rge one,
and to make the trip more pleasant, the boys invited two ladies to
go along, Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning. With Mrs. Stanhope came her
only daughter, Dora, whom Dick Rover thought the nicest girl in the
world, and with Mrs. Laning came her daughters, Nellie and Grace,
intimate friends of Tom and Sam.

As those who have already read "The Rover Boys on the River" know,
the trip on the houseboat started pleasantly enough. But, before
long, one of their old enemies, Dan Baxter, turned up, accompanied
by an evil-minded boy named Lew Flapp. These fellows succeeded in
making prisoners of Dora Stanhope and Nellie Laning, and ran off with
the houseboat. But they were followed by the Rovers and their friends,
and, in the end, the girls were rescued, the houseboat recovered and
Lew Flapp was made a prisoner, to be sent East to stand trial for
his various misdeeds. Dan Baxter escaped, and for the time being
there was no telling what had become of him. But he was destined to
show up again, as the chapters to follow will prove.

After the houseboat was once again in the possession of the Rovers
and their guests, there was a general jollification on board, lasting
several days. All felt much relieved, to think that matters had turned
out so well for them.

"We are well out of that mess," had been Dick Rover's comment.

"And I hope we never get into such another," answered Dora Stanhope.
"I was really frightened to death when I was a prisoner."

"I would feel a great deal better if Dan Baxter had been captured."

"Oh, Dick, do you think he will try to harm us further?" and Dora's
face paled a trifle.

"Well, he seems to be like a bad penny--he turns up when you least
expect it."

"Anyway, he won't have Flapp to aid him."

"That is true. But I never feared Flapp--he was too much of a coward
at heart."

"Then you do fear Baxter, Dick?" and Dora looked at her best friend
curiously.

"It's not exactly that, Dora. I don't want you to have any trouble.
I don't care for myself."

"I shall do my best to keep out of his way. What a pity it is that
Baxter can not turn over a new leaf."

"It isn't in him to do so," put in Fred Garrison, who had come up.

"But his father has reformed," said Dora.

"I really think Dan is worse than his father," returned Dick. "There
is a certain viciousness about him that is lacking in his father's
make-up."

"Dan Baxter doesn't believe in forgiving or forgetting an injury,"
put in