Part 22 (2/2)

”But where is Bim? Is it possible that we have left him behind?”

For a moment no one answered. Then Winn said: ”That's what Glen and I were ash.o.r.e for. We are afraid he is lost.”

”Lost! Bim wouldn't get lost! He has too much sense.”

”I expect he is this time, though,” said Glen, ”and we don't believe he will ever be found again, either.” Then he told of Bim's rus.h.i.+ng ash.o.r.e, the smothered yelp, the loud splash that followed, and of their unsuccessful search for him in the darkness. ”So it looks as though the poor dog were done for,” concluded Glen, ”and I expect it was by a trick of those same fellows who tried to capture the raft.”

Billy Brackett listened closely, without a word, and when he had heard all there was to tell, he turned abruptly away and walked into the ”shanty,” muttering through his clinched teeth, ”The scoundrels.”

It certainly would have gone hard with the ”river-traders” could the stalwart young engineer have laid hands on them at that moment.

CHAPTER x.x.xIV.

A BLAZE ON THE RIVER.

As Messrs. Plater and Grimshaw will not appear again in this story, it may be as well to dismiss them at once. The well-conceived and desperate effort to gain possession of the raft just described was their last attempt in that direction. They had watched Billy Brackett leave it, had enticed the ever-faithful Bim from it, and when, from a place of concealment, they heard two of its remaining defenders go ash.o.r.e in search of the brave dog, their satisfaction was complete.

Now they were sure of the prize for which they were willing to risk so much. Stealing silently to the raft without attracting Binny Gibbs's attention, they leaped aboard, proceeded to dispose of him, and at the same time to set the _Venture_ adrift. Had not Binney's shout guided Solon to the scene, success would have crowned their efforts.

The old negro was not a fighter by nature, but in defence of those he loved he could be bold as a lion. Consequently he rushed to the rescue of the boy whom he supposed was Winn Caspar without hesitation, and careless of the odds against him. His coming, followed so quickly by that of Billy Brackett and the arrival of the two boys, turned the tide of battle. Glen and Winn were compelled to plunge overboard and swim for the raft, as it was already a rod or so from sh.o.r.e when they regained the place where it had been tied.

The ”river-traders” were unwillingly compelled to take the same plunge a moment later, and as they swam towards the sh.o.r.e, which, fortunately for them, was still near at hand, their hearts were filled with bitterness at their defeat, while plans for future vengeance were already forming in their minds. But these were never carried out, for the reason that, as they were making their dripping way into town, they came across the mob bent on a deed of destruction that they themselves had instigated. With it was Joe Riley, the operator, and as these were the very men he was most desirous of meeting just then, he persuaded his a.s.sociates to devote a few minutes of attention to them.

As a result of this interview with one who knew so much about them and their business, their career as ”river-traders” ended then and there.

A few days later they left Cairo in company with Sheriff Riley, of Dubuque, who had come down the river on purpose to escort them north.

Why they had been so anxious to recover possession of the _Venture_ was for a long time an unsolved puzzle to the crew of that interesting raft. That the reason was finally explained will be made as clear to us as it was to our raft mates before the end of this story of their unique voyage down the great river. When it is, we shall probably wonder, as they did, that so simple a solution of the mystery had not occurred to us before.

In the mean time the raft, once more in full possession of its rightful crew, is gliding swiftly with the mighty current through the starlit darkness. Billy Brackett, with a heart full of sorrow over the loss of his four-footed but dearly loved companion, is on watch. The lantern, lighted and run to the top of the flag-staff, sends forth a clear beam of warning to all steamboats. In the ”shanty,” which looks very bright and cosey in comparison with the outside darkness, Binney Gibbs is lying comfortably in one of the bunks, Solon is making himself acquainted with the arrangements of his new galley, and the other two are changing their wet clothing, while carrying on an animated conversation regarding the stirring events just recorded.

”How jolly this would all be if it wasn't for poor Billy's melancholy over the loss of his dog,” remarked Glen Elting, as he turned the steaming garments hanging in front of the galley stove. ”It was a splendid start, wasn't it, Grip?”

”Yes, I suppose so,” answered Binney, a little doubtfully; ”though I don't believe it would seem quite so fine to you if you ached all over as I do.”

”Perhaps not, old man. But you'll be all right again to-morrow, after a good night in 'dream-bags;' and anyway, you must admit that this beats steamboating all to nothing. Just think, if we hadn't been lucky enough to fall in with this blessed raft, and Billy and Winn, and all the rest, we should at this very moment be just ordinary ten-o'clock-at-night pa.s.sengers, s.h.i.+vering on the Cairo wharf-boat, and waiting for the New Orleans packet to come along. She's due there some time this evening, yon know.”

”Yes; and instead of that, here I am--”

”Here you are,” interrupted Glen, seeing that his friend was about to utter a complaint; ”and thankful you ought to be to find yourself here, too. Why, we'll be as merry as this muddy old river is long, as soon as Billy ceases to mourn for his dog. I'm a little surprised that he should take it so much to heart, though. It isn't like Billy B. to be cast down over trifles.”

”Trifles!” cried Winn. ”When you call dear old Bim a 'trifle,' you are making one of the big mistakes of your life, and you wouldn't do it either if you had known him as well as I did. There never was another dog like him for wisdom and gentleness and pluck and--well, and everything that makes a dog lovely. Why, that Bim would reason his way out of sc.r.a.pes that would stump a man, and the word 'fear' was never printed in his dictionary. Somehow I can't help thinking that he'll turn up all right, bright and smiling, yet.”

”I don't see how,” said Glen.

”Neither can I, and I don't suppose I could if I were in his place; but unless Bim is uncommonly dead, I'll guarantee that he'll come to life again somehow and somewhere. In fact, I shouldn't be one bit surprised to see him aboard this very raft again before our voyage is ended.”

”I must confess that I should,” said Glen.

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