came from close at hand, and Dick Rover burst
into view, with Tom and Sam at his heels and each with his revolver
drawn. Not far behind were Hans and Harold Bird.

"A bob cat! Look out for him!" cried Fred.

"Protect us!" put in Songbird. "We are helpless!"

"See, they are tied to the trees!" exclaimed Tom. "What does this mean?"

"I see the bob cat!" said Sam Rover, and without ado fired up into
the tree. Down came the beast, spitting viciously and clawing the
air, to fall at Tom's feet. Bang! went Tom's pistol and then all of
the others fired, and almost as quick as I can tell it the beast lay
dead where it had fallen. Then the boys looked around for other bob
cats, but none showed themselves.

"Oh, how thankful I am that you came," said Fred, as he was being
released.

"And you didn't arrive a minute too soon either," said Songbird.
"That bob cat was getting ready to spring on us! It was a narrow escape!"

"Who made you prisoners?" asked Dick. "But I suppose it was that
Gasper Pold and his tools."

"Yes, and who do you think his tools are?" answered Fred.--"Solly
Jackson, Sack Todd--"

"Sack Todd!" exclaimed Sam.

"Yes, and Dan Baxter."

"Baxter!" came from the others.

"The young rascal you told me about?" said Harold Bird.

"Exactly, and all of them have run away with your launch," put in
Songbird. "They went quite a while ago."

"I was afraid of it," answered the young Southerner. "Of course they
must have steered for Lake Sico."

"Yes, and as they have had a good start, they must be a long way off
by now," added Tom.

CHAPTER X

THE CHASE ON THE RIVER

The whole party walked down to where the launch had been tied up,
and Fred and Songbird told their story and then heard of what had
happened to the houseboat.

"What rascals!" murmured Fred. "We must do our level best to catch them."

"I am going to catch them, if I have to follow them a thousand miles!"
exclaimed Harold Bird, impulsively.

"That's the talk!" came from Dick. "We are bound to catch them sooner
or later, if we stick to the chase."

Yet, though he spoke so hopefully, the outlook just then was dismal
enough. The gasoline launch had a good start, and they had nothing
at hand with which to follow the craft and those on board.

"I'd hate to see the launch wrecked," said Tom. "But I'd like to see
those fellows blow themselves up!"

"Well, in that case I could almost stand the loss of the boat,"
answered the young Southe