“Oh, where?  Oh, where? 
   In dire despair
     We search the shore in vain!”

came lowly from Songbird, but then he felt too heavy-hearted to finish the verse and heaved a sigh instead.  “This is simply heart-rending,” he said.

“That’s what it is,” answered Dick.

Hans was not far off, shambling along in his own peculiar fashion.  He held up his lantern and by the dim rays made out a building some distance away.

“I yonder vot is in dare?” he said to himself.  “Maype I go und look, hey?  It ton’t cost me noddings.”

Through the mist and rain he approached the building and walked around to the door, which was closed.  He flung it open and held up his lantern to see inside.

“Du meine Zeit! Vot is dis?” he gasped.  “Cabtain Starr, or I vos treaming!  Hi, Cabtain, vot you vos doing here, alretty?” he called out.

“Is that—­that you, Mueller?” asked the captain, in a trembling voice.

“Sure it vos me.  Vot you did here, tole me dot?”

“I—­the rascals tied me fast.  They said they’d come and give me a hundred dollars in the morning, but I don’t think they’ll do it.”

“Py chimanatics!  Vait a minute.”  Hans ran outside and waved his lantern.  “Come here!” he bawled.  “Come here, kvick, eferybody!”

His cry summoned the others, and they quickly gathered at the stable and released the captain.  While they were doing this, they made the simple-minded fellow tell his story.

“Describe those two fellows,” said Dick, and Captain Starr did so.  The description was perfect.

“Dan Baxter and Lew Flapp!” cried Tom.

“Of course, you didn’t send that message?” asked the captain, of Dick.

“I did not, captain.  It was a trick to get you away from the Dora and steal the houseboat.”

“Is the craft stolen?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, dear!” Captain Starr wrung his hands.  “Please don’t blame me!”

“I don’t know as I can blame you, exactly.  But you want to have your wits about you after this.”

When Captain Starr heard about the disappearance of the two girls he was more interested than ever.

“I heard them scream,” he said.

“Where was that?”

“I think they must have been right in front of where the Dora was tied up.”

“When was this?” asked Sam.

“Not very long after the villains made me their prisoner.”

“It’s as clear as day!” cried Fred Garrison.  “Baxter and Flapp first stole the houseboat and then they abducted Dora and Nellie.”

“It’s a wretched piece of business,” came from Dick.  “Oh, if I can only lay my hands on them they shall suffer for it!”

“We must chase the houseboat, that’s all I know to do,” put in Tom.  “And the quicker we begin the better.”

“That’s easily said, Tom.  How are we going to locate the craft in this mist?  She may have gone up the stream and she may have gone down.”