“Nature has assisted them to escape,” said Dick, bitterly.

“Oh, we’ll find them sooner or later,” answered Sam.

“Perhaps, Sam.  But think of how the girls may be suffering in the meantime.”

“I know; and Mrs. Stanhope and Mrs. Laning are suffering too.”

The steam tug carried only a small stock of provisions, and it was decided to go ashore at a small place called Gridley’s for breakfast.  Here there was a country hotel at which they obtained a breakfast which put all in a slightly better physical condition.

The proprietor of the hotel was a bit curious to learn the cause of their unexpected appearance and became interested when Dick told him about the missing houseboat.

“Wonder if that had anything to do with a story Bill Daws told me an hour ago,” said he.  “Bill works at the mill clown by the river.  Last night, in the dark and mist, he heard somebody in a rowboat and a launch having a row.  Two gals screamed for help, and somebody said something about a houseboat and tell somebody something—­he couldn’t tell exactly what.  I thought Bill had ’em on, but maybe he didn’t.”

“Where is this Bill Daws now?” asked Dick.

“Gone home.  He works nights and sleeps in the daytime.”

“Where does he live?”

“Just up that street over yonder—­in the square stone house with the red barn back of it.”

Waiting to hear no more, Dick set off for the house mentioned, taking Tom with him.  They rapped loudly on the door and an elderly woman answered their summons.

“Is Mr. Bill Daws in?” asked Dick.

“Yes, sir, but he has gone to bed.”

“I must speak to him a minute.  Tell him it’s about the talking he heard on the river in the dark.”

“Oh, is that so!  He told me something about it,” answered the woman.

She went off and coming back invited them into the house.  Soon Bill Daws appeared, having slipped on part of his clothing.

“I can’t tell ye a great deal,” said the watchman.  “I heard two gals cry out and some men was trying to shet ’em up.  One gal said something about a houseboat and about telling somebody about it.”

“Did she say to tell the Rovers?”

“Thet’s it!  Thet’s it!  I couldn’t think o’ thet name nohow, but now you hev struck it fust clip.”

“The girls were trying to escape in the rowboat?”

“I reckon so, and the men in the launch were after ’em.”

“Where did they go?”

“Out into the river, and thet’s the last I see or heard o’ ’em.”

“Thank you,” answered Dick, and seeing that Bill Daws was poor he gave the fellow two dollars, for which the watchman was profoundly grateful.

“It proves one thing,” said Tom, when the brothers were coming away.  “We are on the right track.”

“Right you are, Tom.  I hope we stay on the trail until we run down our quarry.”