Part 7 (2/2)

”I guess I know that inquisitive snort!” Alex. went on. ”Besides, I told you that the dog would find some way to get to us!”

”Aw, Clay sent him!” declared Jule. ”He never found his way here alone.”

”The boys may be with him,” Alex. suggested, as the sound came again.

”I hope he won't make enough noise to disturb his nibs, over in the corner. Good old dog!”

After a time they heard the patter of the dog's feet, and then the guard whistled softly, as if attempting to make friends with whatever animal was approaching.

”Come here, you foolish dog!” he said. ”Why don't you come in out of the dark?”

The pat-pat of the dog's soft feet came nearer, and the guard spoke again:

”How the Old Harry did you get in here?” he demanded. ”Whose dog are you, anyway?”

The dog growled and there came a flash of light. The guard, becoming afraid of this thing which had found its way into a room supposed to be secure from intrusion, and had switched on the electric.

The light revealed the two prisoners, grouped together in the middle of the room, the old man, standing with weapon extended and with staring eyes, Captain Joe all ready for a spring, an open window, and, lastly, the black face of Mose overlooking the scene with eyes which seemed too large for his head!

”Get him, Joe!” cried both boys in unison.

The light dropped as the dog leaped, and a revolver clattered to the floor. Alex. had hold of the dog in an instant, his other hand reaching for the rolling flashlight.

”Don't eat him up, Joe!” the boy said, tearing the dog away from the fallen man. Captain Joe fell away with a sullen growl.

”The brute has bitten my arm!” the old man moaned.

”If you remain quiet,” Alex. said, ”you won't have any more wounds to complain of. We'll just tie you up and get out! After we are gone some one will come and let you out. What sort of a place is this, anyway?”

The old man groaned and made no reply, so the boys secured him and crept out of the window into the darkness.

CHAPTER VII

SEARCHING FOR THE _RAMBLER_

Case found the walking fairly good and reached New Madrid shortly before noon, having started about 8 o'clock. He procured the supplies for which he had been sent and then sought the hotel and partook of an excellent dinner.

”Now,” he thought, ”shall I walk back to the _Rambler_ to-night, or shall I remain here and look over the town?”

The question was soon decided, for all there was of the town could be seen in a very short time. At 1 o'clock he started back to the motor boat. At 5 o'clock, just as the sun was setting, he came to the bayou where the _Rambler_ had been anch.o.r.ed.

There was no boat there. The night was falling fast, and the bayou and the river were dimly seen through a slight mist. The boy stood on the bank of the bayou for a long time, studying the situation.

”There's something wrong!” he decided. ”The motors could never have been forced into motion with the parts missing! The boys would never attempt to drift down, for the river is still filled with drifting timbers and wrecks of houses and barns.

”And even if they should have decided to change locations, notwithstanding the peril of the undertaking, they would never have gone away without leaving some one here to notify me of the new position!”

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