"I don't know yet—probably go down the river and look for the Dora.
She is so large they can't hide her very well."
"Maybe the current of the river carried her away and the planter got scared and left," suggested Songbird. "You'll remember, she broke away once before."
"She couldn't break away—she was tied up good and tight," answered
Sam, decidedly.
"Well, if you cannot find the houseboat, we'll have to go home from here instead of from New Orleans," said Mrs. Stanhope. "That will shorten our trip somewhat but not a great deal. But I hope, for your uncle's sake, that you get his property back."
"We'll do that, or know the reason why," answered Sam.
"What's this trouble about your houseboat?" asked the storekeeper, who had caught part of the conversation.
"It's missing."
"So you said. Too bad!"
"Do you know the planter who had charge of the craft?" went on Sam.
"He was tall and thin and went by the name of Gasper Pold."
"What, did you leave your boat with that man? You should have known better. Didn't you know Pold was an old lottery sharp?"