"More than that. Dick Rover is very sweet on Dora Stanhope, and Tom Rover thinks the world of Nellie Laning." "Then of course they'll help pay up--especially if they hear the girls are likely to suffer. We can write to 'em and say we'll starve the girls to death if the money don't come our way." "Exactly. But we've got to find some place to hide first. We can't stay on the river any great length of time. They'll send word about the houseboat from one town to another and the authorities will be on the lookout for us." "I know where you can take this houseboat," put in Hamp Gouch. "Up Shaggam Creek. There is a dandy hiding place there and nobody around but old Jake Shaggam, and we can easily 'buy him off, so as he won't open his mouth." "How far is that creek from here?" "About thirty-five miles." The matter was talked over for fully an hour, and it was at last decided that the houseboat should go up Shaggam Creek, at least for the time being. If that place got too hot to hold them they could move further down the river during the nights to follow. The man on the launch was called up and matters were explained to him by Pick Loring. "Sculley is a good fellow," said Loring to Baxter. "He will do whatever I say and take whatever I give him,--and keep his mouth shut." "That's the kind of a follower to have," was Baxter's answer. The horse thieves were hungry, and a fire was started in the galley of the houseboat. The men cooked themselves something to eat and Baxter and Flapp did the same. It must be confessed that Flapp did not like the newcomers and hated to have anything to do with them. But he was too much of a coward to speak up, and so did as Baxter dictated. Thus is one rascal held under the thumb of another. It was only when Lew Flapp was among those who were smaller and weaker than himself that he dared to play the part of the bully. Dora and Nellie heard the loud talking after the crashing of the launch into the houseboat and also heard part of what followed. Both wanted to cry out for assistance, but did not dare, fearing that something still worse might happen to them. "They might bind and gag us," said Nellie. "That Dan Baxter is bad enough to do almost anything." "Yes, and from the way Lew Flapp treated Dick, I should think he was almost as wicked as Baxter," answered her cousin. The girls wondered who the newcomers on board could be, but had no means of finding out. Nobody came near them, and at last tired nature asserted itself and both dropped into a troublous doze. When they awoke it was still dark. A steam whistle had aroused them. They looked out of the stateroom window. It had stopped raining, but the mist was just as thick as ever. "Oh, if only it would clear up!" sighed Dora. "Nobody will be able to follow the houseboat in such a mist as this." "Where do you think they will take us, Dora?" questioned Nellie. "Goodness only knows. Perhaps down the Mississippi, or maybe to the Gulf of Mexico."