The Adventures of Rover Boys: 26 Illustrated Adventure Novels. Stratemeyer Edward
"Is this the steamer that took me on board?"
"No, this is a boat that is under my father's command."
"I don't understand it at all."
"Reckon you will understand before we are done with you. You thought you could crow over us, but the crowing will be on the other side of the fence now."
"What are you going to do with me?"
"You'll find out soon enough."
"Where are my brothers?"
"I don't know — and I don't care."
"Well, I am glad they are not in your power," returned Dick, with something of a sigh of relief.
"One of you is enough," growled Dan.
"And you won't tell me what boat this is?"
"It is one under the command of my father."
"Are we sailing?"
"Not yet, but we will be in a few minutes."
With an effort Dick arose to his feet. But he was dizzy from the effects of the dose administered by the doctor, and immediately sank back again. Baxter gave a brutal laugh.
"Now you see how it is," he observed. "You are absolutely in our power. How do you like the situation?"
"How should I like it? A lamb among wolves would be as safe, to my way of thinking."
"I don't know but what you are right. We intend to make a big thing out of you, Dick Rover."
"How?"
"I told you before you'd find out soon enough."
"I presume you'll try to make my father ransom me, or something like that."
"We'll about make him give up that mining claim."
"You were going to make him give that up before."
"Well, we won't trip up this time. Our plans are carefully laid."
"You were always good at bragging, Dan Baxter."
"Don't insult me, Dick Rover."
"I am telling the plain truth."
With a sudden darkening of his face Dan Baxter strode forward.
"Dick Rover, I hate you, always have hated you, and always will hate you. Take that for your impudence."
He struck out and slapped the helpless boy heavily upon the cheek. Then, as Dick sank back in the chair, he turned and left the cabin, closing and locking the door after him.
At half-past four in the morning the Peacock got under way, and in less than an hour was far out upon the broad waters of Lake Erie.
CHAPTER VI
HUNTING FOR DICK
"Dick must be drowned."
It was Tom who spoke, addressing Sam and Aleck Pop.
For hours they had searched among the floating lumber for some sign of the missing one, and the only thing that had been found was Dick's cap, caught in a crack of one of the timbers.
"It's awful!" murmured Sam. His face was white and he was ready to cry, for Dick was very dear to him.
"Perhaps dat steamboat dun pick him up," suggested Pop. He wanted to say something comforting.
"I pray to Heaven she did," murmured Tom. "I suppose the best thing we can do now is to steer for Cleveland."
"Yes, that's the only hope left," answered Sam. "If he was floating around here we would surely have spotted him before this with the glass."
The course was changed, and toward nightfall they came in sight of Cleveland, and learned where they could tie up, at a spot close to where the steamer had made her landing.
Their first inquiries were at this point, and from a longshoreman they quickly learned that two persons had been picked up by the steamer, a big man and a young fellow.
"It must be Dick!" cried Sam.
"Where did they take the young fellow?" questioned Tom.
"A man and a big boy came from the steamer and took charge of him," answered the longshoreman.
"Don't you know where they went?"
"No; most likely to the hospital. The young fellow was in pretty bad shape. They got in a coach."
"Did the other man who was saved go along?"
"No; he's all right, and is around here looking for you folks — so he told me. He — here he comes now."
The longshoreman pointed to Luke Peterson, who had just appeared at the upper end of the dock. Both Sam and Tom ran to meet him.
"So you are Dick Rover's brothers," said Peterson, as he shook hands. "Glad to know you. Yes, your brother is all right, although mighty tucked out by the exposure. He fell in with a couple o' friends on the steamer, and they took him up to the Commercial Hotel."
As Peterson was curious to know how Dick was faring, he agreed to accompany Sam and Tom to the hotel, and all three boarded a handy street car for that purpose.
"I wish to see my brother, Dick Rover," said Tom to the clerk at the desk.
"Not stopping here, sir," was the reply, after the clerk had consulted the register.
"I mean the young man who was hauled out of the lake and was brought here feeling rather sick."
The clerk shook his head. "No such person here."
Sam and Tom stared in astonishment, and then turned to the lumberman.
"The friends who were with him said they were going to bring him here," said Luke Peterson. "And I promised to send you after 'em as soon as I spotted ye."
"I don't understand — " began Tom, and then turned swiftly to Sam. "Can this be some of Arnold Baxter's work?"
"It may be. Mr. Peterson, how did the man who was with my brother look?"
As well as he could Luke Peterson described Arnold Baxter, and also Dan. Tom gave a low whistle.
"I'll wager poor Dick has fallen into the hands of the enemy," he cried.
"What enemy?" questioned the lumberman.
In as few words as possible Tom and Sam explained the situation, concluding by saying they had discovered Arnold Baxter on the steamer. The story made Luke Peterson look very grave.
"Reckon we let your brother git into the wrong hands," he observed.
"The question is, where did they take Dick?"
"That's so, where?"
"Evidently they didn't come here at all."
"Perhaps, if I could find that coach driver, I might learn somethin'."
"That's so — let us find him by all means."
But to find the driver was not easy, and by mid-night the search was abandoned. Much dejected, Sam and Tom returned to the Swallow, and Luke Peterson accompanied them. Peterson was also downhearted, having heard nothing of the tug which had been towing the lumber raft or of his friend Bragin.
"I'll notify the police in the morning," said Tom, and did so. He also sent a telegram to his father, telling of what had happened. The police took up the case readily, but brought nothing new to light.
"I'm going to interview every cabby in town," said Tom, and proceeded to do so, accompanied by Luke Peterson and Sam.
At five o'clock in the afternoon they found the coach driver who had taken Dick from the dock.