oying a great number of negroes,
and some of these came down to take a look at the houseboat.

As soon as the _Dora_ was tied up, Captain Starr made a thorough
examination of the craft, to make certain that she had received no
injury below the water-line. Dick accompanied him, and so did Songbird.

"She is O. K.," announced the captain. "There isn't a leak as big as
a flea anywhere."

Aleck, Tom and Sam went down into the village to procure some stores
for the houseboat, and while there learned that there had been a row
at the plantation and two negroes had been seriously hurt. As a
consequence of the quarrel, one burly negro called Watermelon Pete
had run away.

"He's a bad egg, that Watermelon Pete," said the storekeeper in
speaking of the affair. "I wish he'd leave this locality for good."

When the boys got back to the houseboat, they found the others hunting
all over the _Dora_ with lanterns.

"What are you looking for?" asked Tom.

"Grace thinks she saw a big negro come on board," answered Dick. "We
are trying to root him out."

The houseboat was searched from end to end, but nothing could be
discovered of any intruder.

"Must have sneaked off again," said Sam. "If he did, I hope he didn't
steal anything."

"We'll keep our eyes open after this," said Captain Starr.

The night passed quietly enough, but, for some reason she could not
explain, Grace awoke long before the others. She tried to go to sleep
again, but, finding that a failure, dressed and went out on the deck.

She had been out only a few minutes, when, on walking past the
dining-room window, she saw a sight that filled her with amazement.
By the closet was a burly negro, filling a carpetbag with silverware!

"Oh!" she cried. "Stop that!"

At the sound of her voice, the burly negro turned and scowled viciously
at her.

"Yo' dun keep quiet!" he said in a low, intense voice.

"I shall not," answered Grace. "Help, some-body!" she called.

"Hush up, yo'!" fairly hissed the burly intruder, and sprang for the
doorway. In another moment he had Grace by the arm. "Don't yo' make
anudder sound, or yo'll git sumfing yo' won't lak!"

"Oh!" gasped the poor girl. She wanted to say more, but the words
stuck in her throat. The negro still, held her, and his grasp was
like that of steel.

"Are yo' gwine to shut up?" asked the intruder.

"Le--let me go, please!"

"Ain't gwine to let yer go. Be still now, heah?"

Grace did hear, and, as the neg