"Oh, I see." And after that Lew Flapp felt somewhat relieved.
When the houseboat was well away from Skemport, Dan Baxter walked to the door of the stateroom in which Dora and Nellie had been confined.
"Hullo, in there!" he called out.
"What do you want?" asked Dora, timidly.
"How is that other girl, all right?"
"Ye—yes," came from Nellie. "But, oh! Mr. Baxter, what does this mean?"
"Don't grow alarmed. I'm not going to hurt you in the least."
"Yes, but—but—we don't want to go with you."
"I'm sorry, but I can't help that. If we let you go ashore you'll tell the Rovers that we took the houseboat."—"
"And is that why you took us along?" questioned Dora.