"Raftmates in St. Louis. Southern Hotel. Please join them
immediately."

"Just ten words," she said to herself, with a complacent sigh, as she
handed this to the waiting messenger. "Now if John acts promptly, he
may catch those crazy boys before they have the chance to start off on
any other absurd expedition. I only hope to goodness that he'll have
the sense to bring them home, and let that wretched raft drift where it
likes."

Major Caspar could not start for St. Louis the next day, but he did so
on the following morning, and late that same evening he walked into the
office of the Southern Hotel. He was beginning to make inquiries at
the desk, when his hand was seized and violently shaken. Turning
quickly, he at once recognized his faithful old army friend Cap'n Cod,
and gave him a cordial greeting.

"But where are the others?" he inquired at length.

"Gone down the river an hour ago, by the Short Line," was the
unexpected reply. "You see, we only got word this evening that an
abandoned raft, answering our description, had just been picked up near
Cairo, and Mr. Brackett thought it best that he and Winn should go on
at once to indentify it. It was also decided that Sabella and I should
remain here until we heard from them, because it might not be the
_Venture_, you know, and then I'm not sure that we want to go any
farther down the river, anyway. You see, since losing the _Whatnot_,
I've rather lost interest--"

"Losing the _Whatnot_!" interrupted the Major. "What do you mean?"

"Why, haven't you heard?" Then they sat down, and the old man related
all that had happened to the _Whatnot_ and her passengers since leaving
Dubuque.

When the recital was ended, the Major drew a long breath, and
exclaimed, "Well, for mysterious happenings, incidents, and rapid
changes of scene, that beats anything in the line of Mississippi
rafting that ever I heard of. So now they are off again, and goodness
knows what scrapes they will get into next; while here I am, as
helpless to prevent them as an old hen with a brood of ducklings.
There is one thing I can do, though. I must return to Caspar's Mill at
once, and I want you and your niece to go with me. With my recently
increased business, I need just such a man as you to look after my home
interests, while my daughter Elta, needs just such a girl as your
Sabella is described to be for a companion."

Tears stood in the old soldier's eyes as he realized all that