“Yes; fifty miles down the river. He writes that he is in trouble. He says that if Daley will come to Portsmouth, he will put him in the way of making another thousand dollars.” “Do you think he has spent all of that money?” “I don’t know what to make of it. Read for yourself and tell me what you think of it.” The letter read: “You see we were chumps in not going to the city. We had money enuff to fly high. The cash is safe, but we haven’t got it, for cash and papers were lost in a strange way. We know where it is, but you must come and help us get it.” “We?” said Dean, “then there are two of them?” “Yes.” “And they had the money?” “At least a portion of it.” “And the papers?” “It looks so.” “And they are at Portsmouth?” “Near there, or there, yes,” replied Marcus. “Will we go there?” “Yes, sir.” “When?” “To-night. Hold on, Dean, read the rest of the letter.” Dean did so. It concluded: “If you come, do it at once, or else we will go off on the search for the money alone--me and my friend----” “Why!” cried Dean, as he read the name that followed, “the boy with him is Rodney Darringford!” “Yes. They must make a pair of precious scamps. And we must be on hand by the time Daley and Spofford arrive. Let us hope that we can round up the entire gang at once.” “If I can dodge the officers at Springfield.” “We must manage that somehow. I have an idea that we had better leave the launch at the small place a few miles this side of the city. From thence we can in some way manage to get to Portsmouth. I want to see mother, but I shall have to put it off. Poor mother! how much worry I have given her, but I do not think it was my fault wholly. Somehow things have gone hard with me, but I hope the end is near. Once I can get those papers and free father, I can clear my own name.” “Success to you, Marcus. We must stand together a little longer. What’s that the captain is saying? We are getting close down to Turtle-back.” “Where we must leave the boat. We have a long trip before us, but we must show that we are equal to it.” CHAPTER XXXI. WHAT THE BOYS FOUND. The journey to Portsmouth was unmarked by any incident of importance or excitement. They had, after abandoning the boat, crossed the country on foot, and reached the village from which the letter to Daley had been directed. They lost several hours in looking around the village for some traces of Tim Downey and Rodney Darringford. The discovery from Tim’s letter by Dean Mercer that the latter was Tim’s companion, opened a perfect gateway of revelation to both the boys. Tim Downey might plot against Dean to secure money, but the knowledge that a representative of rival business interests to the _Spray_ was in the field, indicated to Dean that even Colonel Darringford himself might be in the scheme that had resulted in the burning of the lake steamer. “We’ll soon know,” affirmed Marcus confidently. “Certain it is that these boys took the money and the papers.”