llustration: HE STUFFED HIS PAWS INTO HIS EARS.]

All at once the boy lay perfectly still. Then he sprang up with every
bit of laugh gone out of his face. His left hand grasped the outside of
his jacket, while with his right hand he dived down into the inside
pocket like mad. The Bear watched him anxiously.

"What is it, Bo? Have you got one, too?" he asked.

"Horatio!" gasped the boy. "Our money! It's gone!"

"Gone! Gone! Where?"

"Stolen. Some of those niggers did it while we were asleep!"

The Bear reflected a moment. Then he said thoughtfully:--

"Do you suppose, Bo, it was that nice fat one?"

"I shouldn't wonder a bit. I saw him watch every penny I took in last
night."

Horatio licked out his tongue eagerly.

"Could I have him if it was?" he asked hungrily.

"Have him! How?" said Bo. Then he shuddered. "Oh! no, not that way--of
course not. But I'll tell you, Ratio," he added, "we'll make him believe
that you can, and frighten him into giving up the money."

Horatio frowned.

"I don't like make-believes," he grumbled. "Can't we let the money go
this time and not have any make-believe?"

"Not much--we want that money right now, before the boat lands; then
we'll go ashore and get out of such a crowd. Come, Ratio."

No one was stirring on the upper deck as yet, but the crew was collected
below where the second mate was shouting orders as the boat swung slowly
into the bank. They boy and Bear dashed down the stairs.

[Illustration: "OUR MONEY! IT IS GONE!"]

"Wait!" shouted Bo to the officer. "Somebody on this boat last night
stole our money, and I want my Bear to find him. It won't take but a
minute, for he can tell a thief at sight when he's mad and hungry, and
he's mad now, and hungry for dark meat!" The boy looked straight into
the crowd of negroes, while the Bear growled fiercely and fixed his eye
on the fat darky.

The crew fell back and the fat darky with a howl started to run.

"That's the one! That's the thief!" shouted Bo, and with a snarl Horatio
bounded away in pursuit. Down the narrow gangway to the stern of the
boat, then in a circle around a lot of cotton, they ran like mad, the
Bear getting closer to the negro every minute. Then back again to the
bow in a straight stretch, the thief blue with fright and Horatio's eyes
shining with hungry anticipation. The rest of the crew looked on and
cheered. Suddenly, as the fat darky passed Bo, he jerked a sack from his
pocket and flung it beh