“All right,” agreed the others, “it’s Gerald and Dick.”

“Very well, then,” observed the colonel, “we will consider that settled.  When you are ready let me know and I will swear you in.  You know what you have to do?”

“Yes, sir,” the boys answered.

By this time they came within sight of the landing where they had left the boat, and Pepper, who had run on ahead, suddenly raised such an outcry that the others rushed forward in alarm.

“What is the matter?” shouted Rand.

“The b-boat,” stammered Pepper.

“What is the matter with it?” asked Donald.

“It’s g-g-gone!”

“Gone! where?” demanded Jack.

“How should I know?” replied Pepper.  “All I know is that it is gone.”

Sure enough, there was no boat to be seen.

CHAPTER IX

THE PURSUIT

“It must have drifted away,” said Rand.

“Sure of that?” asked Jack.

“I knew it!” suddenly broke in Pepper.

“Then why didn’t you tell us,” demanded Rand.  “What did you know?”

“Monkey Rae,” replied Pepper.

“Well, what about him?” cried Jack.

“He has taken the boat,” answered Pepper.

“How do you know?” questioned Donald.

“There is his track on the sand.”

“He is certainly very much in evidence,” said the colonel.

“I wish I could get hold of him once,” cried Rand vindictively.

“I’d much prefer to get hold of the boat just now,” put in Donald.

“There is certainly something queer going on here,” observed Jack.

“More mysteries, Jack?” asked Rand.

“Yes,” answered Jack.  “That man is mixed up in this, too.”

“What man?” asked Rand.

“The man with the limp,” replied Jack.

“Where is he?”

“He was here, and I believe he went off in the boat,” went on Jack.  “You can see his tracks around here.”

“Jack is right,” confirmed the colonel, “the man has undoubtedly gone off with the boat.”

“Hem,” said Pepper, “there doesn’t seem to be anything safe here.

“What are we going to do now?” asked Rand.

“Walk home, I guess,” said Donald.  “I don’t know how else we will get there.”

“There they go now!” cried Jack, suddenly pointing to their boat near the other side of the river.  “Oh, if we only had a boat to follow them in.”

“I have one,” said the colonel.  “We can take that.  Come on, boys!”

Starting off at a pace that kept the four youths on a run to keep up with him, the colonel led the way back to the house.  Just before coming to it he stopped.

“Take that path to the left, it leads down to the landing,” he directed.  “Get the boat you will find there ready, and I will be with you in a minute.”

“Are you going with us?” asked Rand.