sonment
in the future and, possibly, a good drubbing from the Rovers on the
spot--and he therefore redoubled his efforts to escape.

"Follow me at your peril!" he sang out, and then they heard him
crashing through the bushes. Gradually the sounds grew fainter and
fainter.

"Where did he go to, Sam?"

"I can't say," said Sam. "We'll have to organize a regular party to
run him down."

It was an easy matter to make Lew Flapp a prisoner. Once captured
the former bully of the Hall blubbered like a baby.

"It was Dan Baxter led me into it," he groaned. "It was all his
doings, not mine."

When Loring, Gouch, and Sculley were confronted by the party the
intoxicated evil-doers were in no condition to offer any resistance.
Roundly did they bewail their luck, but this availed them nothing,
and without ceremony they were made prisoners, their hands being tied
behind them with stout ropes.

"Are you hurt?" asked Dick, of the girls, anxiously.

"Not in the least, Dick," answered Dora. "But, oh! how thankful I am
that you came as you did!"

"And I am thankful too," came from Nellie.

"And we are thankful to be on hand," said Tom.

And the others said the same.

Here let me bring to a close the story of "The Rover Boys on the
River." The trip had been full of adventures, but it now looked as
if all would end happily.

Without loss of time Dora and Nellie were taken care of and the
houseboat was put into proper order for use by the Rovers and their
friends.

"Dat galley am a mess to see," said Aleck Pop. "But I don't care--so
long as dem young ladies am saved."

As speedily as possible, messages were sent to the Lanings and to
Mrs. Stanhope, carrying the news of the girls' safety and the recovery
of the missing houseboat. After that Paul Livingstone saw to it that
Pick Loring, Hamp Gouch, and their accomplice, Sculley, were turned
over to the proper authorities. For this the whole party received
the reward of one thousand dollars, which was evenly divided between
them.

"Dot's der first money I receive playing detecter," said Hans, when
he got his portion. "Maybe I vos been a regular bolice detecter ven
I got old enough, hey?"

Lew Flapp was taken back to New York State, to stand trial for the
robbery of Aaron Fairchild's shop, but through the influence of his
family and some rich friends he was let out on bail. When the time for
his trial arrived he was missing.

"He is going to be as bad as Dan Baxter some