To their great surprise there was no one in or about the boat. They advanced cautiously, not knowing when they might be attacked.
They did not see the evil face of Mad Rowell peering out upon them from a clump of underbrush. As a matter of fact, the man had been caught off his guard.
He had gone back down the river looking for an old crony to keep him company in the journey he proposed to take. He had returned to the Esmeralda just a minute too late.
This accounted for the boat being in such good condition. If Rowell had abandoned it, it is a sure thing that he would have broken the motor and done other damage which would have made its use impossible, for a time at least.
If Rowell had been possessed of a revolver, the chances are that he would have taken a shot at Buck, but, it will be remembered, his weapon had been taken from him at the store.
So, weaponless as he was, the tough was obliged to see the Esmeralda taken away by its owner. He resolved, however, to “get even” at the first opportunity.
“Now, what do you know about this?” demanded Clay, looking over the boat critically. “The motor is in fine form, and I can’t see a thing the matter anywhere.”
Rube pointed to the place where the rowboat had been kept.
“The skiff is not here,” he remarked, “and it looks like they had gone away in it.”
By this time all the boys were shivering, so they made a hasty departure for the other shore. When only a few yards away they observed Captain Joe acting in a suspicious manner, and turned on more electricity.