Arthur M. Winfield

“ The bob cat was indeed dead and near it lay the dog, with a deep scratch in its foreshoulder.
"Noble Dandy, you did what you could," said Harold Bird, affectionately.
Very gingerly Tom and Dick picked up the carcass of the bob cat and threw it overboard. By this time the launch had drifted a good fifty feet from shore, and there they anchored.
"Keep that lantern lit," said Fred. "I can't stand the darkness after such doings!"
"If those thieves are around they must have heard the shots," said Sam. "So a light won't make much difference." ”

“ THE HOUSEBOAT IN THE BUSHES
With the coming of morning the mist cleared away as if by magic, and soon the warm sunshine put all on board of the gasoline launch in better spirits.
"How is the dog?" questioned Dick, of the owner of the canine.
"He has been pretty well mauled up, but I think he'll come around with proper attention," answered the young Southerner. "He is a valuable animal—valuable to me because he was a pet of my father—and I'd hate to lose him." ”

“ Dick could say little more just then and did not try. Sam and Tom made him as comfortable as possible and found he had suffered only from the fall of the topmast and not the lightning stroke itself.
"If Hans felt a little better he might look after Dick, but he is still as sick as ever," said Tom. "He declares we are all going to the bottom and he doesn't care if we do!"
"That's the way with folks who are real seasick," answered Sam. "They feel so utterly miserable they don't care what happens." ”

“ Not far behind were Hans and Harold Bird.
"A bob cat! Look out for him!" cried Fred.
"Protect us!" put in Songbird. "We are helpless!"
"See, they are tied to the trees!" exclaimed Tom. "What does this mean?"
"I see the bob cat!" said Sam Rover, and without ado fired up into the tree. Down came the beast, spitting viciously and clawing the air, to fall at Tom's feet. Bang! went Tom's pistol and then all of the others fired, and almost as quick as I can tell it the beast lay dead where it had fallen. Then the boys looked around for other bob cats, but none showed themselves. ”

“ ON A GULF STEAMER
"Well, now for a life on the ocean wave!" came from Tom.
"Und a houses on der rollings deeps," put in Hans.
"And may the enemy be captured in short order," came from Harold Bird.
"All well enough to hope that, but I am afraid we have some work before us, perhaps something we won't like," said Dick, seriously. "Those men know that the prison is staring them in the face, and they will do all in their power to escape. If cornered they may put up a stiff fight." ”

“ The meal, slim as it was, put all on board the houseboat in better humor, and as he washed the dishes Hans hummed a little German ditty to himself. Soon the small lake was left behind, and they found themselves skirting the upper shore of Lake Sico. Nothing was in sight on the broad bosom of this body of water.
"Can the launch be in hiding in some cove?" asked Sam. "We don't want any more tricks played on us."
"It is possible," answered Harold Bird. "Still I think our wisest course will be to get to the river as soon as possible. ”

“ It is a very broad and shallow sheet of water, and is reached by a narrow and tortuous bayou all of four miles long. One end of the lake is a perfect wilderness of bushes and brake—an ideal hiding-place for the houseboat."
"Then perhaps we had better explore the lake," said Tom.
"There is only one objection," answered Dick. "If the houseboat is not there, we'll be losing a lot of valuable time."
"Is the entrance to the bayou very narrow?" asked Tom. "For if it is, the houseboat would be apt to strike the mud shore and leave marks." ”

“ But Tom felt "shaky in the legs," as he termed it, for some hours afterwards.
"I suppose I should have tested all those pipes and valves as soon as I had just a little steam," said the fun-loving Rover. "There is where I wasn't a good engineer. Well, one thing is certain, nothing gave way but the single pipe."
"And that could happen on any steamer," answered Dick. "Any engine is liable to a breakdown of this kind. The question is, Are we machinists enough to repair the break? If we are not, then we'll have to let the steam power go and hoist some sails." ”

“ IN THE ENGINE ROOM
After the bold declaration of Gasper Pold there was an awkward pause. Dick and Tom did not know what to do and neither did the party at the top of the engine-room ladder.
"Are you going to give in or not?" demanded Sack Todd, at length.
"Why should we give in?" asked Dick.
"Because if you do, we'll treat you well."
"And if we don't——" came from Tom.
"Then you'll have to take the consequences. As Baxter says, we are six to two, so it is all nonsense for you to think you can hold out against us." ”

“ At this announcement the boys looked questioningly at each other.
"It may be true," said Dick. "I shouldn't want the man to die just because we had refused him water."
"It may be a trick, just to get the hatch open again," put in Dan Baxter. "If I were you I wouldn't trust them. I know that crowd better than you do."
"You can have water in the morning," called down Dick. "In the meantime you keep quiet and do what you can for Todd. If you don't keep quiet you'll get the worst of it."
"Wait till I get my hands on you!" came in the hoarse voice of Sack Todd. "I'll pulverize you!" ”

“ With the coming of night the storm appeared to increase. It was pitch-black on every side and Dick did not dare to run the Mermaid at more than quarter speed—just enough to keep her from swinging around broadside to the storm. All the lanterns were lit and hung up, Sam doing this with an oilsilk coat around him—a garment found in one of the staterooms. Yet he came in pretty wet.
"It's a screamer," he announced to Tom, as he dried himself by the boiler. "Never knew they could have such storms down here."
"They have storms all over the world," answered Tom. "What is Dick doing?" ”

“ I haven't had any real comfort for months."
"I don't believe a criminal ever feels real comfortable," said Tom. "How can he, when he knows the officers of the law are constantly after him?"
"There is something in that. When I go to bed I generally dream of being caught and dragged to prison. And those men always wanted me to drink, and I don't care much for liquor."
"Then cut it out—cut it out by all means," said Dick. "You can't do better."
"And there is another thing," went on Dan Baxter. "I don't feel well—everything I eat lately goes against me, and sometimes I'm in a regular fever. ”

“ As they reached one of the streets they heard a cheerful whistle.
"That's Dick!" said Sam. "He won't whistle so happily when he learns the news."
"Hullo!" came from Dick Rover, as he caught sight of his brothers. "What brings you back so soon?"
"Thought you were going to stay on the house boat until we got there," added Fred Garrison, who, with Hans Mueller, accompanied the eldest Rover.
"There is no houseboat to stay on," answered Tom. ”

“ Hans fell to tending the fire and Sam took turns with Dick at the wheel.
"We ought to sight some kind of land by to-morrow," said the eldest Rover. "But of course there is no telling where we will fetch up, exactly."
"Somewhere on the coast of Florida, and not very many miles from Tampa Bay, I reckon," returned Sam. "By the way, Dick, don't you think the rascals on the Dogstar have had ample time in which to make their escape?"
"Perhaps so. But the storm may have crippled them, and we may overtake them even yet. A sailing vessel can't make the speed a steamer or a steam yacht can." ”

“ It was no easy matter to get the three Rovers and Hans on deck and to the staterooms. Here our friends were placed two on a berth, and, for the time being, left to themselves.
"Boys, we have had a narrow escape," whispered Dick, when he at last thought it safe to speak.
"That's the truth," came from Sam. "And we have Dan Baxter to thank for it!" he added. "I can't understand that part of it."
"I think I can," answered Tom. "Baxter is bad enough, but he didn't go in for poisoning us. I am glad to know he isn't quite so heartless as that."
"Dem fellers ought to be all hung, ain't it!" ”

“ Then she gave Dick a look that meant a good deal, and they understood each other perfectly, and both went in to breakfast feeling very happy.
In the meantime Sam and Tom had been out on a side veranda with Grace and Nellie. Tom was as full of fun as ever and kept the two girls in a roar of laughter. Yet both girls grew serious when the time for parting came.
"You look out for yourself," said Grace. "Remember, those men are bad characters to meet." ”

“ Dick had tried the wheel, to find it in the best of order. It thrilled him to take hold of the spokes and make the steam yacht answer to his will.
"I don't wonder some men wish to be pilots," he had said. "It's great to have a big steamer do just as you want her to." Then he had run the vessel around in the form of the figure 8, just to "get the knack of it," as he said.
"Shall we start for land in such a storm as this?" asked Sam. "It might drive us up on the rocks somewhere."
"We're a good way from land, Sam. Let us see what the storm will do first." ”

“ Then he looked around again, but the deck of the Mermaid appeared to be deserted.
"I'm going to see what has become of Sam!" he shouted down the tube. "I'll tie the wheel fast."
"Keep out of trouble!" shouted back Tom. "If I don't hear from you pretty quick I'll be up myself," he added.
With his hand on his pistol, Dick left the wheelhouse and walked slowly and cautiously toward the waist of the steam yacht. As he rounded a corner of the cabin he heard a murmur of voices, and the next moment he found himself confronted by Pold, Todd, the mate of the Dogstar, and Dan Baxter. ”

“ The bob cat rolled over and over, clawing at the rubber cloth and ripping it to shreds. The boys tried to get another shot, but did not dare to fire for fear of hitting each other. But the dog leaped in and caught the bob cat by the back of the neck, and an instant later cat and canine went whirling over the side of the boat into the waters of the lake.
"They are overboard!" cried Sam.
"Make a light, somebody!" yelled Songbird. "It isn't safe in the dark."
The acetylene gas lamp of the launch was ready for use, and striking a match Harold Bird lit it. ”

“ Sack Todd, Gasper Pold, Sid Jeffers, and the two sailors were locked up. Nobody attempted to have Dan Baxter arrested, nor did the former bully of Putnam Hall try to run away.
"I have made up my mind to take my medicine and I am going to do it," he said, almost stubbornly.
"What a change in him!" was Tom's comment. "The fellows at Putnam Hall won't believe it when we tell them."
"Here is the whole thing in a nutshell," said Sam. "Dan has found out that there is absolutely no happiness or satisfaction in being dishonest. Even when he had money he didn't enjoy it—he told me so himself. ”