Produced by W. R. Marvin
The Rover Boys on the River
The Search for the Missing Houseboat
By
Arthur Winfield
CONTENTS
I. Plans for an Outing
II. On the way to Putnam Hall
III. The Doings of a Night
IV. What the Morning Brought Forth
V. For and Against
VI. Link Smith's Confession
VII. Fun on the Campus
VIII. Good-bye to Putnam Hall
IX. The Rover Boys at Home
X. A Scene in a Cemetery
XI. Attacked from Behind
XII. Flapp and Baxter Plot Mischief
XIII. Chips and the Circus Bills
XIV. Fun at the Show
XV. Acts Not on the Bills
XVI. Aleck Brings News
XVII. A Queer Captain
XVIII. On Board the Houseboat
XIX. Words and Blows
XX. Days of Pleasure
XXI. The Disappearance of the Houseboat
XXII. Dan Baxter's Little Game
XXIII. A Run in the Dark
XXIV. The Horse Thieves
XXV. Plotting Against Dora and Nellie
XXVI. The Search on the River
XXVII. Caught Once More
XXVIII. A Message for the Rovers
XXIX. Jake Shaggam, of Shaggam Creek
XXX. The Rescue--Conclusion
INTRODUCTION
My dear boys: "The Rover Boys on the River" is a complete story in
itself, but forms the ninth volume of "The Rover Boys Series for Young
Americans."
Nine volumes! What a great number of tales to write about one set of
characters! When I started the series I had in mind, as I have
mentioned before, to write three, or possibly, four books. But the
gratifying reception given to "The Rover Boys at School," soon made the
publishers call for the second, third, and fourth volumes, and then
came the others, and still the boys and girls do not seem to be
satisfied. I am told there is a constant cry for "more! more!" and so I
present this new Rover Boys story, which tells of the doings of Dick,
Tom, and Sam and their friends during an outing on one of our great
rivers,--an outing full of excitement and fun and with a touch of a
rather unusual mystery. During the course of the tale some of the old
enemies of the Rover Boys turn up, but our heroes know, as of old, how
to take care of themselves; and all ends well.
In placing this book into the hands of my young readers I wish once
more to thank them for the cordial reception given the previous
volumes. Many have written to me personally about them, and I have
perused the letters with much satisfaction. I sincerely trust the
present volume fulfills their every expectation.
Affectionately and sincerely yours,
ARTHUR M. WINFIELD.
THE ROVER BOYS ON THE RIVER
CHAPTER I
PLANS FOR AN OUTING
"Whoop! hurrah! Zip, boom, ah! Rockets!"
"For gracious' sake, Tom, what's all the racket about? I thought we had
all the noise we wanted last night, when we broke up camp."
"It's news, Dick, glorious news," returned Tom Rover, and he began to
dance a jig on the tent flooring. "It's the best ever."
"It won't be glorious news if you bring this tent down on our heads,"
answered Dick Rover. "Have you discovered a gold mine?"
"Better than that, Dick. I've discovered what we are going to do with
ourselves this summer."
"I thought we were going back to the farm, to rest up, now that the
term at Putnam Hall is at an end."
"Pooh! Who wants to rest? I've rested all I wish right in this
encampment."
"Well, what's the plan? Don't keep us in 'suspenders,' as Hans Mueller
would say."
"Dear old Hansy! That Dutch boy is my heart's own!" cried Tom,
enthusiastically. "I could not live without him. He must go along."
"Go along where?"
"On our outing this summer?"
"But where do you propose to go to, Tom?"
"For a trip on the broad and glorious Ohio River."
"Eh?"
"That's it, Dick. We are to sail the briny deep of that river in a
houseboat. Now, what do you think of that?"
"I'd like to know what put that into your head, Tom," came from the
tent opening, and Sam Rover, the youngest of the three brothers,
stepped into view.
"Uncle Randolph put it into my head, not over half an hour ago, Sam.
It's this way: You've heard of John V. Black of Jackville?"
"The man that owed Uncle Randolph some money?"
"Exactly. Well, Black is a bankrupt, or next door to it. He couldn't
pay Uncle Randolph what was coming to him, so he turned over a
houseboat instead. She's a beauty, so I am told, and she is called the
_Dora_--"
"After Dora Stanhope, of course," interrupted the youngest Rover, with
a quizzical look at his big brother Dick.
"Now look here, don't you start in like that, Sam," came quickly from
Dick, with a blush, for the girl mentioned was his dearest friend and
had been for some years. "Tell us about this houseboat, Tom," he went
on.
"The houseboat is now located on the Ohio River, at a place not many
miles from Pittsburg. Uncle Randolph says if we wish to we can use her
this summer, and float down to the Mississippi and further yet for that
matter. And we can take along half a dozen of our friends, too."
"Hurrah! that's splendid!" burst out Sam. "What a glorious way to spend
the best part of this summer! Let us go, and each take a chum along."
"Father says if we go we can take Alexander Pop along to do the cooking
and dirty work. The houseboat is now in charge of an old river-man
named Captain Starr, who knows the Ohio and Mississippi from end to
end, and we can keep him on board."
"It certainly looks inviting," mused Dick Rover. "It would take us
through a section of the country we haven't as yet seen, and we might
have lots of sport, fishing, and swimming, and maybe hunting. How many
will the houseboat accommodate?" he added.
"Twelve or fourteen, on a pinch."
"Then we could have a jolly crowd. The question is, who are you going
to take along? We can't take all of our friends, and it would seem a
shame to ask some and not others."
"We can decide that question later, Dick. Remember, some of the
fellows already have their arrangements made for this summer."
"I know Major Colby can't go," said Sam. "He is going to visit some
relatives in Maine."
"And George Granbury is going up to the Thousand Islands with his
folks," put in Tom.
"We might ask Songbird Powell," came from Dick. "I don't believe he is
going anywhere in particular."
"Yes, we ought to have him by all means, and Hans Mueller, too. They
would be the life of the party."
"I should like to have Fred Garrison along," said Sam. "He is always
good company. We can--"
Sam broke off short as the roll of a drum was heard on the parade
ground outside the tent.
"Dress parade, for the last time!" cried Dick Rover. "Come, get out and
be quick about it!" And as captain of Company A he caught up his sword
and buckled it on in a hurry, while Tom, as a lieutenant of the same
command, did likewise.
When they came out on the parade ground of the encampment they found
the cadets of Putnam Hall hurrying to the spot from all directions. It
was a perfect day, this fifth of July, with the sun shining brightly
and a gentle breeze blowing. The camp was as clean as a whistle, and
from the tall flagstaff in front of the grounds Old Glory flapped
bravely out on the air.
To those who have read "The Rover Boys at School," and other volumes in
this series, Dick, Tom, and Sam need no special introduction. When at
home they lived with their father and their aunt and uncle at Valley
Brook farm, pleasantly located in the heart of New York State. From
this farm they had been sent by their uncle Randolph to Putnam Hall
military academy, presided over by Captain Victor Putnam, to whom they
became warmly attached. At the academy they made many firm friends,
some of whom will be introduced in the pages which follow, and also
several enemies, among them Dan Baxter, the offspring of a criminal
named Arnold Baxter, who, after suffering for his crimes by various
terms of imprisonment, was now very sick and inclined to turn over a
new leaf and become a better man.
A term at school had been followed by a remarkable chase on the ocean,
and then a journey to the jungles of Africa, in a hunt after Anderson
Rover, the boys' father, who was missing. Then had come a trip to a
gold mine in the West, followed by some exciting adventures on the
Great Lakes. On an island in one of the lakes they unearthed a document
relating to a treasure hidden in the Adirondack Mountains, and next
made their way to that locality, in midwinter, and obtained a box
containing gold, silver, and precious stones, much to their
satisfaction.
After their outing in the mountains, the boys had expected to return to
Putnam Hall, but a scarlet-fever scare broke out and the institution
was promptly closed. This being the case, Mr. Rover thought it best to
allow his sons to visit California for their health. This they did, and
in the seventh volume of the series, entitled "The Rover Boys on Land
and Sea," I related how Sam, Tom, and Dick were carried off to sea
during a violent storm, in company with Dora Stanhope, already
mentioned, and her two cousins, Nellie and Grace Laning, two particular
friends of Tom and Sam. The whole party was cast away on a deserted
island, and had much trouble with Dan Baxter, who joined some sailor
mutineers. Our friends were finally rescued by a United States warship
which chanced to pass that way and see their signal of distress.
After reaching San Francisco once more, the Rover boys had returned to
the East, while Dora Stanhope and the Lanings had gone to Santa
Barbara, where Mrs. Stanhope was stopping for her health. The scare at
Putnam Hall was now over, and in another volume of the series, called
"The Rover Boys in Camp," I related how Dick, Tom, and Sam returned to
the military academy again, and took part in the annual encampment.
Here there had been no end of good times and not a little hazing, the
most of which was taken in good part. The boys had made a new enemy in
the shape of a bully named Lew Flapp, who was finally expelled from the
school for his wrong-doings. Dan Baxter also turned up, but when the
authorities got after him he disappeared as quickly as he had done many
times before, leaving his father to his fate, as already mentioned.
"I don't think we'll be bothered much with Dan Baxter after this," Tom
had said, but he was mistaken, as later events proved.
Rat, tat, tat! Rat, tat, tat! went the drum on the parade ground, and
soon the three companies which comprised the Putnam Hall Battalion were
duly assembled, with Major Larry Colby in command of the whole, and
Dick at the head of Company A, Fred Garrison at the head of Company B,
and Mark Romer leading Company C. In front of all stood Captain Putnam,
the sole owner of the military institution, and George Strong, his
chief assistant.
"The boys certainly make a fine showing, on this last day of our
encampment," said Captain Putnam to his assistant. "And a good deal of
the credit is due to you, Mr. Strong."
"Thank you for saying so, sir," was the answer. "Yes, they look well,
and I am proud of them, Captain Putnam. I believe our military school
will compare favorably with any in the land."
After the drill was over Captain Putnam came forward and made a rather
extended speech, in which he reviewed the work accomplished at the
academy from its first opening, as told by me in another series of
books, entitled "The Putnam Hall Series," starting with "The Putnam
Hall Cadets," down to those later days when the Rover boys appeared on
the scene. He also complimented the cadets on their excellent showing
and trusted they would all have a pleasant vacation during the summer.
This speech was followed by a short address by George Strong, and then
came a surprise when Dick Rover stepped forward.
"Captain Putnam," said he, "in behalf of all the cadets here assembled
I wish to thank you for your kind words, which we deeply appreciate.
"I have been chosen by my fellows to present you with this as a token
of our esteem. We trust it will prove to your liking, and that whenever
you look upon it you will remember us all."
As Dick spoke he brought into view a fair-sized package wrapped in
tissue paper. When unrolled, it proved to be a small figure of a cadet,
done in silver and gold. On the base was the inscription: "From the
Cadets of Putnam Hall, to Their Beloved Head Master, Captain Victor
Putnam."
After that Mr. Strong was presented with a set of Cooper's works and
the other teachers were likewise remembered. More addresses of thanks
followed, and then the battalion was dismissed for dinner.
"It's a fine wind-up for this season's encampment," said Tom, after it
was over. "I don't believe we'll ever have another encampment like it."
"And now, ho, for the rolling river!" cried Sam. "Say, I'm just crazy
to begin that trip on the houseboat."
"So am I," came from both of his brothers. But they might not have been
so anxious had they dreamed of the many adventures and perils in store
for them.