“Fust-rate, thank yo’.  Yo’ am looking right smart, too,” went on the colored man.  And then he began to serve them with the best the place afforded.  He loved dearly to talk, but thought the present no time for so doing.

It was a happy family gathering, and all remained at the table a long time, the boys telling their different tales from beginning to end.  Mr. Anderson Rover was much interested in what they had to say about the Baxters and Lew Flapp.

“You must be careful,” said he.  “Arnold Baxter can do you no more harm, but the others will be worse than snakes in the grass.”

“We’ll watch out,” answered Dick, and then he and the others asked about the houseboat which had been taken for debt and how soon they could use the craft.

“You may use the houseboat as soon as you please,” said Randolph Rover.  “But you must promise your father and Aunt Martha and me not to get into mischief.”

“How could we get into mischief with a houseboat?” questioned Tom.  “Why, we just intend to knock around and take it easy all summer.”

“The rest ought to do all of you a power of good,” came from his father.  “I declare, it seems to me you have been on the jump ever since you first went to Putnam Hall.”

“Where is the houseboat now?”

“Tied up at the village of Steelville, not very far from Pittsburg.  As I wrote to you, she is under the command of Captain Starr.  He knows the Ohio and the Mississippi thoroughly and will take you wherever you wish to go.”

“Well, we want to stay home a few days first, and make all of our arrangements,” said Dick; and so it was decided.

CHAPTER X

A SCENE IN A CEMETERY

“Hurrah, Fred Garrison says he will go with us!” cried Sam, two days later.  “I have just received a telegram from him.  He says he will come on to-morrow.”

“And here is word from Songbird Powell,” put in Dick.  “He will go, too.  He is to meet us at Pittsburg, any time I say.”

“And Hans Mueller will go,” said Tom.  “That makes three of our friends to start with.  I hope the Lanings and the Stanhopes go.”

“So do I,” answered Dick, who could not get that talk with Dora in the hallway of the hotel out of his head.

Sam was anxious to meet Fred Garrison, and on the following afternoon drove down to the railroad station at Oak Run to greet his chum.

The train was late, and after finding this out Sam took a walk around the village to see what changes had been made during the past few months.  But Oak Run was a slow place and he look in vain for improvements.

“Guess I’ll have my hair cut while I am here,” he said to himself, and started to enter the only barber shop of which the railroad village boasted.

As he pushed open the door a young fellow got out of one of the chairs and paid the barber what was coming to him.  Then he reached for his hat and started to leave.