The Rover Boys on the Plains; Or, The Mystery of Red Rock Ranch

ling, th

ing rive

river, the r

s us down t

morning when he came out on dec

e a regular lark

er. "Who wouldn't feel good on

me ghosts drouble you?"

d Dick. "It's too fine a m

party were much pleased, and so were the girls. All gathered on the

t, and, not long after this, a large steamer

he was right. Soon the houseboat began to rock in a

ke that, I'm always afraid w

ptain Starr. "The wash would have to be m

ncy work, while the girls and boys read, played games and also sang and playe

, when, without warning, there came a shock that threw Aleck

ed the colored man. "Has

some hot coffee spilled on his knee.

hat Captain Starr's face was full of concern. Not another craft of an

mething, Captain?" a

id, sir," wa

ha

hings to be met with on the Mississippi. More tha

o us?" asked Tom. "If it did,

, and did so, accompanied by the boys and Al

ard had been loosened, but this was easily nailed tight

eing wrecked by these

e was running at full speed, when we struck a big tree that had rather a sharp point. The

disaster as that," wa

d heard the st

ar south was a large plantation, employing a great number of negr

ination of the craft, to make certain that she had received no inju

e captain. "There isn't a le

ile there learned that there had been a row at the plantation and two negroes had been serious

d the storekeeper in speaking of the affair

eboat, they found the others hunti

u looking fo

o come on board," answered Dick.

m end to end, but nothing coul

," said Sam. "If he did, I h

s open after this,"

xplain, Grace awoke long before the others. She tried to go to sleep

ing-room window, she saw a sight that filled her with amazement. B

cried. "

the burly negro turned an

t!" he said in a l

red Grace. "Help, so

or the doorway. In another moment he had Grace by the arm. "Do

, but the words stuck in her throat. The negro sti

to shut up?" as

me go,

let yer go. Be s

er heart almost stopped beating. She gazed around, a

nful pause, and he literally dragged her forward t

the other. Spoons, knives and forks were rapidly stowed away, and t

out, and tried to think of some other method of arousing the others on the boat. Her eye

lley. This was close to where Aleck was sleepin

ed, and then, as the bell rang once more, he sprang up

deck and to the dining-room. One glance was enough, and

petbag in hand, he started to run away. But Aleck put out

hfully. "Don't yo' 'tempt to git away, noho

thief, and sprang up, hurling the cook t

He saw the fleeing negro and made after him, catc

sang out, and caug

o twist himself loose. But, before he could break away, Ca

a robber?" asked Hans. "

burly negro, and suddenly produced a big revolver of th

nd in a twinkling the negro was over the sid

useless, the burly negro was gone. Later they learned that he was Water

Sam's first question after

scared the life out of me," she a

ll ever see him

. He was to meet Watermelon Pete, and under circumsta

," remarked Songbird. "He didn't

growled Aleck. "An' dat silber has got to

olored men came on board of the Dora and m

f here," said Dick, and t

at the time, and Captain

we'll go," answered o

ly, and ran the colored man to the gangplank. Sam and To

nd then both of them began to struggle and u

own with a loud splash. By the time they had managed to crawl to the shore through the mud, the houseboat was a good distance ou

nuffin'," growled the cook.

fresh when another housebo

their best to get

ued, and soon the plantation and the