tten breakfast and a box of things--what the negro did not know.

"I heah dem folks talk erbout New Orleans," said the colored man. "I
dun 'spect da gone dat way fo' certainly, I do!"

"Did you see the launch leave?" asked Sam.

"I suah did--an' a mighty po'erful smell dat boat did leab behind it!"

"That was the gasoline," said Fred, laughing.

"I 'spect it was, yes, sah," answered the colored man.

"If they went to New Orleans then we ought to go too--and be quick
about it," said Dick.

"Don't you want to send some word to the ladies and the girls first?"
asked Harold Bird.

"To be sure. We can send a telegram for all, and then send letters, too."

This was done, and the ladies and girls were told not to be alarmed--that
all were satisfied everything would come out right in the end.

"No use of worrying them," said Tom. "They can worry after all the
trouble is over," and at this quaint remark the others had to smile.

How to get down the river was at first a problem, but it was soon
settled by Dick and Harold Bird. It was decided to leave the houseboat
in the care of a trustworthy person at Baraville and then charter
the small steamboat for the trip to New Orleans. As the captain wanted
to go down the river anyway he made the charge for the charter very
small, and before noon the craft was on her journey.

Fortunately for our friends the weather remained fine, and had they
not been worried over the outcome of what was before them, they would
have enjoyed the brief trip on the small steamboat very much. The
captain had heard of the capture of the counterfeiters and was
surprised to learn that the Rover boys had been the ones to aid in
the round-up.

"You've got courage," said he. "I admire what you did. But if I were
you I'd fight shy of that Sack Todd. He'll certainly have it in for
you, for having broken up that gang."

"I only want to lay my hands on him, that's all," answered Dick. "I
am not afraid of him."

"And that Gasper Pold is a bad one too," went on the captain. "I
heard about him down in New Orleans. He cheated a lot of people with
lottery tickets and policy-playing once, and they got after him
hot-footed, and he had to clear out and lay low for awhile."

"Well, in one way the folks who are foolish enough to invest in
lottery tickets or play policy deserve to lose their money," put in Sam.

"You are right, lad,--gambling is nothing short of a curse and nobody
ought to stand for it. Why,