Part 1 (1/2)

The Rover Boys in Southern Waters.

by Arthur M. Winfield.

INTRODUCTION

My Dear Boys: ”The Rover Boys in Southern Waters” is a complete story in itself but forms the eleventh volume of a line known by the general t.i.tle of ”The Rover Boys Series for Young Americans.”

Eleven volumes! Just think of it! What a great number to write about one set of young people and their doings! When I started out, as I have mentioned before, I thought to pen three volumes, possibly four.

I was not at all sure that the boys and girls would wish any of them.

But no sooner had I given them ”The Rover Boys at School” than there was a demand for ”The Rover Boys on the Ocean” and then ”The Rover Boys in the Jungle,” and then, year after year, there followed ”The Rover Boys Out West,” ”On the Great Lakes,” ”In the Mountains,” ”On Land and Sea,” ”In Camp,” ”On the River,” and ”On the Plains,” where we last met them.

In the present tale the scene is s.h.i.+fted to the lower Mississippi and then the Gulf of Mexico. As before, Sam, Tom, and d.i.c.k are introduced, along with a number of their friends, and all have a variety of adventures and not a little fun. While on the Gulf the boys discover a deserted steam yacht, board the craft, and try to ascertain who is the owner, and this leads to a mystery which I leave the pages that follow to unfold.

Once again I take the opportunity to thank the thousands of young folks all over our broad land who have signified their appreciation of my efforts to afford them amus.e.m.e.nt and at the same time teach a moral. Were it possible I should like nothing better than to write to each and shake everyone by the hand. But that is out of the question, so I can simply pen my thanks, and subscribe myself,

Affectionately and sincerely yours,

ARTHUR M. WINFIELD.

THE ROVER BOYS IN SOUTHERN WATERS

CHAPTER I

THE ROVER BOYS AND THEIR FRIENDS

”The houseboat is gone!”

”Tom, what do you mean?”

”I mean just what I say, Sam. The houseboat is gone--vanished, missing, disappeared, drifted away, stolen!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Tom Rover, excitedly.

”Tom, don't go on in such a crazy fas.h.i.+on. Do you mean to say the houseboat isn't where we left it?”

”It is not,--and it is nowhere in sight on the river,” returned Tom Rover. ”Come, we must tell d.i.c.k and the others about this.”

”But we left the _Dora_ in charge of that big planter last night,”

insisted the youngest of the Rover boys. ”He said he would take good care of the craft.”

”Well, he is gone too. I hunted high and low for the houseboat, and for that planter, but without success.”

”Maybe the boat drifted away, with the planter on board, Tom. The current has been pretty strong since those heavy rains.”

”She was tied up good and tight,” answered Tom Rover, his usually merry face wearing a troubled look. ”I can't understand it.”

”I must say I didn't like that planter's manner much. He looked to be rather a sly one. Come on, let us find d.i.c.k and the others at once,” went on Sam Rover. ”If the houseboat has been stolen we want to know it right away, so we can get on the trail of the thief.”