So far as that went, he could easily swim that short distance. But the lad had no intention of going back to the boat to be laughed at.
Presently the cabin door opened and Jule made his appearance, looking as if he had had a pretty sound sleep.
The watching men crouched out of sight in the bushes, and Jule stepped to the railing of the Rambler and looked into the river. The sun would be in sight in half an hour and it would be a bright day.
Jule stood looking over the water for a minute and then turned and entered the cabin. Directly Clay and Case came out and the three stood at the rail talking.
“I think I know what they are saying,” said Alex with a smile. “They are holding a squaw man’s convention on me. It was a rotten thing to do to go and lose that boat. Perhaps I shall be lucky enough to get it back. I wish those men wouldn’t watch this spot so closely. I half believe they suspect something.”
Alex did not know that there were two parties watching the movements on board the Rambler, each party consisting of three men. One was up the river perhaps eighty rods, while the other lay on the bank of the stream only a short distance from the spot where Alex was hidden.
Directly Captain Joe arose and moved over toward the clump of bushes where the three men lay. The chances are that he knew of their presence, and was willing to overlook it in the interest of harmony, but one of the three launched a rock at his head as he came up.
This was an insult by no means to be overlooked. In less time than it takes to tell the story, Joe had him by the throat.
All three boys on board the Rambler, seeing the dog struggling with superior numbers, were over the rail in an instant, striking out for the spot where the combat was in progress.
At that instant the three men who had been up the river, hearing the sounds of a conflict below, emerged from the shelter of the trees and started toward the scene of action.