Part 17 (1/2)
A line was thrown out and made fast, and in a few minutes the houseboat was freed from the sunken tree. Then steamboat and houseboat swung around and the journey to Baraville was begun. It did not take long, and by half-past ten o'clock the _Dora_ was tied up at the town levee, much to the astonishment of many colored folks who had never seen such a craft.
The Rovers' first movement was to ask if the launch had stopped there, and from a colored riverman they learned that the _Venus_ had come in very early in the morning and had left again after those on board had gotten breakfast and a box of things--what the negro did not know.
”I heah dem folks talk erbout New Orleans,” said the colored man. ”I dun 'spect da gone dat way fo' certainly, I do!”
”Did you see the launch leave?” asked Sam.
”I suah did--an' a mighty po'erful smell dat boat did leab behind it!”
”That was the gasoline,” said Fred, laughing.
”I 'spect it was, yes, sah,” answered the colored man.
”If they went to New Orleans then we ought to go too--and be quick about it,” said d.i.c.k.
”Don't you want to send some word to the ladies and the girls first?”
asked Harold Bird.
”To be sure. We can send a telegram for all, and then send letters, too.”
This was done, and the ladies and girls were told not to be alarmed--that all were satisfied everything would come out right in the end.
”No use of worrying them,” said Tom. ”They can worry after all the trouble is over,” and at this quaint remark the others had to smile.
How to get down the river was at first a problem, but it was soon settled by d.i.c.k and Harold Bird. It was decided to leave the houseboat in the care of a trustworthy person at Baraville and then charter the small steamboat for the trip to New Orleans. As the captain wanted to go down the river anyway he made the charge for the charter very small, and before noon the craft was on her journey.
Fortunately for our friends the weather remained fine, and had they not been worried over the outcome of what was before them, they would have enjoyed the brief trip on the small steamboat very much. The captain had heard of the capture of the counterfeiters and was surprised to learn that the Rover boys had been the ones to aid in the round-up.
”You've got courage,” said he. ”I admire what you did. But if I were you I'd fight shy of that Sack Todd. He'll certainly have it in for you, for having broken up that gang.”
”I only want to lay my hands on him, that's all,” answered d.i.c.k. ”I am not afraid of him.”
”And that Gasper Pold is a bad one too,” went on the captain. ”I heard about him down in New Orleans. He cheated a lot of people with lottery tickets and policy-playing once, and they got after him hot-footed, and he had to clear out and lay low for awhile.”
”Well, in one way the folks who are foolish enough to invest in lottery tickets or play policy deserve to lose their money,” put in Sam.
”You are right, lad,--gambling is nothing short of a curse and n.o.body ought to stand for it. Why, on this very river men have been ruined by gambling, and some have committed suicide and others have become murderers, all because of cards--and drink. One is as bad as the other, and both as bad as can be.”
”Of course they don't gamble as they used to,” came from Harold Bird.
”The times have changed a great deal for the better.”
CHAPTER XIII
THE CAPTURE OF SOLLY JACKSON
The Rover boys and their friends from Putnam Hall had never been as far south as New Orleans before, and they viewed the city and its approaches with deep interest. The levees were piled high with cotton, mola.s.ses, and other commodities, and more activity was shown than they had witnessed since leaving the Ohio.
The small steamboat had a regular landing-place, but under orders from d.i.c.k and Harold Bird the captain took her up and down the levees and also to the other side of the stream. All on board kept their eyes open for a possible view of the launch, but nothing was seen of the _Venus_.