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

skiff for a dinghy, or tender!" remarked Bluff, three days later, as he paddled ashore w

atched the other hitch the painter to the bow of the large, roomy craft, which continued to point down-stream; for, when fastening up for the nigh

that same little affair," remarked Jerry, "w

, while the others used the several stout poles that had been secured for the purpose of pushing. "There she is, right side u

nks to Frank here, who expected they'd be looking, and got us to push ac

ouseboat to enter one of those little bays. No danger then of being caught on a sandbar, and left hig

far below Dubuque are we

ink we'll be bothered to-night," the o

notion; though I've been hoping some fine day that stuck-up dude would run up against

of the window, so he never came back again. Guess he wasn't as bold a customer as he made us believe. And I'm still hunting all over the boat for a tidy l

been coming this far,

ition; for as usual that position had been saddled on Frank's shoulders, all of his chum

at moon is going to improve, and grow larger. Why, before we know it, we'll

y, which is just plain grub. What are w

the end, as usually happened, it was voted to leave the matter with Jerry. He knew how to treat them well, Bluff declared with a proper amoun

ng dishes, and took pride in changing what he called the "menu" so often, that the boys always had delightful recollect

sh lines; Bluff stretched on a blanket he had brought out; and Frank rubbing up his recollection of the events of the last two days, since h

oo much company around, when that boatload of toughs from the city rowed past, looking for our

se fierce creatures around us right now?" Will faltered. "He's just

es of this place. So make your mind easy, Will; and if you choose to take a turn up and down the deck before go

ts me to believe that sort of thing could be a panther! Don't forget that I've hea

" declared Jerry, looking

om the shore somewhere above!" Bluff sai

!" remarked Frank,

swish of bushes giving way

g, to fix his bait on properly, has told

her out, then?

e the mischief's do

ust wager he's after his gun. Well, I'm glad of it; for Fran

nk ordered, and eve

eased until it seemed to be almost

shoot at me; I'm a friend, a

them possessed a sympathetic heart, and the very t

g to invite him aboa

houseboat," Jerry went on to add; not because he felt any fear, but beca

ntern, as though speed

"and see what's wrong. Bluff, would you mind com

, as he let his baited hook drop into the water, wh

o do, since the houseboat was warped close to the bank; and inde

that of an old man. He did not seem any too robust, and hi

er he liked the appearance of the other or not, and secretly resolved that

with every cent in the world I had, and my passage ticket as well. So the captain put me ashore, and I've had hardly a bite to eat for twenty-four

old what he was going for. A man half starved, while they had plen

"you see, we don't happen to own this houseboat; and one of the rules set down for us by the gentleman who does, was that, under no circumstances, unless it seemed absolutely necessary to save a life, were we to keep a stranger

man should have felt pleased when he heard what Frank said; but the sharp eyes of the boys, watching his face, caught a

othing about what he might suspect; only he resolved to carry out the schem