h people they saw gazing at them
with open mouths. He even asked questions too, and learned that a
reign of terror did actually exist through the country to the south,
bordering the big river.

And hence, it caused Jack to smile when just about half-past three he
and Jimmie heard the well known signal blast upon a horn, and looking
ahead saw Nick standing on a point of land, beckoning wildly.

"Just what I expected," said Jack quietly; but he did not take the
pains to explain what he meant to his boatmate.

So the _Tramp_ headed in, to find that there was indeed a creek back of
the jutting point, and that the _Wireless_ was snugly moored to the
shore there.

CHAPTER XV.

BUSTER TAKES HOPE.

"Hello!" called Jack, as he discovered George standing ashore near his
speed boat, waving a hand at him. "What's all this mean? Had another
breakdown already, after that dandy job done to your motor?"

"Shucks! No. Engine seems to be working to beat the band. But the
fact is, Jack, I'm getting tired of camping with only a cemetery for
company. Nick can't think of anything but eating; and those plagued
old wings he misplaced somewhere just before we started on this run.
So I made up my mind I'd hold up at this fine camping site, and spend a
night with you fellows."

"Yes," cried Nick, as he came bustling along, "and you'll be glad we
held up, too, when you set eyes on the bully little smoked ham I bought
from a coon this afternoon. I told George it was a shame some of the
others couldn't be along to enjoy a slice; and do you know, he took me
up like a flash, saying he'd been thinking the same thing. So when we
ran across this place we drew in."

"What time was that, Nick?" asked Jack, smiling.

"I asked George, and he said half-past one," replied the fat boy,
hastening to get out his prize smoked pork and exhibit the same to the
admiration of Jimmie.

"That so? Well, you did make fast time of it," remarked the skipper of
the _Tramp_. "No use talking, George, that engine of yours does the
trick; if you can only depend on it from now on, the cup is going to be
yours for a dead certainty."

"Barring some accident, such as being upset in the big waves from
steamboats," remarked Nick, shaking his head dubiously at several
recollections that did not seem to give him much happiness. "My! you
don't know just how we wallow, and nearly flop over on our beam ends at
such times. I think I lose six ounces of fles