“I didn’t think you had it in you, Jule!” Clay laughed.
“What’s the answer?” Jule questioned.
“I didn’t think you had the nerve to ram a boat the size of that one. It was a desperate thing to do.”
“Huh!” grinned Jule. “I guess if I hadn’t rammed her, we’d be packed like sardines in some dirty old steamer hold now.”
“And that’s no dream!” Alex shouted.
With her prow light burning brightly, the Rambler proceeded slowly down the river. In a few moments they came to four great coal barges stranded on a sand bar. As they glided by a man in a rowboat shot out into the circle of light and called out:
“What’s the trouble up the river, boys?”
“Oh,” Alex answered, “a saloon boat ran into something and broke in two. I guess she’s sinking.”
“I thought I heard a crash of some kind,” answered the stranger. “Anybody likely to get drowned?”
“I hope so!” Clay answered. “That’s one of the meanest outlaw boats on the river. I was glad to see her going down.”