Bob and Clip resumed charge of the boat, and during the next day disposed of the cargo to Mr. Pearson at the price agreed upon.
After disposing of his cargo, Bob was puzzled to know what to do with the ferry-boat. Finally he had an offer of one hundred dollars, from a speculative Yankee who had drifted out to St. Louis, and gladly accepted it. This sum paid all expenses, including his and Clip's return fare, and left him with a handsome sum to his credit, viz.:
1,400 bushels wheat, at $2.25, $3,150 Reward, 1,000 ------ $4,150
This sum, with the exception of one hundred and fifty dollars, by advice of Mr. Pearson, he deposited in a St. Louis bank, and then started for home.
He could not make the whole passage by steamer, but went part way by railroad, and then engaged a carriage to a point four miles from home. Thence he and Clip walked. He wanted to surprise not only his mother, but Wolverton. He knew now that Brown and Minton had only been agents of his more crafty enemy, Brown having made a written confession, not so much out of friendship to Bob as out of spite against Wolverton, whom he held responsible for getting him into this scrape.
With soiled shoes and clothes covered with dust, Bob and Clip entered the village, and purposely walked by Wolverton's office.
The latter, spying them through the window, smiled maliciously, and hurried out to meet them.
"Aha, my young friends," he said, with a pleased glance at their soiled clothes, "so you have returned?"
"We had good luck at first, but at Rocky Creek two rascals entrapped us, and stole our boat and cargo."
Wolverton laughed outright. So it was true, after all.
"Excuse my smiling," he said; "but you seem to have come out at the little end of the horn."
"You remember what I told you before you started?"
"That you were too young for such an expedition. It would have been much better for you to accept my offer."
"Seems so! Of course it would have been. But the trouble was, you were so puffed up by your own self-conceit that you thought you knew best."
"I plead guilty to that, sir; I did think so," answered Bob, candidly.
"I am glad you admit it. So you had to walk back?"
"You can judge for yourself, Mr. Wolverton."
"Well, you certainly do look like two tramps. The next time you may feel like following my advice."