“It’s a new one on me,” replied Captain Joe.
“Oh, well,” Alex said, “I’ll show you all about cooking it when the time comes. When we get back to the South Branch, you can have one every day if you want it. We can get pretty good porterhouse in Chicago.”
The two strolled through the city for a couple of hours, buying vegetables, condensed milk, tinned goods, fresh fruit and meats. Later, when the provisions were delivered to the Rambler at the foot of the pier, Case declared that Alex had spent money enough to take them all over Europe. Alex was somewhat disappointed to think that he had not encountered Max in the city, but did not inform his chums how keenly he had watched for him.
“What did the chief of police say about Max?” asked the boy as they returned to the boat. “You forgot to say anything about that.”
“Sure I did,” answered Clay. “Well, he said that Max had blossomed out in a suit that must have cost a hundred, with a big roll of money in his pocket. He said, too, that he had strutted around the city for a few days and then suddenly disappeared. It is the opinion of the chief that the boy, who is by no means as young as he looks, went down the river to Cartier island.”
“I really hope he has,” Alex blurted out, “I’ll crack that boy’s crust if I ever come across him.”
“And you’ll wash dishes, too,” laughed Captain Joe. “Oh, I remember how you boys used to fight against slang up on the South Branch.”
That night the boys anchored the Rambler in a cove of good size just south of Rivere du Loup. They were well away from the wash of the steamers, and yet not near enough to the houses of the little railway station to attract general attention.
The night closed down cloudy and dark. The passing vessels on the river seemed to burn holes in the darkness for only an instant and then disappear.
The sounds which came from the water rang loudly in the heavy atmosphere and sounded mysterious and uncanny. There were plenty of vessels on the river now, as the channel between the gulf and Quebec is navigable for the largest ocean steamers.