e I was to
fetch my gun along. I'd advise every fellow who intends to knock about
along this river to have some way of defending himself in case of need."

With which remark Jack slipped a new shell into the chamber of his
double barrel shotgun.

"Did ye pepper thim good and hot?" asked Jimmie, presently.

"Oh! no, I didn't want to do that," said Jack, quickly. "We really had
no business to shoot straight at them unless they were coming aboard.
I just aimed close enough to give them a good scare. And I think I did
the right thing, too."

"By the powers, I bet ye they're runnin' yit!" ventured his boatmate,
confidently.

"They must have hit the road by this time. I only hope they won't
think to come back for another turn," Jack observed, thoughtfully.

"No fear of that, I wager," laughed the Irish lad. "Sure, thim
gossoons know whin the stick is loaded, and they'll niver return to say
what it was wint off. Make your moind aisy about that, Jackey, me bye."

The boys lay down again, but Jack could not sleep.

"I don't like this thing," he said, finally, sitting up. "And it would
be better for us to take turns watching. In that way we'll have some
sleep; and as it is, I don't feel as if I could get a wink. The idea
of waking up to find a couple of greasy hoboes in possession of our
boat gives me a chill."

Jimmie announced himself as favoring the plan, and declared that he was
ready to stand his watch either then or later, just as Jack decided.

And so it was arranged. The balance of the night was divided into two
equal parts, and in this way both of the cruisers managed to obtain a
few hours sleep.

Nothing happened after all, and Jimmie must have been right when he
declared that the pair of thieves had been so badly frightened when the
gun went off so unexpectedly that nothing could induce them to return
to the attack.

All the same Jack was glad to see that it was broad daylight when he
awoke. He found, just as he might have expected, Jimmie at work
getting breakfast. Indeed, it may have been the delightful aroma of
coffee and bacon that helped awaken him, for the interior of the tent
was fragrant with the combination.

Eight o'clock came, and they started from the creek, passing the city
shortly afterward. If their visitors of the preceding night saw them
come out they were sensible enough not to disclose their identity;
though Jimmie did declare he saw two men who might be tramps watching