a decided
appreciation of Sabella's friendship, this intelligent animal evinced a
desire to become more intimately acquainted with Don Blossom, who was
the first of his race he had ever encountered.

The mule selected by Solon, and guaranteed by that expert in mules to
be "a turrible wukker, 'kase I sees hit in he eye," was purchased that
very afternoon, and immediately introduced to the scene of his future
labors.

[Illustration: "The mule was purchased that afternoon."]

Sheriff Riley named him "Reward." Then bidding these strangely found
friends good-bye, and taking his recovered property with him, he
boarded an up-bound steamboat and started for home.

As there was no reason why the others should not also begin their
journey at once, the _Whatnot_ was got under way at the same time, and
headed down the stream.

Cap'n Cod proudly occupied the pilot-house; Solon attended to the
four-legged engine; Sabella was making preparations for supper; while
the two who would be raftmates, provided they only had a raft, paced
slowly back and forth on the upper deck, enjoying the scenery and
discussing their plans.

"If we only knew how those fellows had disguised the raft, and what she
looked like now!" remarked Billy Brackett.

"I'm certain that I should recognize it under any disguise," asserted
Winn, positively.

"That may be, but it would simplify matters if we could have some
definite description of the craft. Now we shall have to board every
raft we overhaul, on some pretence or other, and make inquiries. And
that reminds me that the _Whatnot_ does not seem to be provided with a
skiff."

"Yes, Solon said there was one on this deck, covered with canvas. That
must be it there," replied Winn. As he spoke he lifted an edge of the
bit of old sail that protected some bulky object from the weather, and
looked beneath it. Then he uttered a cry of amazement, and tore the
canvas completely off.

"It's my canoe, as sure as I'm standing here!" he shouted. "The very
one that was carried off on the raft!"

CHAPTER XXIII.

REWARD RUNS AWAY WITH THE PANORAMA.

There was not the slightest doubt that the canoe, covered by a bit of
canvas, which had rested all this time on the upper deck of the
_Whatnot_, was the very one whose loss had grieved Winn almost as much
as that of the raft itself. If he had needed proof other than his
certain knowledge of the little craft, it was at hand; for, as he
pointed out to B