Then the look of amusement vanished from the boy’s face, and he opened the door and passed quickly into the cabin. Max was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared as completely as if the hull of the Rambler had opened and dropped him into the stream. The ropes with which he had been tied lay on the floor, but the boy was gone.
The open window at the rear of the motor boat, told the story. In answer to Fontenelle’s looks of inquiry, Case briefly told the story of Max’s visit and capture. The young man pondered a moment and then said:
“I don’t believe the boys have been captured at all. The chances are that they are still in the forest, probably looking for the boy who disappeared last night.
“This boy Max, if your description tallies with my recollection, has appeared in the game before to-day. He is a wharf rat at Quebec, and is being used by these outlaws to further their treacherous ends. I wish we had found him here.”
As the boys passed out on deck, the barking of a dog came from up the river. There was no mistaking the voice. It was Captain Joe, and he was deploring the absence of his floating home. Case smiled happily at the sound, and then his face grew serious, for gunshots followed the echo of the dog’s voice.
[CHAPTER VIII—THE DISCOVERY OF MAX]
Case hastened to put the Rambler under motion, and, with Fontenelle and Howard still on board, headed her into the current. At a signal from Fontenelle, the launch Cartier drew up her anchor and followed.
To Captain Joe’s vicious barking was now added the surly voice of the bear cub, so the boys knew that the animals were not far away. In fact, as they paused to investigate the ugly nose of the bulldog was pushed through the curtain of shrubbery at the edge of the stream, and Teddy leaped snarling into the water.
Fontenelle greeted the approach of the animals to the boat with shouts of laughter. Even in their haste to reach the boat, the animals could not avoid snapping and striking at each other, playfully. No more shots were heard, but presently a great tramping in the undergrowth came at the point where Joe and Teddy had made their appearance, indicating human presence there. All on board the Rambler anxiously awaited the appearance of those who were struggling in the jungle.
“Would the menagerie run away and leave the boys in captivity?” asked Fontenelle, as the bulldog and the bear cub were assisted, streaming, to the deck. “They seem to have had a long run.”