"If you do any firing, so will we!" came back from one of the persons on the Venus.
Then of a sudden the acetylene gas lamp was either turned off or its rays were hidden, for the launch was almost lost in the darkness of the night.
"They were trying to hide," said Fred. "And it looks as if they would succeed," he added, as the launch seemed to fade utterly from view.
"If we only had that gas lamp,—to keep them in view!" sighed Sam.
"Are you certain there is nothing of the kind on board?" questioned
Songbird. "Didn't you buy some rockets when we stopped at—"
"Sure I did!" shouted Dick. "Just the thing—if they are still on board. And they may be—for I put them in a closet we don't often use."
Dick started on a hunt and soon put in an appearance with several rockets, such as are generally used on a ship as a signal of distress.
"They'll be good in more ways than one," said Tom. "They will keep those rascals in sight and also let folks know that we need help."
"Py golly! Ve vill haf a regular Fourth of Chuly, hey?" came from Hans.
A rocket was placed in position at the bow end of the houseboat and the eldest Rover touched it off. It sizzed for an instant and then shot forward over the water in the direction of the gasoline launch, making the scene light for the time being. It came down just over the Venus' bow.