"That's right!" the voice in the darkness said. "Now, you with the light, send it over here. I might want to use it!"

Alex. slid his torch along the floor. In its progress the b.u.t.ton was pressed and a round illumination sprang up on the wall. Almost in the center of this they saw the white hair and beard of the old man who had invited them into the room above!

The boys sat for a long time in serious thought after that, well knowing that every word uttered would be heard by their guardian.

Alex. was more than hopeful in his views of the situation.

"If these fellows were professionals," he mused, "they wouldn't take any chances on us not having more weapons and more lights. They would make sure by searching us! I don't believe they ever took a prisoner before, or that they are very anxious about keeping us. I guess we just b.u.t.ted in where we're not wanted, and they'll let us go after a time. Anyway, they're easy!"

Directly loud noises were heard in the old house, and the insecure walls shook under heavy burdens. It seemed to the listening lads that huge boxes and barrels were being transferred from one room to another.

There were excited voices, too, although no words could be understood.

It seemed to the two prisoners that the old mansion was being deserted, and their impression was that the thieves were removing their plunder because their hiding-place had been intruded upon. In that case, they thought, they might soon be released.

After what seemed a whole day, food was pushed into the room, and the boys ate heartily of the fresh pork sausages, corn pones, and sweet potatoes given them.

"You're all right on the feed!" Alex. called back in the direction of the corner where for an instant the old man had been seen.

There was no answer, but, somehow, the boys were convinced that there was some one there in the room with them. It does not always require the eyes, or the hands, or the ears, or the sense of smell, to show one that others are close by.

There is a tingling of the nerves which warns of the presence of hostile elements, and this it was which showed the prisoners that they were still under guard.

That was a long afternoon. For the most part there were no sounds in the old house; still, now and then, there came the jar of heavy burdens on the floors, and the sharp and angry voices of men, speaking in a tongue the boys did not understand.

When the cracks in the boards at the windows began to darken, they knew that night was falling. They thought of the comfortable cabin of the _Rambler_, and of the companionship of the other boys with spasms of anger and regret. As the darkness became more complete outside, they arose and walked up and down the floor of their little room.

"Say, Mister!" Alex. called out to their invisible guard, directly, "how many acts are there in this drama? When do the persecuted c-h-e-i-l-d-s return to their agonized and heart-broken parents?"

"I'm as weary of it as you are!" was the remarkable answer, still in that calm voice they had heard before.

"Then why don't you cut it out?" asked Jule.

"There are men in the party who advise that," was the significant answer. "They are at present discussing your fate. Many declare that it is not wise to permit you to leave the place! I'm sorry for you, but you had no right to snoop in here!"

"Next time," Alex. replied, "you hoist a piracy flag, and we'll keep away."

"When will this strategy board you refer to make a report?" asked Jule.

"I may receive orders at any moment," was the answer.

Silence followed. There were crunchings and chatterings, in the walls where rodents were busy making nests, but no sound of human action. In the long wait the boys heard a low, inquisitive sniff!

Alex. drew Jule's head over to him and whispered in his ear:

"That's Captain Joe, for a dollar and a half!"

"You're on!" Jule responded. "I'll be glad to lose the bet at that, too!"

"I guess I know that inquisitive snort!" Alex. went on. "Besides, I told you that the dog would find some way to get to us!"

"Aw, Clay sent him!" declared Jule. "He never found his way here alone."

"The boys may be with him," Alex. suggested, as the sound came again.

"I hope he won't make enough noise to disturb his nibs, over in the corner. Good old dog!"

After a time they heard the patter of the dog's feet, and then the guard whistled softly, as if attempting to make friends with whatever animal was approaching.

"Come here, you foolish dog!" he said. "Why don't you come in out of the dark?"

The pat-pat of the dog's soft feet came nearer, and the guard spoke again:

"How the Old Harry did you get in here?" he demanded. "Whose dog are you, anyway?"

The dog growled and there came a flash of light. The guard, becoming afraid of this thing which had found its way into a room supposed to be secure from intrusion, and had switched on the electric.

The light revealed the two prisoners, grouped together in the middle of the room, the old man, standing with weapon extended and with staring eyes, Captain Joe all ready for a spring, an open window, and, lastly, the black face of Mose overlooking the scene with eyes which seemed too large for his head!

"Get him, Joe!" cried both boys in unison.

The light dropped as the dog leaped, and a revolver clattered to the floor. Alex. had hold of the dog in an instant, his other hand reaching for the rolling flashlight.

"Don't eat him up, Joe!" the boy said, tearing the dog away from the fallen man. Captain Joe fell away with a sullen growl.

"The brute has bitten my arm!" the old man moaned.

"If you remain quiet," Alex. said, "you won't have any more wounds to complain of. We'll just tie you up and get out! After we are gone some one will come and let you out. What sort of a place is this, anyway?"

The old man groaned and made no reply, so the boys secured him and crept out of the window into the darkness.

CHAPTER VII

SEARCHING FOR THE _RAMBLER_

Case found the walking fairly good and reached New Madrid shortly before noon, having started about 8 o'clock. He procured the supplies for which he had been sent and then sought the hotel and partook of an excellent dinner.

"Now," he thought, "shall I walk back to the _Rambler_ to-night, or shall I remain here and look over the town?"

The question was soon decided, for all there was of the town could be seen in a very short time. At 1 o'clock he started back to the motor boat. At 5 o'clock, just as the sun was setting, he came to the bayou where the _Rambler_ had been anch.o.r.ed.

There was no boat there. The night was falling fast, and the bayou and the river were dimly seen through a slight mist. The boy stood on the bank of the bayou for a long time, studying the situation.

"There's something wrong!" he decided. "The motors could never have been forced into motion with the parts missing! The boys would never attempt to drift down, for the river is still filled with drifting timbers and wrecks of houses and barns.

"And even if they should have decided to change locations, notwithstanding the peril of the undertaking, they would never have gone away without leaving some one here to notify me of the new position!"