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

nderstand why the boat acted so queerly,

ry; thereby acknowledging that he had not kept as good a lookout ahead as a careful pilot sho

Bluff?" c

to see what sort of a sna

luff he was perched on the bulwark of the boat, with his b

e sudden stop of the boat!" he exc

oubtless, as he was sent flying, losing his balance, Bluff had had the good sense to let his sandwich go, and seize t

tered; "and I don't like it any too well, either. So

he realized that Bluff, with all his clothes thor

e the worse for his ducking, save

grinning at his forlorn appearance, "is that I lost that nice wedge of ham. Somebody make me

n't fancy being held up here like this. It must be a grounded log, with one end pointing up-stream;

here the point of the snag seemed to be pres

w our weight over to starboard, perhaps the boat may list enough to let her slip off. Co

the slippery bottom of the houseboat near the edge, and a very small list started the craft to sliding. They he

that, to work her head around, so

serted, knowing that the fault was principally his, sinc

d Bluff ate it with the utmost unconcern, just as though falling overboar

the boat happened to be tied up to the shore at the time. A rough-looking man was filing a saw, and Frank gave it as his opinion that he followed thi

was more or less concerned as to where they might find

o stop drifting for the day; and now that they wanted a sh

y, who still stuck to the heavy sweep, as though he wante

re might be several boats collected there. I can see a shantyboat; there are some small row

es by joining them?"

k around at the d

ugh we were warned to keep away from other boats all we could. But there is some bad weather comin

her in toward the sh

sitive nature of his chum, and understood how, in all probability,

here the others lay snugly. It was a good harbor, at any rate, in case of a blow

rong cables both above and below; "and some rich fellow's pleasure boat, too, because she can go up or down the river, having a gasolene engine. I'd like to se

'll go you one better b

t wait a minute, and I'll jo

? Ten to one these people are all honest chaps. Why, I can see a sign right now,

his repeater; "don't you see that he's got what's meant to be a picture of a gun on his

that long ago it used to be getting out of order

rms; "but while I had the chance I thought it would be a good thing to have a repair man tak

nk admitted; because as a rule his chum

ith Will to assist in case of need, the other two ste

, that would only be natural under such circumstances. He also made certain that the other w

that you're off on a little trip, the same as I am, with my helper here?

n the direction of the boat where the gun repairer had his headquarters, Bluff hovered around. To tell the truth, he was greatly struck with the elaborate ap

ught it wise to decline the invitation, giving as an excuse the plea that the hour was g

uld say a word. "Some fine day, when my ship comes home, I may be wanting to build a boat like this to kn

hold back after that, so he fol

, and as he said this, he opened the cabin door, allowing the eager Bluff to

n. This is what you might call a modern, up-to-date boa

he luxuriously-furnished cabin three other fellows, in whom they easily recog

bleau, as the rivals