"I've got a pitcher of ice water for you and some breakfast, too. You might as well eat it as not. There's no sense in starving yourselves." "I suppose that is true," whispered Nellie to her cousin. She was hungry as well as thirsty, having had no supper the night before. The door was opened and Lew Flapp passed the food and drink into them. Then he stood in the doorway eyeing them curiously. "It's too bad you won't be friends with us," said he, with a grin. "It would be much pleasanter to be friends." "Thank you, but I don't want you for a friend, Mr. Flapp," said Dora, frigidly. "I ain't so bad as you think I am." "You are bad enough." "I ain't bad at all. Dick Rover got me in a scrape at school, and ever since that time he's been spreading evil reports about me." "You robbed that jewelry store." "No, I didn't, and I can prove it. The Rovers were the real thieves." "You cannot make us believe such .a tale. We know the Rovers too well," said Dora, warmly. "They are as honest as any boys can be," added Nellie. "Bah! You do not know what you are talking about. They are crafty, that is all,--and half the cadets at Putnam Hall know it." To this neither of the girls would reply. They wished to close the stateroom door, but Lew Flapp held it open. "I think you might give me a kiss for bringing you the eating," he said, with another grin. "I'll give you--this!" answered Dora, and pushed the door shut in his face. There happened to be a bolt on the inside and she quickly shoved it into place. "Just you wait--I'll get square on you!" growled Lew Flapp, from the outside, and then they heard him stamp off, very much out of sorts. Fortunately for the girls, the breakfast brought to them was quite fair and there was plenty of it. They ate sparingly, resolved to save what was left until later in the day. "He may not bring us anything more," said Dora. "Perhaps I did wrong to shut the door on his nose." "You did just right, Dora," answered her cousin, promptly. "I think he and Baxter are horrid!" "But they have us in their power, and have some men to aid them, too!" "I wonder who those men can be?" "I do not know, but they are very rough. I suppose they would do almost anything for money. They smell strongly of liquor." Slowly the time went by. They tried to look out of the stateroom window, but Dan Baxter had placed a bit of canvas outside in such a position that they could see nothing. "They do not want us to find out where they are taking us," said Dora, and her surmise was correct. Night was coming on once more when they felt a sudden jar of the houseboat, followed by several other jars. Then they heard a scraping and a scratching. "We have struck the bottom and are scraping along some trees and bushes," said Nellie. "Where can we be?" "Here is a fine shelter!" they heard Pick Loring exclaim. "They'll never spot the houseboat in such a cove as this."