“We’ll come, fast enough!” said one of the advancing party. “Keep your lights on.”
In a minute more the little motor boat was crowded with rough-looking men, all armed, and all insisting that every nook and corner of the Rambler should be searched.
The boys offered no objections, but sat on the deck railing waiting for the men to perform their task and go away. Captain Joe and Teddy, however, objected strenuously, and it required the efforts of all four, before the search was completed, to keep the pets from being shot by those whose legs had been nipped by sharp teeth.
Finally one of the men, who seemed to be in command, demanded of Clay:
“Where did the boy who came on board go?”
“He must have gone into the river,” was the reply. “Just after the shooting I looked for him, but he was not here. Who is he, and what is he wanted for?”
“He belongs to the man who robbed the warehouse office up at Rock Island,” was the gruff reply. “If you shelter him you’ll be breaking the law. What was that swimmer saying to you?” the fellow continued. “That’s the man we want! Why should he come to you, anyway?”
“I don’t know why he should come to us any more than I know why you men should come on board with your insulting suspicions,” Clay answered. “When you make up your minds that neither the man nor the boy is here, we’ll go on down the river.”
The search continued for some moments, and the men reluctantly went ashore.
“Honest!” Alex. then asked of Clay. “Honest, now! Where did the boy go?”