arl. "I am as much interested in getting him back as you
are."

"How is that?"

"I wanted to buy the Goldwing; and I expected to get her for about
twenty dollars, though her sails cost more than that. The young rascal
tricked me out of her. If he stole the money, it is no trade, and the
boat will have to be put up again."

The landlord was satisfied that Pearl would bring the boy to the hotel
if it were possible. Pearl was very sure that he would do it. Without
knowing any thing particular about the Burlington boy, he had taken an
intense dislike to him; but he had no suspicion that he was the person
who had interfered with his operations in the woods the night before. He
hastened down to the wharf, where he found the little steamer that he
had seen struggling with the big waves in the lower bay.

"You have had a rough time of it," said Pearl to a man he found on the
deck of the boat.

"Rather rough; but we came through all right," replied the man.

"What boat is this?" inquired the thief-taker, as he already regarded
himself.

"This is the Missisquoi. A man in Plattsburgh bought her, and I came to
fetch her over; but he won't be here till to-morrow night," replied the
temporary skipper. "I fetched over a lot of boys from Burlington, and
they made things lively on the way."

"Do you know a boy in Burlington by the name of Theodore Dornwood?"
asked Pearl.

"Well, I guess I do. Everybody that has any thing to do with boats in
Burlington knows all about him. He is a little wild, but he is as smart
as a steel trap," replied Captain Vesey, as he was called by courtesy.

"Is he an honest boy?" asked Pearl, as though that were a matter of the
utmost consequence to him.

"I guess he is. He is worth two of his father, who was the pilot on duty
on board of the Au Sable last night, and tried to take the boat across a
p'int of land. He didn't make out, and I guess it will be a bad job for
him."

"Where are the boys you brought over?" inquired Pearl, looking about the
boat for them.

"You see, they came over here on a lark, and will have to get back the
best way they can. We found Dory in a sailboat, anchored off the
breakwater. The boys wanted me to put them aboard of her, and I did.
Dory says he is going to sail the boat to Burlington, and the rest of
the boys are going with him. They are the wildest set of boys on the
lake."

"I suppose you don't object to earning five dollars with this boat
before you deliver