"Why don't you call up the police? You can do it on the telephone."
"Have you a telephone here?"
"Of course."
Dick went to the telephone and told the officer in charge at the station what had occurred.
"I'll send two men at once," said the officer over the wire; and in five minutes the policemen appeared.
Again there was a search, not only of the box factory, but also of the whole neighborhood, but no trace of Dan Baxter or Lew Flapp could be found.
Having bathed their hurts, both Sam and Tom felt better, and all three of the Rovers walked to the police station with the policemen, and there told the full particulars of their story.
"You were certainly in hard luck," said the police captain, who happened to be in charge. "I'll do what I can to round these rascals up." But nothing came of this, for both Baxter and Flapp left Penwick that very night.
When the Rover boys returned to the houseboat, it was long after midnight, but none on board had gone to bed. The Stanhopes and Lanings had come back, bringing their friends with them, and all had been surprised to find the Rovers absent. After remaining on the houseboat a couple of hours the friends had gone home again.
"Something is wrong; I can see it in your looks, Dick," said Dora, as she came to him.