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

hat the nature of the difference between old Uncle Felix and this strange Marcus Stackpole could be, that made the owner o

asked, as they sat down for a little talk in

know what sort of a fellow this Stackpole might turn out to be. Uncle is afraid of him somehow. And it seems to me he must hav

some sort of a treasure hid about here, and this Marcus wants to get his hands on the same. Laugh at me again, now, will you, when I

sleepy again, and Frank su

ready for bed again. "That sudden shot so close to his ears must have frightened Marcus so

the bank, though," sighed Will, who seemed to miss

to his upper berth; having placed his repeating shotgun on a couple of large nails which

out the lantern; and once more darkness and

t through the small windows facing the east Frank was astir; and, hearing hi

Frank?" asked Will, c

e it," was

first?" asked Bluff,

eel like taking a morni

out Jerry, poking his head out after

river close to the bank. The water was cool and invigoratin

rubbed down with towels brought for this very purpose. Then every one declar

o be relieved at intervals by one of the others, Bluff volu

I'll go ashore to cut

spicion that the bothersome man might be still hovering around the vicinity, and would have to be "shooed off" by a thr

ising his muscles to good advantage, and that they could count on

tied up for a stop. There were buffalo fish to be caught, Mr. Whittaker had assured them, that, while a little coarse, would be

rry, as with poles they pushed away from the bank, until the slow current near

there was little to do all day long, but keep an eye on thin

hey avoided all danger from such b

ver the course they had come, called the attention of the oth

onder keeps hovering just so fa

ey please," Frank remarked, though he gave the object in questio

till you can hardly see him in the dim distance, when he'll start up again. I think sometimes they'

r of last night, Marcus Stac

ow without his head-covering on?"

ed. "The fact is, one of them just pointed down the river; but whether he was ca

ough the field glasses,

w that looks like the glasses I'm handling," he

from that same launch. Well, if that doesn't knock the high persimmon down, though! We thought this M. S. was a common, every-

rt of rascal, perhaps a real river pirate; and that squatty litt

er craft are, they say, you know," Will went on, quite

d. He could not seem to get an ink

k, for they had their glasses trained on the houseboat at different times. Then, apparently, the power-boat was anchored again, for the boys beg

right along, and pa

nd, and wait for another chance to creep aboard this jolly old rover. But

range, I'd be tempted to let 'em feel how hot shot can get, when fi

would do with a cold "snack" at noon, leaving the getti

d ham sandwich, while he observed a steamboat turning a bend far belo

y along in the current. Frank and Will were inside, cutting a fresh supply of bread, with which to make their second helping, the

the first bite out of his sandwich when he hear

knife with which he was carvi

hrough together, and appearing on the deck; where they found Jerry making all sorts of s

erry seemed to be utterly alone on deck; and yet a minute before he ha

certainly