off down the river in my skiff?"

"All you've got to do is start your engine."

"Nothin' doin'!"

"You get the two dollars first of course."

The skipper let his chair fall forward and slowly rose. He looked past
Evan. "Hey, Jake!" he cried to one on the pier. "Wait a minute! I
got somepin' t' say to yeh." He stepped to the stringpiece.

Evan thought he had failed--until he saw a hand poked suggestively
behind the skipper. Into it he hastily thrust two dollars. The
skipper nonchalantly went his ways. Evan stepped aboard the power
boat, skinned over the rail, and untied the skiff.

A few strokes of the oars brought him alongside the _Ernestina_. A
steamboat of this type has a wide overhang bounded by a stout timber
called the "guard." When Evan stood up in his skiff his shoulders were
at the level of the guard. But as the ledge it made was only three
inches wide and the gunwale rising above it provided no hand hold, it
was a problem how to draw himself up.

He finally drew the skiff down to the paddle-box where the interstices
of the gingerbread work enabled him to get a grip. As he pulled
himself up he thrust the skiff away with his foot. He climbed back
along the ledge to her stern gangway and vaulting over the rail found
himself on the narrow deck encircling the stern, which is in marine
parlance the "quarter."

All the business of the vessel was on the pier side, and this part was
deserted. The sliding door leading to the entrance hall was closed and
Evan took care to keep out of the range of vision of anyone who might
look out through the panes. He determined to stay where he was until
she got under way. A warning whistle had already been sounded. He
made himself comfortable on a camp stool.

He chuckled to think of the sensation his appearance would cause.
True, they might seize him and put him down in the hold again; they
were strong enough. But at least this time they would not take him by
surprise, and he doubted anyway if they would attack him before the
children. Evan was strong with the children. It might precipitate a
riot on board.

The _Ernestina_ began to back out of the slip without anybody having
stumbled on Evan's hiding-place. By this time the skipper of the power
boat had recovered his skiff, and was watching Evan stolidly. Evan
waved him a farewell.

Evan had no notion of risking all he had gained by venturing out too
soon. He sat tight, entertaining himself as