The one or two things proved to be small improvements of his own devising and it took some time for Nelson to understand them. But at a quarter to twelve they had paid their five dollars and were in possession of the _Sylph_. They ran her down to the wharf where they had left the _Vagabond_ and found that she went finely. “Shall we wait for the 12.45 train and get Dan?” asked Nelson. “Or shall we leave word for him somewhere and start out now?” “Let’s get at it as soon as we can,” answered Bob. “Dan can look out for himself.” So Nelson was left in charge of the launch while Bob went to the station to telephone a message to the hotel in case Dan turned up there looking for them, and Tom hurried to the nearest store after crackers and cheese and cookies. For with only sixty cents left between them there was no use thinking about an elaborate luncheon. When they returned in the evening they would go to the hotel and live on credit until Nelson’s father sent them some money. Bob and Tom were soon back and the _Sylph_ headed up the river. Bob had been in favor of searching downstream and along the shore east and west of the river mouth first, but Nelson said he had a feeling that the _Vagabond_ had been taken toward Norwich, and Tom threw his vote with Nelson’s. It wasn’t likely that the thief would leave the launch anywhere around the town, but they searched the waterfront thoroughly to be on the safe side and then ran across the river to the Groton shore. After a search there the _Sylph_ was again headed upstream. Twice in the ensuing half hour they approached the east shore to examine boats which, seen from the middle of the river, seemed to bear some resemblance to the _Vagabond_. But in each case they were doomed to disappointment, the craft proving on closer acquaintance to be very little like their missing launch. They went slowly in order that they might search each bank of the stream carefully and at half-past one they had only reached the second bend in the river. For some time past they had seen no launches either in the stream or moored along the banks and Bob suggested that Nelson send the _Sylph_ at a faster pace so that they would have more time to look around and make inquiries at Norwich before it was necessary to turn homeward. “All right,” Nelson answered. “I guess she isn’t hidden around here anywhere.” It didn’t seem likely, for the banks were devoid of coves, and field and forest came straight down to the water’s edge. Nelson was just reaching forward to advance the spark, and the _Sylph_ was just swinging around the turn in the river, when Tom began to sputter. “Lu-lu-lu-lu-look!” he cried. “Where?” asked Nelson and Bob with one voice, turning their heads excitedly from side to side. Tom pointed across the stream toward the west bank. “Th-th-there! Su-su-su-see that bu-bu-bu-boat under the tu-tu-tu-trees?” “Jove!” exclaimed Bob. “The _Vagabond_!” cried Nelson, turning the wheel over fast.