"I thought I couldn't be mistaken. I wonder how he comes to be here. Can he be following us?"
It was too hard a problem for Clip, who only shrugged his shoulders.
Just then another man from the assembled group lounged on board. It was Minton.
"Boat ahoy!" said he, jauntily. "Are you the captain?"
"I'm all the captain there is," answered Bob.
"Have you any wheat to sell? I am a grain merchant."
He looked more like a penniless adventurer, Bob thought.
"I have no wheat to sell here," said Bob, coldly. "I am on my way to St. Louis."
"Perhaps I can do as well by you as the grain merchants in St. Louis."
"I don't care to sell here," said Bob, shortly.