"Shut them up!" came from Pick Loring. "There are a whole lot of people living around here."
Without answering, Dan Baxter leaped into the rowboat and took Dora by the arm roughly.
"If you don't shut up, I'll gag you!" he cried.
"Let me go!" she said, and struck at him feebly. While this was going on Pick Loring came over and took hold of Nellie.
"Tow us along, Sculley!" called the horse thief. "Get back to the houseboat as soon as you can."
"What's the matter out there?" came in an unexpected call from the shore. The speaker could not be seen.
"Help us!" shrieked Dora. "We are two girls and some men are carrying us off."
"You don't say so!" ejaculated the speaker on shore.
"Tell the Rover boys!" called out Nellie. "Dan Baxter is taking us down the river on the houseboat."
"Save us, and we will pay you well," added Dora, and then Baxter's not over cleanly hand was clapped over her mouth, and she could say no more. Loring's hand was likewise placed over Nellie's mouth, and then the launch began to tow the rowboat back into midstream once more.