“And I follow wherever you lead,” avowed Stubby.
The four made such good time that by daybreak they were in sight of the river, catching their first glimpse of it from the top of a high hill.
And joy! they saw straight ahead of them a small town at whose dock lay a long white-and-green boat with a flat top. It was so early in the morning that no one was astir in the town when they reached it, so they were not molested as they ran through it straight for the boat. When they came close to the dock they proceeded more cautiously and hid behind boxes and barrels until they could find out what kind of people were on the boat. But no one appearing and the dock being deserted at this time of the morning, they decided to chance finding nice people on board, and crept on deck. This they did easily as the owner had neglected to pull in his gangplank before he went to bed.
“It looks as if our good angel was with us and it was intended we were to make this trip in this way,” remarked Stubby.
“Now we must all secrete ourselves and keep hid until the boat is loaded and pushed off shore. Then they will have to take us with them until they reach the next stopping place, and if the worst comes to the worst we can jump overboard and swim, for it is not far to shore and the boat is not high above the water line.”
Billy secreted himself behind a pile of bags filled with hops, while Stubby and Button climbed on top of them and hid themselves between two of the top bags, and Duke squeezed himself under them in a hole made by two of the bags which had not been packed closely. So by the time the sun was well up and the people began to arise, they were all stowed away as comfortably as could be.
The first person on deck proved to be a big, comfortable looking fat man, followed by his grandson, a little fellow with curly, flaxen hair and big, blue eyes, whom it was easy to see the grandfather fairly worshiped.
Then three men came up from below and began fussing around on deck. About this time the delicious odor of boiling coffee, fried potatoes and bacon was wafted up the hatchway.
“Gee! The fumes from that cooking make me hungry as a bear!” said Button.
“Me too!” agreed Stubby.