"Everything is coming our way," chuckled Dan Baxter, with a wicked grin on his scarred face. "Flapp, the coast is almost clear."
"Almost, but not quite. That captain is still on board."
"Oh, that chap is a dough-head. We can easily make him do what we want."
"Don't be too sure. He might watch 'his chance and knock us both overboard."
"Well, I know how to fix him. I'll send him a message to come here—that Dick Rover wants him. When he comes we can bind him fast with this old harness and leave him here. Then we will have the houseboat all to ourselves."
"And after that, what?"
"We'll drop down the river a way. Then we can paint a new name on the boat, get a steam tug, and make off for the Mississippi,—and the Rovers and their friends can go to grass."
This programme looked inviting to Flapp, and when Dan Baxter wrote a note to the captain of the Dora he volunteered to deliver it. He found Captain Starr on the front deck of the houseboat smoking his corncob as usual.
The captain had one of his peculiar moods on him, and it took a minute or two for Flapp to make him understand about the note. But he fell into the trap with ease and readily consented to follow the young rascal to the stable.
As he entered the open doorway, Dan Baxter came at him from behind, hitting him in the head with a stout stick. The captain went down half stunned.