CHAPTER V
STUCK IN THE MUD
Noon found our friends at the town of Benton--a place of some importancein the cotton trade. Without delay Dick sought out the man who hadhad to do with the telegrams.
"I can't tell you much more than what I put in the message," saidthe man. "I saw the houseboat out yonder and headed in that direction.I was watching her when a fog came up and hid her from view."
"I think I can follow her," put in Harold Bird. "Anyway, we can try."
"Did those fellows steal the houseboat?" questioned the Benton man.
"They did."
"Then I hope you catch them."
Our friends did not stop to get dinner, but took their lunch on boardof the _Venus_. The river at Benton was broad and deep and consequentlyHarold Bird turned on full speed, sending the launch forward withsuch a rush that the water often came in a shower of spray over the bow.
"I may be mistaken, but I have an idea that those rascals headed forLake Sico," said the young Southerner. "Gasper Pold used to hangaround that lake, and most likely there are men there who would aidhim in disposing of whatever is on the _Dora_ of value."
"Where is Lake Sico?" asked Sam.
"About fifteen miles from here. It is a very broad and shallow sheetof water, and is reached by a narrow and tortuous bayou all of fourmiles long. One end of the lake is a perfect wilderness of bushesand brake--an ideal hiding-place for the houseboat."
"Then perhaps we had better explore the lake," said Tom.
"There is only one objection," answered Dick. "If the houseboat isnot there, we'll be losing a lot of valuable time."
"Is the entrance to the bayou very narrow?" asked Tom. "For if itis, the houseboat would be apt to strike the mud shore and leave marks."
"Yes, it is narrow, and we'll look for marks by all means," answeredthe young Southerner.
As they were moving with the stream it did not take the launch longto reach the bayou that connected the lake with the Mississippi. Butclose to the bayou entrance the swirling waters had cast up a ridgeor bar of mud and on this the launch slid and stuck fast.
"Hullo, we're stuck!" cried Tom.
"And we are up out of the water too," came from his younger brother.
"Can't we back?" asked Fred.
"I'll try it," returned Harold Bird.
The screw of the launch was reversible and he made the change inpower. The water was churned up into a muddy foam, but that was all.The _Venus_ did not budge an inch.
"One of the joys of a life 'on der rollings deeps'!" grumbled Tom,imitating Hans. "Songbird, can't you compose an ode in honor of theoccasion?"
"Certainly I can," said Songbird promptly, and started:
"As firm as a rock, our launch now restsUpon her bed of mud,As safe as a ship on a golden sea--"
"Or a clothespin in a tub!" finished Tom. "Songbird, give us somethingbetter, or none at all."
"Say, vot has a clothesbin in a dub to do mit being stuck herealretty?" questioned Hans, innocently.
"Why, Hansy, old boy, that's easy," cried Tom. "A clothespin is forsticking something fast, and we are stuck fast. Now, can't you seethe joke, as the blind astronomer said to the deaf musician?"
"Yah, dot's so, but ve ain't stuck on no clothes-pins," answeredHans, soberly. "Ve vos stuck on der Mississippies Rifer, ain't it."
"Score one for Hans," came, with a laugh, from Sam. "Hans, what doyou think we ought to do?"
"Dake a rope py der shore und bull der poat loose."
"That's the talk," said Songbird. "Hans can carry the rope ashore.The water is only a foot deep."
"And the mud is about sixteen feet deep," put in Dick, quickly. "Don'ttry it, unless you want to sink out of sight."
For several minutes all sat still in the launch, viewing the situationwith considerable dismay.
"This is something I didn't bargain for," said Fred. "But we may aswell make the best of it."
"Let us try to shove her off," suggested Dick.
On board the launch were three poles of good size, each fixed so thata small, square board could be fastened to one end. Dick took one ofthese poles and Tom and Sam seized the others.
"Now, Hans, Fred, and Songbird, get in the stern," said Dick.
"That's the talk, and I'll try to back her at the same time!" criedHarold Bird. "All ready?"
In a minute they were ready to try the experiment and the power wasturned on. As the screw churned the water and mud once more, thethree Rovers pushed on the poles with all their might.
"Hurrah! she's moving!" cried Fred.
He was right, the _Venus_ was slowly but surely leaving the bank ofmud. Suddenly she gave a twist and then ran backwards rapidly, andthen the power was shut off again.
"Free at last!" cried Tom. "Now what's the next move?"
"We must find the proper channel into the bayou," answered the ownerof the launch.
Dick and Tom went to the front with their poles and the power wasturned to a slow speed forward. The Rovers felt their way in thewater with the poles, calling to turn to the right or the left, asthe case required. By this means they soon left the treacherous mudbars behind and reached a point where forward progress was more certain.
"Now then, let us look around and see if we can find any traces ofthe _Dora_," said Dick.
"The houseboat couldn't have come over that spot--she would have beenstuck sure," said Fred.
"Years ago Solly Jackson used to be a riverman," said Harold Bird."He would probably know exactly how to get the houseboat into thebayou. Gasper Pold couldn't run the craft himself, so he had to takein a fellow like Solly."
As the gasoline launch entered the bayou all kept their eyes on thealert, and presently Songbird set up a shout:
"Look over yonder--there are some sort of marks on the bank!"
He was right, and they turned the launch in the direction indicated,advancing slowly. There was a sharp cut in the mud and also severalpole holes which looked to be rather fresh. A few feet further onthey came to a piece of a pole painted blue.
"That settles it," exclaimed Dick. "They certainly brought thehouseboat in here. Our poles were painted blue, and that is a pieceof one."
"The very one I cracked in the storm," added Sam.
"I can explain it," said Harold Bird. "They got the houseboat aroundthe mud bars, but the force of the current, combined with the currentin the bayou, swung the craft up against this bank. Then they had topole the houseboat off."
"But how did they go on, against the current from the lake?" askedSongbird.
"Pulled and poled the houseboat. Just wait and see if I am not right."
They waited, and soon reached a point where one bank of the bayouwas fairly firm. Here they could see footprints and the "shaving" ofa rope as it had passed over the edge of the bank.
"We are on the right track," said Dick. "Now, all we have to do isto locate the houseboat and corner the rascals who stole her."
"All!" cried Fred. "I should say that was enough!"
"Especially if they offer to fight," added Sam.
"It is a pity we can't come on them unawares," said Tom. "But thatis impossible, for you can't run the launch without making a noise."
"Maybe you don't besser git out dem bistols alretty," came from Hans."Of da ton't gif ub ve plow der heads off, ain't it!"
"Yes, we may as well get out the firearms," said Dick. "The sight ofthe pistols may have a good effect. Perhaps the rascals will give upwithout fighting."
The pistols were gotten out, and all of the youths saw to it thatthey were in perfect condition for immediate use. As he looked atthe weapons Harold Bird shuddered.
"I suppose you hate the sight of them,--after what happened to yourfather," said Dick, in a low tone.
"I do. I sincerely trust there is no bloodshed," answered the youngSoutherner.
It was nightfall by the time the launch was clear of the bayou. Infront of them lay the calm waters of Lake Sico--a shallow expanse,with mud flats at one
side and a wilderness of trees, bushes, andwild canebrake at the other. They shut off the power and listened.Not a sound broke the stillness.
"Talk about solitude," was Tom's comment. "Here is where you can chopit out with an ax!"
"It's enough to make one shiver," added Fred.
Just then the dog Harold Bird had brought along set up a mournful howl.
"Even the dog doesn't like it," said Songbird. "Let us go on--I'drather hear the puff-puff of the gasoline motor than listen to suchstillness."
"I thought a poet craved solitude," said Dick. "This ought to fillyou with inspiration."
"I think it will fill us with chills and fever," said Fred. "Ugh,how damp it is, now the sun is going down."
"There is a mist creeping up," said Harold Bird. "Too bad! I was inhope it would remain clear."
Soon the darkness of night settled over the lake. The mist continuedto roll over them until they were completely enveloped and could nolonger see where they were going.
"It can't be helped," said the owner of the launch. "We'll have towait until daylight. If I light the acetylene gas lamp it will simplyput those rascals on guard."
"Vot is ve going to do--sthay on der poat all night?" asked Hans.
"We can either do that or go ashore--just as you wish."
"Let us move towards shore," said Dick. "It will be more pleasantunder some overhanging trees or bushes."
This was agreed to, and they steered for the bank of the lake, whichwas not far away. None of them dreamed of what that night was tobring forth.