The Outdoor Chums on a Houseboat; Or, The Rivals of the Mississippi

ou?" cried Bluff Master

six feet below, and as there was a fair stage of water at this

e a geyser. One of his comrades immediately hastened to lower himself by mean

n-looking figure. Even a couple of his friends grinned a little behind his back; while Bluff and Jerry made no pretense of hiding their delight. Frank half expect

e other, shivering, either with the cold, or the e

ned Frank, quietly. "You seemed to want the whole road, and I was for gi

knew mighty well that if you jumped o

so since you would have it, I let you have first choice. If you'd kept to your side of the road nothing would have happened. You

ady to descend to the manner of a common bully. "You set up that game on me, and you know it. Didn't I see you telling Bluff Mast

leasantly; "and suppose you tell m

led the other, making a forward movement, though two of his boon c

k off his coat, and ha

clothes. Now, suppose you start in, and give me what you say I need; because to-morrow may be too late, as we start

w of trying to break away from the detaining hands of his chums;

o be as strong as an ox. He made the baseball team, and will be in the football squad next fa

ly seek the harder to keep him back, the third one now lending a hand, and trying to soothe him with soft words. "What have I been taking boxing and wre

he tightened his grip. "You're soaked to the skin, and excited in the bargain; while he's as cool

hile he would break out into another wild series of exclamations,

ut it on. There was a curl to his lips

hink of it, bo

even a little bit!" declare

away from his friends. Why, he could have done it in the start, easy enough; but

ake a noise," remar

at happened, you'd think a house had dropped kerplunk into the river. Only ti

er to a few of your troubles in the past when it comes to speaking about

ring what a startling picture he might have taken of Oswald going over the edge of the

grunted Bluff. "What wonderful thing

st you, Frank; and some day try to hand you

e-step, and let the poor chap go ove

Healthy boys see no shadows ahead when fortune beckons. And these chums knew of no reason why the

g odds far from being one to seek trouble; but in this case he seemed to think it might liven things up if only O

f the intended voyage; but he neglected to ask Jerry not

er, with its enclosures, was produced,

l of it," Jerry finally admitted, w

it. "What do you suppose there is so valuable about this houseboat that woul

get hold of 'em. I'm going to make it my job to find out if that's so, and you fellows needn't be surprised t

"Now, I've got a notion it's the craft itself that's so expensively built, and Stackpole, who mu

g different lines from anything as yet suggested in the fertile brains of his companions. Besides, he wondered what that occasional smile he sa

long before they would arrive in St. Paul, ready to purchase their

ate for two months and more on the morrow. When morning came there was a grand exodus, and the station of the college tow

ounced that the parting minute had arrived. And amid a shrieking of hundreds of voi

rank!" said Will, as the party hung partly out

lued on you, too; don't

uck before, that souse in the river settled it. From now on he'll never hear the name of Frank Langdon witho

ner, then," remarked

the last speaker, "did you keep your word, and

ded his h

he time! What's the use of living, if you can't have some excitement once in a while? Besides, I'm hoping Oswald will find a chanc

nother houseboat, the chances of running across us wouldn't amount to much, anyhow. So what's the use of worrying? We've got all we want to do

I just can't believe it's so, all these fine times ahead of us, with a houseboat all our own fo

rything that flies; and Frank here a regular stickler for obeying what

n lots of ways; and while Uncle Felix may have a stock of fire

makes me happy!"

bar!" chuckled Will; for the gun had never been a favorite with either himself or Jerry, who declared it was unsportsmanl

ked of hardly anything else but the pleasure they anticipated when once they were launched on