The news of Vic's arrival with a message spread quickly, and the whole household was gathered in my room when the wet leaves were unfolded and the boys' exploit learned.
"Good! good!" exclaimed the Director. "Come with me to the Cocopah. We'll steam across, and get the whole party—boys, soldier, ponies, and scamps. Such boys must have the best transportation on the river."
On the west side of the Colorado Private Tom Clary and the boy sergeants sat by the fire broiling quail, which they seasoned from the supplies of Texas Dick and Juan Brincos, and accompanied by slices of toasted bread from the same source. In the midst of their enjoyment of "quail on toast" a loud "whoof! whoof! whoof!" came across the river.
"Hullo," said Henry, "the old Cocopah is starting for the Gulf mighty early. I should think the pilot would find it difficult to keep off the shores when it is so dark."
The boys could see by the boat's changing lights that her bow was swinging out into the stream, and expected shortly to see her starboard lights as she headed downward. But she seemed to pause with her furnace fires and pilot-lanterns pointing towards them. "Whoof! whoof! whoof!—patter, patter, patter,"—the noise of the steamboat grew louder and louder, until the boys rose from their seats and stared in surprise at the rapidly growing lights.
"I really believe she is coming here," said Frank.
"She is, or she nades a dale of space to turn in," observed Tom Clary.
Presently two tall smoke-stacks separated themselves from the surrounding darkness and appeared high above the campers' heads.
"Ahoy there, boys!" shouted the Captain's voice from the pilot-house.