h them.

"If there has been foul play of any sort I will aid you to have
justice done," said Paul Livingstone. "To me this whole thing looks
mightily crooked."

"One thing is certain,--if the houseboat was stolen, the mist and
rain will aid the thieves to get away with her," said Dick.

It was a rather silent crowd that rode into Skemport an hour and a
half later. Here a doctor was roused up and sent to the stock farm,
to see if Mrs. Stanhope needed him, for she was weak and might collapse
completely when least expected.

Once at the spot where the _Dora_ had been tied up, another search was
begun for the girls and the houseboat. Some went up the shore and
others down, each with a lantern which had been provided to dispel
the gloom.

"Oh, where? Oh, where?
In dire despair
We search the shore in vain!"

came lowly from Songbird, but then he felt too heavy-hearted to finish
the verse and heaved a sigh instead. "This is simply heart-rending,"
he said.

"That's what it is," answered Dick.

Hans was not far off, shambling along in his own peculiar fashion.
He held up his lantern and by the dim rays made out a building some
distance away.

"I yonder vot is in dare?" he said to himself. "Maype I go und look,
hey? It ton't cost me noddings."

Through the mist and rain he approached the building and walked around
to the door, which was closed. He flung it open and held up his
lantern to see inside.

"_Du meine Zeit!_ Vot is dis?" he gasped. "Cabtain Starr, or I vos
treaming! Hi, Cabtain, vot you vos doing here, alretty?" he called out.

"Is that--that you, Mueller?" asked the captain, in a trembling voice.

"Sure it vos me. Vot you did here, tole me dot?"

"I--the rascals tied me fast. They said they'd come and give me a
hundred dollars in the morning, but I don't think they'll do it."

"Py chimanatics! Vait a minute." Hans ran outside and waved his
lantern. "Come here!" he bawled. "Come here, kvick, eferybody!"

His cry summoned the others, and they quickly gathered at the stable
and released the captain. While they were doing this, they made the
simple-minded fellow tell his story.

"Describe those two fellows," said Dick, and Captain Starr did so.
The description was perfect.

"Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp!" cried Tom.

"Of course, you didn't send that message?" asked the captain, of Dick.

"I did not, captain. It was a trick to get you away from the _Dora_
and steal the houseboat."

"Is t