"It's a wretched piece of business," came from Dick. "Oh, if I can only lay my hands on them they shall suffer for it!"
"We must chase the houseboat, that's all I know to do," put in Tom.
"And the quicker we begin the better."
"That's easily said, Tom. How are we going to locate the craft in this mist? She may have gone up the stream and she may have gone down."
"More than likely she went down with the current. They hadn't any steam tug handy to pull her."
Paul Livingstone was appealed to and told them where they could find the coal docks at which their own tug was lying. All hurried to the place and called up Captain Carson.
"I'll get up steam just as soon as I can," said the tug captain, and hustled out his engineer and fireman. Soon the black smoke was pouring from the tug's stack and in less than half an hour they were ready to move.
"This seems like a wild-goose chase," remarked Sam. "But it is better than standing around with one's hands in his pockets."
"I wish I had dat Dan Baxter heah!" said Aleck Pop. "I'd duck him in the ribber an' hold him undah 'bout ten minutes!"
All were soon on the steam tug, which was crowded by the party. The lanterns were lit, and they moved down the Ohio slowly and cautiously.
"We had better move from side to side of the river," suggested Dick.
"Then we won't be so liable to pass the houseboat without seeing her."