"Only what?" asked the eldest Rover, as he saw the colored servant hesitate. "Well, to tell de truf, he seems kind of funny to me." "How funny?" "Here," and Aleck tapped his forehead. "Do you mean that he is crazy?" "Not dat persackly, Massah Dick, but he said sum mighty funny t'ings when we was talkin' acted like he was t'inkin' ob sumt'ing else." "Humph! Well, if he isn't the sort of fellow we want we'll have to let him go and get another captain." Dick returned to the apartment he had left and told the others that Aleck had made the necessary arrangements. Then he gave Tom and Sam a wink which meant a good deal. Soon after this the party broke up, and the boys retired to the connecting rooms they had engaged for the night. "So Aleck saw Dan Baxter!" cried Tom, when told of the news. "That must mean the rascal is on our trail." "Just what I am thinking, Tom," returned Dick. "We ought to have the authorities arrest him," put in Sam. "Perhaps, but we've got to locate him first. Now that he has been discovered he will do his best to keep shady. Maybe he has already left the city." They talked the matter over for an hour, but could reach no satisfactory conclusion. "Better take matters as they come," said Powell. "He won't dare to molest you openly." "No, but he will molest us in secret, which will be worse," replied Sam. "None of the ladies or the girls must hear of this," said Tom. "It would spoil their whole trip, even if Baxter didn't show himself again." "I ton't oben mine mouds apout noddings," declared Hans. "I vos so quiet like an ellerfaunt in a church!" Bright and early the boys were astir on the following morning, and Dick, Tom, and Sam went off to interview Captain Starr before breakfast. They found the captain a thick-set fellow, with a heavy mustache and big, bushy whiskers. He had eyes of the dreamy sort, which generally looked away when speaking to anybody. "This is Captain Starr?" said Dick, addressing him. "I'm your man." "I am Dick Rover, and these are my brothers, Tom and Sam." Dick put out his hand, but the captain merely nodded. "Is everything ready for the trip, captain?" asked Tom. "Yes, sir." "You had the boat cleaned up?" said Sam. "Yes, sir." "We'll look her over," said Dick. "Yes, sir." They walked over the houseboat from end to end. The craft was certainly a beauty and as clean as a whistle. There was a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, and eight sleeping rooms--four of the latter downstairs and four upstairs. Each sleeping room contained two berths. There was also a bunk room below, for the help, and a small room for the captain. In the living room, was the piano and also a bookcase containing half a hundred choice novels. "This is certainly great," said Tom. "Better than I thought it would be," answered Sam. "It's a perfect palace." "And see how the brasswork shines," went on Tom. "The captain certainly had things cleaned up.