CHAPTER VII
THE HOUSEBOAT IN THE BUSHES
With the coming of morning the mist cleared away as if by magic, andsoon the warm sunshine put all on board of the gasoline launch inbetter spirits.
"How is the dog?" questioned Dick, of the owner of the canine.
"He has been pretty well mauled up, but I think he'll come aroundwith proper attention," answered the young Southerner. "He is avaluable animal--valuable to me because he was a pet of my father--andI'd hate to lose him."
All were hungry and ate their morning lunch with considerablesatisfaction, washing it down with some coffee made on a small oilstove that had been brought along.
"Well, I don't see anything of the houseboat," announced Dick, as hestood on a seat and took a long and careful look around. "Not a craftor a building of any kind in sight."
"Some negroes used to live on the north shore of the lake," saidHarold Bird, "but the floods last year made them vacate in a hurry."
It was decided to move around the shore of the lake slowly, scanningevery cove and inlet with care. That the houseboat was hidden somewhereon that expanse of water none of the party had any doubt.
"You could take quite a trip in this launch," said Sam to HaroldBird, as they moved along. "The more I see of the craft the betterI like her. May I ask what she is worth?"
"I gave two thousand dollars for her. I bought her in New Orleansand brought her up the river myself. The folks around here don't knowmuch about gasoline launches, but I think she's as nice a craft asanybody would wish."
"How much water does she draw?"
"Only two and a half feet when loaded down--so you see we can getover some pretty shallow spots, if it is necessary."
They were moving along a scantily-wooded stretch of shore when Tomlet out a short cry:
"Stop!"
"What's up, Tom?" asked several.
"I saw somebody just now--back of yonder bushes. He stepped out andthen stepped back again."
"Was it one of the men we are after?" asked Sam.
"I don't know--he got out of sight before I had a good look at him."
"We'll have to investigate," said Dick, and to this the others agreed.With all possible haste the launch was run to the shore and Sam, Tom,and Dick got out, followed by Harold Bird. The dog came also, limpingalong painfully.
"Find him, Dandy, find him!" said the young Southerner, in a lowtone, and the dog seemed to understand. He put his nose to the ground,ran around for several minutes, and then started off through the bushes.
"Do you think he has struck the trail?" asked Tom.
"I am sure of it," was Harold Bird's positive reply.
The young Southerner called to the dog, and Dandy went forward moreslowly, so that they could keep him in sight. They passed throughone patch of bushes and then came to a clear space, beyond which wasa field of wild sugarcane.
Hardly had the dog struck the cleared spot when from a distance camethe report of a pistol. Dandy leaped up in the air, came down in aheap, and lay still.
"Somebody has shot the dog!" cried Sam. "What a shame!"
Harold Bird said nothing, but ran to where the canine lay. Dandy wasbreathing his last, and in a minute it was all over.
"Poor fellow!" murmured the young Southerner, and there were tearsin his eyes. "First the bob cats and now a pistol bullet! Oh, if Ican only catch the rascal who fired that shot I'll make him sufferfor this!"
"The fellow killed the dog, so the animal could not trail him," saidDick. "It was certainly a dirty trick."
"It shows that the man is a criminal," put in Tom. "He would not beafraid of us if he was honest."
"And therefore it must have been Gasper Pold or Solly Jackson," said Sam.
"What will you do with the dog?" asked Dick, after an awkward pause.
"Take him back to the boat and bury him," answered the young Southerner."I don't want the wild beasts to feed on him."
"Hadn't we better follow up that man first?"
"We can do so, if you wish."
They passed on and looked around that vicinity with care. It must beconfessed that they were afraid of being shot at, but nothing of thesort occurred. At one point they saw some footsteps, but these cameto an end in a creek flowing into the lake.
As the ground in that vicinity was very treacherous there was nothingto do but to return to the launch and this they did, Harold Bird andDick carrying the dead dog between them. All were sorry that thecanine was dead, for they realized that the animal had done its bestfor them against the bob cats.
They had no spade, but with some flat sticks managed to scoop out ahole of respectable depth and in this they buried the canine. Overthe spot the young Southerner placed a peculiar stick to mark the spot.
"He was a fine dog and was once the pet of my father," he said. "Someday I may place a monument over his grave."
They left the vicinity and continued on their trip around the lake,scanning every indentation of the shore for a possible glimpse of the_Dora_. There were many winding places, so it was noon before thetask was half completed.
"This is growing to be a longer hunt than I anticipated," remarkedFred. "I thought finding the houseboat would be dead easy."'
Lunch was had, and once again they went on the search, this time ata point where a bayou joined Lake Sico to a smaller lake. Here theyhad to move with care, for the bayou was filled with the hidden rootsof trees long since thrown down by storms.
"Of ve ton't look out ve peen caught in dem dree roots," observedHans, looking down into the water. "Say, ton't da look like vatersnakes?"
"They certainly do, and they are almost as dangerous--for the launch."
Soon came a grinding tinder the boat and the screw came to a standstill.A tree root had caught fast, and further progress was out of thequestion until the screw could be cleared.
"I'll go over and do the job!" cried Tom. "I know how." And the othersbeing willing he divested himself of most of his clothing, leapedoverboard, and was soon at work. It was no light task, as he had tocut the root in several places with a jackknife.
"We had better land and look around," said Harold Bird. "I'd hate toget the screw caught again and break it, for then we'd certainly bein a pickle."
"Could the houseboat get through here?" questioned Fred.
"Yes, they could pole her through, with hard work," answered Dick.
They turned the gasoline launch to shore and tied fast. Then allbegan to leap out.
"This won't do," cried Dick. "Somebody ought to remain on the launch."
"I would like to go with you and look for the houseboat," answeredHarold Bird. "I think the launch will be safe where she is."
"If you want me to stay I'll do it, if Songbird will stay with me,"said Fred.
"I'll stay," said Songbird, promptly.
So it was arranged, and leaving the two in charge of the gasolinelaunch, all the others of the party set off on their search for themissing houseboat.
Walking along the shore of the small lake was decidedly treacherous,and more than once one or another would slip down in the mud and slime.
"Hellup!" cried Hans, who had dragged behind, and looking back theysaw the German lad in a bog hole up to his knees. "Hellup, oder Ivos trowned alretty!"
"Can't you crawl out?" questioned Dick, running back.
"No, der mud vos like glue!" gasped Hans.
Tom came back also, and between them they managed to pull Hans fromthe sticky ooze, which was plastered over his trousers and shoes.The German lad gazed at himself ruefully.
"Now, ain't dot a nice mess?" he observed. "Vosn't I a beach!"
"Yes, but a pretty muddy one," laughed Dick. "But never mind now,come on. You can clean up when we get back."
The party soon reached a spot where the bushes grew in water severalinches deep. Here, to avoid sinking in the mud, they had to make awide detour.
"Listen!" cried Sam, presently, and held up his hand.
"What did you hear?" asked Harold
Bird.
"I heard something as if somebody was walking through the brush yonder!"
"Maybe it was the men we are after!" cried Dick. "Come on!"
They continued to move forward until some fallen trees all but barredtheir further progress. Then they came to a small rise of ground--averitable island in this swamp,--and reaching the highest point,gazed around them.
"What is that?" asked Sam, pointing with his hand to a round, blackobject showing above some bushes at a distance.
"Why, that looks like the smokestack of the houseboat!" cried Tom.He meant the stack to the chimney, for several rooms of the houseboatwere furnished with stoves, to be used when the weather was chilly.
"We'll soon make certain," said Dick. "Forward, everybody!"
"Be careful!" cautioned Harold Bird. "Remember, you have desperatecharacters 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 hishand. 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 beenseen. They had another creek to cross and then had to crawl throughsome extra-thick bushes. But beyond was a stretch of clear water,and there they saw, safely tied to two trees, the object of theirsearch, the missing houseboat.