“He may not be the robber at all,” Case observed. “There was some mystery connected with the two, and that’s all we know about it! The man is gone, and the boy is gone, and they are probably drowned, so we may as well count the story closed.”
“I’ll go you a dinner at the Bismark, as soon as we get back to Chicago,” Clay insisted, “that we find both the man and the boy before we get down to the Gulf!”
“You’re in for the dinners, then!” Case exclaimed. “And now,” he went on, “what are we going to do to-night? Are we going on down the river, or are we going to get into some cozy little slip and anchor for the second time?”
“I’m no good Solomon on an empty stomach,” laughed Clay. “Wait until Alex. has his fish supper served! You want some, too, don’t you Mose?” he added, turning to the little fellow, who stood gazing from the bear to the fish, now ready for the pan.
“I’s done gone empty cl’ar to mah toes!” was Mose’s reply.
After the fish had been eaten Mose was put to bed in one of the bunks, and the boys decided to go on down the river. They wanted to get away from any such entanglement as had been suggested by the visit of the officers and the search of the motor boat.
They made a long distance with little trouble, as they were going with the driftwood, and at daylight tied up in a small bayou, at the end of which a deserted old house stood lowering down upon the flood with a touch of mystery in the broken windows and overhanging eaves!
[CHAPTER IV—TWO BOYS GET A TUMBLE]
“I’d give a cent to know just where we are!” Jule declared, as he stood on the deck of the Rambler, waiting for Case’s call to breakfast, the advance odors of which were creeping out of the cabin, where Mose and Teddy Bear lay on a rug together, evidently the very best of friends!
“Give me the coin, then,” Alex. exclaimed. “We are about ten or fifteen miles below Hickman, Kentucky, and we are on the Missouri side; and there’s a loop of river which runs north a long way and comes back again. Some day the Mississippi will cut through the neck of land, and then there’ll be another large island, with houses set back from the river a long distance! Give me the cent!”