“How did you come to get into such a scrape?” was the next question.
“The outlaws followed us from the boat,” was the answer. “Oh, yes they did,” the boy insisted as Jule grinned. “They were waiting for the Rambler to come down stream! They thought we had the diamonds and were going into the city to dispose of them. They swore they’d keep us in that hole, without food or drink, until we told them where the stones were! I wish I’d never heard of the diamonds!”
“Who was the other boy?” asked Jule.
“The other boy? Where? When? Oh, that was Chet! We’ll settle with him!”
“The lad who jumped out of an open window just before we got in and ducked away toward the river. Was that Chet?”
“Blessed if I know!” Alex. answered. “It might have been.”
“I believe that really was Chet!” Jule declared. “It looked like him.”
“How did you get here?” asked Case. “You’re a wonder! And Mose and Joe, too!”
As the boys walked along the story of Mose’s runaway expedition was told, and Alex. immediately grasped the little negro boy by the collar.
“You’re a little brick!” he exclaimed, “and I’m going to see that you have a ’possum for dinner to-morrow—or to-day, rather—if there is one to be found in the city.”