CHAPTER X.—THE OLD HOUSE BY THE RIVER.
“Perhaps,” Clay suggested, as the two were about to leave the Rambler for the proposed visit to the old house where the third paper was believed to be, “it might be well to awake Case, so the boat will not remain without a guard. How long will it take us to make the visit?”
“Not longer than a couple of hours,” was the reply. “We ought to be back here before midnight. The house is close to the river.”
“Why didn’t you get it before you came on board?” demanded Clay.
“I was afraid to go there alone in the dark,” was the frank reply. “I could see more than ten million ghosts every time I thought of it.”
“Pretty vivid imagination you have!” laughed Clay. “And now,” he went on, “how are we going to get ashore without getting wet? The first thing I shall do in the morning will be to buy a small rowboat.”
“I’m wet now,” Tom grunted, “and I can swim ashore, hire a boat, and come out after you, if you have the price! I haven’t seen a cent of real money since the birth of Adam!”
“Exaggeration seems to be your failing,” Clay laughed. “Well,” he concluded, “you may go and get a boat if you care to, and can. But don’t bring a boatman with you. We don’t want any one to know that the Rambler is unguarded. It seems a pity to awake the boys, so we’ll take the risk of leaving the boat alone for a time—alone with Captain Joe and Teddy on guard!”
“The dog ought to guard the boat, all right,” suggested Tom.
“He usually does, but twice lately people have come aboard without any warning from him. One was Don, your brother, and the other was King, the deputy in search of your brother. However, he may keep awake to-night, and awake the lads if any one comes sneaking around.”