ed in the mist and the darkness.

"You're a putty bold pair for your years," said Pick Loring. "Hang
me if I don't admire you!" And he smiled in his coarse way.

"Of course you can see the possibilities in this," went on Dan Baxter.
"Supposing we can make the Stanhopes and Lanings and Rovers pay over
fifty or sixty thousand dollars for the return of the girls. That
means a nice sum for each of us."

"Right you are," came from Hamp Gouch. "As you say, it beats horse
stealing."

"Have they got the money?" asked the other Kentuckian.

"They have a good deal more than that between them. The Rovers are
very rich."

"But they are only friends?"

"More than that. Dick Rover is very sweet on Dora Stanhope, and Tom
Rover thinks the world of Nellie Laning."

"Then of course they'll help pay up--especially if they hear the
girls are likely to suffer. We can write to 'em and say we'll starve
the girls to death if the money don't come our way."

"Exactly. But we've got to find some place to hide first. We can't
stay on the river any great length of time. They'll send word about
the houseboat from one town to another and the authorities will be
on the lookout for us."

"I know where you can take this houseboat," put in Hamp Gouch. "Up
Shaggam Creek. There is a dandy hiding place there and nobody around
but old Jake Shaggam, and we can easily 'buy him off, so as he won't
open his mouth."

"How far is that creek from here?"

"About thirty-five miles."

The matter was talked over for fully an hour, and it was at last
decided that the houseboat should go up Shaggam Creek, at least for
the time being. If that place got too hot to hold them they could
move further down the river during the nights to follow.

The man on the launch was called up and matters were explained to
him by Pick Loring.

"Sculley is a good fellow," said Loring to Baxter. "He will do whatever
I say and take whatever I give him,--and keep his mouth shut."

"That's the kind of a follower to have," was Baxter's answer.

The horse thieves were hungry, and a fire was started in the galley
of the houseboat. The men cooked themselves something to eat and
Baxter and Flapp did the same. It must be confessed that Flapp did
not like the newcomers and hated to have anything to do with them.
But he was too much of a coward to speak up, and so did as Baxter
dictated. Thus is one rascal held under the thumb of another. It was
only when Lew Flapp was among thos