Part 6 (1/2)

”Hurrah! she's moving!” cried Fred.

He was right, the _Venus_ was slowly but surely leaving the bank of mud. Suddenly she gave a twist and then ran backwards rapidly, and then the power was shut off again.

”Free at last!” cried Tom. ”Now what's the next move?”

”We must find the proper channel into the bayou,” answered the owner of the launch.

d.i.c.k and Tom went to the front with their poles and the power was turned to a slow speed forward. The Rovers felt their way in the water with the poles, calling to turn to the right or the left, as the case required. By this means they soon left the treacherous mud bars behind and reached a point where forward progress was more certain.

”Now then, let us look around and see if we can find any traces of the _Dora_,” said d.i.c.k.

”The houseboat couldn't have come over that spot--she would have been stuck sure,” said Fred.

”Years ago Solly Jackson used to be a riverman,” said Harold Bird.

”He would probably know exactly how to get the houseboat into the bayou. Gasper Pold couldn't run the craft himself, so he had to take in a fellow like Solly.”

As the gasoline launch entered the bayou all kept their eyes on the alert, and presently Songbird set up a shout:

”Look over yonder--there are some sort of marks on the bank!”

He was right, and they turned the launch in the direction indicated, advancing slowly. There was a sharp cut in the mud and also several pole holes which looked to be rather fresh. A few feet further on they came to a piece of a pole painted blue.

”That settles it,” exclaimed d.i.c.k. ”They certainly brought the houseboat in here. Our poles were painted blue, and that is a piece of one.”

”The very one I cracked in the storm,” added Sam.

”I can explain it,” said Harold Bird. ”They got the houseboat around the mud bars, but the force of the current, combined with the current in the bayou, swung the craft up against this bank. Then they had to pole the houseboat off.”

”But how did they go on, against the current from the lake?” asked Songbird.

”Pulled and poled the houseboat. Just wait and see if I am not right.”

They waited, and soon reached a point where one bank of the bayou was fairly firm. Here they could see footprints and the ”shaving” of a rope as it had pa.s.sed over the edge of the bank.

”We are on the right track,” said d.i.c.k. ”Now, all we have to do is to locate the houseboat and corner the rascals who stole her.”

”All!” cried Fred. ”I should say that was enough!”

”Especially if they offer to fight,” added Sam.

”It is a pity we can't come on them unawares,” said Tom. ”But that is impossible, for you can't run the launch without making a noise.”

”Maybe you don't besser git out dem bistols alretty,” came from Hans.

”Of da ton't gif ub ve plow der heads off, ain't it!”

”Yes, we may as well get out the firearms,” said d.i.c.k. ”The sight of the pistols may have a good effect. Perhaps the rascals will give up without fighting.”

The pistols were gotten out, and all of the youths saw to it that they were in perfect condition for immediate use. As he looked at the weapons Harold Bird shuddered.