Part 2 (1/2)

As they expected to start home on the following day, it would not be long before they would arrive in St. Paul, ready to purchase their provisions for the beginning of the river trip, and start down stream.

It was the last night at college for that term and all sorts of affairs were going on among the students, who would separate for two months and more on the morrow. When morning came there was a grand exodus, and the station of the college town presented a gay appearance, as scores of young fellows, with suitcases in their hands, boarded the train that pulled out.

Those who were going later gave the college yell when the whistle of the engine announced that the parting minute had arrived. And amid a shrieking of hundreds of voices the train started that was to bear the four chums to their homes in Centerville.

”There's your dear friend, Oswald Fredericks, Frank!” said Will, as the party hung partly out of a couple of windows in the car they occupied.

”And he's got his eye glued on you, too; don't forget,” remarked Jerry.

”Oh! he's a good hater, all right,” said Bluff. ”If he didn't have any reason to wish you all sorts of bad luck before, that souse in the river settled it. From now on he'll never hear the name of Frank Langdon without getting mad, you mark me. And some day, sooner or later, he hopes to have a chance to even up the score.”

”Huh! it may come sooner, then,” remarked Jerry, significantly.

”See here,” remarked Frank, turning to look at the last speaker, ”did you keep your word, and tell Duke Fletcher about our plans this summer?”

Jerry nodded his head coolly.

”Course I did,” he admitted. ”You heard me tell I was going to do it, and n.o.body said a word. I like to have things going on all the time!

What's the use of living, if you can't have some excitement once in a while? Besides, I'm hoping Oswald will find a chance to 'hop' Frank here. You see, I know what will follow; and he needs a lesson, that upstart does, to take the conceit out of him.”

”Oh! well,” remarked Frank, with a whimsical smile, ”I believe the old Mississippi is something of a river; and even if they do start down in another houseboat, the chances of running across us wouldn't amount to much, anyhow. So what's the use of worrying? We've got all we want to do to keep watch for this tricky Marcus Stackpole, the man Uncle Felix seems to think will try to either rob the boat, or steal the entire outfit.”

”Somebody pinch me,” said Bluff, as they sat down facing each other in the double seat; ”because I just can't believe it's so, all these fine times ahead of us, with a houseboat all our own for weeks, and we living on the fat of the land as we go, taking toll of game and fish by the way.”

”Huh!” grunted Jerry, ”much game you'll get, with the law on nearly everything that flies; and Frank here a regular stickler for obeying what the law says. But say, we take our guns along, I certainly hope, boys?”

”That's a settled thing,” Frank replied. ”We might need them in lots of ways; and while Uncle Felix may have a stock of firearms aboard his boat, we would be foolish to take any chances.”

”Hear! hear! that makes me happy!” Bluff exclaimed.

”Now he's just thinking about that pump-gun he owns, and what havoc he can make if ever he sees a flock of ducks on a sand bar!” chuckled Will; for the gun had never been a favorite with either himself or Jerry, who declared it was unsportsmanlike to be able to send a volley into a bevy of quail, from a repeating shotgun, though with a rifle the case was different.

And, throughout all that long journey, from the college to their home town, the four chums talked of hardly anything else but the pleasure they antic.i.p.ated when once they were launched on the mighty Mississippi, bound for the distant Southern metropolis, known as the Crescent City.

CHAPTER III-BLUFF NAMES THE BOAT

”Well, hold me, somebody, I'm going to faint!”

It was Jerry who made this remark; and he did actually pretend to fall over against Will, who happened to be standing next to him at the time.

The four chums were in St. Paul, and had just been shown the interior of the houseboat, on board of which they expected to make the voyage down the river, over the many hundreds of miles separating them from New Orleans.

Even Frank was smiling as though surprised; while Bluff stared around in wonder. Will was chuckling to himself, as though he had known about it all along, and wished to spring a surprise on his mates by keeping still. That was what his smiles meant, Frank now knew, at the time the others were speculating as to what the houseboat of a wealthy old bachelor might be like.

”Talk to me about a dilapidated old craft, this sure takes the cake!”

ventured the plain-spoken Bluff, presently, when he could catch his breath. ”Why, say, I've seen some shantyboats that could give this one a handicap, and still win out. Do you mean to say, Will Milton, your Uncle Felix is afraid of somebody running away with this old tub? That must be his little joke on us.”