“The notes were in the silk covering, in my pocket,” insisted the boy.
“Well, perhaps they were, at one time, but Teddy was about to investigate the package when I crawled up out of the water, off the plank I’d floated down on! Now, tell me about King coming on board, and what he did and said.”
“He must have landed on the Rambler from a small boat dropped off a river steamer,” Alex answered, still so pleased with the news that the money was safe that he could hardly talk straight, “and he came in the night.”
“And no one saw him? What about the dog’s giving an alarm?”
“We have figured that out. King had been on board before, and had been treated kindly, so the dog probably thought he had a right to come back. But he insulted Captain Joe, after he got on the deck, for he tied him up. He won’t get on here again right away. Joe will eat him up if he tries to.”
Then the boy told of the manner in which Teddy had gotten rid of the unwelcome visitor, and Don began to make inquiries for Case and Clay. Alex had to tell him about that, too, and Don looked frightened at the recital.
“The boatman said it was a little bit of a fellow?” he asked. “Then that was my brother, Tom! I was to meet him here, after King got out of the way. Now, where do you think they are?”
“I don’t try to think any more,” was the reply.
“I believe I know where they went,” Don burst out, in a moment. “They went to the basement of an old house owned by my uncle, and something has happened to them to prevent their coming back.”
“If you know where they went, suppose you go bring them back.”