CHAPTER XVI
THE SEARCH
For a while no one felt like speaking. The shock was too much for them.They could hardly realize that their craft was gone. Finally Jerryspoke.
"We've got to find her!" he exclaimed. "She's somewhere on the river,up or down, and we've got to go after her. She can't have been takenvery far, for we've not been gone more than three hours."
"If she was run at full speed she could get a good way off in thattime," observed Bob.
"Well, what's to be done?" asked Ned.
"I think the best plan will be to start up or down the river," saidJerry. "Chances are who ever took the boat went up, as they wouldn'trisk cruising past Cresville with it. So we'll start up I think."
"You mean walk?" asked Bob who was not inclined to any exertion when hecould help it.
"Well I don't see any one coming along with a launch or a waterautomobile, Chunky," said Jerry. "I guess we'll have to walk, a way atany rate. We'll inquire of every one who lives along the river if theyhave seen the boat. We may get a line on her that way. So let's start."
"I wish we'd taken some of the grub out of her before we went away,"said Bob with a sigh.
"If they'll give us back the boat they can have all the victuals andwelcome," spoke Ned.
"I guess you're not as hungry as I am," said Bob.
"Well, there's no use worrying over that part of it," Jerry said."We'll start out. Maybe we can find a hotel or a farm house where wecan buy some lunch."
Tired and discouraged, hungry and thirsty, the boys started off totramp up along the river bank. It was in strange contrast to the mannerin which they had arrived the evening before.
Their course lay partly through meadow land and partly through thewoods, for the river was winding in its course. The sun beamed down hotand the journey was anything but a pleasant one. But the boys with grimdetermination did not mind the discomforts. They wanted to find theirboat and they were willing to make any sacrifices to get her.
They had walked for an hour without seeing a sign of habitation ormeeting a person. But, about noon, as they came around a sharp turn,where the river flowed between two rather high hills, they spied a farmhouse, which, from the extent of land surrounding it, and the number ofout buildings seemed to belong to a man of means.
"Well, that looks as if there was something to eat there, at any rate,"spoke Bob. "Hurry up, fellows, I'm nearly starved. Have any of you gotany money? I'm broke."
Ned had only a little change, but, fortunately Jerry had several billsin his pocket.
"We don't look very presentable to go up to a man's house on Sunday,"said Ned. "But beggars can't be choosers."
The boys had on old suits which they donned as they expected to trampthrough the woods. Their good clothes were on the boat. Then too, thejaunt along the river had not improved their appearance as they wererather begrimed.
"Let's scrub up a bit before we make an appeal for help," suggested Ned.
"Good idea," agreed Bob, and all three went down to the edge of theriver. They washed the mud off their shoes, scrubbed their faces andhands, drying them on their pocket handkerchiefs, to the detrimentof the linen, and then they brushed the dirt and cobwebs from theirclothes with bunches of grass.
"There!" exclaimed Jerry when the toilets were completed. "We're notexactly dressed for a party, but I guess it's some better than we were."
They approached the farm house from the front. Bob had suggested goingin the back way, but Ned insisted they were not tramps, but travelerswilling and able to pay for a meal, so it was decided to approach instyle.
Jerry rang the bell. In a little while an aged colored man answered. Hewas all smiles as he came along, but, as he opened the glass paneledportal the boys could see a frown appear on his face.
"Marse Johnson done give p'ticklar orders that all tramps an' beggarsdone got t' go t' th' back part this establishment!" said the negro.
"Well, what's that got to do with us?" asked Jerry. "Tell Mr. Johnsonwe wish to see him at once."
"Well I mus' say you's th' most imperterlitest--"
"Never mind!" exclaimed Jerry. "Just tell Mr. Johnson that we are fromCresville. He'll understand."
The colored man hesitated a moment. Clearly he was puzzled by Jerry'sconfident manner.
"Sit down," said Jerry to Bob and Ned, waving his hand toward someporch chairs.
That seemed to settle it in the negro's mind. Any one who assumed somuch must be an expected guest he reasoned even though the clothing ofthe boys betokened them to be unlike the usual run of visitors.
Somewhat apprehensive of what their reception might be the boys waited.They heard the footsteps of the colored man go echoing down the hall.The big dog, seemingly satisfied that all was right, had resumed hissleep.
The boys heard someone coming along the gravel on the walk at the sideof the porch. They looked up, expecting to see the master of the houseapproaching. They beheld a little man with a round shining bald head,and a fuzz of white whiskers around his chin. Though long past middleage, he came along with sprightly steps. No sooner had he caught sightof the boys than his walk became a run, and he fairly bounded up on theporch.
"Well of all things!" he exclaimed. "Who would have thought to see youhere. My but I'm glad to see you. Welcome, fellow fire-fighters!"
The boys rose from their chairs, rather puzzled over the little man'swords and actions. He began shaking hands with them, though, as Bobafterward confessed he was doubtful about engaging in the operation, ashe thought the man was a mild lunatic.
"Well, well, but I am glad to see you!" the little man went on. "I'mawfully glad you came. You're just in time for dinner. Come right in."
"Oh, friends of yours, Henry?" asked a voice from the doorway, and theboys turned to see a tall stately gentleman coming out on the porch."You young gentlemen must excuse me," the tall man went on. "I didnot understand Sambo's message. He said, but you must pardon me forrepeating it, but he said there were some tramps out here. But I didnot dream there were some old friends of Cousin Henry's. I am verypleased to meet you."
All of which was more and more puzzling to the boys.
"Friends of mine! I should rather say they were!" exclaimed the littleman. "These young gentlemen," he went on, "are honorary members of theTowanda Fire Department, of which I am the only living charter member!"and he threw back his shoulders proudly.
"That's what they are," he went on. "You should have seen them andtheir steam boat at the Dudley fire. They saved the day, that's whatthey did. We elected 'em on the spot. I was there! I ought to know! My,but that was a blaze!" he exclaimed. "Me and the chief never forgotyour services. I'm general adviser of the department," he continued."You saw me there?"
"Of course," said Jerry, who, with the other boys now remembered thelittle man who had been so fussy to see that the ancient hand engineworked well.
"Well, any friends of yours are friends of mine," said the tallgentleman. "Introduce me, Henry," which the only living charter memberof the Towanda Fire Department proceeded to do with old fashionedcourtesy.
"You're just in time for dinner," spoke Mr. Johnson. "I shall only betoo proud to have you join us. My cousin has told me, several times ofyour assistance at the big fire. I have often desired to meet you. Mycousin came over on a visit this week. Fortunate that you should haveknown of it and followed him."
"We didn't. It was all an accident," said Jerry.
Then, in a few words he explained what had happened, relating the theftof the motor boat, and how it happened they were only chance visitors.
"Remarkable, remarkable!" exclaimed Mr. Johnson. "I never heardanything like it. Now come right in. My wife and daughters will bedelighted to meet you and hear that story."
Almost unconsciously, at the suggestion of meeting ladies, the boysglanced at their clothes.
"Now, now, no apologies!" exclaimed Mr. Johnson. "I'll explaineverything. You must take dinner with me. It is almost ready. Sambo,show the young gentleme
n to the bath room, and tell Mary to put onthree extra plates. Delighted to have the opportunity of dining withyou," Mr. Johnson added, bowing to the boys.
"Talk about luck!" said Bob, when they were left alone. "Say, we'reright in it. Who'd ever thought our helping at that fire would havebrought us a meal just when we needed it most."
The other boys were equally impressed by the strange coincidence, andvoted it a most fortunate thing that they should have come to the housewhere cousin Henry was stopping. They were all the more inclined tothank their lucky stars when they saw the bountiful meal that was setupon the table half an hour later.
The boys had to tell their story over again, with all the details,for Mrs. Johnson, and her two daughters, both young ladies were muchinterested, and asked scores of questions.
"I don't suppose you heard or saw a motor boat going up the river, didyou?" asked Jerry of his host.
"Not personally," replied Mr. Johnson. "But I did hear Sambo saysomething about hearing a queer whistle out on the water sometime ago.Maybe that was it. I'll let you ask him."
The colored man was summoned, and proved to have even better news. Hesaid he had been down on the river bank several hours previous and hadseen a boat, that answered every description of the _Dartaway_, goingup at full speed.
"Could you see who was on board?" asked Jerry.
"'Peared laik there was two men on her," said Sambo, "a little one an'a bigger one."
"We'd better start right off after them," said Ned.
"I can't let you go so soon," protested Mr. Johnson. "Perhaps I can beof some assistance to you. I have a number of rowboats, and you'rewelcome to one or more of them. You can row up stream, which is betterthan walking, though it's not so fast as your craft goes. Then, if Iwere you I'd send dispatches to the principal cities and towns alongthe river, asking the police to keep a look-out for your boat."
"That's a good idea," said Jerry. "I never thought of that. Thank youvery much."
"Then you had better send a telegram home to your folks telling themyou will be delayed," went on Mr. Johnson.
"Is there a station near here?" asked Ned.
"I will send Sambo over to town with the messages this afternoon," Mr.Johnson said. "In the meanwhile make yourselves to home here, and restup. You'll have hard work ahead of you I'm afraid before you get yourboat back. We have heard rumors lately of a gang of thieves that haveinfested this neighborhood, especially along the river. Maybe some ofthem have your craft."