d things, really I didn't. It was Gasper Pold did
the trick."

"You aided him," said Tom.

"He said at first he had bought the houseboat and was going to take
her to New Orleans. He wanted me to go along and finish the repairs,
and I didn't find out what was really up till we got to the Lake Sico
bayou. Then he told me that if I didn't stick to him he'd shoot me."

"When did Sack Todd and Dan Baxter join you?" asked Sam.

"Just before we left. I don't know where they came from, but Pold
knew Sack Todd well and Todd brought in the young fellow. Then they
hid the houseboat in the bushes and stole what they could, and
afterwards ran off with the launch."

"Yes, but you helped the others to make us prisoners," came from
Songbird, severely.

"I did it because I had to--Pold said he'd shoot me if I went back
on him. Mr. Bird,"--Solly Jackson turned to the young Southerner,--"you
know I ain't no bad man like Pold an' that sort."

"I know you are weak-minded and weak-kneed," answered Harold Bird,
in disgust. "But you stood in with those rascals and you must take
the consequences."

"It's mighty hard on a fellow as ain't done nothin'!"

"Where did the other fellows go?" demanded Tom.

"I don't know--reckon they left me when I went to sleep here."

"Didn't they mention any place?" demanded Dick, sternly. "Come, if
you expect us to be easy on you, you must tell us all you know."

"They did," answered Solly Jackson, after scratching his head again.
"Gasper Pold said he thought of going to Tampa, Florida, where he
has several friends. That young Baxter said he'd like to go to Tampa,
and Sack Todd said he might go along. Then they talked of going over
to Mobile, to get a steamer there for Tampa, but Pold said it wouldn't
do, as all the steamboat landings and railroad offices might be
watched. So then Pold said he would look around and see if he couldn't
find some boat that was going to Tampa from here."

"A steamer?" queried Harold Bird.

"Either that or a sailing vessel, he didn't much care which. He said
a sailing vessel might be safer, especially if they could ship without
those on shore knowing it."

This was practically all that Solly Jackson could tell them. As he
grew more sober he seemed truly repentant of his misdeeds. He said
Gasper Pold had plied him with liquor before running away with the
_Dora_, and that had he been perfectly sober he should never have
aided in such a rascally bit of work. That he had