hen the weather was chilly.

"We'll soon make certain," said Dick. "Forward, everybody!"

"Be careful!" cautioned Harold Bird. "Remember, you have desperate
characters with whom to deal."

"Isn't everybody armed?" asked Sam. "I brought my pistol."

All were armed, and each took out his weapon and carried it in his
hand. They wanted no shooting, but, after the killing of the dog,
decided to take no chances.

It was no light task to reach the spot where the smokestack had been
seen. They had another creek to cross and then had to crawl through
some extra-thick bushes. But beyond was a stretch of clear water,
and there they saw, safely tied to two trees, the object of their
search, the missing houseboat.

CHAPTER VIII

IN THE SWAMP

"There she is!"

"She seems to be all right!"

"Shall we go on board?"

Such were the cries from the Rovers and their friends as they came
in sight of the _Dora_. The view of the houseboat filled them all
with pleasure.

"Wait!" said Harold Bird. "Don't show yourselves!"

Dick at least understood and held the others back.

"Keep out of sight--we want to investigate first," he said, in a low
tone. "There is no use in our running our heads into the lion's mouth."

"Mine cracious, vos der a lion aroundt here?" demanded Hans, turning
pale.

"Maybe you'll find a lion if you don't keep quiet," answered Sam,
with a snicker.

After that but little was said. Gradually they drew so close that
they could see from one end of the _Dora_ to the other. Not a person
was in sight.

"Really does look as if the craft was deserted," was Harold Bird's
comment. "Perhaps they got scared when they saw what a crowd was
following them."

"I move two of us go on board and the rest stay here," said Tom.
"Then, if there is trouble, the crowd to stay behind can come to the
rescue."

"That's a good scheme," answered his elder brother. "Supposing Sam
and I go? You can lead the rescuing party, if it becomes necessary."

This was also agreed to, and a minute later Dick and Sam, with their
pistols in hand, crawled from the bushes and made for the side of
the houseboat. A gangplank was out and they saw the footprints of
several men and also two horses.

"I don't like those much," said Dick, pointing to the hoofprints. "A
horse here means that he was used for carrying some stuff away."

As nobody came to stop them, they walked on board of the _Dora_ and
looked into the gallery, that being the n