there."

Cap'n Cod agreed that this seemed the best thing to be done, and as
there was a train about to leave for the South, they hurried to the
station.

As Bim was forced to ride in the baggage-car, and his master declined
to leave him, both Cap'n Cod and Solon rode there as well. All three
spent the hour's run to East St. Louis in discussing the strange
occurrences of the day, and trying to discover some ground for belief
that either Winn or Sabella, or both, might still be alive. In this
effort they met with so little success that, by the time they reached
their destination, they had wellnigh abandoned all hope of ever again
seeing either the boy or girl who were so dearly loved.

Poor Cap'n Cod was broken-hearted, while Billy Brackett resolutely
refused to think of the sad telegram he must send back to Caspar's Mill.

If it had not been that Bim compelled them to ride in the baggage-car,
they might have discovered the two "river-traders," Grimshaw and
Plater, who were also on the train. Bim did discover them on the
platform at East St. Louis, and he was in the act of springing towards
Mr. Plater, when the old negro Clod stumbled over his chain and into
Solon's arms.

In his joyful excitement at this wonderful meeting with the brother
whom he had never expected to see again, Clod allowed a slip of paper
to fall unheeded to the ground, and Billy Brackett picked it up. He
glanced carelessly at it, and then his shout of amazement as he saw
written on it the name "Winn Caspar" startled not only his companions,
but every one on the station platform.

Two minutes later four excited men, accompanied by a white bull-dog
straining at his chain and barking as joyfully as though he understood
the whole situation, were hurrying with all speed in the direction of
Clod's cabin on the river-bank.

CHAPTER XXX.

IN CLOD'S CABIN.

Aunt Viney heard Bim's joyful voice, and glancing anxiously towards the
door of the room in which Sabella lay, she muttered, "Drat dat ar dorg!
He sholy wake up missy wif he barkin'."

The barking did waken Sabella, and as she lifted her head to listen,
she whispered wonderingly to herself, "It's Bim! It's dear old Bim. I
know his voice."

Winn, bending wearily over the statement he was preparing for the
police, heard the barking, and looked up with a startled expression on
his troubled face. "If I didn't know that it couldn't be, I should say
that was Bim's bark. Poor old do