a. "That is worth
remembering."

"If only we could get some sort of a message to the Rover boys and
the others," sighed Nellie. "Dora, can't we manage it somehow?"

"Perhaps we can--anyway, it won't do any harm to write out a message
or two, so as to have them ready to send off if the opportunity shows
itself."

Paper and pencils were handy, and the cousins set to work to write
out half a dozen messages.

"We can set them floating on the river if nothing more," said Nellie.
"Somebody might pick one up and act on it."

The hours slipped by, and from the quietness on board the girls
guessed that some of their abductors had left the houseboat.

This was true. Baxter and Flapp had gone off, in company with Pick
Loring, to send a message to Mrs. Stanhope and to Mrs. Laning, stating
that Dora and Nellie were well and that they would be returned unharmed
to their parents providing the sum of sixty thousand dollars be
forwarded to a certain small place in the mountain inside of ten days.

"If you do not send the money the girls will suffer," the message
concluded. "Beware of false dealings, or it may cost them their lives!"

"That ought to fetch the money," said Dan Baxter, after the business
was concluded.

"If they can raise that amount," answered Loring. "Of course you know
more about how they are fixed than I do."

"They can raise it--if they get the Rovers to aid them."

The prospects looked bright to the two horse thieves, and as soon as
Loring returned to the houseboat he and Hamp Gouch applied themselves
arduously to the liquor taken from Captain Starr's private locker.

"Those fellows mean to get drunk," whispered Lew FIapp, in alarm.

"I'm afraid so," answered Baxter. "But it can't be helped."

Late in the evening, much to their surprise, an old man in a dilapidated
rowboat came up to the houseboat. It was Jake Shaggam, the hermit,
who had been out fishing.

"How are ye, Shaggam!" shouted Pick Loring, who, on account of the
liquor taken, felt extra sociable. "Come on board, old feller!"

Against the wishes of Baxter and Flapp, Jake Shaggam was allowed on
board the houseboat and taken to the living room. Here he was given
something to eat and drink and some tobacco.

"You're a good fellow, Jake," said Hamp Gouch. "Mighty good fellow.
Show you something," and he took the old man to where the girls were
locked in.

"Better stop this," said Flapp, in increased alarm.

"Oh, it's all right, you can t