"Yes."
"Well, no wonder we're hungry and fagged. Let's make rush work of this police business, and then tumble into our blankets."
It was an hour before they got a detail of officers started in a launch for the house boat, and incidentally looking for the San Bruno; and half an hour longer before they dropped into bed and went to sleep.
They awoke late next morning, which was to be expected, considering the hour at which they retired, and their exhausted condition; and they would not have got up when they did had a smart summons not been pounded on their door.
"Speak to me about this," snorted McGlory, sitting up and yawning. "Who's got the nerve to hammer on that door before we've done anything but go to bed and turn over?"
"It's been several hours since we went to bed, Joe," laughed Matt, pointing to the sunlight streaming through the window. "The sun looks to be nearly noon-high. Who's there?" he called, as the knocking at the door went on.
"Officer from headquarters," came the response from the hall.
"Sufferin' horn toads!" exclaimed McGlory, leaping out of bed and hurrying to the door. "Mebby he's come to tell us Big John, Kinky, and Ross have been bagged."
But the officer had no such report to make.
"We found the house boat deserted, when we went out to her last night," he said, coming into the room. "Two men were left aboard of her and the rest of the detail went nosing around the bay looking for the San Bruno."