from Hans Mueller. "Chust ven ve dink der sthars vos shinin' it begins to rain; eh, ain't dot so?"
"You've struck the nail on the head, Hans," answered Sam. "I thought we'd have plain sailing from to-day, and now it looks as if we'd have no sailing at all!"
"Boys," spoke up Dick, sharply, "if that houseboat has been stolen we must get the craft back."
"So say I, Dick," answered Tom. "But how are you going to begin about it?"
"That remains to be seen. Of one thing I am pretty certain—if the houseboat went anywhere it went down the stream. Only a powerful tug or steamboat could pull such a boat up this mighty river."
"That's true—and we must look down the Mississippi for the craft," said Fred.
"Where is Songbird?" asked Tom.
"I left him with the ladies and the girls. They will be along presently, in a carriage," answered Dick.
"There won't be any use of the ladies and girls going down to the river, so long as the Dora is missing," said Sam. "They'll have to stay in town, or go back to that sugar plantation, until we learn about the craft."
It was decided that Sam should join the other
