Edward Stratemeyer

“ 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."
"Yes, I shouldn't want you to get hurt for the world," added Nellie, and when she shook hands with Tom there was something like a tear in her eye. ”

“ 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 houseboat until we got there," added Fred Garrison, who, with Hans Mueller, accompanied the eldest Rover.
"There is no houseboat to stay on," answered Tom.
"What!"
"The houseboat is gone—and so is that planter who said he'd take care of her."
"Mine cracious me!" burst out Hans Mueller. "You ton't tole me alretty!" ”

“ The evildoers were taken somewhat by surprise and halted in confusion. In the semi-darkness Dick saw that one carried a gag and cloth and the two others ropes.
"There he is!" faltered Dan Baxter, before he had time to think.
"No, you don't!" cried Dick, stepping back several paces. "What were you going to do?" he demanded.
"We want to talk to you," answered Sack Todd, smoothly.
"What do you want? Stand back! I don't want any of you to come closer." ”

“ Dandy was breathing his last, and in a minute it was all over.
"Poor fellow!" murmured the young Southerner, and there were tears in his eyes. "First the bob cats and now a pistol bullet! Oh, if I can only catch the rascal who fired that shot I'll make him suffer for this!"
"The fellow killed the dog, so the animal could not trail him," said
Dick. "It was certainly a dirty trick."
"It shows that the man is a criminal," put in Tom. "He would not be afraid of us if he was honest."
"And therefore it must have been Gasper Pold or Solly Jackson," said Sam. ”

“ We were wild to know what had become of you, and so we chartered this tug and began a hunt. You were lucky to be picked up by such a nice craft as this."
"We weren't picked up,—we picked ourselves up," answered Dick.
"Why, what do you mean?" asked Harold Bird, in puzzled tones.
"We found this steam yacht on the water deserted—not a soul on board."
"You don't mean it!" ejaculated Fred. "What's her name?"
"The Mermaid."
"Creation!" shouted Harold Bird. "Why, that's the steam yacht was advertised in all the newspapers some weeks ago. ”

“ CHAPTER XIV 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."
"Well, we can put up a fight too," answered Sam. ”

“ For the instant Dick did not know what to do, then he stepped backward and at the same time attempted to draw his pistol.
"No, you don't!" yelled Gasper Pold, and aimed a blow at Dick's head with an iron bar he carried.
Had the blow landed as intended, the eldest Rover might have had his skull crushed in. But as the iron bar was descending Dan Baxter made a quick jump to Pold's side, gave him a shove and hurled him flat.
"Stop it!" cried the former bully of Putnam Hall. "Do you hear? Do you want to kill somebody?"
"So you're against us, eh?" yelled Sack Todd. "Well, we'll fix you!" ”

“ He was in a terrible fury.
"If you blow up the ship, you'll go up with her," answered Sam.
"Gracious, vill da do dot?" asked Hans, in alarm.
"No, they'll not be so foolish," answered Tom. "They value their worthless hides too much."
"You've nearly killed Sack Todd and we'll have you arrested for it," went on Gasper Pold.
"You'll be nearly killed if you don't look out," answered Dick. "We are in possession and we mean to keep in possession."
"You can't run the boat without the engine." ”

“ Southerner.
It was nightfall by the time the launch was clear of the bayou. In front of them lay the calm waters of Lake Sico—a shallow expanse, with mud flats at one side and a wilderness of trees, bushes, and wild canebrake at the other. They shut off the power and listened. Not a sound broke the stillness.
"Talk about solitude," was Tom's comment. "Here is where you can chop it out with an ax!"
"It's enough to make one shiver," added Fred.
Just then the dog Harold Bird had brought along set up a mournful howl.
"Even the dog doesn't like it," said Songbird. ”

“ 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."
Leaving Dick on the couch in the cabin, Sam returned to the wheelhouse and Tom to the engine room. ”

“ Have you any idea who is guilty, sah?"
"I have," answered Dick, and told what he knew.
"A bad man, sah, that Gasper Pold—ought to have been arrested long ago, sah, yes, sah. But nobody would make a complaint—all afraid of a shooting—very quick man to draw a pistol, yes, sah."
"That's interesting," said Tom. "He'll be a fine man to confront, if we catch up to him."
The chief of police said he would do anything he could, but in the end refused to leave Shapette, and so did nothing. ”

“ Then Sack Todd drew his pistol.
"Hi, there!" he yelled. "Keep your distance, if you know when you are well off!"
"They know us right enough," murmured Tom. "And they mean to fight!"
"Go ahead,—we can't afford to land around here!" said Gasper Pold, to Baxter, who had been running the motor of the launch. And soon the power was turned on and the launch started down the river faster than ever.
"They are running away from us!" ejaculated Dick. "Oh, what luck!"
"Stop!" yelled Sam. "Stop, or we'll fire at you!"
"That's the talk," said Harold Bird. ”

“ It was not so easy for Hans to get up and Tom at the top and Dick at the bottom had to aid him. Then Sam went up like a monkey, and the eldest Rover followed, and the crates and boxes, with the campstool, were allowed to drift away.
Once on board the steam yacht the Rovers and Hans looked around with keen curiosity. Not a soul was on deck, in the upper cabin, or in the tiny wheelhouse. ”

“ 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?" ”

“ 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." ”

“ The castaways continued to call out and in the meantime brought their rude raft close to the side of the steam yacht. As the vessel slipped past them slowly, they threw a bit of rope to the rudder post and made fast.
"Everybody must be below and asleep," said Dick, "although I never before heard of such strange proceedings."
"Nor I," came from Sam. "But the question is, Are we going on board or not?"
"Are we? Of course we are!" burst out Tom. ”

“ Crouching down between some bushes was a bob cat larger than either of those that had been killed the night before.
"Oh!" cried Songbird. "Scat!"
At the cry the bob cat turned and disappeared into the bushes like a flash. But then they heard it leap into a tree, and the rustling of the branches told them only too plainly that it was approaching closer and closer.
"This is—is awful!" groaned Fred. "It will surely pounce down and tear us to pieces. Help! help, somebody! Help!"
Songbird joined in the cry and the forest rang loudly with the sounds of their voices. ”

“ And at this remark all of the others roared.
"I shouldn't mind our situation a bit if only we were certain the others were safe," remarked Dick, when they were dressing. "But when I think of Fred, Songbird, and Harold Bird—" He did not finish, but shook his head sorrowfully.
"It makes a fellow sick, doesn't it?" returned Sam. "Oh, I do hope they are safe!"
"I'll tell you one thing," came from Tom, walking up at this moment.
"This swim has made me as hungry as a bear." ”