Pulling manfully at the oars the captives sent the scow through the water at a good rate of speed, rapidly shortening the distance between themselves and the town.  Ever and anon Lopez cast a backward glance over the stern.  Finally he commanded the boys to pull in closer toward the shore.  His voice assumed a brisker tone with a note of anxiety in it.  He was visibly excited.

“Lopez,” announced Arnold, “I see a light behind us.  It’s gaining on us.  I’ve seen it for two or three minutes.  What is it?”

“Hush up about lights, boy,” commanded their captor.  “Youall don’t see no lights.  They ain’t no lights there at all.”

“But I did see a light,” insisted Arnold in a positive tone.

“No, you never,” repeated Lopez.  “Don’t make no difference if you think you saw a light, they ain’t no light there.”

“Oh, I get you,” Harry put in.  “That’s another of those mysterious ‘because’ reasons.  Or as the fellow said, ’It’s so if I say so even if it ain’t so.’  Is that it, Lopez?”

“Yes,” snapped Lopez.  “Now git to work at them oars and send this boat along or it’ll be the worse for you.”

Thus urged, the boys bent to the oars with renewed vigor.  Their efforts sent the boat along at a rapid pace.  Finally as they were becoming exhausted, Lopez commanded them to head directly in shore.  They did so, but instead of running ashore, shot up the entrance to a narrow bayou.  Inside, Lopez commanded them to lie flat in the bottom of the boat.  They heard directly the sound of approaching oars.

“What’s that coming, Lopez?” questioned Harry.

His answer was a thrust of Lopez’s foot in his ribs and again he felt the muzzle of the rifle creep along his spine.

With the talk and laughter of their chums ringing in their ears, Harry and Arnold were compelled to lie silently in the scow, while the other party passed them a second time that night without being aware of their presence.

“Looks like we better get up and go to work,” announced their captor after the sound of the oars and talk from the other boatload had died away.  “We’ve got a long ways to go yet,” he added.

“Let’s take it a little easier, if you please,” requested Arnold.  “My arms are nearly pulled out of their sockets.”

“All right, my hearties, take your time now.  I just wanted to get into clear while the others went past us,” replied Lopez.

In a short time the boys were amongst the shipping on the river.  Here they were directed to row alongside a deserted wharf.  Lopez guarded them while they made the boat fast and then prepared to take them up into a rough looking quarter of the town.  Just as they were preparing to leave the wharf a boat was heard approaching from down stream.  Lopez stopped, then gave a peculiar whistle.

What was the boys’ surprise to see Doright row up alongside the wharf, make fast his boat and come ashore.