," and Josh chuckled as though he had really said -something smart. - -Buster did not seem to feel hurt; in fact, many of these little shafts -just glanced from him as arrows might from the thick hide of a -rhinoceros; which is not saying that Buster was impervious to ridicule, -for that would be far from the truth, as he could be quite sensitive at -times; but Josh he treated with supreme contempt whenever the latter -tried to be funny at his expense. - -All this while Buster had tried to keep one eye on the places where his -fishing lines were out. He fancied several times that he saw a white rag -start to show, but before he could scramble to his feet, which was quite -an effort for him, it was all over, and proved to be only a nibble, so -that on each occasion he had to sink back again, and have patience. - -There were good fish in the old Mississippi, and he knew it, so why -should he not have his share of the spoils? In his moments of leisure, -while preparing his hooks and lines, no doubt Buster had pictured -himself as hauling in some monster that would be the envy of all his -camp-mates; and beside which he must have his picture taken, as positive -proof that he was the successful angler. - -Jack knew that once they started they would be apt to make their -destination in less than five hours; so that there was no need of haste. -He had seen much of George's hurrying, and what grievous results it -often brought in its train, that somehow he felt more averse to making -haste than ever. - -So he and Herb and Andy sat there, chatting, as they finished their -dinner, with Buster squatting alongside like a great toad, waiting for -that bite which did not seem to materialize very fast, and in a sort of -hazy way listening to what was said by his three chums; Josh being busy -with the cooking utensils, which he liked to keep as clean as sand and -water could scour them, after the most approved camp methods known. - -All at once there was a heave on the part of Buster; who seemed to be -actuated by some wild impulse, for he made frantic efforts to get up; -but as he had been sitting on one of his legs, it had gone to "sleep," -so that even after the fat boy did succeed in gaining an erect position, -he came very near falling over into the fire that was still smouldering. - -"Hi! what's all this mean; got a fit, Pudding?" shouted the alarmed -Josh, as he supported the swaying form of the other for just five -seconds; when Buster broke loose, and went limping toward the river, -uttering all sorts of vaporings, in his excitement. - -"Oh! it's only a fish, after all," grunted Josh, who had begun to -believe that there was something tremendous the matter. - -But at any rate it meant a whole lot for Buster, who, scrambling aboard -the Comfort made a bee line for the spot where he had fastened his -stout cord. Sure enough the piece of white rag was fluttering from the -top of the rudder post, having been pulled up there when the fish had -seized the bait, and started away with it. - -Everybody just naturally stopped whatever they were doing at the time, -to watch the fisherman. Even George poked his head up to see what all -the row was about, and for the moment forgot his troubles with that -cranky engine. - -Buster was giving little cries of mingled delight and wonder. - -"Wow! it's sure a big one this time, boys! Takes your Uncle Nick to coax -the dandies to take hold. Yes, I spit on my bait every time, and that's -the trick to fetch 'em. That'll do, Josh, I'm running this circus, and -I'd thank you not to butt in. Watch me land him now, boys! Say, ain't -this fun, though? Worth while coming fifty miles to see me do the great -act. Wow!" - -"Look out, Bumpus, or he'll pull you in!" called Jack; but evidently the -warning meant in good earnest, fell on deaf ears. Bumpus was not going -to be denied the pleasure of landing his own capture. - -They saw him unfasten the cord with trembling hands, hardly able to -contain himself. Then he threw himself back in a noble attitude that -made Josh compare him with "Ajax defying the lightning," which every one -has seen in marble. - -All at once Herb gave a shout that was echoed by others. - -"Whip the cord around the cleat again, Buster, quick!" - -Buster attempted to obey, realizing when it was too late that he had cut -off more than he could manage when he tried to land that monster fish; -but unable to do so, and unwilling to let go of the line, for he had a -very stubborn nature, the next thing they knew there was a great splash, -and Buster was wallowing in the yellow waters of the Mississippi. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -A MYSTERY LOOMS UP - - -That was not the first time Buster Longfellow had taken an involuntary -bath in the Father of Waters, as his comrades knew only too well. At the -same time, this fact did not lessen the excitement that followed his -disappearance one little atom. - -Such a splashing and grunting and wallowing as there was when the fat -boy took that sudden plunge; why, one could easily imagine a whole troop -of hogs had been coaxed in to being scrubbed, preparatory to an -exhibition at the county fair. - -And the way the water flew was a caution. A young whale working its way -up the river from the gulf, or rather a porpoise, since whales are not -to be found often in the Sunny South, could not have created a greater -racket. - -Of course every fellow, after that first shock, sprang to his feet, and -made for the shore as fast as his legs could carry him. It might be a -ludicrous sight, all very well, but there was a little element of danger -connected with it; and they were comrades true, who could not stand by, -and see poor Buster dragged out into the middle of the river by a fish. - -When the splashing had in a measure subsided, they discovered the stout -figure of Buster. He was standing in the yellow water up to his waist -and tugging with all his might at the fish line, which he seemed to have -wrapped around both hands, as though just determined that his prize -should not get away. - -Now the boy would gain a foot, and seem to be dragging his capture -toward land; when there would be a sudden tremendous effort on the part -of the fish to escape, and the first thing Buster knew, he was being -pulled back again, though he fought tooth and nail to hold his own. - -Once his feet flew from under him, owing to the slippery condition of -the mud on which he stood. At that a great "Oh!" broke out from the -other five boys; and Jack, who had been hastily removing some of his -outer garments, with the intention of being ready in case his help was -needed, was just on the point of jumping in, when Buster again emerged -from the turmoil, rising up like a Neptune, the water pouring from his -head like a young Niagara. - -"Let him go, Buster; he's too much for you!" shrilled George, who -was leaning over the edge of his boat with a pole in his hand, and -regardless for once that the cranky Wireless careened far down until her -beam end almost took in water. - -"I won't!" snapped back the stubborn Buster, shaking the drops from his -face, as a New Foundland dog might after a bath. "He's mine, and I'm -going to grab him if it takes all summer, see?" - -He had managed to get a good footing once more, and started to tug -manfully with the result that he immediately gained several yards. This -was the best he had done as yet, and in consequence he seemed to receive -inspiration to make a still greater exertion. - -After that the victory was as good as won. - -Buster marched out on the bank the line over his shoulder; and as soon -as they could do so without wetting themselves Josh and Herb seized hold -of the stout cord. - -"Wow! it sure is a whale!" exclaimed George, from his position of -vantage on board his boat, as something that flapped, and made a -tremendous splutter, was dragged out of the river, and up on the shore. - -It was a tremendous yellow catfish, one of that species that help to -make the Mississippi famous among market fishermen. - -"Whee! must weigh about as much as Buster does, and that's a fact!" -remarked Josh, as he surveyed the monster. - -It was not a lovely spectacle, with its slippery skin, and great gaping -mouth resembling that of a big bulldog. - -"What whiskers it's got, the omadhaun!" Jimmie called out, "and say the -horn on his back, wud yees? Whoo! but 'tis a brave lad ye arre, Buster, -to holdt sich a monster stiddy, and walk ashore wid the same. I take off -me hat till yees, so I do, me laddybuck!" - -Buster was panting like anything, and could hardly get his breath; but -Jack believed he had never seen him look quite so happy, as when he -stood over that giant Mississippi cat, and had his picture snapped off -by George, who got his new kodak out especially to preserve the incident -among the annals of the club. - -"Get some dry clothes on you in a hurry, Buster," suggested Jack, after -they had all congratulated the hero of the occasion on his dogged pluck, -"it's all very well holding on like that, but you ought to know when -it's time to let go, too. I thought that time had come when it pulled -you under. You had the cord wrapped around both hands, Buster, a very -foolish thing to do, I think. If you hadn't been able to get your -footing again, and had no friends near by to lend a hand, it was apt to -go hard with you. And let me tell you there have been more fishermen -than a few drowned by just such a foolish trick as that. Hold on as long -as you want, but never put yourself in a position where you can't let -go." - -Buster smilingly agreed that this was good advice, and promised to -remember. He was feeling so remarkably happy over his great luck that he -could not have taken offense at anything, and would have made the -rashest sort of promises. - -And while he rooted out his clothes bag, so as to get some dry togs, -Jack and Andy proceeded to cut up the big fish; because they knew that, -horrible looking though the creature might be to a sportsman, its flesh -is highly esteemed as an article of food along the length of the whole -river. - -It was no easy task they had set themselves; and more than once they -wished the slippery catfish had broken loose, and gone off with Buster's -hook dangling from its jaw like cheap jewelry, with which to dazzle its -fellows. But in the end they managed to secure all the meat they wanted, -and tossed the balance into the river to feed its kind. - -"Now, let's be getting off!" called out Jack, after he had washed up, -and in some measure removed the fishy smell from his hands. - -Since the other boys had taken everything aboard, there was really -nothing to detain them; and presently the merry reports from the various -engines told that the three motorboats had again resumed their journey -down the Mississippi in the direction of Bedloe's Island. - -That was an afternoon not soon to be forgotten by any of them, for the -air was just warm enough to make them delight in lying around, and -taking a sun bath. No doubt George was having the time of his life with -Buster, who must be so chock full of his recent triumph that every -little while he would burst out with a new string of questions -concerning his battle, and wishing to know what it looked like from -every angle ashore. - -But the time passed, and as George's engine gave him no new trouble, the -little flotilla made splendid progress while the hours crept on. - -At just three-forty-seven Jack gave a blast from his old conch shell -horn which he had brought up from Florida with him--in fact, every boat -was provided with a similar means for exchanging signals, and the boys -had arranged a regular code, so that when separated by a mile or so -they could talk with each other after some sort of fashion. - -This single blast just now announced that Jack believed he had sighted -the island that was to be their destination, away down the river. -Judging from their speed, aided by the swift current, they ought to make -it inside of another half hour. This would give them plenty of time to -hunt a good landing place, where they could put up their tent, and make -things at least half way comfortable before night set in. - -Although the boys could sleep aboard, and very comfortable too, they -preferred being ashore whenever it was possible, all save George, who -could seldom be coaxed to desert his beloved Wireless craft, even for a -brief time. He acted as though he dreaded lest that engine think up some -new trick if he left it alone; eternal watchfulness was the price of -victory with George; and his chums often declared that when he was on a -cruise George hardly knew what sort of country he passed through, for -keeping his nose down so persistently over that motor of his. - -Jack's prediction came true, and when a quarter after four came around, -they were running along the shore of a wooded island which he announced -was the object of their search. - -"Where are we going to land, Jack?" called out Buster, for the three -boats were now very close together, and the crews had been exchanging -comments on the sombre appearance of the lonely island for some time -past. - -"I don't know," came the answer, "because I've never been here before. -We'd better just float along down close to the shore, and keep an eye -out for a suitable landing place. If we don't find one on this side, by -the time we get to the foot of the island, why, what's to hinder our -working along up the other shore, and looking for it there?" - -"That's so, Jack!" admitted Buster, who was in one of his finest humors; -though for that matter they seldom knew the fat boy to be anything but -amiable and good-natured, as most of his kind are. - -They must have passed almost to the very tail end of the long island -when Josh let out a whoop, and called the attention of his comrades to -what seemed to be a little bay that formed a tiny cove, with a sandy -beach beyond. - -"Just the ticket!" agreed Jack, "looks like it had been scooped out for -a landing place." - -"Bet you them fishermen come right in; and we'll be apt to find some of -their huts around back there," suggested George, who had possibly heard -more stories about mysterious Bedloe's Island than any of the others, -for he had been making poor Buster's flesh run cold during the afternoon -with accounts of strange things people said had occurred to make the -place shunned. - -"Then there must be good fishing around here," remarked Buster, with the -air of one who ought to be consulted whenever such sport were mentioned, -because he had surely won his spurs that day, if any one ever did. - -"Listen to him talk," broke out Josh. "Now he's got the fishing bee on -his brain and he'll just as like as not be at it morning, noon and -night, till we get sick of the smell of fish. One good thing about it -that I can see is, after he's been living on fish food for a whole week -Buster will have brains enough to last him all summer, because they say -it makes 'em, you know. Sometimes I think he's a little short in his -supply, especially when he wraps a fish line around both hands, when -he's got a young whale at the other end." - -They had no difficulty in passing into the little "bight," as Jack -called the miniature cove, for the water was deep enough for even the -Wireless; although Jack said they would have to be sure and constantly -keep tabs on whether the river was rising or falling each day and -night, since it would be mighty unpleasant to awaken some fine morning -to discover that their motor boats were high and dry; as the water had -gone down a foot while they slept. - -They secured the craft ashore to trees that chanced to be growing close -by; for floods did not often come to this upper part of the great river -as they did below the confluence with the Ohio and the Missouri. - -Then some of the things were taken to land; and the six boys were soon -working like so many beaver, fixing camp. - -The tent had to be erected; and after it had been partly placed in -position a better spot was discovered, so that the job had to be all -done over. As the day was growing near its close and darkness might be -expected to fall upon them before another hour, there was no time for -loitering. Why, even George had been made to see the error of his ways, -and forgot all about that everlasting motor of his for a short time, -lending a hand to get things in shape around the camp. - -Josh had plenty to do starting the fire, after fashioning a rude but -effective cooking range out of the many stones that could be had along -the shore for the picking up. They carried a little contrivance that -was very effective, being a sort of spider or gridiron patterned after -the shelf in most kitchen ranges. Jack had had it made by the local -blacksmith, and when it was laid across two ridges of rock, between -which the red coals lay, they could place the coffee-pot, a skillet and -even a kettle on the bars at the same time, without the constant danger -of upsetting that always exists where a camper tries to cook with only a -resting place of stones for his various utensils. - -The others were busy at various duties when Josh was heard calling out, -with a touch of authority in his voice, as became the chef, now placed -in supreme command by reason of his exalted and important office. - -"Whoever took that grub I left over here by the tree, better bring it -back again right away, and quit meddlin' if he wants me to exert myself -getting supper ready." - -"What's that, Josh?" asked Jack, looking up from his work of fastening -the lower rim of the tent to the pegs that had been driven securely into -the earth. - -"Why, you see, Jack," explained the other, lowering his aggressive voice -a little when addressing the commodore, "I thought I'd make the fire -over here till I saw you'd changed the position of the tent; and then I -crossed over to where she's burning cheerfully now. So I laid some -things down that I meant to cook for supper--two slices of that ham I -cut off while afloat; a can of Boston baked beans, and part of the fish -Buster hooked and that nearly got away with him. Now, mind you, I ain't -mentionin' any names, but some busybody's gone and took the entire -outfit, and hid it away. How d'ye think the cook c'n perform his -calling, when they're playin' tricks on him like that, tell me?" - -There was a dead silence for about half a minute, while the boys looked -at each other questioningly. - -Then Buster raised his hand, and said, earnestly: - -"Not guilty, Jack, sure I never even saw the old ham; and ketch me -a-playin' any tricks on the cook, and me that hungry I c'd eat any old -thing." - -One by one of the others, even to George, copied Buster's example, -and solemnly denied having tried to annoy the hard-working Josh by -purloining the stuff he had laid out for the evening meal. - -"Must a mislaid it, that's what, Josh," declared Herb, consolingly. -"Sometimes my mind plays hob with me that way. Everybody get a move on -and look for the grub. We just can't afford to have our goods floating -around every-which-way right in the start. We've got to find it, that's -what." - -"Hold on, before you get to running around wild," interrupted Jack, and -somehow when he spoke in that way it seemed as if all the other fellows -felt as though Jack had conceived an idea, for he was always quick along -those lines. - -"What's doing, Jack?" inquired Buster. - -"I want to ask Josh particularly where it was he laid that stuff out," -continued the other, impressively. - -"Why, just like I said, over ther by that clump of brush," the cook -explained, as he pointed in the quarter indicated. - -"On that flat stone, perhaps?" continued Jack. - -"Now, that was just what I did, Jack," Josh went on to say, "and when -I stepped over just now to get the stuff, why, it wasn't there. I -scratched my head, and tried to remember moving it, but I'd take my -affidavy that I never came back to get it till just now, after I got my -fire good and ready. That's the way it was, Jack." - -"Wait a bit," remarked the other, as he started for the spot in -question. - -They all watched him curiously. First he bent down, and sniffed of the -stone. - -"He's smelling to see if the ham ever rested there, that's what," -declared Josh. - -"And now look at him on his hands and knees, alongside that flat stone, -would you?" remarked Buster, wonderingly. "Whatever do you reckon Jack's -got in his head, fellers?" - -"He's getting up now, and we'll know right soon, which is one comfort," -George observed. - -Jack beckoned them over, and as soon as they came running pell-mell, he -wagged his head in a mysterious fashion, and pointed down to a spot near -his feet. - -"That stuff didn't walk off on its own account, boys; if you look sharp -you'll see what did the little trick!" and as their eyes instantly -turned down toward the ground they saw the plain imprint of a great big -shoe there! - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE FIRST CAMP FIRE OF THE TRIP - - -"Holy smoke! so that's what the matter, is it?" exclaimed Buster, as he -stared at the telltale track. - -"A thief, that's what!" breathed George, angrily, as he turned to glance -at the neighboring growth of trees, now partly lost in the gloom of -coming night. - -"And to think," remarked Herb, "that anybody could just slip along here -back of these bushes, and grab our grub without one of us seeing him." - -"Oh! we were all too busy doing our regular stunts to think of such a -thing," explained Jack. "You see, Josh had all he wanted to do with the -fire; some of us were putting up the tent the second time; and George -had his hands full with his pet hobby, bothering over his engine. Why, -it was as easy as falling off a log for him to just crawl up behind -these bushes, reach out a hand, and then good-bye to all the fine stuff -Josh had laid out so nice." - -"Well, if that don't beat the Dutch!" exclaimed Josh, staring hard at -the stone which bore such an important part in all this discussion, as -though he could hardly believe his eyes. - -"Look here," continued Jack, "and you can see where the ground is all -rubbed up; that's where his knees scraped on the surface when he dragged -one leg after the other, you know." - -"My! it takes you to get on to these things, Jack!" declared Buster. - -Andy had said nothing up to now, but seemed to be just as much puzzled -and disturbed as the rest. He managed to put in his oar at about this -point, however. - -"Musha! they do be sayin' that this same ould island do be ha'nted; and -'tis me own silf that will be belavin' the same afther this, so I will!" - -"Great governor! he means it was a regular ghost, Jack, d'ye hear that?" -cried Buster, throwing up his chubby hands in rank despair. - -Everybody seemed interested at once; for, while several of the boys, if -asked to their face might have promptly declared they never believed in -ghosts; still, it was so very queer, finding some unknown party on the -island with the bad name, that they were inclined to listen with -interest when Andy aired his views. Ghosts--of course not,--because they -were all humbug, anyway; but it was mighty strange how that stuff -vanished so mysteriously. - -Jack laughed out loud. - -He was a level-headed, practical boy, and had not a grain of superstition -in his whole body. Many a time had he and Andy argued and disputed upon -this very score, and the one whose ancestors had come from the island -across the sea had apparently so far as outward appearances went, at -least, been convinced of the error of his ways, only to have the old -belief crop up again unexpectedly on the first occasion. It was in the -blood; and what is there cannot be argued away. - -"Stop and think, Buster, and you, Andy," Jack went on to say, -impressively, "ghosts wouldn't be apt to wear big boots, would they, and -come creeping along, when they are popularly supposed to have the power -of making themselves invisible?" - -"That's so, Jack, you're right!" burst out George, enthusiastically. -"Get your gun, and we'll take a look for the rascal, and make him stand -and deliver." - -But Jack paid no attention to this fiery threat; if they tried to carry -out one-tenth of the things impulsive George suggested, it would surely -keep them busy, well and good. - -"And whoever heard of a hungry ghost?" Jack went on to say, so as to rub -it in, good and hard. "This fellow, whoever he could have been, must -have been hungry; for he cribbed our ham and stuff the first shot. Well, -it's gone; but thank goodness we've got plenty more; so I say, don't -let's have such a little thing make us feel bad. Get busy, some of you, -and fix the cook up with a second ration. Herb, cut two more slices off -the ham, and Buster, you turn your hand at carving that hunk of fish -we've still got. Such a trifle shouldn't upset fellows who had been -through all we have, you know." - -"No more it hadn't!" cried Buster. - -"Bully for the Commodore; he's the right stuff!" exclaimed Josh, waving -the stick of wood he happened to be holding in his hand at the time; and -looking very much like a real French chef with his cute little white cap -on his head. - -"But hey, let's first of all get every bit of our stuff in the tent, and -keep a close watch on the same," observed suspicious George. "First -thing you know we'll just have to abandon our week of fun down here -because we're starved out. We didn't agree to feed all the stray -fishermen, or hoboes in the country, when we laid in our supplies this -time; ain't that a fact, Jack?" - -It was strange how all the other boys almost invariably turned to Jack -when they had advanced a proposition; as though his guarantee was all -that was necessary to stamp the suggestion as a clever idea. - -"Yes, you're right there, George; and while the rest of you are doing -all you can to help Josh out, I'll be collecting the duffle in the tent, -and fixing the same so it won't bother us much. If any chap manages to -hook more of our stuff from under our very noses, he'll deserve it, -that's all." - -So saying, Jack started to carry things in under the canvas, for the -tent had been about fully erected at the time Josh made his astonishing -statement; and only needed to be fastened down a little more securely at -the base, so as to be ready to stand any sort of a blow, such as might -come along in the spring time here on the upper Mississippi. - -The air was getting a little "nippy," as Buster called it; so that -several of the motorboat boys had donned their sweaters. This made -Buster start to again bemoaning the strange disappearance of his new -one, that had the blue moon on the breast. He never could convince -himself that he had mislaid it in the shed where the boats had been -housed for the winter; and fancied that one of his chums must be hiding -it from him; because every little while he would watch each one in turn, -and with hope struggling afresh upon his rosy, plump face, only to have -it die out again when he realized they were not dragging the familiar -object out of their clothes bags. - -Secretly Buster was determined that at the first chance he would rummage -through each one of those bags himself, and make positive that his -missing property was not reposing where it never should be found. - -The supper preparations went on apace, and soon the most delightful -odors ever sniffed by hungry cruisers began to permeate the surrounding -atmosphere. Buster went into the tent, calling back over his shoulder: - -"Just going to lie down a while on my blanket, to see how she goes, -fellers. Fact is, I'm that cramped after a session aboard the speed boat -that I c'n hardly stretch out. And then, to own up to the real truth, -them smells make me just wild, and I can't stand it around the fire any -longer. Just call me when everything's ready, Josh, that's a good -feller. Oh! my! but that coffee is scrumptious; and the ham, goodness -gracious! whoever smoked that pig knew how to fix things so's to set a -hungry boy half crazy. Yum! yum! Don't forget to wake me, now, Josh!" - -But of course it was not long before supper was declared ready, and the -boys proceeded to gather around the spot where Josh had set things. -Buster was not called, in fact there was no need, for he burst out of -the tent like a young cyclone just at this time, and hastened to find a -place to deposit his fat form in the circle. - -"Hey! thought'd you steal a march on me, didn't you, fellers?" he -demanded, trying to look very fierce, which was impossible, for he only -screwed up his face and seemed comical at such times; "meant to just eat -up my share, and then tell me you forgot all about giving me the high -sign. But I was on to your little game, let me tell you. Could hear -every word you said, and when Josh here told George to pass out his -pannikin, that gave me my cue. Thank you, Josh, I believe I will dip in -next; and Herb, fill my tin-cup with that coffee, please. Oh! ain't I -glad we've got started at last. That last ten minutes was just awful to -me!" - -So Buster rattled on until the others begged him to stop it. - -"Let the food close that trap of yours, Buster, please," said George. -"That's the way he goes, ding-dong, the whole blessed day, fellows; -until I can hardly think straight, when I'm trying to figure on how to -bridle that high-stepper of a motor of mine." - -They were soon all hard at work, and after the first keen edge of their -appetites had been taken off, it was a merry group that gathered near -the fire, eating, chatting and with a continual flow of wit passing back -and forth. - -Nevertheless Jack could not forget about the mysterious disappearance of -the food, and every little while he would get up, to take a stroll -around to the other side of the tent; just as though he half feared that -some daring intruder might try to cut into the back of the canvas, with -the intention of continuing his depredations. - -"How about that old paper Andy brought with him?" asked George, after -they had eaten all that was possible; and even Buster was seen to shake -his head when Josh asked if anybody would have any more coffee, baked -beans, crackers, or cheese. - -"Say, that's a fact!" cried Herb, "we went and forgot all about it. You -see, Jack crammed it in a pocket of his old jacket; and all of us were -that anxious to be off we didn't remember to have the account of the -robbery read out. Got it yet, haven't you, Jack?" - -"Sure I have," replied the other, "and if you wait a minute I'll get the -same, so we can enjoy the thrilling story right here and now. Those kind -of yarns always sound better around the blazing camp fire, you know." - -"Kinder go with ghosts, and all that sort of thing, eh?" came from -Buster, who was eyeing the remnant of ham in the fryingpan, and heaving -a sigh, as though it really gave him a pain to think that his capacity -seemed to have been reached before the last bit had been disposed of; -that was next door to a sin with Buster, who would gorge himself rather -than see the least thing wasted, or thrown away. - -"Ghosts don't burgle any that I ever heard of," observed Josh, calmly -picking up the said skillet, and with a fling sending a small portion of -the fatty end of ham flying into the bushes, at which Buster sank back, -disappointed. - -"Arrah, sure they do the quarest things ye iver heard till on," declared -Andy; and then gave a quick look at Jack, as though half expecting to be -taken to task because of his clinging belief in hobgoblins, and all such -things. - -But Jack did not see fit to pay the slightest attention to anything so -trifling just then. He passed into the tent, to where he had hung his -coat; for with his sweater on he had not felt the need of extra -covering. And presently he came out again, carrying the paper in his -hand. - -"Now, isn't that too mean for anything, boys?" he remarked. - -"What's gone wrong now, Jack; I hope more of our provisions haven't -taken wings, and skipped out?" observed George; while Buster just sat -there, hugging his fat knees and holding his breath while he waited to -hear the worst. - -"Oh! no; nothing like that," came the answer, "but you see I had this -coat on a good part of the morning, and I guess the paper must have got -wet somehow, for there's only part of the first page left; most of the -account of the robbery is gone. But I'll read you what there is, if you -want. It's the tail end, of course. Too bad it had to happen that way." - -"Go on, then, and let's have what there is, Jack," urged Josh. - -"About where the lines begin to run even it starts in this way," -remarked Jack. "'The only clues they have of the robbery consist, first -of all, in several tools which Mr. Hasty, the blacksmith, identified as -part of his machinist's outfit, showing that they had entered his shop; -and the fact that yesterday a dapper little naphtha launch, painted -white, with a red band around the upper part, was known to be anchored -just above town. Two parties occupied the same, one a well-dressed young -fellow, with a sharp look about him; and the other a heavy man, more -like a mechanic. The police have no doubt that these parties are the -ones who broke into the bank, and cleaned out the vault. The smart -looking young fellow must have planned the scheme. He was seen in the -bank during the day, getting some information, and a big bill changed, -and it is supposed that he took his bearings at that time he was -chatting with the cashier. From the description the latter was able to -give of his visitor it has been learned from St. Paul that the smooth -faced young fellow was positively a well known and skilful crook called -by the name of Slim Jim. The authorities hope to be able to get on to -their track up or down the river shortly.'" - -Just as Jack ended this report Buster was heard to give a startled cry. - -"What ails him now?" demanded Josh, looking toward the fat boy. - -"Just what I thought, he's gone and overfed, and now he's feeling a -gripe coming on; he'll sure burst some fine day," grumbled George, -groaning to think that all during the trip he must put up with such a -rolypoly of a crew as Buster Longfellow. - -"'Tain't neither," snapped the other, indignantly. "I c'n breathe as -well as any feller present. I gave that little gasp-like because I was -staggered, when Jack, he read about that trim little boat painted white, -with the red trimmin' around the gunnel. Want to know why, don't you? -Well, the fact is, fellers, I set eyes on that pirate craft myself, and -not so very long ago either; fact is, just half an hour before we -struck here. Now, what d'ye think of that, hey?" and Buster expanded -perceptibly, doubtless feeling his own importance as the bearer of -startling news. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -A STARTLING INTERRUPTION - - -"Whee!" exclaimed Josh, hardly able to believe his ears when he heard -the fat boy make this astonishing declaration so positively. - -George also expressed more or less surprise, though from the look on -his face it was evident that he was beginning to guess something in -connection with what his "crew" was stating. - -Jack immediately took Buster in hand. It was the only way of making him -tell all he knew, without forever "beating about the bush," and giving -himself lots of airs; for Buster seldom found himself in the center of -the stage; and when such an event did come along he wished to make the -most of it. What boy, wouldn't, tell me? - -"See here," Jack went on to say, "you want to tell us all about that, -now, Buster; because you've just made a startling statement; and we hope -you can back it up. How could you see that boat, and none of the rest of -us notice it; tell us that in the first place." - -"Shucks! that's easy enough, fellers," replied the other, bent on -making the most of his advantage. "Tell you how that was. You may -remember that George found himself away ahead, near the close of the -run; and as George, he doesn't like to hold up even a little bit, what -did he do but spin away over to the other shore, and go down that, say -about five miles above the upper end of this blooming old island." - -"Oh! get a move on, old Ice-Wagon; you're as slow as molasses in -winter!" groaned impulsive George; whereupon the fat boy turned -deliberately toward him to say: - -"Who's telling this story, me or you, George Rollins? If I am, then you -just keep your hands off, and let me spin the yarn my own way. Don't -expect me to be a whirlwind like you, for I ain't built that way; you're -a match, and I'm a----" - -"Tub; but never mind, Buster, please go on!" urged Josh. - -"Well, of course George, he had his head stuck down close to his engine, -watching every stroke it made, and couldn't see anything, only when he -bobbed up every little while to tell me how to steer. And we went in -fairly close to the shore. All at once, in a snug little cove behind a -tongue of high land, I saw the boat. She was anchored there; and first -thing I saw was a young feller, just like that paper tells on, asittin' -on the gunnel, and directin' a heavy-set chap, who was in jumpers, and -looked like he was the engineer, deck hand and crew all rolled in one; -he seemed to be mendin' the engine, or doin' something like that." - -"But how was it you didn't call the attention of George to the boat?" -asked Jack. - -"It was cruelty to animals, that's what," echoed Josh, "because, think -how joyful it'd make our chum to know that other people had their engine -troubles as well as him?" - -"Oh! he did tell me to look," admitted George just then, nodding his -head, "but we were going so very fast, you know, that when I did get my -head up it was just too late; I had a glimpse of the tip-end of some -sort of boat in that cove he mentions; and then the bully little -Wireless flipped by like a streak of light. Give you my word for it, -fellows, we must have been flying along at the rate of nearly twenty -miles per just then, current and all." - -"Ah! rats!" ejaculated some one, and George did not know who had spoken, -for the voice seemed to come from anywhere; but he just glared around, -and then, shaking his head menacingly, he muttered: - -"Better not be so plain next time, whoever said that; or it might bring -on trouble. I c'n stand nearly anything about myself, but I won't hear -my pet boat sneered at. Yes, it was all of twenty miles, understand!" -and he again looked at Andy, Buster and Josh, as though daring any one -to express another doubt. - -"Well," said Jack, "here's some fun for us, now. If that description of -the robber launch holds good; and Buster didn't see something that -wasn't there, then it seems that we've got the thieves, and all their -plunder, here within five miles of us right now. That's interesting, if -true, as the papers say." - -George began to grow excited. - -"Get that gun of yours ready, Jack, the trusty old Marlin that has stood -between us and trouble many a time!" he exclaimed, jumping to his feet, -as though in a frame of mind to go rushing off, pell-mell, on some -reckless errand. - -"What for?" asked the more cautious Herb. - -"Why, don't it look like it's up to us to surround that pirate craft, -and capture the bold burglars? Remember what we did once before when -cruising down this same old Mississippi! And then again, there was that -stunt we pulled off up among the Thousand Islands later on. Ain't you -meaning to take a hand in this thing, Jack?" - -"Oh! I don't know," replied the other, carelessly. "I really don't see -why we should be called on to take the place of a sheriff's posse every -little while, and risk our precious lives. None of our folks that I know -of have any interest in that looted bank up at Lawrence. And these kind -of men are a dangerous proposition to handle, let me tell you. It would -be a different matter if they broke in on us, and we got mixed up with -the pair in spite of things. Then we'd just have to do our level best to -capture the lot, and return the plunder to the cheering citizens of -Lawrence." - -"Hear! hear!" exclaimed Josh, pretending to clap his hands. - -"But chances are, there'll be something of a reward offered for the -apprehension of the thieves, and the safe return of the money," -persisted George, although less strenuously than before. - -"Well, what of that?" remarked Herb. "We ain't officers of the law, -sworn to take all sorts of risks, just because some bad men get away -with the funds of any old country bank, are we? Let 'em lock up things -better, or hire a night watchman as the people in our town do these -days. Guess that goes, eh, Jack?" - -"It certainly strikes at the root of the matter, as Professor Mapes -would say, Herb," replied the other, quietly. "And then again, how do we -know but what circumstances might arise to make us take a hand in the -game? What more likely than that those same fellows would pick on this -island to hide for a while, until the chase for them gets played out." - -"Great brain, Jack!" cried Buster; "that's as true as smoke. Fellers -like them are dead sure to know that Bedloe's Island's got a bad name -among honest folks; and that it'd be the boss hide-out for a couple of -crooks that thought the officers might be rushin' up and down the river -looking for 'em." - -"Yes," added Herb, "and if they're as smart as we think they are, -chances'd be they would have brought some paint along with 'em, too." - -"Paint?" ejaculated Josh, "now, I c'n understand why Mr. Kedge, the -boatbuilder who owns the shed where we kept our craft all winter, has to -have that stuff around because he is in the business of fixing up all -sorts--say, looky here. Herb, d'ye mean they'd want to change their boat -from white to something else; is that your smart idea?" - -Herb just nodded his head. He was not much given to talk; but once in a -while could be depended on to break in with a suggestion; and as a rule -what Herb said was worth listening to. - -"Fine!" exclaimed George, always ready to admit the fact when one of his -mates really had a good idea. - -"That's where your head is level, Herb, me bye!" declared Andy. - -Jack smiled, and nodded, as though he considered it a point well taken. -What more natural than that two smart rogues, trying to escape after -committing such a bold robbery, and traveling in such a conspicuous -boat, should think to prepare themselves with a pot of black or gray -paint, with which to completely alter the appearance of their craft -while hiding in some secluded spot, such as the island in the middle of -the river afforded? - -"Well, we can keep that idea in mind," Jack went on to say, "and for one -night set a watch, so that if they should happen along we'd know it." - -"Huh! that makes me feel bad!" grunted Josh. - -"What about?" demanded Buster. - -"Here I've been counting on having the jolliest old camp fire the first -night out you ever heard tell of. Been dreaming about it for a week -past, and seein' the flames shootin' up, with the sparks sailin' away -out over the river; and here you go and throw cold water on that scheme -right in the start. No camp fire tonight! Why, half of the fun'd be lost -if we had to do the same thing every night, Jack, believe me." - -Josh did not look very happy over the gloomy prospect; so Jack had to -cheer him up the best way possible. - -"It would only be for the one night, I reckon, Josh," he remarked, -consolingly, "and if nothing happens before morning, why, after that you -can make fires to the limit of the wood on the island, if only you don't -burn us all out." - -"Oh! well," Josh went on to say, "if all the rest of you look at it that -way, course I've got to give in, because majority rules in this club, -always. So let the fire die out if you want; I'm not going to bother -putting another stick on it. Guess, with our sweaters and coats we c'n -be warm enough as we sit here and talk." - -"But all of us ain't got sweaters," exclaimed Buster, shiveringly, -"'less somebody happens to have my blue moon one stickin' at the bottom -of his bag. Now, don't everybody get mad at what I'm sayin', and turn -on me savagely. Course I mean that it might a-got in there just by -accident like. And I'd be ever so much obliged if you'd look and see. A -sweater is a mighty fine thing to have sometime, which right now is one -of 'em; and when you don't find it, you feel as blue as that moon mine -had on the breast." - -Jack obligingly turned out all the contents of his bag, as did Andy and -Herb, but Josh and George disdained to bother, saying they just knew it -was no use, as they had a complete record of every lasting thing that -was in their kits, and what was the need anyway; because a fellow as -careless as Buster chose to leave one of his useful garments hanging -somewhere in that boat builder's shed, for he was always forgetting to -fasten the lockers of his boat when he left it, and everything like -that; why should they be put to such a nuisance? - -But Buster eyed the pair suspiciously, especially Josh. Truth to tell, -it was on this individual that the burden of his belief fell; for was -not the other continually trying to play a trick on him? - -"All right, I'll know before a great while," Buster was saying to -himself, as he lay back, having wrapped his blanket around his -shoulders, in order to ward off the chill breeze that found its way to -them, in spite of the fact that trees and underbrush lay in dense -masses between the northern end of the island and the spot which they -had chosen for their camp. - -They talked for a while, but by degrees it might have been noticed that -for some unknown reason their voices gradually became more and more -subdued; though if asked the cause for this hardly any one could have -ventured an explanation. But possibly the subject they had recently been -discussing, in connection with the chances of the two suspects making -for the island, in order to lie there for some days, while they changed -the color of their boat from white to black, may have had an influence -on them all. - -George was of course bothering his head about his one favorite pastime, -and trying to puzzle out just how he could do something to his tricky -engine in order to get more speed out of it, and at the same time stop -its balky ways. Buster, on his part, was perhaps making a mental -calculation concerning the amount of stores they had brought along; for -he had a dim suspicion that before they wished to return home the stock -would fall low, and the whole of them be put on short rations; a thing -that would seem very much like a calamity to Buster. - -And each one of the others seemed to have something on his mind; for -presently absolute silence had fallen on the little group. This was a -most unusual occurrence, for as a rule several of the boys dearly loved -to hear themselves speaking, and would air their views at the slightest -excuse for doing so. - -Jack, sitting there in what seemed to be a reverie, had his head against -the trunk of a good-sized tree. This may have acted as a conductor of -sound, for he seemed to catch a certain noise before any of the others -did; and none of them could be accused of dull hearing, either. - -"Hark, everybody!" he said suddenly, in a low, thrilling tone, that -seemed to startle his companions, for everyone of them sat up straight. - -"What did you think you heard, Jack?" whispered Buster, unconsciously -lowering his voice. - -"Something that sounded like the gurgling of water against the side of a -boat, and voices in the bargain," replied the other. "There, if you try, -you can get the same thing yourself. Seems to me there are push poles -being used to turn a boat in against the shore up above here a little -ways." - -All of them strained their ears. A minute, two of them, passed, and they -heard the swishing sounds Jack mentioned, each being followed by a -"plunk," as of a pole being dropped into the water for another push. - -Then a voice, rather soft and melodious, came drifting to their ears. - -"That'll do, Jenks; we can tie up to the shore here, all right, and in -the morning look for a suitable cove to lay the boat in, while we get to -work, and make the changes. Just think of it breaking down above this -island again. Only for the old bunch of ground sticking out here in the -river we'd have had to anchor. And, Jenks, I guess we might as well bury -that box here as tote it any further, you know. I hate to leave a thing -I cared for so much behind, but it can't be helped." - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE TREASURE CACHE - - -"H'st! keep quiet!" - -As Jack gave utterance to this whisper he set about gaining his feet -without making any racket. And no sooner had he accomplished this than -he started to stepping on what few red embers of the fire there chanced -to be left; so that almost in a "jiffy," as Buster would have called it, -the last glow had been effectually smothered, and there was no longer -anything to betray the campers, unless the khaki-colored water-proof -tent happened to show later on, should the moon rise. - -They could hear the new arrivals making a landing, and talking about -starting a fire, in order to cook some supper. The one who had the -smooth voice, and whom they could easily believe to be the younger -fellow Buster had mentioned as sitting at his ease, watching the heavier -man work at the engine, George's style, declared that a meal on shore -would not go bad. - -"And," he added, the words coming plainly to the ears of the listeners -close by, "I don't believe there's any danger of our being come up with -yet awhile. We've got too good a start on those fellows, to worry. Fact -is, I wouldn't care if we had to stay here in this snug nook all of -tomorrow, and get things fixed to suit us. Let 'em go on past, and hunt -for us; we could slip by the lot the next dark night, and give 'em the -merry ha! ha! Ain't that so, Jenks, old man?" - -The other evidently said it was. He seemed to be a man of few words, -and was quite satisfied to let his glib-tongued crony do most of the -talking, which the younger man was well able to carry on. - -Presently the glimmer of a fire through the brush and trees announced -that they had indeed started a blaze, and were evidently preparing to -cook supper. From certain conversation that followed concerning what -this meal was to consist of Jack and his chums were quickly convinced -that while this young fellow might be a bold and bad bank thief, he must -have been brought up in the lap of luxury, judging from the fact that -Jenks was instructed to have the "porterhouse steak and the mushrooms" -for supper, together with coffee, and several other things that appealed -to the appetites of hungry cruisers, but which did not strike the boys -that way, simply because their stomachs had been satisfied. - -"Listen to that, would you?" whispered George in the ear of Jack, whom -he happened to be very near at the time, "he said 'get it off the ice, -and be careful to shut down the ice-box lid too!' Think of these bold -buccaneers cruising with such a luxury aboard as an ice-box? Whew!" - -"Not so loud, George, or they may hear you," warned Jack, although he -himself thought that the fact was a remarkable one; but then the young -chap must have been a high-stepper in his palmy days, before he took to -evil ways; and possibly old habits clung to him still; so that, having -the ready cash, he wanted to have all the luxuries going, along with -him. Tenderloin steak and mushrooms sounded like it, that was certain. -Perhaps they would be toasting each other at the end of the supper in -champagne, at five dollars the bottle, Jack thought. When wicked men -break into bank vaults, and make way with all the treasure they find -there, surely they can indulge in any sort of extravagance for a short -time afterwards. - -The supper was finally cooked. - -During this time the six boys had been slowly and cautiously creeping -up through the brush, and between the trees, it being their intention to -see what the two fugitives, who were fleeing before the officers of the -law looked like. - -But they did not dare go very close, and hence most of what passed -between the precious pair at the fire came to them only in a rumble of -voices. But they could at least watch them and it was easy to understand -that they seemed to be debating some point very seriously; for once the -young fellow went aboard the boat, and when he came back he bore a box -under his arm, which he carefully deposited on the ground near by. And -how it thrilled every watcher as he saw this act, for there could be no -doubt in the world but that this same chest was one containing all the -treasure these bad men had taken from that Lawrence bank. - -But the younger man, who was smooth-faced and boyish looking in fact, -also took a folded paper from his pocket, which he opened and then both -of them bent low down over the same, occasionally tracing along its -surface, with a finger. - -"It must be a chart of the river!" George took occasion to faintly -whisper in Jack's ear, taking advantage of the murmur of the night wind -among the branches of the trees overhead. - -Of course this did not enlighten Jack any, since he had jumped at the -same conclusion long before. But the fact of the others studying a map -of the river's crooked course was highly significant, he thought. It -told that they realized the danger they stood in of being overtaken, and -that they meant to lay out a plan whereby they could elude pursuit. - -Jack was studying the pair as he lay there back of the bushes. - -He wondered whether the younger one, who seemed to be at the head of the -dangerous combination, could be acting a part. This idea came to Jack -because, as far as he was able to see, the other looked as though he -hardly possessed brains enough to carry him through any ordinary -trouble; and as to plotting such a bold thing as looting a country bank, -why, Jack found it hard to believe he would be capable of it. But still, -he knew very well that it is not always safe to judge from first -appearances. While the skipper of the white power-boat might seem to be -a bit of a "sissy," that might all be assumed for a purpose, to allay -suspicion, a part he liked to play; and that should occasion ever call -for a display of force and ugliness, the fellow might throw off that -careless demeanor as one would an old glove, appearing in his real -colors. - -And while lying there, watching, and trying to pick up a sentence now -and then, as the pair chanced to speak in a little louder tones, Jack -busied himself in speculating what sort of chances they would have, did -they finally decide to accept of the opportunity to close in on the two -rascals, and bring about their arrest. - -It would be taking a certain risk of course, and he did not want to -expose his chums to any unnecessary chances for getting hurt; but all -the same temptation loomed up large before Jack's eyes. - -At any rate, he thought, it would do no harm to try and keep a watchful -eye on the pair, and see what they were up to. Had he not in the -beginning heard the leader say that they might as well bury the treasure -on the island as carry it further with them. Of course they meant -to come back again, and get possession of whatever that small box -contained. - -The thought of getting hold of the stolen bank funds and papers gave -Jack a nice warm little thrill. He was only a boy, and yet he knew how -splendid it was to return home, and hear the people cheering him, while -the town band played "Lo, the Conquering Hero Comes." And once before -had they been instrumental in recovering plunder that had been taken by -wandering yeggmen; which fact had helped swell the contents of the -club's strong-box, and enabled the members to take several long and -expensive trips. - -Now those by the fire seemed to have finished their supper, for they -arose, and the more boyish looking of the pair picked up the box again. -It looked as though they might be about to hunt for some hiding-place, -where it could be placed, and safely kept until it was wanted again. - -"Get that sharp-pointed stick, Jenks," he remarked, pointing as he -spoke, "that might do in place of a spade. You see, we didn't bring that -sort of tool along, because we never thought we'd need one. But you -ought to be able to scratch out a deep enough hole to cram this in. I -hope nobody disturbs it again, that's all. I'd hate to know that was so. -Now, come over this way, Jenks. It won't take any great length of time." - -He spoke with a slight lisp that made him seem much more effeminate than -might otherwise have been the case. And to the alarm of Buster the pair -actually started toward the quarter where the six lads were flattened -out as close as they could get to the ground. - -But then the shadows lay thick, and besides, before there was any real -danger of discovery they heard him say again: - -"I imagine this ought to do as well as anywhere, Jenks, just behind this -bush, you notice. Now, see how you can root out the earth with that -stick and your hands. I should think that a hole some fifteen or -eighteen inches deep would be enough. There, it seems to work all right, -doesn't it, Jenks?" - -The heavy-set man said that it did, and continued to labor on, throwing -the dirt out of the cavity he was making, by a liberal use of the -sharp-pointed stick, then following it up by scooping with his bent -hands. - -But not a thing did the aristocratic partner in the team seem to do in -order to assist. He must be the recognized brains of the crowd, and as -such was entitled to sit by, and give orders in a rather supercilious -way, while the other did all the real hard work. - -When Jenks had scooped out a hole that he thought deep enough, he paused -to wipe his brow with a red bandanna handkerchief. Meanwhile the other -carefully laid the box in the cavity. - -"It fits first-rate, Jenks," he announced, "and now you can cover it up -again. Just push the earth in, you know, like that," and with the toe -of his shoe he managed to cause some of the dirt to fall upon the top of -the box. - -When presently Jenks seemed to have patted down the disturbed earth the -other spoke again. - -"We want anybody that comes meddling around here to think that some one -has been buried, and then they won't dare disturb things, you know, -Jenks. So I'll just fix this stone at the head as though it marked a -grave. There, what do you think of that, Jenks? Takes some brains to get -up a cute little scheme like that, don't it, eh?" - -Jenks apparently was an echo, for when the other took snuff he seemed to -sneeze, as George could have expressed it. He immediately remarked that -he thought it a very smart trick, did credit to the originator; and this -pleased the other for he seemed to chuckle to himself. - -Then the pair turned away, and went back to the neighborhood of the -fire, where they settled down to enjoy the warm blaze; for as the night -advanced the air was really becoming more and more keen, especially, as -Buster thought, for any unfortunate fellow who had the bad luck to lose -his warm sweater; for the sight of his comrades enjoying their woolen -protectors only made Buster feel his loss the more. - -Jack gave the signal for a retreat. He intimated in a few whispered -words that there was something very important upon which they ought to -have a consultation; and in order to do unheard they would have to go -back to their camp. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -JACK PLAYS SCOUT - - -"What's doing, Jack?" asked George, carefully, as soon as the whole six -of them were well away from the vicinity of the other camp, and where -they could safely converse, if only every one spoke in a whisper. - -"We ought to talk things over a bit, and arrange what we want to do -about this matter," Jack went on to say. - -"But ain't we goin' to jump on that pair of scamps, and make 'em our -prisoners?" complained Buster; and to hear his ferocious way of talking -one might easily imagine that the fat boy was a fighter from the word -go, when as a rule Buster would walk a mile to escape a rumpus, for he -was by nature very peaceable. - -"Wait and see what Jack's got up his sleeve, you fire-eater!" remarked -Josh, scornfully. - -"We know where they've gone and buried all the loot, anyhow," remarked -George, as though that fact gave him particular satisfaction. - -"And we c'n dig the same up at our convenience," added Herb. - -"That is, if they don't change their minds before morning comes, and get -that box up again," observed Jack, dryly. - -At that there were several little grunts and exclamations, such as would -indicate that the others did not relish being tantalized in such a -fashion having the treasure-trove under their thumbs, only to see it -snatched away again. - -"Say, we oughtn't to let that chance slip us, Jack!" urged Josh. - -"Them's my sentiments, too!" echoed George. - -"Count me in," Herb remarked, quietly. - -"Same here, arrah, by the token!" Andy ventured. - -"There, Jack," spoke up Buster, exultantly, "everybody is of the same -mind, that we just ought to do something or other right away, so's to -get that stuff in our possession. It wouldn't matter so much if the -thieves did get away, if only we could go sailing up to Lawrence, call -the broken-hearted directors of the looted bank together, and then say: -'Here, gentlemen, are your lost securities. Rest in peace! E pluribus -unum!' Now Jack, don't say a word against it, but think up some way that -we can get hold of that box." - -"Oh! I've got all that figured out already, Buster," remarked the other, -coolly. - -"Then tell us who's going to creep up and dig for that box while the two -robbers are sitting beside the fire, playing cards, because that's what -they started to do when they went back." - -"And 'Old Maid' it was, as sure as you live," remarked George, as if -astonished. "Did you ever hear of two ferocious pirates playing such a -harmless game as that before? I never did, for a fact, boys. They keep -me guessing right along. That boy looks too green to be the rascal they -say he is; but I guess he puts it all on to fool respectable folks. It -helps him in gaining their confidence." - -George could figure things out in fine style once he got going. The -others, however, were not in any mood just then to try and decide what -sort of a fellow that rather innocent young chap might turn out to be. -They were more deeply interested in finding out what could be done about -securing that hidden package in the box. - -Already, no doubt, Buster, for instance, was seeing pictures of all -manner of treasure snugly reposing in the box; and he could also imagine -how his manly chest would swell with importance when, with his mates, of -course, he entered the stricken town of Lawrence, and astonished the -directors of the bank by returning their lost securities and money. - -And the others were possibly in the same boat, for they had active -imaginations, one and all. - -Jack had said the matter was already arranged in his mind; and if he -would only hurry up and take them into his confidence, they would feel -greatly obliged. - -But then Jack did not mean to hold back just to aggravate his companions; -that would have been too small a thing for him to attempt. He had only -waited to hear what each one thought of the scheme, and then he went on -to say something. - -"Now you can see for yourselves," he began, "that it would be useless -trying to take the whole bunch over there, and scratch that box up. One -can do the business to a dot, and as I'm accustomed to scouting more -than any of the rest, I hope you won't try to raise any objections if I -say I'll do the job myself." - -He waited to hear what they thought before making the first move in the -direction of carrying his plan out. But then he might have known that -not one objection would be raised against his scheme, for they had the -fullest confidence in whatever he proposed at any and all times. - -The silence that followed was doubtless intended for consent; but Jack -chose to consider it otherwise. He wanted an expression from each of his -chums. - -"George, how about it?" he asked. - -"Why, I haven't the slightest objection," replied that worthy, readily -enough. - -"Josh, how about you?" - -"Gosh! only too willing," came the answer. - -And Jack put it up to each of the others, until every one had signified -his readiness to accept the conditions. - -"All right, then," said Jack, "that settles it for me. And now, watch me -get busy, fellows." - -He once more started into the brush. All this conversation had been -carried on, of course, in undertones. From time to time they could hear -the voices of the other pair raised above the ordinary not far away; or -it might be a laugh came floating back to where the six boys crouched, -quivering in every nerve with intense excitement. - -Why, Jack thought, even the laugh of Slim Jim, the cracksman, was very -deceptive, it sounded so boyish and natural; just as though he did not -have a care or a worry in all the world. He must be a pretty clever -young chap if he could pretend to be such an innocent, when really he -was such a desperate rascal--so that paper had stated. - -Having quitted the company of his friends, Jack began to advance in the -direction of the other camp. He needed no better guide than the glow of -the fire they had burning over there on the shore; though very careful -as he crept through the bushes to take a little different track than -before, because he believed it would be apt to bring him closer to the -bush behind which that pretended "grave" that was in reality a cache for -stolen wealth, had been so roughly dug. - -Once, as he raised himself to glance around, he found it possible to see -beyond the camp fire, to the edge of the river, something that none of -them had been able to do hitherto; and what should meet his eyes but a -very jaunty gasoline launch, of a type that indicated more or less -speed, since it was of narrow beam, and would doubtless have quite taken -the eye of George Rollins. - -Of course Jack chuckled a little when he saw the very significant fact -that the boat was painted snow white, and had a nice red line along the -gunwale that gave the craft a rather distinguished look. - -Again into his mind came the description which he had read out aloud -from the fragment of paper, concerning the boat in which it was positive -the robbers of the Lawrence bank had fled down the river. A white -launch, nobby in appearance, and decorated with a red line. Why, what -could be plainer than that? White launches were not so very common on -that part of the Mississippi; and Jack could not remember ever having -set eyes on one before that was marked with red as this one appeared to -be. - -He kept creeping along, making no more noise than an Indian warrior -might; or perhaps one might say, a snake that can glide swiftly, yet -with hardly the faintest rustle of the dead leaves. - -If he did make an occasional little slip, they were not on the alert, as -red braves might have been. Doubtless they had not the remotest -suspicion that such a thing as peril threatened, or that an enemy was -within miles of the island retreat to which they had come to hide, and -make preparations for deceiving the posse of the sheriff, should they -chance to meet later on the river. - -No doubt the other five boys had climbed trees or done something else -so that they would be in a position to see him when he reached that -particular bush, back of which the hole had been dug. They would not be -human if they were going to allow this chance to witness the unearthing -of the treasure pass without an effort to become spectators. - -Jack found that the two beside the fire were making merry. He eyed them -closely, and then shook his head, thinking that perhaps they might -appear like desperate rogues to an expert sheriff, accustomed to dealing -with rascals of every kind; but for his part he rather thought the boy -was a spoiled son of a rich man, and Jenks some humble mechanic out -cruising with the other. But of course, not being well posted in -criminal matters, how could he, a mere tyro, be expected to be able to -judge what people were, just because they laughed in such a care-free -way. Slim Jim they said feared nothing on earth; slender and young as he -was, he had laughed more than one sheriff to scorn; and snapped his -fingers when traps were sprung only to find that he was missing. - -Now Jack was drawing closer and closer to that bush. He had marked it -well on the previous occasion, so that there could be no such thing as -mistaking it. Yes, he recognized every twig almost, so closely had he -made a mental photograph of the bush when the two were planting their -"swag" back of it, and talking about making it appear as though it were -a grave. - -If they just kept up that riotous game of "Old Maid" for ten minutes -longer, Jack felt positive that he could have accomplished his errand, -and left the mound nicely smoothed over as he found it. - -Jack guessed that they would hardly feel so merry when they discovered -that the treasure-trove had been opened, while they were not thirty feet -away, and the box containing the stolen securities and the bank bills -carried off; or if they did laugh it would be on the "other side of -their mouths," as Buster might have expressed it in his humorous way. - -Now he was doing even better, for he had to pass a little patch where -the cover was rather slim and in order to successfully negotiate it he -was compelled to flatten himself very much on the order of a flapjack or -a pancake. - -But then, they seemed to have no eyes for anything except the cards -they were handling. Two more unsuspicious rascals it would be indeed -difficult to find; at least that was Jack's idea. - -There was a piece of great good luck, for his hand had actually fallen -upon the identical stick with the sharp point which Jenks had used so -successfully when he was digging the hole in which to bury the treasure -box. - -Of course Jack picked this up, for he believed he could make good use of -it in his line of business just about that time. - -And now he had gained the bush, so that his hand actually rested on the -little mound of fresh earth. It gave Jack something of thrill to realize -that he was so very close to all that amount of loot which these two -scamps had taken from the poor depositors of the Lawrence bank; for if -the institution failed the loss would fall partly on poor people. - -But he lost no time in getting to work with that odd spade, fashioned -from a stick. When he found that he had loosened the top earth, he -started to dragging it away with his hands, boy fashion; using the palms -as scoops. - -So he quickly got down to where he could touch the flat top of the -little box; and then burrowing alongside, he managed presently to -unheave the same, dragging it out of the cavity. - -Then Jack set to work to place several stones that he had noted close -by, in place of the box, so that the mound would still be as high as -ever and look as it though it still contained the chest. - -Once in every little while as he did this work, Jack would glance -through the lower part of the bush in order to make sure that the two -card players were still as much interested in their innocent game of -"Old Maid" as before. But really he had little need to do this, because -their loud laughter told the fact as plainly as anything. - -Then followed the most difficult task of creeping back over the route he -had taken to reach the place. It had been hard enough when he could -watch those whom he looked on as enemies; but as now he had to go -backwards part of the time, so as to know when to stop moving, and lie -still, when he thought one of them glanced that way, it became doubly -difficult. - -But Jack had not been making an idle boast when he claimed to be a much -better scout than any one of his five companions. Circumstances had -allowed him in the past to have a certain amount of experience in this -line, such as none of his boatmates could claim; and that was how Jack -made such a success of his venture. - -Now he had passed the crisis in his retreat and was able to move along -faster, even getting to his feet, and in a couching attitude leaving -the hostile camp behind. - -When he reached the spot where the dull-colored khaki tent stood under -the tree he found his five chums awaiting him; and every one of them was -bubbling over with both a desire to squeeze Jack's hand, while telling -him in whispers what he thought of such clever work and at the same time -filled with a burning curiosity to know if the securities and the stolen -money could all be in that humble little box. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -OPENING THE STRANGE BOX - - -"Didn't you get it, Jack?" asked Josh, carefully, as the Commodore -joined the eager group beside the tent. "We all near broke our necks -a-tryin' to see; and I say you grabbed the box; but Buster here seems as -set on it that you had to give up the job, because you got back so fast. -Here, what d'ye think of that, Buster? See what he's a-carryin' under -his arm, would you? It takes Jack to do things with a rush, and yet -never have a breakdown!" - -"Less noise, Josh!" cautioned Jack, "you forget who's so close by. Even -if the wind does rattle the new leaves on the trees, and the water churn -against the rocks on the shore, they might happen to hear you. Lower -that sharp voice of yours when you say 'Told you so'!" - -All the same every one of his five companions seemed delighted with his -success. Buster had to even put out his hand and touch the box, before -he would actually be convinced. Buster, you see, was something of a -Doubting Thomas; he might take other people's word on occasion; but he -preferred to actually know that things were so, from his own experience. - -"Why, it is a box, sure as you live," he was heard to mutter, as though -surprised that the whole thing did not turn out to be just a dream; and -that he would soon wake up. - -"And is it heavy, Jack?" asked George, anxiously. - -"Oh! just so-so," answered the hero of the raid, as he passed the -article in question around, so that everybody could get the heft of it, -even Buster. - -It was laughable to see the way the fat boy took hold of the little -chest; but then each one firmly believed that it contained quite a -little fortune, and consequently there was something of due reverence -for wealth in his way of handling the thing. - -"I bet you they'll be hoppin' mad when they find out it's been sneaked -away from them after all their bully trouble in hidin' the same," -ventured Buster. - -"Yes, and to think of the cuteness of that fellow makin' out that it was -going to be reckoned just a regular little grave," said George, with a -chuckle. "Guess he thought that nobody would ever dare dig it up then, -because they say, it's sure a sign of bad luck to disturb a body." - -"But what are we going to do now?" demanded Josh. - -"Jack, darlint, ain't we a-goin' to open the box, and say for oursilves -what lies inside?" asked Andy. "Sure, 'tis mesilf that'd loike tell fale -with me own hands all the money it must contain. 'Tis a bank cashier I'm -intindin' to be some foine day, and I loike nothin' better than to -handle cash." - -"Me too," echoed Josh. - -In fact, that was just what every fellow must have been thinking about -then; for they were pressing closely around Jack, who had once more -taken the box into his charge. - -"But how can we ever see anything when we ain't got a light, and don't -dare start one for fear of being discovered?" remarked doubting George, -who as a rule could far excel Buster in this particular of being -skeptical. - -"How about the stars; ain't they enough to let a feller see just a -little?" asked Josh. - -"Jack, what do you say?" came from Herb, willing to let the Commodore -decide the question once and for all. - -"First, let's sit down and try to keep quiet for a little while," -responded the boy who had been appealed to, "because, unless I miss my -guess, we're going to have all the light we want to right away now." - -As the others followed his example, and dropped upon the ground, -pressing closely together, so that they could get their heads in a small -circle, and be able to do some more talking, Buster was heard to say, -appealingly: - -"Now, just what do you mean by that remark, Jack, I'd like to know? -Where would we get so much light? Anybody got a flash torch along? No, -that's where we made a big mistake, you see, forgettin' so important a -thing. Speak up, Jack, and let's know all about it, please." - -"Even if we did forget," replied Jack, "we're going to have the biggest -torch you ever heard tell of, pretty soon; and that'll give us all the -light we want, take it from me, Buster." - -The fat boy moved a little uneasily. - -"Whee! I hope now, Jack, it ain't anything like the woods on fire you -got in mind," he asked, with a sudden vein of alarm in his voice; for -Buster had once passed through a very unpleasant experience while in a -blazing forest, and often had bad dreams on that account. - -Josh made a scornful sound, which was a favorite habit of his whenever -he wished to convey the idea that he looked on some remark of the stout -boy as indicating an unsound mind. - -"And us out here on a measly little old island in the middle of the old -Mississippi, at that?" he observed, caustically, and then wound up with -another "Huh!" - -Jack at another time would have been amused to hear these two go at it, -hammer and tongs; but the present was hardly an appropriate time for any -sort of a dispute or even discussion. - -"Suppose you fellows take a look around," he remarked, "and perhaps -after that you won't need to ask me where I'm going to get my torch." - -After all it was sharp-eyed Andy who made the discovery. - -"Arrah! and sure 'tis the moon he manes!" exclaimed the Irish lad. - -"The moon," echoed George, "now wherever do you see any signs of that -same thing, I'd like to know?" - -"Would you look at George, starin' as hard as he can right into the -west?" mocked Josh. "Since when has the moon taken to risin' across the -river, George? Reckon you're a little mixed in your directions, ain't -you? Been bobbing over that engine of yours so much you get off your -base. That's right, turn your head around, and you'll see what Jack -means." - -There, somewhere not far from in the east the sky was brightening along -the horizon which they could manage to see beyond the tumbling water of -the river. Without a doubt it was the coming moon, sending a few shreds -of her silvery light in advance to paint the way. - -"I c'n see the tip of her face right now, apeekin' above the line of -trees away over there on the shore," announced Josh, with a slight vein -of exultation in his partly suppressed voice. - -"That's roight!" agreed Andy. - -As they stood there and looked sure enough the edge of the moon began to -slowly creep into sight. At first it seemed just for all the world -like a silver pencil marking a bright eyebrow above the horizon; but -gradually this extended, growing more pronounced all the while, until -even a child could tell that it was the moon making her nightly bow to -the darkened world below. - -Not another word was said until every part of her now sadly battered -disc had come into view. The moon was not near so beautiful as on the -third night previous, when full; but there was still a deal of light -shining from that yellow glove hung up there in the heavens like a huge -lantern. - -"She'll do the business all right, Jack--!" ventured Buster, just as -though he had been rather uncertain up to then. - -"You just bet she will, bully old moon!" declared George, who was -possibly more inclined to be sentimental than any of the six boys. - -"Say when, Jack," urged Josh; meaning by this that he hoped the other -would not think the time had arrived to rip the cover off the little -box, so that they could all have a peep at its glorious contents, before -it was stowed safely away aboard one of the motor boats. - -Jack looked a little doubtingly at the moon, just hanging above the -horizon. "Not near as much light as she'll be giving when she gets -higher," he said, softly; "but then, I guess we can't wait for that. You -fellows would just die with anxiety if you couldn't see pretty soon." - -But while Jack was saying these caustic words, of course he did not mean -anything. Why, he was just about as keen on wanting to see the contents -of the box as any one of his chums. That was only a boy's way of -expressing himself. - -Had there been no need of caution Jack could have knocked the lid off that -box in short order, by taking the camp hatchet, and making use of it. -The job was not apt to prove quite so easy when he found himself -compelled to simply pry with the sharp edge of the said little axe. - -He worked busily for several minutes, while the balance of the boys -hovered over him, making various suggestions, and even wanting to show -Jack how it ought to be done; for of course every fellow considered that -he could accomplish the task better than any one else. - -But Jack knew what he was about, and so he declined to hand over his job -to the next one. He had managed by dint of pressure to get the edge of -the blade inserted under what seemed to be the lid of the box, and was -now engaged in prying it up, a little at a time. - -"Don't bother Jack so, you fellows," warned Herb, who was apparently -quite satisfied with the way things were going. "Leave him alone, and -he'll fix it all right. He always does, you know. There you c'n see the -lid's coming right along. Another pry like that, and you'll have her, -Jack. Eureka! there she rises, boys! He's done it!" - -Jack calmly bent the lid fully back, and then pried it loose, so that it -fell over on the ground. Then he took the little box up in his arms and -turned to get the full light of the low moon. - -"Jack first, fellers!" cautioned Josh, "don't you all crowd the mourners -so. Let him take a peek, and then the rest of us c'n feast our eyes on -all that bully money and stuff. Keep back, Buster, you ain't the first -in line; that's George, and me, I'm second choice. Look at the stuff -Jack's a-pullin' out, would you? Seems like rags or somethin' like that, -to me. Reckon they just stuffed the top of the box full to keep the -coin from rattling around like. What's ailing Jack, fellers? See him -a-starin' in like he seen a ghost. Gee! but it must be a great sight, -all that boodle from the bank, to make our partner stare like that. -George, get a move on you, and step up. You're next, you know. No -crowdin', Buster. Keep your place in line, can't you?" - -Jack was indeed standing there, and staring into the opened box as -though he had received something of a shock; but over his face there -began to creep a semblance of a smile, or a grin, or something of that -character, as he held out the box for George to take his turn next. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -DISAPPOINTMENT - - -"Oh! my stars!" - -That was what George said, in a faint voice, as though he was very -nearly overcome, after taking his look into the box, Jack holding the -same most obligingly all the while. - -Of course, even this did not have any effect upon Josh, who was next in -line. In fact, if anything, it served to spur him on to all the sooner -get his peep-in; wondering at the same time what it could be. - -Buster heard Josh give a gasp, as he bent his head down. It must be -something wonderfully fetching, to influence all of the boys in that -queer way. And consequently Buster, impatient for his turn, actually put -out his hand and shoved Josh out of the way. - -No sooner had he looked than he too gave evidence of being nearly -overcome. - -"Great governor! somebody hold me. I'm going to faint!" was what Buster -whispered; and this suspicious remark made Andy want to get out of line, -only that Herb, coming last, would not allow such a thing, but actually -shoved the other up until he just had to do his duty and look. - -Andy threw up both hands as he exclaimed, perhaps in a louder voice than -was really discreet: - -"Tare and ounds! Be the powers, 'tware a grave afther all, so it was!" - -"What's that?" quivered from the lips of Herb, as he now hesitated in -turn. - -"Come on, don't hang back like that, Herb; you've just got to see!" -ventured Josh, laying hold of the other's sleeve, and commencing to drag -him forward. - -It was like the boy who jumps into the pond so early in the spring that -he is nearly frozen stiff; but whoever heard of him confessing to the -fact; while his comrades hesitate on the bank he puts on the most -angelic face possible, and declares that the water is "as warm as -anything;" until he has coaxed them all in; for misery loves company, -they tell us. - -So Herb had to do his duty, and look. - -"Good gracious, why, it's only a little puppy dog after all!" broke from -his white lips, as he stood there and stared. - -"That's just what it is," replied Jack. "And after all, that fellow -spoke what he meant, when we thought he referred to another sort of -treasure. This must have been his pet." - -"But Jack darlint," broke in Andy, "phat d'ye think he wanted to bury -this ki-yi on the island for at all, at all?" - -"What for?" echoed Buster, before Jack could say a word, "why, because -the little beast had gone and kicked the bucket--died on him--you know." - -"Must have been a pet dog," suggested Josh, "'cause we heard him say he -felt bad at putting the thing underground. Say, Jack, d'ye think now, -the little beast could a got hurt that night when they broke into the -Lawrence bank and looted it? P'raps somebody fired at the thieves and -hit the pup; or it might a got hold of rat poison somehow." - -"Quit your guessing, Josh; what does it matter to us how the poor little -beast came to his end?" demanded George, who had a liking for dogs -himself, and seemed to feel less hilarity than any of the rest, once the -shock of the discovery, and their own disappointment wore away. - -Jack was for taking it as a joke at his expense. - -"Say, just think of that splendid sneak of mine wasted," he remarked, -sadly. "And all for this, too. I've got half a notion to crawl back -again, and bury the poor little wretch over, just to pay for making such -a mistake." - -"But hold on," Herb observed, "this doesn't mean that the two over -yonder ain't what we took 'em to be, does it? There's the white boat, -you know, with the red trimming; didn't Jack tell us he could see it -plain enough anchored close to the shore? Just because they put a little -pet dog underground don't make 'em better, I reckon, eh, Jack?" - -Jack did not reply immediately. The old doubts were commencing to work -double time with him. He was beginning to question the truth of their -solution of the problem. Again he could see the face of the younger -fellow, who had seemed to be hardly more than a boy. Was that affectation -only assumed? Might it not be a part of the nature of the fellow -after all? Was he a desperate crook, who was able to put on an air of -innocence; or could it be possible they had made a tremendous mistake, -and that he was a pampered son of some rich man, cruising in his fine -motorboat, with a mechanic as crew to do the rough work, while he played -his part as skipper of the craft? - -Yes, Jack was now in the Doubting Thomas class. He shook his head, and -seemed to be trying to figure things out, as he laid the box on the -ground, and covered it temporarily with the lid which had taken him so -long to pry off. - -"And if they are the bank thieves," Herb went on to say, "what d'ye -suppose they could have done with all that stuff they took away? Think -they buried the same before they got here to this island, Jack, or could -it still be on board the little white boat right now?" - -"Oh! yes, that's the stuff; how about it, Jack?" George went on to add. - -"We sure did fall all over ourselves in making this blunder," admitted -Josh, "and it's up to us now to get busy and try to make things square." - -"Of course," said Jack, slowly, as though he might be revolving this -last idea in his mind, "that's possible. If these are the right men, and -they've not got rid of the plunder up to now, why, it stands to reason -it would be somewhere on board, that's right." - -"But seems to me, Jack," remarked Herb, suspiciously, "you're beginning -to hedge a heap. Just a little while ago you were dead sure these -fellows must be the two robbers. Now you say 'if they are.' How's that? -Didn't you see their boat, and wasn't it just what that newspaper -account said the suspicious craft looked like." - -"Boys, I admit all that," the other went on to say, "but if you stop and -think, the article in the paper didn't say positively that the white -boat belonged to the bold bank thieves--only that it had been seen -hanging around, like it might be in hiding, and they thought it must -have for a crew the two yeggs who broke into the Lawrence bank. There's -some difference, you'll admit between making a positive statement, and -just guessing things." - -"Well, for one, I still believe they are the men that are wanted," said -George, to prove that he had not been convinced otherwise. - -"I think so, too," added Josh. - -"And for one now," added impetuous George, boldly. "I'd like nothing -better than to sneak that boat of theirs away while they sleep. What -d'ye say to that, fellows, ain't it worth considering?" - -For a minute no one replied. The audacity of the proposition staggered -them, it seemed; and yet as is nearly always the case with boys, it -appealed to the love of mischief and the daring that somehow seems to be -a part of their nature. - -"Say that would be a great stunt, now," said Josh. - -Buster drew a long breath as he went on to say: - -"George, you ain't so very bad a hand at laying out a game after all. -Whee! just think how they'd rub their eyes, and stare, when they woke up -in the morning, and went to look for the jolly old white boat, which -wouldn't be there." - -George began to feel his importance. After all, Jack could not have a -monopoly of engineering things; once in a great while some other fellow -was apt to have an inspiration; and it seemed to be his turn just then. - -"You seem to think well of my little scheme?" he remarked, proudly. - -"Jack, how do you feel about it?" asked cautious Herb, not noticing that -the other had as yet made no comment; which, in some boys might have -signified that they were feeling jealous; but everybody knew Jack -Stormways could not allow such a thought to enter his head. - -"Do you want to know my idea, George?" asked Jack, frankly. - -"I sure do," came the reply. - -"Well, I'll tell you," the other went on to say. "It would be a great -stunt to carry off this white boat, if only we were sure the parties are -the robbers. But stop and think what we'd be up against if they were -innocent parties. Why, they could have us arrested for stealing their -craft; and what excuse would we have to offer? The old gag about not -knowing it was loaded wouldn't pass in court. We'd get a heavy fine, -even if it wasn't worse. This is a time when it'll pay us to be sure -before we go ahead." - -"Huh! p'raps you're right, Jack," grunted Josh, already beginning to -weaken before this sort of logic. - -George did not open his mouth, but he was always willing to listen to -what Jack had to say; for the other never gloried in showing any of his -comrades up as being in the wrong. - -"But the principal thing of all, and which we'd have to find out first, -before thinking of hooking the boat, would be to know whether they -expect to sleep ashore, or aboard," Jack went on to say. - -At that Buster tittered. - -"Think what a cheeky thing it'd be," he remarked, softly, "if we ran -away with the boat, and then found that we'd kidnapped a couple of -innocent ducklings, one of them mamma's darling boy! Whew! mebbe we -wouldn't feel cheap though!" - -"Oh!" said Jack, "then you've been thinking that this terrible Slim -Jim, the dandy hobo, might be somebody else, have you, Buster? Well, I -tell you what we ought to do, boys--hang around, and watch that pair -some more. If they begin to get the camp ready as though they meant to -stay ashore tonight, we can talk it over again, and decide whether we'll -play George's trick or not with the boat. How?" - -"I say leave it that way," ventured Josh, now completely won over. - -"I'm agreeable," George hastened to say, for he was not altogether -unreasonable in anything save that troublesome engine aboard his -Wireless; and in that quarter he would never take advice from any one -until in difficulties; he knew it all. - -And so it was arranged. - -They could creep up, and from their old place of observation keep an eye -on the two who were under suspicion; and in this way something might -arise whereby they would be able to tell definitely whether they would -be justified in going to extremes, or ought to keep their hands off. - -Even as they started to once more advance toward the spot where the camp -fire burned, they began to hear a strange clanking sound, as of steel -smiting steel, that gave them new cause for wonder. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -BUSTER HAS A SHOCK - - -"What in the wide world's that?" asked Buster Longfellow, as they came -to a halt in order to listen. - -"Sounds like somebody's started a blacksmith shop over here on the -island, that's what!" remarked Josh. - -"Mebbe they're counting over the ducats they've stolen," suggested -George; but the idea of silver dollars making such a loud sound as this -as they jingled in a heap, was really so ridiculous that even Buster -chuckled in derision; whereupon George had to hastily add "joke!" - -"Tell you what I think," observed wise Herb. "You know they were having -some engine trouble a while back; and I reckon that mechanic fellow has -got busy fixing it up. The only thing that surprises me is that George -here didn't recognize something mighty familiar in the racket. He's -forever making it himself, so if I didn't know he was alongside, I'd -take my affidavy that was him right now." - -"Huh! think yourself smart to make fun of my twelve-horse power engine, -don't you, Herb?" he started to say, and would doubtless have delivered -himself of considerably more along the same lines, only that Jack broke -in by observing: - -"All the same, Herb is right, there; for the man is aboard the boat and -working away at the motor. He's some machinist, believe me, from the way -he goes about things. And there's the other one going aboard too; wonder -what that means?" - -Watching they presently saw the younger fellow come in sight again, and -step to the bank of the island from the power tied-up and anchored boat. - -"Got an armful of blankets?" asserted Josh, immediately. - -"That settles one thing, then," came from George. - -"Yes, they're going to make camp ashore, and pass the night on firm -ground," Jack admitted. "Perhaps they like the change, as we do. Plenty -of times when you just have to sleep aboard the boat, you know." - -"And p'raps," George went on, "we'll be trying out my little bit of a -scheme, after all." - -"Nobody knows," Jack assured them. - -They made themselves as easy as possible, and took up their vigil, not -knowing how long it might last. - -Back and forth the younger fellow went, until he had carried a great lot -of articles, calculated to induce a comfortable night's rest ashore. -Then he started in to fix things to suit him, taking a part of the -blankets. - -"That settles it," whispered Jack, to Herb, who was next, "he's a -greenhorn, as far as camping goes." - -"Yep, guess he is," assented the other, although, if put to the test, -Herb might have found it difficult to explain on what he founded his -belief. - -"See where he's gone and arranged his blankets," Jack continued. "There, -he's trying to see how they feel; and would you look at his head toward -the fire. No experienced camper ever does that, because it's his feet -that get cold in the night, so he always has them closest to the fire." - -"Sure!" agreed Herb, just as though he had always known that fact, when -in truth it had never occurred to him before. - -"He fetched some grub with him the last time he came!" whispered George, -on the other side of Jack, "and if anybody asked me what that stood for -I'd be likely to say it meant they were going to stay on dry land a -little while, till they get that engine working that's what." - -"Well, that isn't going to be long," remarked Josh in turn as there came -a series of explosions from aboard the boat, that sounded as regularly -as clockwork. "He's got her working now, all right, I guess." - -"Then he must be a crack-a-jack of a mechanic," observed George, -thoughtfully, as though a vague idea had come into his head that it -might pay him to get such a man to look over his engine, given the -chance. - -"But I haven't seen any paint--yet," remarked Buster, obstinately. - -"Well, what would they want to get busy with that for at night time?" -Josh asked him. "If they put in tomorrow hiding here on the island -you'll see enough of paint slingin' to suit you, Buster, believe me. -They'll want to get the boat partly up out of the water on some skids, -using block and tackle to drag her; and then so change her looks that -nobody'll recognize her as the same suspicious white boat that took the -bank's cash away." - -After that they fell silent for some time, meanwhile continuing to watch -the two who were still objects of concern, not to say suspicion. The one -ashore had crawled under his blankets as though bent on getting fixed -cozy for the night. He came out and went back three separate times. Now -it was to arrange his covering a little differently; and again it was to -draw the blankets back and dig out a root that must have started to hurt -his back while lying there, as roots have a failing for doing with -campers, especially the big gnarly ones that have a knob on them--every -boy knows that without being told. - -About the time he finally seemed fixed comfortably with the fire burning -low not very far from his head the second one came ashore. - -"How is she now, Jenks; I heard you give her a trial spin?" came a voice -from among the collected heap of blankets which the intended sleeper had -drawn over him. - -"Workin' tip-top, sir, right now," replied the other; and somehow it -seemed to the listening Jack that there was a vein of deference in -his tones such as might hardly be expected to be disclosed when one -cracksman addressed another, no matter if it was a Slim Jim, and a -recognized master of the art of thievery. - -"Then we've got that thing off our hands, Jenks," the unseen one went -on, every word reaching the ears of the listening boys, because he -called out loudly, thinking his voice might be muffled by the blankets, -"and we can take it easy tomorrow, with the other job, if we conclude to -hide until darkness comes around again." - -"That's right, sir, so we can," assented the other, beginning to shift -his blankets and make up his bed in the regulation way. - -There was no more said. - -Jack, watching Jenks, immediately decided that the man must have been -in the open more or less, for he seemed to know just how to go about -things; and his head was not toward the fire either, when he lay down. -Still, he did not attempt to arrange the blaze so that it would keep up -for many hours; perhaps he thought that since the other had incautiously -placed his head that way it would be folly to keep the heat going, so as -to roast him out. - -And then at last both seemed to have successfully arranged themselves, -for there was no longer any wriggling movements of the blankets that -might stand for uneasiness. - -"Think they're asleep, Jack?" queried Herb, softly, as he touched the -other gently on the arm. - -"If they ain't they'll soon be," muttered George, who had overheard the -question and took it upon himself to answer. - -"Wonder how much longer this game's goin' to keep up?" grumbled Josh; -"my right leg's nigh paralyzed as it is, and I'm gettin' a crick in my -back, Jack, what's the best word?" - -For reply he received a low warning hist that somehow thrilled Josh, and -possibly some of the others as well. Immediately every one fastened his -eyes on the two bundles of blankets near the dying fire, as though -expecting to see some upheaval in that quarter; but nothing of the kind -took place. - -"What was it, Jack?" whispered Josh, wondering why the other had given -that low warning, when there seemed to be no sign of trouble in the -hostile camp. - -"Something moving over yonder in the bushes; watch sharp, to the right, -now!" was what came from the Commodore. - -"Gee! mebbe a wild animal goin' to raid the camp for grub!" Josh -suggested. - -"More'n likely the same hungry guy that carried off that ham of ours, -that's what," Buster was just heard to say, deep down in his throat. - -Then they lapsed into silence again; though all this talking had been -conducted in such low tones, that a short distance away any one would -have taken it for granted that it could only be the night wind -whispering through the branches of the trees overhead, not yet fully -covered with the fresh green leaves that came with the spring. - -Yes, there certainly was something moving over there, in the quarter -which Jack had indicated. They could see the bushes beginning to bend -again, but very slowly, as though the intended intruder tried to -exercise great care, not meaning to arouse the sleepers. - -Man or animal, they could not say immediately, for even when they first -caught sight of the moving figure it was crouched so low that it could -pass for either one or the other, in that uncertain light. - -Every eye was riveted on it, that can be set down as positive. In fact, -just at that minute all of the watchers seemed to be holding their very -breath, such was their natural condition of suspense, as well as deep -interest. - -"Is it a panther, Jack; and have you got your Marlin ready?" Josh -whispered in the other's ear. - -The only answer Jack made was to kick Josh on the shins; with that -unknown thing creeping forward it seemed no time to be asking foolish -questions. Josh evidently understood, for he hushed up immediately. - -But then that might have been because all of them saw about this time -that it was a man and not an animal, for he had raised his head, in -order to take a sharp look toward the spot where the fire glimmered and -the two figures were huddled in the piles of blankets. - -Possibly the low murmur of Josh's voice had reached the ears of the -intruder, so as to arouse a slight suspicion; but if so, this must have -been lulled to sleep again immediately he found that neither of the -inanimate figures had changed position. - -But when the man thus partly arose it disclosed the fact that he was a -heavyset sort of a fellow, wearing a cap and that his face was partly -covered with a beard. It did something more than this. When he stretched -his neck to see the better a portion of his body was exposed to view. - -Now, it was nothing strange that this unknown prowler wore a sweater, or -that this was a fine soft gray woolen sweater, of the kind used by -automobile tourists in these days, buttoning down the front; but -it certainly nearly gave Buster Longfellow heart disease when he -discovered on the breast of that same garment the wonderful blue moon -that he had so often described as marking his lost present, which he had -been suspecting poor innocent Josh of having purloined! - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -THE MAN WITH THE BLUE MOON SWEATER - - -Now, it happened that Jack had made this astonishing discovery even -before Buster could have done so, for he was so much quicker than the -fat boy to observe things, and never had there been a sweater made just -like that one with the blue moon on its front. - -Jack also knew that the chances were Buster would be apt to say -something out loud in his astonishment at seeing his lost property on -the back of a prowler, possibly the very man who had stolen their -intended supper. - -And as the leader of the motor boat boys was as quick as a flash to act, -no sooner had this idea entered his brain than he stretched out his arm -actually across Herb, and reaching the fat boy, managed to clasp his -hand squarely over his mouth. - -From the fact that Buster's lips were twitching at that very second, it -seemed evident that he had just been on the point of giving vent to his -feelings by some such blunt expression as: - -"Well, would you see the nerve of that, now?" - -Instead he was brought to a sense of the necessity for complete silence; -and as Buster was not at all devoid of common sense he managed to bottle -up his excitement somewhat. - -But now the man had dropped down on all fours again, and seemed to be -moving along with considerable dispatch. Jack had seen that the fellow -had eyes only for the motionless figures at the fire; and also that -something approaching a grin had broken out on his heavy face when he -saw how inanimate they were. - -His movements were certainly suspicious, and those that would indicate -an intention of thievery. Certainly no honest man would come stealing -into a strange camp in this fashion. - -What could he want? If this were the same rogue who had made way with -the food Josh placed on that flat stone, perhaps he believed that it -would be just as well to strike while the iron was hot, and there seemed -to be abundant supplies lying around loose. If he were a shiftless -fisherman, such as sometimes used to gather here on this island, Jack -had been told, why, he might believe that all was fish that came to -his net; and seeing the food that had been carried ashore, lying so -temptingly around, canned stuff, and all that abundant means could -supply, he was now bent on making a haul. - -That was Jack's first idea, for the man seemed to be crawling toward the -pile of groceries when discovered. But now he had shifted his course -somewhat, so that it was at a tangent with his first line of advance. -Was he simply trying to avoid contact with the sleepers, or did he have -some other reason for altering the direction of his coming? - -Jack's interest began to increase by leaps and bounds. He realized that -perhaps the intruder might be looking forward to something of far -greater advantage than a mere carrying off of eatables. Yes, he was -heading now toward the shore where the white motor boat was tied up! And -Jack suddenly recollected that one of his companions had suggested that -the robbers kept their treasure-trove aboard the craft. That was after -the discovery of the hoax connected with the buried box. - -But then how could this rough fellow have any suspicion concerning the -plunder taken from the bank? He surely could not, and must be intending -to go aboard simply under the belief that fatter pickings were to be -found on the little vessel just then totally unguarded. - -Now he was at the river bank, with nothing to interfere with his plan of -boarding the tied-up boat. Of course his progress had been followed by -every one of the six pair of eyes belonging to the boys hiding in the -bushes, and it would be needless to say that by now all of them guessed -what his destination was. - -Jack felt a pair of knuckles industriously digging at his side which he -knew must belong to George. The impulsive one was in this mute fashion -voicing his desire to know what Jack meant to do about it; and doubtless -hoping that they would be given permission to make some sort of move -after the thief had fully vanished over the side of the white boat. - -But Jack paid no attention to the nudges. He was thinking just then what -a queer old mix-up the whole affair was getting to be; when one robber -attempted to ply his trade upon another of the same sort. - -Now they could see the shadowy form passing from the bank on to the -gunwale of the boat. The fact that the side of the craft chanced to be -so very white did much to throw the climbing figure out in relief. Then -he disappeared and everything was as it had been; only they knew an -intruder had boarded the boat, and must be rummaging around in search of -something which doubtless he expected to find there. - -Still the two near the dying camp fire had shown no sign of life. They -seemed to be sound asleep, and utterly unconscious of the fact that an -enemy had crept into their midst, bent on pillage. - -Jack thought fast, and indeed, there was good reason why he should -do so. Should they attempt to warn the two nestled there amidst the -blankets, and put them wise to the fact that they were in danger of -being robbed? That would only disclose their presence to the fugitives -from justice, as they had been terming the owner of the white boat, and -his companion Jenks. And if they were the men who had looted the bank up -at Lawrence, why try and save their ill-gotten plunder? - -Really, it would appear to be just as well that they let this adroit -second thief get the treasure in his possession, and then proceed to -take it from him in turn. Besides, it might be policy to reduce the -number of those against whom the boys would have to pit themselves; and -one must be reckoned just the half of two. - -That was the way Jack found himself putting it, as though he had to -reduce the whole thing to argument. And it was surprising how many -different things could force themselves into his mind in just a brief -space of time. He could imagine the last creeper to have come safely off -the white boat, with the treasure in his possession, perhaps even -walking close by where they crouched; then would be given a signal that -must result in his being attacked from every quarter at once; and surely -with six of them to assist, he must be easily pulled down. - -But wait, there was no need of getting so far afield, when the man -seemed to be still busying himself aboard the white motor boat some -way or other. While they could not see him, it was noticed that the -narrow-beamed boat was shaking more or less, as though some one were -moving about aboard. - -Buster must recognize a very familiar movement in this, because there -was the cranky Wireless, always ready to accommodate itself to the -activities of any one who had the misfortune to pass any length of time -on board, either as passenger, crew or skipper. - -Should that heavy-set man, called Jenks by the other, chance to awaken -about this time, perhaps there would be something doing speedily, for he -had all the looks of a stayer in a fight, and once he detected the -presence of the interloper, woe be to him. But there had not been the -slightest movement to either of the sleepers; and if the intended robber -of thieves was to be balked in his designs, it looked as though Jack -and his chums would have to prove themselves equal to the occasion. - -And so Jack's conclusion seemed to be that it might pay them to get -somewhat closer to the river bank, so that should the unknown finish his -work aboard, and start to make his escape, they could head him off the -better. - -It was not really necessary for him to communicate all this to each -one of his chums. When they saw him start to make a move they would -understand what was intended, and govern themselves accordingly. - -Jack raised himself to his hands and knees. Then he commenced to work -his way along, with the tied-up boat as his ultimate destination. - -Just as he had anticipated, every one of the other fellows started in to -imitate his actions. All they wanted was an example, and they were ready -to follow suit. You have seen the whole flock of sheep follow the -bellwether over a low fence; and that was about the same way George and -Josh and the rest did right then and there. - -All went smoothly for a certain length of time; perhaps as much as three -or four minutes may have passed along. Then something happened that was -certainly not down on the bills; and coming so unexpectedly must have -given the boys a severe shock. - -Without warning there burst upon the night air a loud and sonorous -"ker-chew!" Why, it was deep-toned enough to have awakened the Seven -Sleepers of old; and certainly the precious pair over there by the fire -could not help but be electrified by the explosion. - -It was not a thunder clap, though some of the creeping boys might have -so considered, when first it broke upon their startled hearing. No, it -was only Buster Longfellow sneezing. - -This was an old weakness of Buster's. He was wont to sneeze on any and -all occasions, and many times in his past history had he been brought to -a knowledge of the fact that it was a habit calculated to get a fellow -into all sorts of trouble. Remember that time he threatened to upset -George's boat when one of these fits happened along? Well, there were -now even more dire possibilities in store for the unlucky originator of -that tremendous sneeze, than he cared to look in the face. - -In the first place it aroused the two at the fire. They could be seen -suddenly sitting up straight, and looking all around them, as though -half expecting to discover strangers in the camp, who according to their -calculations could have no business there. - -Then a head was seen to rise hurriedly above the gunwale of the white -motor boat, showing that the fellow who had gone aboard, had been -disturbed in the midst of whatever he was doing. Of course it was to be -expected that he would spring over the side, and make a streak for it, -intending to find shelter in the covert of nearby bushes. - -Nothing of the sort happened. - -On the contrary, while he did immediately expose himself in full view it -was to carry out an entirely different line of energy. - -Jack was just in the act himself of standing up and directing his -comrades as to what they should do in order to cut off the other's -escape, when he saw there was going to be nothing doing in that line. - -For the man had leaned quickly over the side, and made a sweep with his -hand at the little hawser holding the boat snug against the bank. He -must have had an exceedingly sharp-bladed knife there, for it cut -through that rope as though the cable were made of sand. And at the same -moment the white motor boat started to swing free from the shore of the -island. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE RIVER PIRATE - - -It was all done as quick as a flash, almost. - -The unknown man aboard the white motor boat had no sooner sliced the -rope apart, thus allowing the craft to swing free and begin moving with -the current, always pulling steadily at it while lying there, than he -did something more. - -"Look at him with the push-pole!" whooped Josh. - -"Hey! hold on there! That ain't your boat. I'll have the law on you for -stealing!" cried out the dapper young chap, who had thrown his blankets -aside, and was standing there, shaking his fist after the bold -trespasser. - -The big man with him, who had done all the work on the engine earlier in -the night, Jenks, started to rush toward the landing, as though he -believed in deeds rather than words. But the fellow who was so coolly -making off with their boat laughed harshly as he plied the push-pole -briskly. - -Already had the boat gained a certain momentum, and if allowed to -continue as it was going for another full minute, would be lost to the -owner. - -Jack and his five companions had not held back all this time either. -They were at a disadvantage, being much further away from the scene of -action than those who had been sleeping near the remains of the fire. -Consequently there was little chance for them to reach the spot before -the man had accomplished his evil task, and completed the seizure of the -white boat. - -Jenks rushed down the shore like a mad bull. From his actions it seemed -as if he contemplated jumping into the river, and forcing his way out to -the stolen boat in spite of everything. - -Indeed, he did push into the water, which happened to be rather shallow -at that point, and was making a gallant attempt to board the boat, when -suddenly the man dropped his pole, and held something out toward Jenks -that glistened in the moonlight. - -"Keep back or I'll shoot!" they heard him call out. - -Jenks possibly did not believe him, for he kept rushing through the -water still; whereupon there came a sharp report, and a flash of flame. - -"Oh!" cried Buster. - -Jenks had pulled up short, and seemed to be wavering. - -"That was only a warning," the man aboard went on to say, angrily; "but -try it some more, and I'll aim for keeps. You get me, don't you?" - -All this was plainly seen because of the bright moon. And while they -stood and stared, they heard the crank of the engine worked, and -immediately the rapid sound of the exhaust told that Jenks had indeed -placed it in splendid order, much to his regret now. - -So the white boat began to speed away. Jack noticed that instead of -keeping on down the river, the thief was gradually starting to curve to -the right, as though it was his intention to come around and head up -stream. At the moment he did not realize what this might mean but a -little later it dawned upon him in full force. - -Meanwhile there was more or less excitement around that spot. - -Jenks came wading ashore again, and holding his left arm in a way that -would indicate that he had received some sort of a wound at the time the -desperate thief fired at him. - -The younger stranger was dancing around in a furious fashion, and acting -so like a simpleton in his anger that Jack felt ashamed to remember -that he had once suspected him of being the slick thief whom the paper -called Slim Jim. Why, this chap was an innocent of the innocents, just -the kind of boy his appearance had stamped him--some rich man's petted -darling, allowed to have a fine boat for a play toy, with a steady man -to run it for him, whom he could boss around. - -All this Jack realized in the brief space of time that he stood there, -surveying the scene, and hearing the popping of the motor boat's exhaust -sounding less and less noisy, as the stolen craft went further and -further away from the island. - -And about that time the distracted owner of the boat seemed to realize -that he and Jenks were not alone. He stared at Jack and his companions -as though unable to understand how they came there, or if they were -really flesh and blood. - -"They said that this miserable island was haunted," he exclaimed, "and -I'm beginning to believe it's so. Who are you, fellows, and where did -you spring from?" - -Jack was for taking the bull by the horns. He had seen all his suspicions -concerning these two swept aside, so that they were no longer objects of -concern in his eyes. - -"It's too long a story to tell just now," he remarked as he approached -the other. "We belong in a town above here, and are having a little -outing on board our three motor boats, which are tied up not far away. -When you landed we wondered who you were, because there has been a -robbery committed in Lawrence up the river, and the two yeggs who broke -into the bank were said to have escaped in a white motor boat with a red -band around the gunnel." - -"What's that?" gasped the other, as though staggered by such astonishing -information, "took us for burglars, did you? I like that, now. Why, my -name's Algernon Lorrimer, and my father's one of the richest men in -Minneapolis. Get that?" - -"Yes, and I've heard of him, all right," said Jack. "We're glad to meet -you, Algernon, even if it is under queer conditions. My name's Jack -Stormways," and then he proceeded to string off the names of his five -companions in rapid-fire order, the other boy bowing politely at each in -turn; evidently Algernon had been well brought up, and was accustomed to -the usages of good society, even though he might be only a "stick" -aboard a boat, insofar as being able to help run the same was concerned. - -"Glad to make your acquaintance, fellows," he said, loftily. "I hope -you'll pardon me if I seem rather out of sorts. Here I am left, high and -dry on this island, with my new boat stolen by that contemptible rascal. -But he'll be sorry he ever treated me like this. My father will have him -found out and punished. That boat cost two thousand dollars just last -week. We were on our first cruise with it, and playing tag with Chauncey -Gregory and his Firefly. They were to chase us, you know, and the first -one to get to St. Louis without being seen by the other was to win the -race. But we had some trouble with our engine, though we managed to fix -it in great shape. And now my Saunterer is stolen by a vile wretch. How -could he have ever come out here on this lonely island; and what would -he want to take such a fine boat for, when he couldn't sell it anywhere, -without being arrested?" - -Apparently Algernon was "some talker," as Josh put it. Once he got -started, and he was like a seven-day clock in action. And Jack chuckled -to think that they had been looking upon all this as assumed, and that -the millionaire's pampered boy had been a desperate thief, playing a -little game. It was one of the most ridiculous happenings that had ever -come to the motor boat chums. - -And as Algernon was talking a sudden idea had leaped into Jack's active -mind. This time it was founded on facts that were absolutely true, and -could be relied upon. - -It all hinged on that wonderful sweater belonging to Buster, and which -was so queerly marked with a blue moon. - -Now Jack knew positively that the same garment had been in the shed -where the trio of motor boats were lying, awaiting the beginning of the -cruise, on the previous evening, for he had handled it himself. Buster -could not find it when he wanted to wear it later on, and the rest -believed that it had been carelessly left somewhere in the shop or shed, -though as we have seen, the fat boy suspected Josh of playing a sly -trick on him. - -Now the fact that this strange man was actually wearing the novel -sweater was positive evidence that he must have been in the shop of the -boat builder on the previous night, for some purpose or other, and -had taken the garment then, perhaps because it looked warm, and he -anticipated a chilly ride down the river. - -Yes, Jack had jumped to a conclusion in the matter. Although his first -guess with regard to the identity of Algernon and Jenks had been a bad -one, he believed he could do much better with this other fellow; and -whom he now believed to be one of the desperate scoundrels who had -broken into the bank at Lawrence. - -A lot of things went to point that way; and Buster's sweater was the -only connecting clue, as it were. How the men happened to be on the -island, and why one of them was ready to take chances in stealing some -of their food, of course Jack was hardly in a condition to say just -then. They must have been pretty hungry, which would indicate that they -could not have had any food aboard their boat at the time they fled from -pursuit. Perhaps some accident had happened to the craft in which they -had come down the river. That would account for the fellow stealing the -fine new motor boat belonging to the tenderfoot cruiser, Algernon. It -may have taken his fancy for some reason or other; perhaps because it -happened to resemble their own craft, now disabled. - -Strange how things will fly through the mind at times, when there is any -cause for excitement. Jack thought of a score of facts calculated to -back up his theory, even while he was standing there, with the throbbing -of the lost boat still sounding faintly in his ears. - -Whatever of mystery there might be about the actions of the man who had -run off with the Saunterer, this was really no time for explanations, -or to try and figure things out. Later on, when it was all over, and -they could sit comfortably beside a camp fire, it would be fun to piece -things together, and find out just what had influenced all these events -to come about. - -"Boys," Jack said, turning to his friends, "I've just come to the -conclusion that we've run across one of those bank thieves after all." - -"You mean the chap who stole my boat?" ejaculated Algernon, "goodness -gracious! who would have thought now, that I'd come in contact with such -desperate characters in my little run down-river. And he shot my man, -too; see, Jenks is getting one of your friends, to wrap a rag around his -arm. This is thrilling. It makes my blood run cold to think that I was -actually so close to a real burglar. Won't I have the story to tell -Chauncey, though? But how am I ever to get off this island, and try to -recover my boat?" - -"Leave that to us, Algernon," said Jack, quietly. - -"Hurrah! Jack's taken the job on!" shouted Josh, excitedly, "and when he -says he'll see it through, you can bet your boots he means business. -What are we going to do about it, Jack?" - -All eyes were of course turned upon the Commodore. In this critical time -they seemed to depend on him to lead the way out of the maze. Jack would -know what to do; that was what the rest always said to each other, as -soon as any serious difficulty arose. - -And Jack simply raised his hand as if to call for silence, as he said: - -"Wait a minute, fellows, I want to listen to what those rapid-fire -explosions aboard the white motor boat are telling me. They're getting -louder again, you notice, with every minute that passes." - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -READY FOR TROUBLE - - -"Jack, you're right," remarked George, after the whole of them had stood -there, listening eagerly for a minute or so. "That sounds louder all the -time." - -"P'raps the wind's shifted?" suggested Josh. - -"No, I don't believe it has, even a little bit," Herb observed, on his -part. - -"Then what d'ye think it means?" asked Bumpus, who was just as much -interested as any one of his boat-mates. - -"Why, he changed his course, that's what," declared Josh. - -"Oh! that's it, eh?" Bumpus went on to say, "and as he was running -up-stream before, why, that means he's coming down now." - -"Seems like it, Bumpus," admitted George. - -"Why?" the fat boy kept asking; for when anything puzzled him he never -gave his comrades any peace until they had explained the particulars; -for Bumpus could be a standing interrogation point when he chose. - -"Now you've got me," admitted Josh, "'cause I don't know." - -"He ain't doing that just for fun, you believe, don't you? He's got a -card up his sleeve, as they say; and means to play it on us. Started up -the river in the beginning just to use a little time, and pull the wool -over our eyes, fellers. Now he comes a-spinnin' down again in a little -different direction. Why? Again I wait to hear some wise head say it," -and Bumpus assumed an expectant attitude as he went on in this manner. - -"Jack, c'n you answer him?" Herb questioned; for, as usual they began to -turn toward the Commodore at such a time, just as though he might be an -unabridged dictionary, and able on any and all occasions to supply the -crowd with information. - -"Well, if, as we seem to believe, this bold scamp is one of those bank -robbers, there's only one way open for him to escape from any pursuers, -and that's down the Mississippi," Jack started to say; when George -uttered a sudden mild whoop. - -"I've got it!" he cried, excitedly. - -"Bully for you, then, George," said Buster, eagerly, "and suppose you -tell us before you burst. The cooper that put hoops around your barrel -didn't fasten 'em any too tight, believe me. Now, all at once, and have -it over with--why should that feller turn around, and start back this -way again, after getting safe off?" - -"Why, because he suddenly remembered that he had a chum somewhere on -this same old island," George announced, triumphantly; "how's that, -Jack?" - -Jack patted him on the back approvingly. - -"Looks like you'd guessed it the first crack, George," he declared. -"Yes, whether he forgot that fact for a few minutes, or has been playing -a little game to make us believe he was aiming to go up-river, there's -no doubt but what he's heading back now so's to pick the other one up. -These sort of fellows stand by each other through thick and thin, you -know; that's their best quality, always." - -"And Jack," piped up Buster just then, "don't you think that there might -be something else adrawin' him back here--f'r instance, that stuff they -took away from the busted Lawrence bank?" - -"Hurray for Buster; he's all right; and this time he's struck a -brilliant idea! Great head, old man, better be careful of your brains -after this. You're waking up at last; ain't he, Jack?" but Buster did -not deign to pay any attention to all this talk on the part of Josh, -because he knew the other must be secretly envious of him. - -"That's really a bright thought, Buster," admitted Jack, immediately. -"This fellow might be ready to stick by his crony; but we know he's -bound not to desert the plunder; and that must still be on the island -here, aboard their boat, wherever they've got her hidden. You know, -boys, we kind of thought they'd hide here, and try to paint the boat -some dark color, so it wouldn't give them away; for every sheriff and -marshal down-river way will be on the watch for a white boat with a red -streak along the gunnel." - -"Mercy me! and think of the warm times I'll be apt to have after this, -on the way to St. Louis," remarked Algernon, throwing up his white hands -in dismay. - -"That is, if ever you're lucky enough to get your boat back again," -reminded Josh, who rather like to "nag" such a dandified fellow as -Algernon and see him squirm. - -"All of you noticed the fellow was wearing that sweater with the blue -moon on its front," Jack continued to say, as he explained matters more -fully, "and we know that belongs to Buster here; also that it was in -that boathouse of the builder where we left our three boats last night, -when we locked up; because I handled it myself. Don't you see what that -means, boys?" - -"That man was in there; is that it, Jack?" George asked. - -"He certainly must have been, else how could he get my sweater?" -demanded Buster, swelling with importance, since his name was bound to -be mentioned in connection with this affair every time the story was -told, and all on account of that new and remarkable garment which he had -lost. - -"But if they had looted the bank up at Lawrence, tell me why they'd be -foolish enough to land in our town, and start in breaking open stores -and boat building establishments? Seems funny business for a pair of -smart yeggs?" Josh asked. - -"Wait," said Jack, "go back a little. Suppose now, while they were -coming down the river, that idea about the paint just bobbed up in their -heads, and it seemed such a clever scheme that they wanted to kick -themselves because they hadn't just thought of it before, and had some -of the right kind of stuff on hand. So when they came to our town, this -fellow, who must be a pretty bold sort of chap, we know, made up this -plan to sneak ashore, break into some paint shop, and get away with a -supply." - -"Now I'm on to what you mean, Jack," George hastened to remark, "and -when he struck the boat-yard of Mr. Kedge, he just up and thought he'd -sure find paint in there, because it's used on boats. And as Buster had -left his new sweater lying around loose, like he always does with his -things, why, Mr. Burglar, feeling the night air on the river a bit cold, -just swiped the same. That's as plain as the nose on Josh's face here." - -"Just you let my nose alone," muttered Josh, like a flash, "it may be a -little bigger'n yours, but it knows how to keep out of other people's -business." - -"Then you think, do you, Jack," George went on, "that something might -have happened to their boat, and crippled the same, so that they put in -here some time yesterday morning, if you can call it that, though this -is still the same day?" - -"Yes, it looks as if they needed a new boat to continue their voyage -down the river; and seeing this fine chance, while Algernon and Jenks -were fast asleep, this man started to sneak it away. He might have done -it, and never a thing would they have known until morning, only for the -sneeze that Buster here gave." - -"See that," cried the fat boy, triumphantly, "you all have poked heaps -of fun at me because I sneeze so much; but here's a time that it paid -right handsomely." - -"Sure, Buster," said George, quickly, "when it comes to waking people -up, the flock of geese that once saved Rome from a night attack didn't -have anything on you, with your fine sneeze. I give you my word, you'd -arouse a whole city, once you let loose." - -"Bah! just jealous, that's all; but don't you dare to imitate me, -because I give you warning right now I'm going to get that sneeze -copyrighted, that's what," Buster went on to declare emphatically. - -"Seems to me," remarked Herb, "there's a heap of engines getting into -trouble about now; George has his spell; then Jenks had to work on the -one in their boat; and now we suspect that these runaway robbers had a -breakdown of their own." - -"That shows you that I ain't the only one that gets into a mess with -motor trouble," George hastened to tell them. - -"But arrah, now, phat arre we goin' to do about this same broth of a bye -comin' back till the island for frind?" Andy wanted to know just then. - -"Sensible of you to ask that, Andy," remarked Jack, "because it might -be possible for us to surprise the pair, if only we could guess about -where he meant to land along the shore." - -"Whee! is that what's on the bill, Jack?" exclaimed Buster, "then how -glad I am that you've got that splendid little Marlin gun of yours -handy. If there's going to be a scrap, every one of us ought to pick up -some sort of club, so's to make a respectable showing. And right here I -see one I'm going to cabbage on the spot." - -"Which spot?" queried Josh; but no one paid the slightest attention to -jokes at such a critical moment. - -"Listen again, boys," ordered Jack, "and see if you can tell whether -he's coming down this side of the island, or the other one; because that -would mean a whole lot for us." - -For a minute no one uttered a sound. The quick pulsations of the exhaust -belonging to the stolen motor boat could be plainly heard, for the night -was as still as death, all but that murmur of the breeze among the -treetops on the island, and perhaps the gentle lapping of the river on -the rocks along the shore. - -"I think he's started down the other side, Jack," said George. - -"Same here," echoed Josh. - -"I don't seem to be able to guess," complained Buster, "one time I think -it is the other side of the island and then again seems to me he's -heading right back the way he went." - -"Other side of me," Herb went on to say, wishing to be counted. - -"Sure, that's me ijee to a dot, so 'tis," declared the Irish lad, -vehemently. - -"Other side have it, five to one," Jack went on, somehow forgetting that -there were others present, though for that matter Algernon was so -bewildered by all the strange things that were happening, he did not -seem able to gather his wits together, and Jenks was apparently quite -satisfied to leave the whole matter of the attempted recovery of the -motor boat to the charge of these six wide-awake young chaps who had -shown themselves to be so clever; though if it ever came to a crisis, -doubtless the sturdy machinist would be only too willing to throw -himself into the fight, and do his full duty. - -"There, it's stopped now, boys!" cried George suddenly. - -"You're right," declared Jack, "and as near as I can place it, seems as -if the last sound came from across the island, too, perhaps a little -further up. Come on, everybody, and let's see if we can push right -through the place. The trees are scattered, and the moon shows bright -enough to give us some light." - -"We're off!" exclaimed Josh, exultantly, for he liked to be in action. - -"Who's afraid?" demanded Buster, waving the big billet of wood he had -picked up, as though anxious to do some service with the same. - -"Keep still, everybody, and look where you're going," warned Jack, -leading off. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -JUST A MINUTE TOO LATE - - -"Gee whiz!" exclaimed Buster, presently, and the others heard more or -less of a loud crashing, which would seem to indicate that the fat boy, -who was always rather clumsy in his movements, had stumbled and fallen -amidst the impediments that sprinkled their course. - -"Hurt, Buster?" questioned Herb, who was close behind. - -"Naw, only knocked a little skin off my knees, I guess. Better luck next -time," was the cheerful reply, as the unfortunate one scrambled to his -feet, and again resumed his forward progress. - -When Jack and his five mates started off, the man Jenks, and his -employer, Algernon Lorrimer, apparently did not mean to be left entirely -in the lurch. They were in the group now pushing through the wooded part -of the island, and trying to surmount the many difficulties that beset -their course. - -Algernon had about as much trouble as Buster to navigate safely; now it -was some unnoticed log that threatened to trip him up, and again a -hanging vine tried to choke him outright. Jenks hovered near by, ready -to come to the rescue of his employer should the latter succeed in -getting into a severe pinch. As Josh afterward said in commenting on -this solicitude on the part of the machinist, perhaps Jenks had not been -paid his week's wages as yet, and wanted to make sure he would have an -employer to whom he could look for the expected cash. - -One thing proved of considerable assistance, and this was the moon. -Battered though it might be, and with one side partly gone, still the -faithful old sky lantern was able to give out a considerable amount of -silvery light. - -"Lucky we've got that moon, let me tell you," grunted Buster, as he -continued to boom along, making enough noise, so Josh declared, to warn -the whole neighborhood of their coming. - -"Some people'd need three moons to get along half way decent," was what -Josh declared from some point close by. - -"Hush!" Jack remarked, and at that they all fell quiet again. - -Indeed, it was no child's play making their way through the dense growth -that covered the main part of the island. Even in the daytime they -would have had more or less trouble in accomplishing such a task; and -when attempting it with only the deceptive moonlight as a source of -illumination, the task became doubly difficult. - -Once Jack called a brief halt. - -It was his idea to try and ascertain whether there were any sounds -ahead, such as might indicate the presence of busy workers, getting -their belongings from the boat that was about to be abandoned to the one -that had just fallen into their possession, through a stroke of luck, -backed up by daring. - -It might be in the shape of voices, a cough, or any sort of sound that -would betray the presence of human beings; why, even a sneeze, such as -that famous one of Buster, would do the business. - -But somehow nothing of the sort seemed to come to their strained -hearing; at any rate most of them failed to catch such a welcome sound. -Yet when Jack bade them start on again, lowering his voice to a -thrilling whisper almost, it seemed as if he felt a new confidence, -showing that he believed he had heard something or other. - -Instead of getting better the nearer they drew to the other side of the -little island that had such a bad name, it seemed as though conditions -steadily became worse. - -Buster and Algernon simply could not hold up to the pace set by such -agile chaps as Jack, George, Andy and Josh, so that they were gradually -but surely falling back, and being put out of the race. - -Herb was not much better, for it was never a habit of the easy-going -skipper of the solid old Comfort to hurry more than he could reasonably -help. - -But then probably it would not matter so much after all. There were -still five in the front rank, for Jenks had now forged alongside the -others, thinking he might best serve his master by trying to recover the -boat, rather than standing by to pick him up in case he fell. And more -than that, there was Jack handling that reliable Marlin of his in a -fashion that seemed to speak volumes for his intentions, once he sighted -the enemy. - -When excitement rules the camp it is wonderful how many things can be -crowded into a small space of time. People seem to pass through a -lifetime in a few minutes, providing events come tumbling over one -another, helter-skelter like. - -Now, when they came to figure upon it later on, the motor boat chums -were of the opinion that even under such adverse conditions they could -not have been more than six or seven minutes in passing through the -wooded center of the island. It was only a small affair at best, and by -daylight could have been crossed in much less time. And yet there was -Buster, for instance, who must have been laboring under the impression -that fully half an hour had already passed since they first started to -break into the thick growth, and butt up against all these crazy -obstacles--the logs that would get under a fellow's feet, the encircling -loops of dangling wild grape-vines; the trees that bobbed up most -unexpectedly, and tried to knock one's brains out, and a lot of other -things along the same line "too numerous to mention." - -Of course none of them gave much heed to what their conduct would be -when they managed to overtake the enemy. - -That would have to be left pretty much to accident. Perhaps some of -the boys, under the belief that they must present quite a hostile -appearance, with all sorts of clubs and cudgels in evidence, not to -speak of that gun Jack carried, fancied that the two burglars would take -to flight at sight of the advancing legion. But Jack, and perhaps Herb -also, did not delude themselves with this expectation; for they could -remember just how that fellow aboard the stolen boat had warned Jenks -off, and even wounded him in the arm when he refused to stop short. - -They set him down as a dangerous character, which he undoubtedly must -have been, to have carried out the bold programme connected with the -looting of the up-river bank. - -At any rate, they must be getting close to the other side of the island -now, for there was a perceptible slope downward, and this must mean the -crest had been left behind. - -Yes, and sure enough, the trees were getting less dense, though the -brush might be as thick as ever. Jack hoped for one thing that luck -would favor them, and allow of their breaking out upon the little beach -at just the exact spot where the two men were working. - -At the same time he did not feel any too sanguine of success, for which -there were numerous reasons. Surely the two thieves must be aware of the -fact that the pack was pushing toward them, for there was plenty of -noise accompanying their forward progress. - -And knowing this, would it not be the easiest thing for them to gauge -their time of flitting by the closeness of the coming host? Jack thought -so, even while still exerting himself to the uttermost in order to get -to the shore as speedily as possible. - -Ah! now he could see more light ahead, which told in so many words that -they must be close to the river again. Their troubles were behind them -now; that is, insofar as they concerned navigating the dense jungle that -covered the island of the bad name. - -Those still ahead would be of an entirely different nature, and might -consist of running up against the desperate thieves. - -Just then Jack heard a voice, a very gruff voice, which he recognized as -belonging to the man who had run off with the white boat. - -"That all, Jim?" - -The speaking of that name thrilled Jack, for only too well did he -remember that it was mentioned in the newspaper article describing the -robbery; and if he had had the slightest doubt before as to the identity -of the precious pair, it was now a thing of the past. - -If the man addressed made any sort of reply Jack failed to catch it. He -hoped, however, that it would be of a negative character--that they -might still have something more to do; because Jack had located the -voice, and was of the impression that it came from a little further up -the narrow beach. They had come fairly close to the spot where the -transfer of belongings was being made, but did not hit on it exactly. -And it is an old saying that a miss is as good as a mile; at any rate it -would likely prove such in this case. - -And so they presently burst out of the cover, and found themselves -looking on the moonlit surface of the flowing Mississippi again. - -Jack, Jenks, George and Josh had somehow come out in a clump, with Andy -close at their heels. None of them more than cast a fleeting glance out -on the dancing water, for they could see immediately that there was -nothing calculated to interest them there. - -Jack immediately turned up the beach, and started to sprint, for it was -open here, and the absence of obstacles offered them a splendid chance -to do something worth while. - -There happened to be a little point setting out just above, on which -grew some stunted trees and considerable brush. This helped to make a -cove, perhaps something like the one which the boys had selected as -their harbor, and in which the three motor boats rested snugly even -then. - -And as the two fugitive thieves had chanced to come down that side of -the island they must have picked this out for a stopping-place, where -they could hide their craft. - -Rapidly did the running Jack, backed up by his allies, near this point -of land. Once it was reached, and he believed he would be able to see -what lay beyond; though somehow Jack did not appear to entertain any -doubt as to the nature of this discovery. - -He had already reached its outer edge, and in another ten seconds must -have been able to push directly through, when, just as he feared, he -heard sounds that announced the finish of that stage of the game. - -The loud crackle of a motor's exhaust broke the silence; and from the -rapidity with which it worked he knew that the engine had been started -at almost full speed. - -"Oh! rats!" burst out George, who had been doing his best to get -alongside Jack, and succeeded too, "they've got away from us!" - -They kept on running, however, and speedily broke through the fringe of -shrubbery that shut off their view. As they did so it was to hear a loud -hoarse laugh, that came rolling in from the water, and to see a white -boat rushing away over the glistening surface of the river. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -IN HOT PURSUIT - - -"It's all off!" grunted Josh, evidently vastly disappointed by the -outcome of their adventure. - -"Yes, they've given us the slip!" declared Jack, who was already trying -to think up some new plan whereby they might further harrass the bold -thieves who had thus far carried things all their own way. - -"How'd you come to let 'em go?" - -This from the panting Buster, and he really meant it, too, which was the -strangest part of it all; he had come rumbling along like an ice-wagon, -as Josh was accustomed to saying, swinging that long club of his in a -way that was as dangerous to friends as foes. - -"Huh! let 'em!" Josh went on to say, mockingly. "I like that, now, sure -I do. As if we had anything to do with their skipping out. They were -ready to flew the coop when they heard us a-comin', and only had to -start the engine. Jenks, here he got that fixed a little too soon. If -he'd only let her go till morning he'd not be minus a boat now, see?" - -All of which was true, but nobody sucked any consolation out of it. When -a horse has been stolen, how little the unlucky owner cares when some -neighbors come along and show him how he might have avoided his loss; -what he thinks of most of all is the matter of getting the lost animal -back again into his barn. - -And Jack was built that way. He seldom spent any time mourning over the -milk that was spilt; but immediately proceeded to try and remedy -conditions. - -One thing sure, if ever they hoped to give these fellows any further -trouble, it would not be accomplished by sitting down, and trying to -discover why they could not have navigated that little patch of timber -faster; or pushed through at a more direct line, so as to have saved -that fatal angle. - -The mill will never again grind with the water that is past--how -frequently Jack could remember hearing his teacher in school say that; -and he had often applied it to his own actions. - -No, the robbers were done with that island, and had also abandoned their -own boat, for it could be seen tied up there, just ahead. If they were -to be met again it must be on the river. - -That would mean a hot pursuit on the part of the motor boat boys; and -this was what Jack was turning over so quickly in his mind while he -stood there looking out after the disappearing craft. - -"Oh! they left it after all!" exclaimed Algernon, as he too came up, -considerably the worse for wear, because of the frequent arguments he -had had with various unseen branches and logs and such things, in his -hasty run. - -"He thinks that white boat is his," exclaimed Josh, pointing as he -spoke, "but that's all wrong, Algernon, and you're off your trolley, -sure. They had one of the same color, if not as good a boat as yours; -and they've kindly left it for you, with their compliments. That was -about what he meant when he shouted across the water, you know." - -"Jack, what are you thinking about now?" demanded George, who knew from -the signs that the other was turning some sort of idea over in that -active mind of his. - -"I was wondering whether we wanted to take another turn with these -fellows, that's all," replied Jack, immediately. - -"But--they've cleared out, you know!" said Buster, blankly, as he looked -over the bright surface of the river, as though wondering however a -fellow was going to walk on the water. - -"Well, haven't we got boats to follow them with?" demanded Josh, who -was quicker-witted than his stout chum. - -"And one of 'em a crack-a-jack for speed," added George, proudly. - -"When it's going, you mean, George," corrected Josh; at which sly thrust -the party indicated simply curled his lip, and disdained to reply. - -"Well, whatever we decide to do, the sooner we settle the matter the -better," remarked Jack, impatiently, something rather uncommon with him. - -"Sure thing, because they're putting up a hefty run of it right now, and -can do it right along with that boat," added Josh. - -"What speed can she make, Algernon?" queried George. - -"Fifteen miles an hour when she's run by one that knows how to handle -her; but by myself I could never beat eleven at the best," came the -frank admission, which told just why he had hired the mechanician to -accompany him in his run down river in competition with another -"chappie" who also owned an expensive boat. - -"Huh! I have had eighteen, and I think nearly twenty out of mine," said -George, trying to seem as though he were not boasting, but simply -telling the plain truth, "and I think she could do that last, with the -current to help out. So you see we'd be apt to come up on those fellows -hand over fist. All of you could pile aboard the Wireless with me, and -given an hour or so, I reckon we'd bring up alongside your stolen -property, Algernon." - -At that there was a scornful outbreak from Buster. - -"Glory, don't I see this whole bunch aboard your Wireless, though? It'd -be a sight to make a feller weep, the way they'd have to sit in the -middle, and never so much as wink an eye for fear they'd turn the speed -boat upside-down. Excuse me from being in the party, George. I like your -boat all right--from a distance. If I had company I'd rather stay on -this blessed old island than get on the Wireless with such a crowd as -this. Please let me go with you, Herb, if I have to be taken along." - -"Sure we will," said George, cheerfully, "and only too glad of the -chance. But if we're going to do any chasing after that runaway it's -time we made a start." - -"Then come on, everybody!" cried Jack, once more starting away on a run, -and this time following the beach down toward the lower end of the -island. - -The whole eight of them were immediately in motion. As before, Buster -and Algernon quickly fell behind, though they persisted manfully, and -meant to come up before the boats could be poled out of the cove and the -start made. - -Jack was even then and there fixing things in his mind, so that there -would be no confusion once they started. He decided that as Herb would -be hopelessly distanced by the other two boats, and could not be -depended on to assist in any way, if he started at all he should take -aboard as his crew Buster and Algernon; for they could not be expected -to prove of any great assistance, should matters come to a conflict of -any kind. In fact, Jack would feel more comfortable with the fat boy -missing, for Buster so often upset all calculations by some ill-advised -if well-meant play. - -The others could be apportioned to the Tramp and the Wireless; with -three of them keeping Jack company, Jenks one of the number, as he -promised to be a valuable ally when the finish came around. - -Running along the open beach was not anything so difficult as trying to -make progress through all that wild jungle; and in an exceedingly brief -space of time the familiar cove loomed up, with its attendant boats, -all tied up snugly to convenient trees, and in deep water at that, which -prevented any possibility of their getting aground by a sudden fall of -the river during the night, as sometimes happened. - -Each skipper made directly for his own boat the moment he reached the -scene. It was no time to think of taking down the beloved khaki-colored -tent; if Herb did think it worth while to tag after the others, then -things on the island would have to look after themselves until such time -as the boys could return. And just when this would be, not even Jack -could so much as guess at this early stage in the expected chase. - -Although doubtless more or less excited, neither George nor Jack seemed -apt to make a serious blunder in the start. They clambered aboard their -respective boats and meanwhile Jack was shouting directions: - -"Andy, you go with George, while Josh and Jenks will come aboard here. -And be quick to cast off, and get the push poles handy, so we won't be -wasting time. George, for once you've got to promise me on your honor -not to run ahead. There are only five of us, and we'll need every hand -against such hard cases. Remember now, I'm expecting you to keep -alongside. The Tramp can overtake that boat all right, never fear." - -George said he would try and do just as the Commodore said. At the same -time they knew how great a disappointment it must be to the reckless -chap to have to give such a promise; for George was no coward, whatever -other shortcomings might be placed against him; and given half a chance -he would have readily hurled himself at the two fugitive burglars with -any sort of backing. - -Everybody worked with the utmost haste. - -Why, it seemed as though they had hardly gained a footing on the boats -before both hawsers were cast loose, and the push poles could be heard -splashing in the water. - -The sound thrilled every one of them; for there may be times when even -such a simple thing as water splashing seems to give warning of serious -times coming. And with such desperate men as the two bank thieves to -overhaul and perhaps capture, surely Jack and his chums had a "a hard -nut to crack," as Josh expressed it. - -As soon as the first boat, which happened to be the Tramp, was well out -of the sheltered nook, Jack gave the crank a turn, and with a whirr the -engine started to working. He immediately took charge, for no one knew -so well as he how to get the best that was in that motor in action. - -Jack was a bit nervous concerning the other boat. It was a toss-up as to -whether the machinery of the "freaky" Wireless could be made to start, -just when it was of the utmost importance, for George never knew a thing -about it, and always approached the subject with his heart in his mouth, -so to speak. - -So all of them held their breath when they saw him get ready to give the -crank its customary whirl. - -Then all at once there broke out the welcome sound of the explosions -that told them the story. Wireless stock went up fifty per cent just -then; Wireless was going to be good, and behave! - -And so the two motor boats carrying the determined little band of -intended pursuers swung out upon the broad and heaving bosom of the -mighty Mississippi, and headed south. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -THE MOONLIGHT CHASE - - -Doubtless those boys would never be apt to forget that chase on the -river, even though in times to come they might have a part in many other -exciting scenes. - -The moon was very bright at this hour, not a cloud dimming its lustre; -and upon the water objects could be seen for quite some distance away. -Although these might not be as distinct as in the daytime; still, if it -was a moving boat, any one could recognize familiar features about it. -And should it happen to be a peculiar boat, or one that was painted snow -white, surely they could tell it, once they chanced to come within a -certain radius. - -George was of course fidgety. - -That old spirit of wanting to let loose, and shoot away at the very top -of speed of which his high-powered motor was capable, must be gripping -the boy, for it is hard to make one of his impulsive temperament act in -reason. - -But Jack was bound that both boats must keep in touch all the time, and -that George should hold his "bucking broncho" engine, as Buster called -it, in sufficiently to avoid leaving the Tramp behind. - -There were lots of good reasons for this, too. - -In the first place Jack knew only too well that on most occasions when -George had had trouble with his engine, it was when he was playing all -sorts of pranks with it, taking chances, in the hope of causing his boat -to make a record for the class to which it belonged. And if he were -compelled to moderate his speed just a little, there would be a far -better opportunity for him to keep right along to the finish. - -Then again, this was no good-natured race intended to test the racing -abilities of the two rival boats. Jack had always admitted frankly -enough that if the Wireless only behaved herself, she was in a class by -herself, insofar as the other boats of the fleet were concerned. The -only trouble was, that six times out of seven she insisted on "cutting -up" just when George was congratulating himself that he had finally -conquered that turbulent spirit. - -They would, provided they caught up with the stolen Saunterer, find -themselves pitted against a couple of bad men, who would not hesitate at -anything in order to escape with their stolen plunder. - -And that was the main reason why Jack had insisted upon George binding -himself to an agreement to stay by the others, come what would. Why, he -was that reckless, that, should he overtake the fugitive thieves, with -only Andy back of him, chances were he would dash at them, and somebody -was bound to get hurt, probably George himself. - -Everything seemed to be going along nicely, after they had gotten well -away from the island. Jack wondered whether Herb would insist on -following after them in his slow boat, or stay by the camp. Perhaps -finding that Buster and Algernon were both eager to get on the move, no -matter if they could not hope to arrive in time to lend a helping hand, -Herb might make the start. - -"Josh, can you see the island still?" the skipper of the Tramp called -out, for he was himself too busy watching how his machine worked to take -his eyes off it; and then, again, what was the use, when he could get -the information second-hand just as well. - -"Yep, though it's getting kind of faint now, Jack," came the reply. "You -see, this here moonlight ain't all it's cracked up to be. I've proved -it, too. 'Nother feller'd me we made a wager that we could tell anybody -half a mile away; then we went outside to prove it! My conscience! -there was a black thing in the country road just about sixty yards away; -he said it looked like a bear, and I was just dead certain 'twas a cow -a-lyin' down. Well, we walked up to it, and what d'ye think, it was only -an old stump after all." - -"Look as close as you can, and tell me if you see anything of another -boat coming out," Jack went on, as soon as he could work a few words in; -for when Josh felt the inclination to tell one of his little stories, -nothing in all creation could stop him, unless some one threw a lump of -mud squarely into his open mouth, as once happened when he was in -swimming; and even then, as soon as he had managed to get rid of it, he -had gone on deliberately, "As I was a-sayin'----" and so on. - -"Why," he went on to remark, dubiously, "I c'n see somethin' a-movin' -over there, somethin' dark, too, and just in the same place we came -out of; but whether it's a boat, say, Jack, don't ask me to take my -affidavy, for I won't, that's all." - -"I won't ask you, because I'm sure now it must be a boat, and of course -Comfort, with the rest of the crowd aboard," remarked Jack. - -"But shucks! everything'll be over, even the shouting, when that tub -comes along. What's the use in Herb startin' at all, Jack?" - -"He had that privilege," returned the skipper. "I didn't just want to -tell him he had ought to stay by the camp, to look after things. And -besides, there's our new friend, Algernon, of course he'll be just as -anxious as anything to know as soon as he can whether we've recovered -his Saunterer or not. But I guess you don't see anything of that moving -thing, now, eh, Josh?" - -"That's right, she's blotted out; and I could crack my eyes lookin' -without getting a peep," replied Josh, immediately he had looked again. - -"All right, let's forget all about Herb, and the rest from now on, -because there's little chance that they'll have anything to do with the -finish of the race. George is holding in pretty well, you see, Josh. He -can put a crimp in that speed mania, when he wants to." - -"But gee! listen to him growling, would you?" remarked the other, with a -dry chuckle, for he dearly loved to see George held under Jack's thumb, -for the skipper of the Wireless was so boastful most of the time. "I -pity poor old Andy havin' to play crew for such a bear with a sore head. -Wouldn't surprise me a whit, Jack, if the Wireless man just found he -couldn't stand bein' held in, and let go for all he's worth, shootin' -up ahead like fun." - -"No, you're way off there, Josh; you heard George give me his word; and -no matter what other faults George may have, he never goes back on his -promises. That's his best point. I'd as soon take his word as lots of -fellows' binding written agreement." - -"Well, I guess that's so, Jack," said Josh, slowly, for he wanted to be -fair toward his impulsive chum; and in spite of his many faults, these -comrades, tried and true, loved George Rollins; strange, but impulsive, -hot-tempered people always make more and warmer friends than cold, -calculating ones, no matter how much these latter show themselves to be -honest and true. - -For some little time they continued to shove along down the river, with -both boats doing splendidly. Just how many miles an hour they were -making Jack could not say positively; but he thought it must be in the -neighborhood of fifteen. - -George called out a number of times, and begged the other skipper to do -something more than just crawl. It seemed to be a painful experience to -the captain of the Wireless, and yet when he was taken to task later on -for his impatience, and made to see how well his engine had behaved -when not constantly meddled with, and pushed to its utmost limit, George -candidly admitted that Jack's plan was by long odds the best for all -concerned, indeed, the only one they could have followed, under the -circumstances. - -They were certainly putting the miles behind them as they kept on flying -down with the current. Jack had to figure it out, so as to see about -what sort of a lead the fugitive white boat had on them. - -He could give something of a guess as to about how many minutes had -elapsed between the time the other craft had started past the lower end -of the island, and that marking their own departure. That was not over -ten minutes all told, he believed, though had any of the others been -asked they would have said twice that because they were excited at the -time, and seconds were drawn out doubly long. - -Well, saying that it was ten minutes, and the boat was going at the rate -of twelve miles an hour that would mean the stolen craft had a lead of -about two miles all told. Jack knew that they should cut this down -before an hour had crept by, unless something happened to hold them up, -an accident to the Wireless, or to his own motor. - -So when something like half an hour had gone, he began to exhibit more -or less anxiety as to whether any signs of the white boat could be seen -down-stream. In order to find this out at the earliest opportunity Jack -had stationed his "crew" up forward in the bow, where he could have -nothing in the way; and as the moon was about in the east he was not -compelled to stare into its bright shaft of silvery light. - -Every once in a while Jack would call out to ask whether there had -anything appeared in sight. Josh answered him three separate times, and -then laughingly said: - -"Say, d'ye know what you make me think of, Jack? Remember in the old -nursery tale of Bluebeard, where the poor wife, whose head is going to -be cut off by the bad man keeps calling up to her sister, who is -watching the road for the coming of their brothers: 'Sister Ann, Sister -Ann, is there anything coming?' Well, just now, Jack, I can't even say I -see a cloud of dust in the distance, as Sister Ann--hold on there, Josh, -don't be in such a big hurry. Is that a moving object, or are you seeing -things that hadn't ought to be there?" - -He bent forward the better to look. Just then from the other boat the -voice of Andy was heard to call out eagerly: - -"Sure, 'tis something I say beyant there; and to me way of thinkin' it -looks as much loike a white boat as two peas resimble aich ither!" - -That started Josh, who did not exactly relish the idea of having to play -what he called "second fiddle." - -"Right you are, Andy, though a bit late, because I was just telling Jack -here that our intended prey was in sight. But I'm real glad to hear you -say you can see it too, better two heads than one, even if--well, I -won't finish that sentence, because you might think I was comparing your -coco to a mere vegetable. There, Jack, look for yourself and see," he -went on, as the skipper managed to leave his engine long enough to push -forward a little. - -So Jack did take a good look, and when he had done so, he added his -opinion to that of the other two boys. - -"Guess there isn't a shadow of doubt about that, fellows; because I can -see the thing moving right along; yes, that's the runaway motor boat, -and we're going to catch up with the same inside of twenty minutes, -unless something that isn't down on the bills comes to pass." - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -OVERHAULED - - -"Well, I like that!" George was heard to exclaim; and it was noticed -that he seemed to be greatly amused over something or other. - -"What d'ye mean, George?" asked Josh; for the two boats were so close -together all this while that those aboard could exchange comments -without great difficulty; although they had to raise their voices -considerably, because of the furious rattling of the exhausts. - -"It must be a joke, be the powers;" broke in Andy, "because he's been -laughin' that quiet loike till himsilf this long toime." - -"That's what it is, a joke!" declared George; "and by that, I mean the -wonderful Saunterer. Our new friend, Algernon, didn't you hear him call -his expensive craft a speed boat? Say, it's a wonder, that's what! The -only thing I'm surprised at is his giving her such a gentle name. He -ought to have called her Chain-Lightning, Blue Streak, or something like -that. Why? Because she goes like a shot--nit. A speed boat, that thing? -Well, and her doing about twelve miles an hour at her best too! I could -cut circles all around her, if only you'd let me go, Jack. And look at -the Tramp walking up on her; yet when did you call your craft a speed -boat, I'd like to know?" - -"Oh! that's what's so funny to you, is it?" Jack went on to say. "But -you must remember who owns the Saunterer, George. Perhaps, when she's -doing her best she seems to be flying through the water like mad to -Algernon. Everybody doesn't happen to be built the same as you, George." - -"Well, I should say not," declared the other, immediately. - -"And there are a whole lot of people who are mighty glad of it," put in -Josh. - -"Arrah! that's thrue, ivery word av it," echoed Andy. "Sure the world'd -be turned upside-down in a hurry, av there were many Georges runnin' -around loose, thryin' to bate ivery other George. I do be sayin' 'em wid -their tongues hangin' out av their mouths and, always lookin' for a -race. Now, belave me the ould Comfort is a hape more to me likin' than a -boat that cuts through the wather loike a knife; and kapes ye thinkin' -ye are sittin' on the sharp edge all the while." - -"Oh! well, there have to be different kinds of people in this old -world," sang out the undaunted George, "and we happen to be built on -different models, that's all. You never saw a race horse, one of the -thoroughbred type, but what he was nervous, and finely strung. I suppose -that's the way I am constructed. Can't help it, to save me. I'm really -unhappy to be going slow at any time." - -And that was really a fact, for George ate his meals in a hurry, studied -his lessons with a rush; and when he played football was always a terror -upon the lines, carrying things with him; though apt to prove a weak -defense in the end from over-exertion. - -While this little heart-to-heart talk was going on, they kept drawing -steadily closer to the white boat. - -Jack had begun to speculate on what was apt to happen when finally the -pursuers were able to overtake the fugitive craft. He knew that the -desperate men who were aboard would not be apt to think of surrendering -easily, and especially when they knew or suspected that their foes -consisted for the most part simply of half-grown boys. - -They were armed, too, which was a fact calculated to make Jack act -cautiously. True, he carried his reliable Marlin along with him, and at -close range a shotgun is a serious weapon to consider, especially one of -hard-shooting, modern kind, but Jack did not much fancy having to use -this, except as the very last resort. - -One thing surprised him not a little; he wondered why the escaping bank -thieves had not thought to run their boat ashore, and escape to dry -land. Surely they must have realized before now that the motor boats -were in pursuit of them, and bound to overtake them at that, before -long. - -Perhaps they were still a little in doubt. Then, again, it might be they -scorned to show the white feather in connection with a pursuit conducted -by mere striplings. But Jack secretly believed there must be another and -more likely reason for their sticking to the boat. If they landed, they -were going to have a hard time of it avoiding the many officers who, -spurred on by the reward that had likely been offered for their -apprehension, and the return of the stolen plunder, would be on the -lookout at every cross road in the country south. - -Now, if only they could get a chance to change the color of their craft -they might keep right on moving down the great river, and snap their -fingers at every inquisitive person; for it would be a white boat that -these watchers would be looking for. - -Yes, these things must weigh heavily with the two men, and make them -want to stick by the stolen motor boat as long as possible. They may -have laid out their plans, and hated to alter them; and these had to do -with a voyage on the river, running by night, until they reached a -certain place of refuge; it might be down at St. Louis, for all Jack -knew. - -No matter what the reason, there was the white boat, still keeping to -the middle of the wide river, and apparently doing her best to outrun -the two pursuing craft. - -When ten minutes had passed they had cut down that lead to less than -half; and it really looked as if Jack's prediction was about to come -true. - -"What can that dark thing away ahead be, I wonder?" Jack heard Josh -saying about this time. - -As it was of the utmost importance that he keep in close touch with -everything that went on, no matter how trivial it seemed, the skipper -immediately raised his head, and asked: - -"Where-abouts, Josh?" - -"Why, look beyond the white boat, and you'll see something low down on -the water, Jack. Yes, and there's a dark spot in the middle of it, too, -just like a cheese box on a raft. Can that be another island, d'ye -reckon; and are they meanin' to go ashore there, and hold us off?" - -"Oh! I guess not," remarked Jack, after taking a good look, "what you -see, Josh, is what you'd call a raft of logs floating down the river. -We've seen such pass up our way many a time. And generally the two men -aboard will have a little cabin, where they take turns sleeping, when -voyaging at night, which they don't often do, I reckon. Yes, I believe -I can see signs of a couple of lighted lanterns. They're to tell -steamboats to sheer off; and they always do, because a collision with -all those big logs would go hard with any boat." - -"Guess you're right, Jack," admitted the other, yielding readily to the -argument which he realized was convincing. "But say, d'ye think our men -see that same old raft? Could they be making for it, now, meanin' to -board the same, and keep us off?" - -That idea had flashed into Jack's mind, but as yet he could not say; for -he was unable to see just what advantage such a course would be to the -fugitives. True, the pursuers had been overhauling them so fast of late -that it began to appear as though they were having trouble with the -engine Jenks had fixed. If that proved to be the case, then they might -have been seized with a fear that they were going to be overhauled; and -as it was too late now to reach land, the next best thing would be to -make a floating battery of the raft, and keep their persistent enemies -off, until they could steer the clumsy float nearer the shore. - -"What's the programme, Jack?" called George, who was doubtless fairly -quivering with excitement, and eager for hostilities to begin. - -"You come up on the left, while we take the right," replied the other, -just as though he had figured all this out, as he undoubtedly had. - -"Do we board the pirate boat?" George went on. - -"We'll have to, if we expect to retake it for Algernon," Jack answered. - -"They'll put up a stiff fight, Jack, don't forget that," the skipper of -the Wireless went on to say. - -"Well, if only they'd get cold feet it'd make it all the easier for us," -Josh broke in with, just then. "And don't I wish every fellow had a gun -like Jack, here. Then we'd have 'em dead to rights, and they'd soon -throw up the sponge, when we started in to bombard the lot with shot. -Say, Jack, you expect to use that same little Marlin, I hope; for what's -the good of a gun when you won't make it squeal?" - -"I'll use it to let them know we're armed, first of all," Jack -explained, "and that might go a good ways toward making them surrender." - -"But hold on, Jack, don't do that if the two shells are all you've got. -A nice sort of thing that'd be, to scare the game, and not have anything -to pink 'em with afterwards," Josh went on to say, in alarm. - -"Oh! I've got a few more in my pocket," returned the other. "I was wise -enough to slip some shells in my coat before we left camp the first -time. Don't worry about that, Josh. There! wasn't that a man's head -bobbing up above the stern of the other boat just then?" - -It certainly must have been, for immediately there came a hoarse hail -across the intervening water. - -"Hello! there, you in the motor boats!" - -"Hello! yourself! what d'ye want?" demanded George; before Jack could -say a word; for George did everything so quickly it was hard to get -ahead of him. - -"We want you to sheer off, and mind your own business, hear that?" -replied the party aboard the white boat belonging to Algernon. - -"That's just what we are doing," Jack called out. "You've made a mistake -and gone off with the wrong boat. Yours is up above, on the island; and -that one belongs to a friend of ours. We want it; and what's more, we're -going to take it back. Do you get that?" - -The two men could be heard talking hurriedly together. Possibly they -were trying to figure out just what the boy meant and if it could be -that their real identity were as yet unsuspected. If the boys simply -looked on them as boat thieves, perhaps they might manage to deceive -them in some way. But when the man spoke once more it was evident that -they could not wholly reconcile themselves to this idea. - -"We want to warn you to keep off, or you're apt to get hurt right bad. -We're heavily armed, and will shoot straight, take that from me." - -"Oh! say you so?" called out George, mockingly, "well, perhaps there are -two who can play at that game, mister. Guess we've got firearms along, -too; and can pepper your hides with Number Seven shot till you'll look -like a Christmas plum pudding. Jack, shall we give 'em a volley right -now?" - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -ABOARD THE FLOATING RAFT - - -Now, of course George must be only saying this for effect. He was aware -of the fact that they had only one gun among them; and also that Jack -would hardly be the person to use that recklessly. - -"Listen to George talkin' through his hat," whispered Josh, to the -skipper of the Tramp, as they continued to draw closer and closer to the -white boat. - -Again they could hear the two men exchanging hurried words. It looked -as if the situation was none of their choosing, and that they did not -particularly fancy it. - -"If you won't keep back, then take that!" suddenly shouted the -heavy-voiced man; and immediately following his words there came a -bright flash, and the report of a pistol. - -"Oh!" exclaimed some one aboard the Wireless; and Jack had a shock. - -"Anybody hurt over there?" he sang out, as he snatched up his shotgun, -and made ready to use it; if the answer was to the effect that damage -had been done, Jack might turn the weapon directly on the fleeing craft, -and scatter the contents of a shell in that quarter. - -"Er, no, guess not," replied George, "but say, that bullet hummed right -past my head, and I nearly broke my neck trying to dodge it. Jack, give -'em a return shot, please do!" - -"Bang!" went a second discharge. - -This time the man in the fugitive motor boat had evidently turned his -attention toward the Tramp, for Jack and those with him plainly heard -the peculiar whistle of the passing lead. - -It was too much. Jack could stand for a good deal, but this thing of -being made a target to suit the whim of a rascally thief galled him. -There was one way in which it might be stopped; and this was to let them -understand that when George said they were armed it was no idle boast, -although they might not be bristling with weapons, as he would have had -the others believe. - -And so Jack let fly with one barrel of his Marlin, aiming to one side of -the white boat, now close at hand. - -The charge of shot ploughed up the water. It also caused the head to -vanish from the stern of the boat. Evidently that shot created something -like a little panic aboard the Saunterer. How were those two men to -know but what every fellow pitted against them gripped some sort of -dangerous firearm, and with boyish abandon was ready to make use of it? - -They did not shoot again, and from this circumstance Jack believed that -they were ready to change their plans. If the pursuers could not be -frightened off by threats, perhaps they might be content to withdraw, if -they could only recover the stolen boat again. - -"They're going to pass the raft by, Jack!" ventured Josh, just then. - -"Think so?" the other went on to remark, "well, I'm just guessing -otherwise, and that they mean to run alongside. Look sharp, Josh, and -you'll see how they keep on edging that way." - -"What if they leave the motor boat and make a run for the log cabin on -the raft--will you crack away at 'em, Jack, and try to hit the fellers -in the legs?" was what the excited Josh wanted to know. - -Jack had to laugh softly at that. - -"You talk as if any one could put a load of shot just where he wanted -it, without doing any serious damage," he remarked. "If that was easy, -I'd like to tickle those chaps; but there's too serious a chance of -crippling them for life, or even worse than that. We're so close now -that a load of Sevens would go just like a great big bullet. I'm not -ready for that and won't be unless they hurt one of our crowd. If that -happens, they'll have to look out." - -"There they go, heading in to the logs, just like you said, Jack!" cried -Josh, more worked up than ever. "Oh! please give 'em another shot if -they jump on the raft. P'raps it might scare the pair so much they'd -just throw up their hands, and surrender." - -"Do you see the men who are running the logs down-stream?" demanded -Jack. - -"Of course I do, two of 'em, and they look like they hardly knew what -all this racket means," Josh continued. "Now, wouldn't it be just great -if they jumped our birds, and got 'em. All we'd have to do then would be -to take charge of the scamps, hand over a little reward to the raftsmen, -and start back. Look! Jack, there, they are going to strike the logs -now. They've shut off the motor, you see, and that tells the story. Take -it from me we've got the fellers bad scared right now. Whoop! George, -knock 'em both over with your elephant gun! Quick! soak it to 'em, -fellers!" - -Of course Josh was only shouting this last in order to further alarm -the two fugitives. For some reason or other the men had determined to -abandon their boat. Perhaps they found it was commencing to balk, and -could not be depended on. Then again, as the others had overtaken them, -it was plain that they must open up some other means for escaping. - -Jack still clung to his former idea that the men hoped the boys would be -satisfied with recovering the stolen Saunterer; and finding that they -were ready to defend themselves would withdraw. Then they could force -the raftsmen to steer the clumsy craft over to whichever shore they -thought safer, and in this way they might escape with their booty. - -The white boat came alongside the raft, and bumped heavily. - -Two flying figures were seen to leave the boat, and find a footing on -the slippery logs. Immediately they did so they started headlong toward -the center where the little log-cabin shelter stood; just as though -their plans had all been arranged beforehand. - -Whether that shout from Josh calling on George to blaze away gave them -additional cause for excitement, or the fact of the logs being wet and -slippery made them lose their footing more than a few times, the fact -was that they took a number of headers, and found the passage a rocky -one. - -George was still shouting at the top of his voice, and the others joined -in, so that the clamor was quite deafening. No wonder the loggers stood -there unable to understand what it was all about, and why those two had -abandoned the fine white boat that was now drifting alongside the raft. - -"Too bad, Jack!" Josh was saying, when the two fugitives, after making -their way along the logs finally vanished inside the door of the rude -little cabin shelter. - -"What is it?" asked the skipper, who had also shut off power, and was -bent on bringing the Tramp alongside the raft just below the Saunterer; -so that the white boat could be caught and secured, which would be one -part of their plans brought to a successful completion. - -"He's got the boodle, Jack, plague take the luck!" - -"Yes, I saw that the small man was carrying a bag with him, and of -course that holds the stolen bank papers and cash," Jack went on to say, -as the Tramp's nose came with a gentle bump against the outside log. - -"Tell me what to do, Jack!" Josh demanded, knowing that the other must -have a plan of some sort in view in making this landing, if their -hugging the raft could come under that name. - -"Just jump off and take the hawser with you," said the skipper, quickly. - -"Then you mean to tie up here?" asked Josh, as he started to obey -directions. - -"Yes." - -"Say, Jack, shall I get a grip on the painter of that other boat while -I'm on the raft and make her fast?" continued Josh. - -"Try and see if you can, because we want to take her back with us, even -if we fail to capture the men," Jack replied. - -No doubt George was bringing his Wireless alongside the raft on the -other side, for he could see across, and note what the crew of the Tramp -seemed to be doing. - -Josh was quite active, when spurred on by excitement. When he had made a -three-base hit in a game of baseball, he could stretch it to a home run -better than any other fellow in town, with the shouts of the crowds to -inspire him. - -He began to hunt around for some place to fasten the rope, as soon as he -had jumped on to the raft. This was so difficult a task, because there -were many pegs showing, where the logs were held together. And besides, -here and there was a heavy rope passed along, to keep the waves made by -steamboats from scattering the logs, which might have been of especial -value. - -Josh had just managed to accomplish this, and was turning to try and get -hold of the bow of the white boat, which was still bumping against the -side of the raft, when a terrific splash was heard from across on the -opposite edge of the logs. - -"George is overboard!" whooped Josh, thinking that the impulsive one -must have been in such a big hurry to gain a footing, afraid lest a chum -would be ahead of him, that he had miscalculated. - -"You're wrong, it's Andy; and he's all to the good; climbing on the logs -right now," came in the well-known tones of the Wireless skipper, and -with a touch of sarcasm connected with the words, as though George -wanted them to know that he was not the only fellow who could, in his -haste, make blunders. - -"Sure I am!" echoed Andy, "and the wather 'tis foine, I'm tilling ye, me -laddybucks. Now, George, me darlint, whereabouts shall I tie up at?" - -"Anywhere, so long as we hold fast," came the order. - -Well, here was a strange condition of affairs, to be sure, Jack thought. -He was a little puzzled to know what they ought to do next. The two -desperate men had retreated within the shanty on the raft, which they -undoubtedly meant to hold, after the manner of a fort, having abandoned -Algernon's motor boat. The pursuers already had this in their possession, -so if nothing more were accomplished, they could feel fairly well -satisfied with their night's work. - -But Jack felt that George, and for that matter the other two chums, -would not wish to drop out of the game then and there. Knowing that the -men in the shanty were the robbers, whose apprehension would bring great -joy to the bereaved depositors in that robbed Lawrence bank, it would be -just like them to want to keep going until they had either accomplished -that end, or else found that they were not equal to the task. - -Yes, and deep down in his own heart Jack was thinking along pretty much -the same lines. He knew what it was to be greeted with cheers; and the -desire to accomplish things worth while had a lodgment in Jack's heart. - -They had the two rascals bottled up, as it were; and surely some way -could be found whereby they might force their surrender. - -But it was not going to be an easy task. Those men knew what they must -accept once they were taken into custody; and doubtless they would fight -to the last gasp before showing the white flag. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -HOLDING THE FORT - - -All was silent over yonder where the makeshift little cabin shelter -stood about the middle of the raft. The men had vanished inside, and -were no doubt waiting to see what their enemies attempted next. Perhaps -they indulged in the hope that the troublesome boys, assisted by Jenks, -would draw off, and leave them to play their game to a finish in their -own way. - -At the same time they must be ready to defend their new place of refuge -bitterly. Jack knew the folly of trying to carry a fort by assault, and -he was not silly enough to think that with only George, Josh, Andy and -Jenks back of him such a desperate undertaking could be carried out. -Even if they received reinforcements in the shape of the two husky -loggers, that would not mean the thing would be a walk-over. - -Jack was himself on the logs by this time, and Jenks followed him. He -hoped the men at bay would not start shooting toward them, for they were -more or less exposed to any fire unless they managed to drop down -behind a stray log that had at some time gotten loose, and was hauled on -top of the raft by the men in charge, rather than have it lost. - -"Keep by your boat, George!" was the first thing Jack called out, "or -better still, if you can work it around to where the Tramp lies. Perhaps -we'd be wise to keep in a bunch, you know." - -"A good idea, Jack," came the reply. "Andy, do you dare walk across, -while I get a move on, and swim around?" - -"Me, is it ye arre afther askin' that? Well, till me what's to hinder me -from doin' the same?" and with the words the dripping Andy started to -clamber along the slippery logs with utter abandon; he had been in the -river once, and was just as wet as he could be, so why should he care if -he went overboard again? - -George started up and was seen to leave the float. - -"Good-bye, and good riddance to you!" the big man shouted, as he thrust -his head out of the opening in front of the cabin on the raft; from -which remark it might be set down that he had not heard what Jack said, -and really believed the motor boat was about to pull out for good. - -"All right," replied the other, for it was not difficult to please Josh -under most circumstances. - -George had gone around the raft, passing below, so that he was now -coming up the river, and it was easy for him to bring his boat alongside -the raft without any bumping worth mentioning. - -He quickly leaped on to the logs, rope in hand, and found a place to -fasten his hawser without much trouble. - -"Where are they, fellows?" he asked, breathlessly, as he joined the -group. - -"Still in the shack, but we're going to try and get them out," Jack -answered. - -"That's right," Josh broke in just then; "you see, Jack's going to try a -scheme of mine, and offer the men a chance to get off, on condition that -they hand over that bag they got. We don't want to bother with persons, -if only we c'n trap that little bag, and take it back with us." - -"Rats!" said George, immediately, for he never had the least bit of -faith in any idea which Josh might originate; it would have put a -different face on it if Jack had advanced the scheme; but with the other -as its sponsor, the thing was impossible in the start and condemned -before he heard the particulars. - -"Well, you never know," Josh went on to say, as if he felt hurt at -George being so positive before the proposition had even been tried, -"they might be that bad scared they'd agree to anything that left 'em -their liberty. Anyhow, guess there ain't any harm in doin' it, is -there?" - -"Wait and see!" - -And with that Jack turned toward the center of the raft, where the -little refuge lay, which the two loggers made use of as sleeping -quarters, and to keep themselves dry during a downpour of rain. - -"Hello! you in the cabin?" he called out. - -"Well, what d'ye want?" came the answer, and as before, it was evidently -the big man who did all the talking, for as yet they had not once heard -the voice of Slim Jim raised above a low murmur, when he was arguing -with his companion. - -"We've got an offer to make you," continued Jack. - -"Oh! have yuh? Then spit her out, and be quick about it," came from -inside. - -"We'll agree to let you both go, if you hand over that bag, and all -that's in it," Jack continued. "We've got you caged, anyway, and it's -only a question of going for the officers in one of our boats, when we -come to a large town; and you'll be taken, bag and all. Better think it -over. And we don't mean to let you work the sweep of this raft, so you -can't ferry it to the shore. What do you say?" - -He was answered with a mocking laugh, and some hard words. - -"What d'ye take us for, younker, a pair of fools? Think we went to all -that trouble and risk to turn the proceeds over to a passel o' kids so -easy? Don't you worry 'bout us, now. We got the guns to hold the fort; -and when we get good and ready p'raps we'll skip out. There's more ways -to skin a cat than one. Get that, now?" - -"I thought so," said George, with one of his irritating little laughs. -"Now just get busy, Josh, and think up some more fool plays, won't you? -Or else leave the job to your betters, Jack'n me, we'll play the game -for keeps, eh, Jack?" - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -MAKING THINGS WARM - - -"Well, what are we going to do next, Jack?" asked Josh, pretending -not to hear those irritating words spoken by George; and evidently -determined to keep himself "in the swim" if anything was going on. - -"The question is whether we'd better try to force their hand now, or -wait a while," the one spoken to remarked. - -"Why should we wait?" queried George, impatiently. - -"First of all, there's some sort of chance that Herb may be along pretty -soon, with his Comfort, and that would give us three more fellows," Jack -observed. - -"Huh! such as they are, yes," the skipper of the speed-boat admitted. - -"Three would make good showing, anyhow," Josh broke in to say, seeing -his opportunity to agree with Jack, and in this way put George on the -other side. "And how'd they know, tell me, that Buster, Herb and our -new friend, Algernon, ain't much on the scrap? Numbers look big, -sometimes." - -"Then again," Jack continued, "as we float down the river we're apt to -sight the lights of some town or city. And then George could go ashore -to tell the police what a great chance was passing their doors. I'm not -greedy about it, and willing enough to let the proper authorities do the -fighting, and get what there is in the game. And yet, it kind of goes -against my grain to just lie around here, doing nothing all the time." - -"Yes," said George, eagerly, "and just think if we happen to drift -anywhere near the bank these fellows are apt to give us the laugh and -jump overboard, to swim ashore. Before we could get a boat started to -chase after 'em they'd land, and snap their fingers at the lot. I say -get a move on, and find some way to make 'em surrender. Let's scare the -pair half to death. We c'n do it by setting the cabin on fire, and -paying for the damage done!" - -"Whew! that's just like George!" Josh was heard to say, breathlessly. - -Jack glanced toward the two loggers. - -"Is that sort of a thing possible; could the shanty be burned if we -tried?" he asked them. - -"Don't think it kin, son," came the reply. "Course we never seen it -tried; but them logs are kinder green yet, and the spray's jumped up -over the cabin sometimes when we had a headwind. They ain't no winder in -the shack, jest a openin' like round on the back. I cud crawl up and try -the fire game, if so yuh stand ready tuh pony up fur any damage tuh the -logs." - -Jack was thinking again. - -"Well, it might pay us to make the try," he said, presently. - -"No harm done," said George, giving Josh a triumphant look, as though he -would have him take notice that when really smart fellows started to do -things, they meant business every time. - -Josh shrugged his shoulders, as much as to say that he was ready to be -convinced. Meanwhile Jack was talking with the two loggers, trying to -find out what their ideas might be with regard to getting a supply of -kindling ready. One of them strode off, and presently returned with an -ax. The other had picked up several strips of wood that seemed to be -fairly dry; and as soon as the sharp-edged tool came he started to cut -this into long splinters. - -"By the way," said George, "I've got some cotton waste aboard my boat -that's just soaked with oil, and would burn like fun. I'll get it." - -"And if you go aboard my boat, too, you'll find a lot more close by the -engine, that I was going to throw overboard, because it was getting so -sticky," Jack went on to tell the other, as he was hurrying off. - -It really began to look like business, at any rate. Josh found himself -interested in spite of himself. No matter whose plan it might be, if it -won out he must show a spirit of fairness, and render all the aid he -could. Josh was not a small minded fellow, though he did love to tease -poor Buster on occasion; and often went out of his way to get a sly dig -at the good-natured fat boy. - -The strips of wood having been reduced to kindling, and George coming -back with the cotton waste, saturated with oil that would burn, even if -it was not explosive, it began to look as though the thing was now up to -the logger who had offered to make the attempt. - -"Here's a little bottle, and it's full of gasoline too," remarked -George, as he handed the article over. "When you're ready to set fire to -the pile, just scatter that stuff over it, and take care of your -eyebrows, for she goes off with a whoop." - -"Say, they're on to us," announced Josh just then. - -Looking toward the cabin, Jack could detect a head thrust around the -corner; and from this he knew that one of the men had issued forth, -wishing to learn what the forces arrayed against himself and his partner -might be doing all this while. - -So Jack made suggestive motions with his gun, as though tempted to -shoot; and the head was withdrawn immediately. - -"Is there any opening on the back of the shack?" he asked the men. - -"Nope, not that yuh cud notice, son," came the reply. - -"Course, they might dodge out and run around to blaze away at our fire -kindler, and then get back under cover again," suggested George. - -"I was thinking if I could work it so as to keep them quiet," said Jack. -"Let's all move around so as to cover the side where the open door is. -Then they'll be liable to think we're all there in a bunch. And if we -see either man trying to sneak out, I'll give him a scare, all right." - -To do this they had to go some little distance from the three tied-up -motor boats; but Jack knew they could reach them long before the -fugitives might, should they conceive the wild idea of making a dash -that way. Besides, as a last resort, did he not have his gun, and were -there not two trusty shells in its barrels? - -Having taken up their position they gave the man who had remained behind -the signal that he should get busy. And he started to advance toward the -rear of the cabin on the raft. - -When he had gone perhaps half way, a figure was seen to push out of the -opening. Jack immediately called out: - -"Get back there, or I'll fill you full of shot!" at the same time -brandishing his gun in a very threatening manner; which warning appeared -to have an influence upon the fellow, since he slipped back again. - -But no doubt he had discovered the logger who was advancing toward the -rear of the shack, his arms filled with fuel; and it would have to be a -very dull person who could not guess what his object must be. - -Then there sounded a sudden report. One of the men in the shack had -found some small chink between the logs, through which he was firing his -revolver. Perhaps he had shot at the logger; and then again it might -have been done just to alarm him, and thus cause the scheme for firing -the cabin to be given up. - -When the man seemed to drop, Jack's heart was in his throat, for he -thought he was looking on a tragedy; but the other logger chuckled, as -he remarked: - -"Don't be skeered 'bout Fritz; he ain't teched a whiff; but jest drapped -so's to crawl out'n range. See him gittin' over ground right smart now, -and notice thet he ain't let go any o' the stuff, be he?" - -"You're right, Hanky," said Josh, promptly enough. - -"Bully for Fritz!" burst out the gratified George, whose heart had no -doubt taken just as quick a jump as had Jack's, when that report sounded -in a half muffled way, from being inside the cabin. - -Another shot followed. But the marksman was evidently shooting at -random, and without having a target. At any rate, the logger kept right -on creeping toward the shack, and it began to look as though he were -bound to get there, too. - -But would he be successful in getting the logs to burn? - -Jack was rather inclined to doubt it, though of course much depended on -whether they were fairly dry, or wet with the spray that may have -dashed up over the raft when the wind, being up-river, had made a choppy -sea. - -"What if the whole blooming raft goes up in smoke?" was the awful -suggestion which Josh put forward. - -George laughed out loud, it seemed to strike him as so absurd. - -"Yes, and worse still, Josh, whatever will we do if we set the river on -fire? They'll certainly have it in for us, believe me. But one thing -sure, no danger of you ever setting the river afire with any scheme you -think up." - -"Shucks! I don't believe it'll work a cent," remarked Josh. "'Cording to -my calculations it'd take more'n that kindlin' to set logs a-goin'." - -"Don't forget the oiled rags, Josh," said George, tauntingly; "yes, and -the little bottle of gasolene I let our friend have. Seems to me all -that's going to build up some fire. And as for the rest we'll have to -trust to luck. Perhaps it'll catch fire, and again she may kick and -balk." - -"Like some engines we know about, f'r instance," Josh wound up with. - -"You never saw a motor do better than mine did coming down river, and -you know it. I have had a lot of trouble with the thing in the past; -but that's all over now; and I'm on Easy Street with my dandy Wireless. -Oh! you can laugh all you want to, Josh, but wait and see." - -"Proof of the puddin' lies in the eatin' of the same, George," said -Josh, "and I know you too well to believe you'll ever be satisfied to -run along like Jack and Herb do. But see there, our fire kindler's got -up to the shack, all serene. And now he's bending down to fix his -kindlin' right. We'll soon know, George, and if she goes, since it's -your scheme, I'm willing to say you done it with your little hatch-it." - -Just as Josh said, the logger had managed to gain the shelter of the -back wall of the shack. Now, in order to keep out the rain without -bothering with a door, the cabin had been made with its only opening on -the side up-river; so that what the boys had been calling its back was -really the front side. - -And with the movement of the raft always down-stream; and the night air -being from the south just then, if the fire were ever properly started, -it would be fanned constantly, and helped along by this process. - -Jack kept watch on the dark opening that stood for the entrance, and -means of exit. He meant to shoot, if any figure was seen to appear -outside this; not with the idea of doing bodily injury, but in the -expectation of frightening the man back, before he could make use of his -weapon upon the fire-kindler. - -So the seconds crept along, until several minutes had passed. - -"Gee! why don't he get a move on?" remarked George, to whom the time -hung as if it were weighed down with lead. - -"Let him be," said the other logger, named Hanky. "Fritz is sum slow, -but then he gits there in the end. Watch his smoke, son, an' see!" - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -"DROP THAT BAG" - - -They kept waiting, but George was very nervous because nothing seemed to -happen. He growled to himself more than a few times; but none of the -other boys paid any attention to that; because they knew George pretty -well, and had run up against his little failings many a time. - -George had no use for "slow-pokes." He expected to see Rome built in a -day, and strange to say, while he met with lots of trouble on account of -this very desire for haste, it did not seem to effect any permanent cure -in his disposition; for as soon as the unpleasant result had worn off, -he was the same old George again,--Hurricane George, they used to call -him at home. - -"There, looks like he's about got it fixed now," announced Josh, -presently. - -"Oh! thank goodness!" said the skipper of the Wireless with a sigh of -gratification that welled up from his very heart. "Now perhaps there'll -be something doing." - -"He's getting out a match," Josh went on. - -"You mean he's hunting all through his pockets for one," corrected Jack. - -That gave George another spell of the blues. - -"Chances are he won't have a blessed match about him," he observed, -despairingly. "And I've got half a notion right now to crawl out there, -and do the business for Fritz." - -"No need," remarked Josh, "he's found one!" - -Then they watched again, while the logger went through with a lot of -what seemed to George utterly useless actions, fixing the kindling up a -little better. And finally he started to strike the match. - -The boys held their breath as they saw it flame up. - -"Now, look out, Fritz, or you'll lose your eyebrows!" George was heard -to mutter; as the logger leaned over to apply the little flame, which he -had been shielding with both hands, after the manner of an old smoker. - -"Wow!" - -Josh did not mean to call out, but the cry was almost forced from his -lips as he saw a vivid flash of fire, that seemed to jump as high as the -roof of the little log shack. - -"That was the gasolene!" remarked George, coolly. - -"Fritz got stung, I guess, because he tumbled over backwards," Josh -ventured, as his opinion; but although Jack had imagined that something -along those lines might have happened, he did not see the man show any -signs of suffering, as he started to crawl away from the spot, glancing -over his shoulder now and then, as if to reassure himself that -everything was going well. - -"Naw, he's all right; Fritz kin be quick when he wants to get out o' the -way o' things that hurts," the fellow logger advanced. - -"Wonder if she's going to take hold?" Josh ventured, as he watched the -fire eat into the kindling merrily. - -"Wouldn't be s'prised if she did, now?" Hank remarked, as though he had -experienced a change of heart since the match had been applied. "Looky -thar at the way it's eatin' up the logs. Gosh! that makes a hot fire, -boys, with them oil rags to keep her a-goin'. And sure as yuh live I c'n -see it getting a grip o' the logs right now. Guess we won't hev airy -shanty, come morning. But who keers. A little saw-buck o' a ten dollar -bill wud make that squar." - -Jack looked around. - -If the cabin really caught fire, and began to burn furiously, it would -not be long before those within would have to vacate. He wanted to get -a good idea as to what their next move would be; and for that reason he -took this observation, so as to be posted. - -And the first thing he saw was that the current of the river had swung -the log raft in to the western shore during the last ten minutes or so. -Why, it was not more than a hundred yards away; and as the moon hung in -the east, the whole shore line was brightly illuminated. - -Would not that prove an irresistible attraction to the pair of hunted -thieves, provided they could swim? As a last resort might they not think -to make a run for the edge of the raft, and spring overboard? - -That was all right, provided they left the little bag behind. If on the -other hand they tried to carry it off, Jack must know what to do about -it. He feared that sooner than give up their plunder the scoundrels -would deliberately throw it into the river, and thus defraud the -depositors and stockholders of the Lawrence bank out of their valuable -property, as well as sink the evidence that might be used to incriminate -them as the looters of the institution. - -How to prevent this was the question that was bothering Jack. - -Would he be justified in trying to cripple one of the robbers in case -they attempted to carry out such a bold scheme? - -He decided this quickly, when he remembered what misery would likely -follow the loss of the bag, with its contents. Yes, what was one -wretch's suffering when compared with that which would follow the -closing of the bank's doors, and a sign on the outside telling that it -would never be able to open again, because of the loss of the entire -funds, and negotiable papers, as the paper had said. - -Well, there did not seem to be any more doubt about the success of the -fire, at any rate; for already were the flames beginning to creep up the -wall of the cabin, licking greedily at the wood. They had gained such a -good start that unless some fire-fighter got busy in a hurry, that shack -was doomed, for the breeze fanned the flames wonderfully. - -"They're coming out!" snapped George. - -"Get ready, Jack, to drop 'em!" shouted Josh. - -"There's the old Comfort drawing alongside the raft by our boats!" Jack -sent back at them just then. - -Perhaps those in the cabin had already discovered the other boat coming -down with the current, for the opening was toward the up-river end of -the float, it may be remembered. - -If so, it must have surely added to their uneasiness. They could see a -number of persons aboard, and in the deceptive moonlight how were they -to know that these passengers on the big launch were hardly to be -classed with fighters, at least not very ferocious ones? - -Imagine the astonishment of Herb and Buster, not to speak of Algernon, -when, on nearing the dark object they had discovered ahead, it was to -suddenly discover a blaze shooting up; and then on looking further to -see Jack, George, Josh, Andy and the man Jenks, as well as two strange -raftsmen ranged, about on a raft of logs, watching the burning cabin, as -though it contained something they were greatly interested in. - -And then to find the stolen white launch tied up to the raft--that must -have given them a clue so they could figure things out fairly well. - -The men had thrust their heads out at the time George and Josh seemed so -positive they were coming. They could not have fancied the situation -much; but then the sight of land so near by may have put some heart into -them. - -As the fire got hotter their condition must be growing more and more -unpleasant. Jack knew that it was only a question of minutes, or more -properly, seconds, before they would be forced to expose themselves, and -he was nerving himself for that crisis. - -He saw Jenks and one of the loggers start to move to the other side of -the raft, as though they would anticipate the possible coming of the men -in that direction and be on hand to meet them. - -"Keep clear, so that I can fire!" he called to them, making his voice as -vociferous as possible, in order that the hiding men might catch every -word, and be more or less affected by the startling intelligence. - -"Oh! why didn't I bring my gun along?" groaned George, who was suffering -agonies because he just had to stand there, and watch some one else run -things; whereas, did he happen to have a weapon in his hands, he might -have taken a much more prominent part in the proceedings. - -One good thing about George was that he always wanted to be on the -firing line; for he did not have a drop of craven blood in his veins. In -baseball, football, hockey, it was all the same; George could be found -wherever the play was fiercest, taking and giving knocks without a -murmur, if only there was action, action, and then more action. - -Jack heard his lament, and was secretly just as well satisfied to have -things as they were. George was so impulsive that he might do things to -be regretted in calmer moments. Such a hot-headed fellow was dangerous -with firearms, especially when there seemed some little excuse for -making a use of the same against a law-breaking pair like the bank -robbers. - -For a couple of minutes nothing happened; but the fire was burning -fiercely and crackling at a great rate. Josh looked rather serious as he -contemplated the conflagration; perhaps he was remembering George's -absurd threat with regard to setting the river on fire; and thinking -that they would surely have to get away before such a catastrophe came -to pass. - -Then, just what Jack had been expecting came about. - -"There! there! Jack, look! knock 'em over!" shrieked George, as two -figures started out of the burning shack on the raft, and began to -hasten across the slippery logs as fast as they could go. - -One of them, the larger, carried the hand bag; and from his determined -manner it looked as though he meant to cling to that through thick and -thin. Jenks and the two loggers were already trying to cut the fugitives -off, and as though they began to fear lest that should really happen -the robbers changed their course a little, though still heading for the -side of the raft that lay nearest the western bank of the river, so -close at hand. - -Jack fired one barrel of his gun, but he did not try to hit the fleeing -men. It was just intended to let them know he had their range, for chips -and water flew close beside the one who carried the bag. - -"Drop that bag, or the next shot will lame you for life, do you hear?" -shouted the boy, now fully resolved that he would have to shoot to -wound, in justice to all those poor depositors up in Lawrence, for whom -he felt so sorry. - -Perhaps it was on account of the threat contained in his words; although -the nearness of Jenks, and the other two husky men, may have had more or -less to do with it; but the escaping burglar realized that it was a case -of either letting his plunder go, or else being badly wounded, and then -sent to the penitentiary for a term of years. And so, he relaxed his -firm clutch, allowing the bag with the stolen funds of the bank to fall -upon the logs of the raft. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -EVERYTHING LOVELY--CONCLUSION - - -"Hurrah!" - -That shout of triumph seemed to break forth from several pair of lips at -once, when the taller one of the two thieves dropped the bag he had been -carrying, as Jack so plainly threatened to fire upon him at close range. - -He was not so much of a fool after all, it seemed. If there was going to -be a chance for escaping minus the plunder, why, it would have to go, -that was all. - -Somehow Jack was reminded of incidents in his own boyish career. He -could see himself madly tearing across a field, with a whole bevy of -angry bumble-bees chasing after him, and surging about his unprotected -ears; and when they started to get busy with their hot little probes, -what did he do but dash his hat off, and then his coat in quick -succession. This was to attract the attention of the bees to other -things, and let him escape. And the manoeuvre was usually successful, -too. - -Well, this smart rascal, finding himself threatened with trouble, had -just done the same sort of trick practiced by the bumble-bee fighters -from away back in our great-grandfathers' days, throw something down to -attract the attention of the hunters and hold their attention while he -escaped. - -It succeeded in the work it was intended to do. - -Jack did not shoot again, and the others all seemed to think that, since -the bag had been recovered, there was no especial need of almost killing -themselves closing with the desperate burglars. - -They knew that the men were armed, anyway, and would doubtless use their -guns recklessly if cornered. Better to let them go, and call it a good -riddance of bad rubbish; that was a boy's idea of the fitness of things. -What was the use of being greedy; they did not aspire to be known as -thief-takers; and besides, they owed it to those at home to have some -respect for their own safety. - -And so the two alarmed rascals, rushing to the side of the raft, sprang -hurriedly straight into the river, striking out for the shore with all -the haste they were capable of. Indeed, to see the way they fought the -water, one would imagine that they fully anticipated having the whole -bevy of motor boats in swift pursuit, and that every second they could -gain in the start was going to count in their favor. - -But who cared? - -Certainly not Jack, who, pouncing upon the precious hand bag, opened it -just far enough to see that it was crammed with money and papers, just -as they had been hastily pushed into it at the time of the raid on the -Lawrence bank. - -Some of the others came crowding around, anxious for a look; but Jack, -with a wisdom that did him credit, remembering that there were a couple -of big rough lumbermen present, whom he knew nothing about, not to -mention Jenks, was smart enough to close the bag quickly. - -"Is it all right, Jack; everything there?" asked George, eagerly; and -then, as he caught the low word of warning which the other muttered he -understood; for as quick as that he went on to say: "All our stuff -recovered in fine style, eh, fellows? Let the scamps go; we ought to be -only too glad to wash our hands of them." - -"Hurrah for us!" shrilled Josh, brimming over with excitement. - -All at once Buster, who had gained a footing on the logs when Herb -brought his big Comfort to an anchorage there, alongside the raft, was -seen to be wildly rushing toward the edge, and waving his arms. Then he -started to shouting after the pair of precious scoundrels who were -battling with the waves of the river, and by this time almost half way -to the nearer bank. - -"Hey, bring back that sweater, you! That's my blue moon sweater you're -wearing, and I want it, I tell you! I'll have the law on you for -stealing, d'ye hear that, you sneak? Jack, why don't we start right out, -and chase 'em with the Tramp or the Wireless? Seems like none of you -fellers care a whit whether I ever get my bully old sweater back again. -How'd you feel if it was yours, now, and a birthday present at that?" - -But Buster's wild grief was suddenly turned into great joy; for Andy -came running out of the shack, into which he had darted despite the fact -of its being on fire, and he was waving something over his head as he -advanced. - -"Troth, phat do ye call this same, Buster? 'Tis a sweater, and sure -there's a blue moon on the front, in the bargain. Don't ye say, the -omadhaun sthripped it off so that he could swim better." - -Buster clasped it to his heart, and actually kissed the precious -garment, which doubtless he had come to value more than ever, since he -lost it, for we "never miss the water till the well runs dry." - -And so, after all, the wonderful sweater came back to its own. Buster -had it on right away, and seemed to feel that luck had marked him for -its especial favors. - -"Here, let's get busy!" cried George, "perhaps we can save the best part -of this cabin after all. I see an old tin bucket that'll do to scoop up -water with. Everybody work to put out the fire, fellows!" - -That was just like George, who could be the most generous chap any one -ever met. Those two loggers had been of considerable assistance to the -boys in baffling the burglars and forcing them to give up their -ill-gotten gains; so that it would be only right in their trying to -remedy things as much as possible. - -Well, the fire was soon gotten under control. - -Meanwhile Jack had gone aboard the Tramp, where, unobserved, he could -again open the hand bag, and extract some of the money; for he did not -happen to have twenty dollars about him at the time, since they had not -expected finding any use for so much cash on their simple little Easter -cruise. - -This he handed over to the two loggers, calling upon the others to -witness the transaction, for he might want to prove it later on. - -After that the boys began to think of returning up the river, and -reaching their camp on Bedloe's Island. Algernon concluded that, since -his boat was in fair running order, and he had the chance to elude the -other "chappie," with whom he was playing a game of hide-and-seek while -on the way to St. Louis, he had better take advantage of the -opportunity, and keep right on down-stream. - -Jack and his chums promised to care for what Algernon had left behind; -and on the way up later he would drop in at the island to recover the -same. If the motor boat boys were not in camp, having departed for home, -he promised to see them there. - -And so Jenks having gone aboard and started the engine, the Saunterer -glided off down the Mississippi, Algernon shaking hands with each of the -others in turn, and declaring that it had all been the greatest bit of -excitement he had ever experienced; a remark, which caused Jack's crowd -to grin, for, as we happen to know, the boys had been through some -remarkable events in their time. - -The three boats were soon on their way up river; and reached the island -before dawn. It was a pretty tired lot that crept into the tent, and -slept for several hours. And later in the day Jack told them that in -consideration of the forlorn condition which he knew the good people of -Lawrence must be in, he would have to take a run over to a town which -lay about eight miles above. Here he could send the precious bag and its -contents, securely wrapped and sealed, by express; and at the same time -dispatch a long message at night rates that would tell the directors of -the stricken bank how all their valuable papers as well as the money -that had been taken were on the way to them, particularly later when the -motor boat boys got back from their little cruise down the Mississippi. - -To this message Jack signed the names of the whole six chums, his own -last of all. Then he and Josh managed to get back to the island before -evening set in; and a great load had been taken from Jack's mind, when -he no longer had to worry about that bag containing nearly all of the -visible assets of the plundered Lawrence bank. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -CONCLUSION - - -"What's all this fuss going on out here?" demanded Josh Purdue, as he -came crawling from under the folds of the tent. - -It must have been well on to high noon at the time. The tired boys had -been sleeping pretty much the whole morning away. - -No wonder the thin member of the squad was surprised, for there was -Buster Longfellow hurrying around as though the house had been afire. -Nick could never accomplish anything worth while without a tremendous -amount of spluttering; as all his mates knew only too well. - -Wonderful to relate there was a pretty healthy odor of cooking in the -air, that made Josh sniff approvingly; for of late his once poor -appetite had grown to respectable proportions; and the thin boy could -demolish his share of "grub" with the best of them. - -Buster glanced around, and grinned. - -"Oh! say, but I'm glad somebody else has had the good sense to wake up, -and come out," he began to say. - -"Looks like you might be doing the breakfast stunt all by your lonely," -remarked Josh, coolly, as he started toward the edge of the water, no -doubt intending to dash some of the same in his face, and thus refresh -himself. - -"I seemed to have had all the sleep I wanted," continued Buster; "and -after I waked up I lay there for a long time, wondering if anybody had -started in to get breakfast; but I couldn't get the first whiff of -coffee." - -"That's right, and an old habit of yours, I guess, Buster; always laying -around waiting for the birds to come and put something in your mouth," -Josh flung over his shoulder, with all the scorn he could summon. - -"Well, p'raps it is one of my faults," admitted the fat boy, humbly -enough; "we've all got our weaknesses, you know, Jack says, and you -ain't any exception, Josh. But I felt as empty as an old tomato can, and -just couldn't stand it any longer; so I crawled out, and I'm doin' the -best I know how to get breakfast. But of course it ain't goin' to equal -what you'd be givin' us, if you had hold here. Cookin' is one of your -best stunts, Josh; fact is, I never knew any feller that could come near -you." - -When Buster wanted he could "soft soap" equal to the best of them; and -while Josh understood full well that this was a plain invitation for -him to shoulder some of the responsibility for that coming meal, he -found it impossible to resist the bland smile of the stout chum. - -"Rats! you just spread that honey on thick so as to drag me in; but I'm -on to your curves, Buster. All the same, hold the fort while I throw -some of the Mississippi into my face, and I'll relieve you," he called -out as he walked away. - -"You're all right, Josh, and I don't care who hears me say so," cried -Buster, who never could do the cooking act without getting so much -pungent smoke in his poor eyes that he appeared to be weeping. - -Possibly Josh found himself on edge for some refreshment, and that might -account for his unusual kindness; for he speedily did show up, and took -entire charge of the business. - -About this time others began to crawl out of their blankets; and even -George poked his head over the side of the Wireless; for, as was his -usual custom, he could not feel perfectly happy away from his beloved if -troublesome boat, even for a single night, and had slept aboard. - -"Pretty late for breakfast, ain't it?" demanded Herb as they began to -gather around while Josh started to divide the contents of the two -fryingpans between them all. - -"Oh! call it a warm lunch if you like," sang out Buster, who was feeling -fine; "I began to think when nobody seemed to stir, that our next meal -would be supper. So, as that was too much, I just determined I'd show -you all that I could be progressive for once, and I started this bully -meal agoing, didn't I, Josh?" - -"That's right, Buster, so you did," nodded the one addressed, who was -also in an unusually good humor, after the lively events of the -preceding night. "But what are you alookin' at me like that for, Jack?" - -"I was wondering if you felt like taking a little run with me, that's -all," came the reply from the Commodore. - -"In the Tramp, d'ye mean?" queried Josh, eagerly, for it struck him that -Jack had honored him highly in thus deliberately picking him out when -there four other fellows present. - -"Yes. We may be gone the balance of the afternoon, but will surely get -back before night sets in," the other went on to say. - -"What's all this mystery mean, I want to know?" demanded George, -pretending to look hurt; though he would not have cared to be a -passenger on any other craft besides his precious if tricky Wireless. - -"Yes," Jimmy broke in, "tell us about it, that's a good boy, Jack!" - -"Well, listen and I will," the other started in to say; "you must -remember that we've got a pretty hefty bunch of money along with us -right now; and for one I won't feel easy so long as it's in our charge." - -"Whew! that's a fact!" ejaculated Buster. - -"P'raps there's all the stuff they hooked from that bank in the bag you -tied up with that heavy cord, Jack," suggested Herb. - -"No doubt of it," agreed the Commodore, "all but the twenty I took out -to hand over to those two loggers to pay for their burnt cabin, and the -help they gave us. But just stop and think what a terrible condition all -the good people of Lawrence must be in right now, will you? I reckon -half those in the town will feel the pinch of the broken bank, one way -or another." - -"Correct you are, Jack; because in all these towns the bank is supported -by business men, widows with money to invest, and even laboring men -deposit their little savings. You ought to know, Jack, because banking -runs in your family," and George nodded, as though he wanted every one -to see that he was in full agreement with the other in all he said. - -"Well, to relieve their minds, and give them the first decent night's -sleep they've had up to now since the bank was broken open," continued -Jack, "I want to take Josh here, and run down river a ways to that town -we noticed the light of when we were shooting past in the night." - -"Oh! I see," remarked Buster, with what was a wonderfully quick -perception, for him, "mebbe now you mean to wire on about it all, Jack." - -"I expect to send a dispatch, telling them that the plunder has been -recovered, and is coming back by express as fast as we can get it there; -the full particulars will have to keep until the Motor Boat Boys get -back from their little cruise down the Mississippi." - -"And of course the news will float over to our little borough, in the -natural course of events," suggested George, proudly. - -"I c'n just see the good people waitin' to receive us with the brass -band, and all the town run wild over the doings of the wonderful heroes -of the old Mississippi!" cried Buster, waving his fork above his head -excitedly, as he pictured the stirring scene in his mind's eye. - -"Well, hardly that," said Jack, quietly, for he disliked all such -exhibitions exceedingly; "because we won't let anybody know just when we -expect to strike town again. In fact, if I can fix it up that way we'll -be apt to arrive after sunset." - -"You mean sneak in like a dog with his tail between his legs?" complained -George. "That's too bad, Jack. If we'd done anything we ought to be -ashamed of it might go; but when a bunch of valiant lads carry on like we -have, and not only chases the bank thieves to a successful finish, but -manages to recover the stolen stuff, seems to me we'd only be getting our -due if we let our admiring fellow townsmen make a little ado over us. -You're too modest, Jack, and that's a fact." - -"Well, we can settle all that later on," laughed the other, as he arose; -"if you've had all you want to eat, Josh, suppose we get ready to take -our little run." - -"Weather looks O. K. out there, for one thing," observed Buster, as he -scanned the serene surface of the mighty river, which of course was not -to be compared with what the boys had seen hundreds of miles further -down on their trip to New Orleans, though wide enough even at that. - -"Little that would matter to a couple of well seasoned old tars like -me'n Jack!" declared Josh grandly. - -Going into the tent Jack speedily reappeared bearing the wonderful -little bag which they had so cleverly forced the thieves to drop on the -preceding night, when that lively fracas occurred on the floating raft -out upon the river. - -Josh was already aboard the Tramp, and grinning for all he was worth, -such was his satisfaction over having been chosen by the Commodore as -his companion in this very important mission. - -"Do we take the Marlin along with us, Jack?" he demanded. - -"What for? Better leave it here for the boys to use if anything comes -along," was the reply he received, as Jack clambered aboard. - -"Oh! just as you say," remarked Josh, half reluctantly, as he handed the -gun over to Andy. "Only I thought, you see, that we might happen to run -across them precious rascals again, and if they tried to board us, we'd -want something along to stand 'em off with." - -George laughed mockingly. - -"Listen to Josh, would you?" he cried. "He's sure going to dream of -those two bad men for a whole month of Sundays. Why, they turned out to -be kind of chicken-hearted after all. They gave up the bag as easy as -you please, when Jack told 'em he'd send the second charge around their -legs." - -"And swim!" echoed Andy. "I niver saw annything to equal the loikes in -all me loife. They was crazy to ra'ch the shore, so they was." - -"Yes, but for all that they hated to lose the plunder after the trouble -they'd been put to," continued Josh, not wholly convinced; "and if the -chance came along to make another try for that bag, believe me, they'd -grab on to it. But just as Jack says, it goes; and I reckon the little -Tramp can show 'em a clean pair of heels if it comes to a run?" - -"Why, man alive, they wouldn't have any boat, because you remember they -abandoned the one they had, and we've fetched it along with us, to -discover who owns the same, because we believe it must have been -stolen," Herb ventured to say. - -There were few preparations to look after, for Jack always made it a -point to have his boat in good running order, so that none of the boys -could really remember when it had ever gone back on its owner. - -Of course he first of all made sure that there was plenty of "juice" in -his tank; each of the boats carried an additional supply of gasoline -aboard, in case of necessity, for they had figured out the trip -systematically, and knew to a fraction of a gallon what quantity they -would need, so that it had been easy to prepare for extra occasions by -making a very generous allowance. - -"Goodbye, and good luck!" called Buster, as he waved his hand after the -starting Tramp. - -"Somebody look out for supper, because you just can't depend on me -always!" Josh sent back. - -"Oh! that's all right, Josh," replied the fat chum, contentedly; "there -are three other fellers in this crowd, and I reckon I've done my part of -the cooking stunt for one day." - -The gallant little motor boat was soon moving along with the current of -the river, and keeping rather in toward the west shore; because it had -been in that quarter Jack remembered seeing the lights of some sort of -town while chasing after the bank thieves on the preceding night. - -"How long ought it to take us to get there, d'ye think?" asked Josh, as -he made himself quite comfortable. - -"It might be an hour and a half, and again we may be all of two hours -making port," answered the skipper of the Tramp, as he busied himself -with the reliable little motor that as yet had never failed him in an -emergency. - -"If the river was straight we might even now glimpse the town with our -glasses," suggested Josh. - -As the minutes flew past the two chums enjoyed themselves as boys -naturally would under similar circumstances; especially after having -passed through such a series of exciting happenings as Jack and his -comrades had. - -They reviewed the entire programme, and Josh declared that he would -never forget the sight of that ramshackle cabin on the raft of logs, -burning so furiously, while he and the rest were almost holding their -breath with impatience, as they waited for the two yeggmen to dash out -after the heat inside had become unbearable. - -"There's the place we're making for!" cried out Josh, suddenly, as they -began to pass a point of land that jutted far out into the river. - -"Just about where I reckoned it was," returned Jack; "and we'll make a -landing in about half an hour at most." - -He proved to be a true prophet, for in less time than that the bustling -little motor boat drew in toward the shore, because they were now -opposite the town. - -A heavy freight train was rumbling along in plain sight, headed north, -Jack happened to notice; and slowing up while passing through the small -river town. - -"I'm glad that the railroad runs past here," he told Josh, as they -headed for a little landing belonging to what seemed to be a -boat-builder's establishment, for some such place is to be found at -nearly every town bordering the big rivers of the West. - -"What for?" asked the other, preparing to fend off, so that they would -not strike too hard. - -"Why, don't you know, we want to make use of the express company and the -telegraph line the worst kind just now; and the railroad tells us we're -going to find both here waiting for us." - -"That's a fact," muttered Josh, wondering how it was Jack always thought -of everything. - -The owner of the river boatyard now approached, and Jack soon made -arrangements with him to leave the Tramp in his charge while they were -gone. - -Buster had found out that the provisions were already running low in -several particulars, perhaps on account of the savage appetites several -members of the party had shown, who in times past had not been heavy -eaters. - -And to please the fat voyager the Commodore had promised to pick up a -few tasty things. As their little Easter cruise had turned out to be -such a "howling success" as George called it, they could afford to -celebrate with a feast or two. Buster was great on suggesting reasons -for indulging in some unusual spread; but in this instance everybody had -agreed with him that they really had a good reason for doing the same. - -Picking up the little bag, which the river man glanced at casually, -never dreaming that it held thousands and thousands of dollars in bills -and specie, Jack started up the bank. - -He had already asked a few questions of the man, and had his bearings -all right. There was an express and telegraph office all in one, and -once they reached this, at the railroad station, their troubles would be -over. - -Jack expected to take ample precautions so as to make sure that the bag -would get to its destination without being tampered with. He had figured -all this out in that active mind of his, and even explained the -particulars to his companion, who pronounced the scheme first-class. - -Josh was plodding along ahead of his mate when all of a sudden he felt -Jack pluck him by the sleeve. - -"Wait up a minute, Josh, can't you?" declared the other; "I'm carrying -something of a load, you must remember, and this is a pretty steep grade -up to the railroad tracks." - -"Oh! excuse me, Jack," said Josh, falling in step with the other. - -"Listen!" he heard Jack say in a low, tense tone; "perhaps we're going -to have some more trouble about this bag after all!" - -"Oh! thunder! what do you mean now?" demanded Josh, astounded. - -"Here, none of that!" said Jack. "Don't look so startled, but laugh, -just as if I might be telling you a good joke. There, that's more like -it, though I reckon your laugh was half frozen before it got out. Now, -pay attention to me!" - -"Sure I am, Jack; go right along and tell me what's up." - -"There are two men watching us come up this bank right now," Jack went -on to say. "We've made a turn so it wouldn't be easy for us to chase -back to the boat again. I've got a notion, Josh, they're the very -rascals we made give up this bag of boodle last night!" - -"What's that, Jack? However could they get up here; because it was far -down the river we left that pair swimming like ducks?" - -"Well, I half remember seeing somebody drop off that same slow freight -as it ran through; and yeggs like to travel like tramps, you know," and -Jack pointed out upon the river, as though he might be explaining -something to his friend. - -"Oh! mebbe they were just stealing a ride on the bumpers, and happened -to see us acomin' in to the shore," suggested Josh. "Yes, of course -they'd be apt to guess what fetched us here, and when they glimpsed that -precious bag in your hand they knew. But Jack, what can we do? Oh! why -didn't you let me carry our Marlin with us? You see what a valuable -thing it'd be right here and now?" - -"Yes, it would have been better," admitted the other; "but no use crying -over spilt milk, Josh. We must figure out how we can give them the slip; -and I think I see a good chance right now." - -"Then tell me, because I want to know," pleaded the other, eagerly. - -"They're hiding behind that pile of old ties," said Jack; "and if we -kept straight on as we expected to do we'd strike the railroad track -just about there." - -"But now you won't, will you, Jack?" - -"We'll walk on a few steps, as though we hadn't changed our minds a -bit," Jack told him. "But as soon as we strike where the bank hides us -from their eyes we'll turn sharply to the right, and scuttle along as -fast as we can make it. By the time we have to show up again we'll have -put some little distance between the men and ourselves; and then we'll -make a push for it as fast as our legs will carry us." - -"Bully idea, Jack; and it's just bound to work too; only I do wish you'd -gone and let me lug that gun along. Oh! what wouldn't I give right now -for a chance to fill the legs of the slick yeggs full of bird shot!" - -Josh was hurrying after his chum while talking in this strain. Upon -arriving at the spot where, as Jack had said, they would no longer have -the friendly shelter of the bank, the two lads suddenly started off on a -full run, heading direct for the town close at hand; indeed, already -they were among the scattering outlying houses of the same. - -A loud series of hoarse shouts from down the track told that the pair of -yeggmen had caught sight of them. - -Josh, casting one fearful glance over his shoulder, discovered them in -full pursuit. - -He even bent down and snatched up an occasional piece of rock or scrap -iron, as though determined to fight to the last in case of being -overtaken. - -But Josh was a fast runner, and Jack himself had few equals in his home -school. They certainly had plenty of reasons for doing their level best -when they found themselves pursued so hotly by that pair of lawless -tramp burglars. - -As usual Jack had his eyes about him, and was noting the lay of the -land. When any one makes good use of all his faculties, as this boy -generally did, he is apt to take advantage of openings that would never -occur to most fellows. - -"This way, Josh!" Jack flung over his shoulder, for he was still doing -the leading, though the long-legged one might easily have gone ahead had -he wished, weighted down as Jack was by the heavy bag. - -With every jump they made they were pushing further and further into the -centre of the little river town. - -Women came to the doors to see them running, attracted by the angry -shouts of the men; who, having succeeded in coming up closer to those -they chased were hoping to frighten them with threats, so that they -would drop the bag. - -Children, too, scattered like chickens at the swoop of a plunging -motorcycle; and huddled at the sides of the street, gazing wide-eyed at -the running boys and pursuing men. - -"Bang!" - -Apparently one of the desperate yeggs had managed to keep his revolver -in serviceable condition, in spite of his submersion in the chilly -waters of the Mississippi. - -"Not hurt, I hope, Josh?" cried Jack, over his shoulder, as he still -kept running wildly. - -"Nixey, not!" gasped the other; "but I'm adoin' all I can to shield you, -Jack!" - -Which he really was; and in that moment Jack saw further into the -generous soul of the tall comrade than fortune had ever allowed him to -do before. - -"It's going to be all right, because there's a policeman running out of -that house ahead. It must be police headquarters, because I see another -coming. Keep going just a minute more, Josh!" - -"Whoo! good for a whole hour yet!" exploded the other, defiantly. - -Before half the minute was up Jack gave an exclamation of satisfaction; -at the same time he slackened his pace. - -Encouraged by this to take a backward peep, Josh discovered that the two -yeggs had not only stopped their hot pursuit, but were actually running -the other way. Men of their stripe never do like the sight of blue -uniforms and brass buttons. - -Of course Jack had a surprising story to tell the two policemen. He did -not take the time to explain everything, save that he and his friend -had been fortunate enough to recover some valuables taken from the bank -of an up-river town, and that there would surely be a nice fat reward -offered for the apprehension of the precious pair who were even then in -plain sight, making off. - -This was enough to excite everybody; and presently the policemen, as -well as a posse of eager private citizens had started on the run after -the fleeing pair. - -Josh gripped the hand of his chum. - -"Another close call, Jack, let me tell you; but the same old Stormways -luck held good, and we came out of the big end of the horn. And now I -reckon it's us to the station to get this stuff off our hands, and a -receipt for the same; as well as to send that cheering message to -Lawrence." - -They soon made all arrangements. The agent at the station proved to be a -middle-aged and sensible man, who was deeply interested in as much of -their story as the boys chose to tell him. He did the bag up good and -strong, and sealed the same, so that it could not be tampered with -except at the company's risk. - -Then, after sending a message, "collect," which bore the good news to -the mayor of Lawrence, and to which he signed all six names, his own -last of all, Jack was ready to do his little marketing, and start back -to the island; which, in due time, they reached in good shape. - -Of course the boys had a glorious time of it during the balance of the -week. Buster, happy in the recovery of his sweater, was the life of the -crowd, and caught many a fine fish, for he was at it early and late. - -They figured that it must have been that the two thieves, remembering -they had secured no paint with which to change their white boat to one -of darker hue, had stopped off at the next town, and entered the boat -builder's place in order to pick up the necessary material; and seeing -the sweater, as the night air was chilly, the big man had put it on. The -other white boat was claimed by a party thirty miles above Lawrence, who -proved that it had been stolen three days before the robbery of the -bank. - -Jack, on running across the little mound where the box planted by -Algernon still lay, for the boys had insisted on burying it again, asked -Herb about it, and from him learned that the small dog had been a pet of -the Saunterer's skipper, that had taken a fit, and died on the trip, -which accounted for the strange burial. - -And when finally their outing came to an end, and the motor boat boys -reached home, they found that once again they were being spoken of as -heroes. Why, all Lawrence united to do them honor; and besides a fine -reward that it was insisted they should accept for their gallant deed, -there was a document worthy of being framed, and hung in the club room, -signed by the president and directors of the bank, thanking them most -heartily in the names of all the depositors and officers of the -institution, many of whom would have lost their all had the valuables -not been recovered. - -And after that all banks around that section of the Mississippi Valley -began to take notice, and make preparations against raids by gangs of -daring yeggmen; so that the lesson was going to prove of great value to -the community. - -Of course we shall hope and expect to meet Jack, George, Josh, Andy, -Herb, and last but far from least, genial Buster, again before a great -while; when possibly they will be starting out once more on some -adventurous trip that would deserve being written up. Until that time -let it be only goodnight, and not good-bye. - -The End. - - - - -The Aeroplane Series - -By JOHN LUTHER LANGWORTHY - - 1. The Aeroplane Boys; or, The Young Pilots First Air Voyage - - 2. The Aeroplane Boys on the Wing; or, Aeroplane Chums in the - Tropics - - 3. The Aeroplane Boys Among the Clouds; or, Young Aviators in a - Wreck - - 4. The Aeroplane Boys' Flights; or A Hydroplane Round-up - - 5. The Aeroplane Boys on a Cattle Ranch - - -The Girl Aviator Series - -By MARGARET BURNHAM - -Just the type of books that delight and fascinate the wide awake Girls -of the present day who are between the ages of eight and fourteen years. -The great author of these books regards them as the best products of her -pen. Printed from large clear type on a superior quality of paper; -attractive multi-color jacket wrapper around each book. Bound in cloth. - - 1. The Girl Aviators and the Phantom Airship - - 2. The Girl Aviators on Golden Wings - - 3. The Girl Aviators' Sky Cruise - - 4. The Girl Aviators' Motor Butterfly. - -_For sale by all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of 75c._ - - M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY - 701-733 S. DEARBORN STREET :: CHICAGO - - - - - Transcriber's Notes: - - --Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - --Punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently corrected. - - --Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - --Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - - --The name of the Irish lad, known alternatively as Jimmie, Jimmy, - and Andy, has been retained as in the original. - - --The name of the fat lad, known alternatively as Nick/Buster, and - Bumpus, has been retained as in the original. - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's Motor Boat Boys' River Chase, by Louis Arundel - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MOTOR BOAT BOYS' RIVER CHASE *** - -***** This file should be named 42019.txt or 42019.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/2/0/1/42019/ - -Produced by Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed -Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - -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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