, and he added, excitedly:
"What do you want to know for?"

"So you-uns are really the Rovers?"

"Yes."

"Searching fer somebody?"

"Yes,--two young ladies."

"Good 'nough. Got a message for ye."

And the old man rowed toward the steam launch once more.

CHAPTER XXIX

JAKE SHAGGAM, OF SHAGGAM CREEK

"They will watch us more closely than ever now," said Dora, after
she and her cousin were left to themselves in the stateroom on board
of the houseboat.

"I presume that is true," answered Nellie, gloomily.

"They expect to make money by carrying us off, Nellie."

"I don't see how they can do it. Papa hasn't much money to pay over
to them, and won't have, unless he sells the farm."

"Mamma has quite some money of mine," went on Dora. "Perhaps they
will make her pay over that. And then they are going to try to get
something out of the Rovers too."

"It's a shame!"

"They ought not to have a cent!"

The girls sat down and talked the matter over until daylight. At
about nine o'clock Lew Flapp approached the stateroom door.

"Don't you want something to eat?" he asked, civilly.

"I want a drink," answered Nellie, promptly, for she was exceedingly
thirsty.

"I've got a pitcher of ice water for you and some breakfast, too.
You might as well eat it as not. There's no sense in starving
yourselves."

"I suppose that is true," whispered Nellie to her cousin. She was
hungry as well as thirsty, having had no supper the night before.

The door was opened and Lew Flapp passed the food and drink into
them. Then he stood in the doorway eyeing them curiously.

"It's too bad you won't be friends with us," said he, with a grin.
"It would be much pleasanter to be friends."

"Thank you, but I don't want you for a friend, Mr. Flapp," said Dora,
frigidly.

"I ain't so bad as you think I am."

"You are bad enough."

"I ain't bad at all. Dick Rover got me in a scrape at school, and
ever since that time he's been spreading evil reports about me."

"You robbed that jewelry store."

"No, I didn't, and I can prove it. The Rovers were the real thieves."

"You cannot make us believe such .a tale. We know the Rovers too
well," said Dora, warmly.

"They are as honest as any boys can be," added Nellie.

"Bah! You do not know what you are talking about. They are crafty,
that is all,--and half the cadets at Putnam Hall know it."

To this neither of the girls would reply. They wished to close the
stateroom do