The River Motor Boat Boys on the Mississippi; Or, On the Trail to the Gulf

etween capable paws, was a quarter-grown grizzly bear. Now and then Captain Joe, as the dog was named, stirred uneasily in his sleep

he Rambler was pulling at her anchor chain in the muddy water of the Mississippi river-pulling and jerking for

northwest was sweeping over the Mississippi valley. There had been several days of continuous rain, an

ch two boys of sixteen, Clayton Emmett and Alexander Smithwick, were cooking ham and eggs, the appetizing flavor of which filled the little room. A dish of sliced potatoes stood not fa

forty years stepped into the cabin and stood for a moment staring at the bulldog and the bear, stood with a hand on the knob of the door, as if ready for retreat, his lips open, as if the view of the interior had checked words half sp

ned. "They consumed two river-men last week! Th

he dog and the bear were in the middle of the space between the table and the stove, snarling fiercely, before

rned his face away so as not to betray his enjoyment of the situ

riverman, tall, muscular, heavy of hand and sullen of face. He wore rough clothing, neither clean nor whole, and his face was well covered by a bushy

oment, "and I've come to warn you boys against

lex. replied. "What's t

pouring into all the old channels and ditches from Cairo to the Gulf. If you start out without a pi

?" asked Alex., wit

he best on the river,"

or a job?" Alex. cont

nt replied, "but I shouldn't want any menager

you object to our pets, that settles it! We brought Captain Joe, the bu

me!" the other exc

. replied, mischief in his eyes, opening the cabin doo

in front of him in a boxing attitude! Brent swung toward the little pier aga

d both boys stood laughing at the retreating figure. Presently Brent came to an old warehouse, where securi

"I'll teach you to set your dog on me, you mis

the impertinent language used, but Clay caug

ant to! Anyway, I'm about half starved! Funny, Case a

ow up pretty soon!" Clay said, turning back to the

f about his own age, Cornelius Witters and Julian Shafer, made their appearance, racing off the pier and on to t

ked. "He called to us not to come down here! Said there was a crazy boy, a m

hen had the nerve to tell us that we'd get lost if we went down the river without a

ilot?" asked Jule Shaf

wered Alex. "Said he was

Reelfoot lake. When we went up-town that same man who spoke to us on the pier stood on the levee with a bunch of toughs.

ob!" Jule broke in. "He's a spy! That's just what

pying here?" asked Clay.

owds on the streets, and the policemen seem to be on their metal! I guess we

me one to tell you abo

re, but I don't see why that should make such a stir down here at Cairo. The merchant I ordered the gasoline of sa

k we're the thieve

"Anyway, the men I talked with seemed to have

that! Loose shingles is slang, and we're not to talk slang. If yo

sn't slang! I'll have plenty of help washing dish

growing dusk now, and the deck of the motor boat showed dim under the gathering shadows of the night. Whi

en. "I wonder if that fellow has had the nerve to

rs, he'll show himself directly. If it is only a sneak thief, he'll take a jump in the

e of the door. They were spoken in a trembling voi

said. It seemed like th

!" Alex. answered. "This se

t be so mysterious abou

abin a boy of twelve or fourteen-a slender, thin-faced lad whose whole appeara

uder by the arm. "Why don't you get up and intr

e watching the boat from the pier, and I don't want them to know I got in. That's why I didn't stand up when

observed, motioning the

nds and furs up at Rock Island," was the hesitati

l," Clay observed, "they s

ed Alex. "Perhaps you hel

n't!" the

came another voice from outside-a sl

ce said. "Listen, and I'll tell you