Part 6 (1/2)

”Well, get the engines together!” ordered the giant.

”There are parts missing,” Clay answered. ”One of the boys has gone to New Madrid for repairs. She won't run a foot without them.”

Sam and the giant conversed together for a moment, and then the former called out to Mose, emphasizing his words with a threatening gesture:

”Here, c.o.o.n!” he shouted. ”Can you swim?”

”Ah sho' can,” was the reply.

”Then jump ash.o.r.e and take this dog with you. If I ever see either of you again I'll take your hides off!”

”It would improve matters to hold 'em under a while!” he added, angrily.

”I won't have it,” the giant returned. ”No murder for me!”

”You'll see what'll come of lettin' 'em go!” Sam warned.

”Git!” ordered the big fellow, in a not unkind tone, and Mose, nothing loth, gathered the dog in his arms and leaped into the bayou.

Clay almost held his breath for a moment, until he saw that the cold water had revived the dog, and that he was swimming. Then his attention was attracted to the outlaws, who were, with pole and oar, edging the _Rambler_ out into the river.

He believed that the boat would be wrecked the moment it, helpless, struck the ma.s.s of floodwood sweeping down. Presently he felt the push of the current, and the boat went whirling down stream, tipping from side to side as she spun around, helpless in the current.

Then a great tree struck the stern and half capsized her. The end seemed at hand.

CHAPTER VI

CAPTAIN JOE MAKES A HIT

While the _Rambler_, in charge of reckless river pirates, was swinging down with the current, threatening to capsize every instant, Alex. and Jule sat flat on a rotten, yielding floor somewhere in the interior of the deserted house, feeling tenderly over their limbs to see if they had received severe injuries during the fall from the room where they had been so inhospitably welcomed by the aged man.

The boys had not fallen far. In fact, it seemed to them that they had only slid down a gentle incline to the story below. A hatch in the floor in front of the hearth had been dropped back, and their chairs had slid into a chute which seemed, from its smoothness, to be in frequent use.

For a minute the boys were alarmed, excited, angry, then the humor of their sudden removal from the apartment above appealed to them. Alex.

was first to speak.

”Vot iss?” he exclaimed. ”This must be a page of a comic section in one of the Chicago newspapers. How many legs and arms have you broken?”

”Not a one!” answered Jule. ”What kind of hospital treatment do you require?”

”If I felt any better,” laughed Alex., ”I wouldn't know what to take for it.”

It was dark as pitch where the boys were, and they felt about until their hands touched. The personal contact gave them new courage.

”What do you make of it?” asked Jule. ”This doesn't look good to me!”

”We've simply b.u.t.ted in on some other fellow's game,” Alex. replied.

”We seem to have visited a crank who thinks it best to be prepared in advance for unwelcome guests.”