"Want to take those fellows on board?" questioned the captain of the schooner.
"No! no!" cried Josiah Crabtree. "Tell the captain of the tug to hurry up! That we er—that we must make better time!"
"I will, sir," said the captain of the schooner, and hurried forward to give the necessary order.
A big steamboat was passing up the river and the wash from this sent the rowboat containing the Rover boys dancing up and down. The lads at the oars headed the craft to meet the rollers, and the schooner passed further and further away.
"They are leaving us!" groaned Sam. "Oh, what luck!"
"Mr. Rover!" yelled Dick, at the top of his lungs. "Are you on board? Rover! Anderson Rover! It's Dick! Dick!"
For fully a minute no answer came back. Then there was a commotion on the deck of the schooner and a man appeared, clad in a torn suit of clothing and hatless.
"Dick! Where are you?" was the exclamation, and the man rushed to the stern of the craft. "Dick! And Tom and Sam! Help me!"
"It's father!" yelled Dick. "Stop that schooner! Stop her, I say!"
"Get back there!" exclaimed Josiah Crabtree, catching Mr. Rover by the arm. "Get back, I say! Help me, somebody! This man is crazy!"