he dock, his arms well laden with packages of fruit and
sandwiches.

"Where's String?" Fred asked as his friend stepped on board and
deposited his packages.

"I don't know. I lost him up here."

"Poor John. Lost in Poughkeepsie. I'm afraid we'll have to advertise."

"There's one thing we won't do though," said Grant.

"What's that?" inquired Fred.

"We shan't wait for him to come before we begin operations."

"It does my heart good to hear you speak so truthfully," said George,
as at once he opened the packages and passed the various articles of
food which he had obtained.

So busily engaged were the boys that time passed rapidly and a
half-hour later George said, "What do you suppose has become of that
fellow? I told you that his mother said that he was worse than I am and
couldn't find any of his belongings, but I didn't know that he would
lose himself."

"Have you ever been in Poughkeepsie?" inquired Grant soberly.

"I have never stopped here."

"Then I have no need for other explanations. I know what has become of
John."

"Then you'll be the one to go and get him."

"I guess not," laughed Fred.

"No, if he doesn't show up within fifteen minutes the Black Growler
proceeds gracefully on its way and leaves little Johnnie to come after
us. Maybe he can work his way by driving mules for a canal boat."

"There isn't any canal here," said Fred.

"Well, we'll leave it to him to settle the way he will come. We shan't
wait for him."

"Who's captain of this ship, anyway?" spoke up Fred.

"That's the question that has often puzzled me too," said Grant soberly.

"Well, I am," said Fred.

"You are? Then let me tell you, Captain Peewee, you will have a mutiny
on your hands before you know it. This boat is going on to Albany. We
have got to get there to-night and if John doesn't care enough about
going with us he will have to take the consequences. Do you know I
think he may have lost his nerve and gone back home."

"Don't you believe it," said Fred sharply. "John will be here in a few
minutes. He never will lose his nerve."

Fifteen minutes however elapsed and still the absent member of the Go
Ahead boys did not return.

When fifteen more minutes had passed, Fred, who had insisted that some
investigation should be made and a search for John begun, was overruled
by his two companions and in spite of the captain's protests, the Black
Growler slipped quickly away from the dock and proceeded steadily on