“I don’t believe that,” continued Jim.  “Perhaps some of the fellows around have hidden her, just to plague us.”

“I bet it was those Jenkins boys!” declared Jack.  “Don’t you remember, Rob, how we made them stop badgering little Tommy Casey in the school-yard the other day, and how mad they were about it?”

“Yes, and they swore they’d be even with us,” answered Rob.

The Jenkins boys were the children of a drunken father, a slatternly mother.  Brought up in a comfortless, poverty-stricken home, without any religious teaching or influences, what wonder that they became addicted to most of the petty vices,—­that they acquired an unenviable reputation for mischief, mendacity, and thieving in a small way?

Jack’s inference could hardly be called a rash judgment.  A glimpse of a derisive, grinning face among the neighboring bushes confirmed his suspicions.  Without a word he made a dash toward the thicket.  His companions understood, however, and were not slow to follow his example.  There was a crackling of the brambles, succeeded by a stampede.  Jack, with all his alertness, had not been quite quick enough.  With a jeering whoop, two shabby figures escaped into the road.

“The question is, where’s the boat?” said Rob, as the party paused for breath, finding that pursuit was useless.

They searched about in the vicinity without avail, but after some time the Jolly Pioneer was finally discovered half a mile farther down the stream, entangled among a clump of willows, where the pirates, as Jim designated the Jenkins boys, had abandoned it.  To return to the place from which they had taken the boat, in order to enjoy the discomfiture and dismay of those against whom they had a grudge, was characteristic of them.

“Good!  I knew we’d find the boat all right!” began Leo, joyfully.

“By Jove! pretty well damaged, I should say!” cried Jack.

“Well, the paint is a good deal scratched, and the seats have been loosened; but, after all, there is no great harm done,” said Rob, more hopefully.

Upon further examination, his view of the case proved to be correct.  He and Jack experienced but little difficulty in rowing back to the original moorings, Jim and Leo following along the bank and applauding their skill.

After this occurrence the Jolly Pioneer and the Merry-go-Round were each fastened to a sapling, that grew near the water’s edge, by chain and padlock, which rendered them secure from interference.

And what merry times our friends had with them upon the creek that summer!  The Jolly Pioneer proved worthy of its name, was always the best of company, and led the way in many pleasant excursions up and down the stream.  The Merry-go-Round was never far behind, and shared the honors of all its adventures.

“I tell you now,” exclaimed Leo, admiringly, one day when the lads were preparing for a row, “I don’t believe you’d find two such boats in all the country about here.”