"You didn't know the young man who went along?" asked Dick.
"No, sah—neber see him afoah, sah."
"How did he look?"
"He looked putty much lak a tramp, yes, sah! He was putty dirty too, he was!"
"Some tramp they got to help them," was Tom's comment. "The question is, Where will they go with the houseboat?"
"I don't think they'll dare to go to any of the big towns," said Dick. "They'll be afraid we'll telegraph ahead to catch them. More than likely they'll land at some out-of-the-way spot and cart our valuables off in a wagon. Then possibly they'll cast the houseboat adrift, or set fire to her."
"If that's the case, what's to do?" questioned Fred Garrison. "I hate to sit still and do nothing."
"Yah! let us go after dem fellers mit pitch-forks alretty!" added Hans, vehemently. "Such robbers ought to peen electrocutioned mit a rope, ain't dot so?"
"You mean hung, Hans," said Sam. "They certainly ought to be punished.
"We'll swing them high, I do declare,
And let them dance on naught but air!
And when they've danced an hour so slick,
We'll cut them down and bury them quick,"
