They continued to move forward until some fallen trees all but barred their further progress. Then they came to a small rise of ground—a veritable island in this swamp,—and reaching the highest point, gazed around them.
"What is that?" asked Sam, pointing with his hand to a round, black object showing above some bushes at a distance.
"Why, that looks like the smokestack of the houseboat!" cried Tom. He meant the stack to the chimney, for several rooms of the houseboat were furnished with stoves, to be used when the weather was chilly.
"We'll soon make certain," said Dick. "Forward, everybody!"
"Be careful!" cautioned Harold Bird. "Remember, you have desperate characters with whom to deal."
"Isn't everybody armed?" asked Sam. "I brought my pistol."
All were armed, and each took out his weapon and carried it in his hand. They wanted no shooting, but, after the killing of the dog, decided to take no chances.
It was no light task to reach the spot where the smokestack had been seen. They had another creek to cross and then had to crawl through some extra-thick bushes. But beyond was a stretch of clear water, and there they saw, safely tied to two trees, the object of their search, the missing houseboat.