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Updated: May 15, 2025
Against the wishes of Baxter and Flapp, Jake Shaggam was allowed on board the houseboat and taken to the living room. Here he was given something to eat and drink and some tobacco. "You're a good fellow, Jake," said Hamp Gouch. "Mighty good fellow. Show you something," and he took the old man to where the girls were locked in. "Better stop this," said Flapp, in increased alarm.
"Oh, it's all right, you can trust Jake Shaggam," replied Gouch, with a swagger. Liquor had deprived him of all his natural shrewdness. He insisted upon talking about the girls and tried to open the door. Failing in this he took the hermit around to the window. "Nice old chap this is, gals," he said. "Finest old chap in old Kentucky. Think a sight o' him, I do. Shake hands with him."
Late in the evening, much to their surprise, an old man in a dilapidated rowboat came up to the houseboat. It was Jake Shaggam, the hermit, who had been out fishing. "How are ye, Shaggam!" shouted Pick Loring, who, on account of the liquor taken, felt extra sociable. "Come on board, old feller!"
"They are on the houseboat, and the craft is hidden up Shaggam Creek," put in Sam. He turned to the captain of the tug. "Where is Shaggam Creek?" "This ere is Shaggam Creek, an' I'm Jake Shaggam," answered the hermit. "But you-uns said you'd pay me thet twenty-five dollars." "I will," said Tom, and brought out the amount at once. "Thank you very much."
"Yes, he lives in that tumble-down shanty over the hill. I don't think he will bother us." "Does he live there alone?" "Yes. He is a bachelor and don't like to go down to the village." The girls heard this talk quite plainly, but presently Baxter, Flapp, and the two horse thieves withdrew to another part of the houseboat and they heard no more. "We are at a place called Shaggam Creek," said Dora.
"What are these yere gals doin' here?" asked Shaggam, with interest. "Got 'em prisoners. Tell ye all 'bout it ter-morrow," answered Gouch, thickly. "Big deal on better'n stealin' hosses. "They seem to be very nice girls," answered Jake Shaggam. He was a harmless kind of an individual with a face that was far from repugnant. Watching her chance Dora drew close to the old man.
"Up Shaggam Creek. There is a dandy hiding place there and nobody around but old Jake Shaggam, and we can easily 'buy him off, so as he won't open his mouth." "How far is that creek from here?" "About thirty-five miles." The matter was talked over for fully an hour, and it was at last decided that the houseboat should go up Shaggam Creek, at least for the time being.
"Take this, please do!" she whispered, and gave him one of the notes, folded in a dollar bill. "Thank you," answered Jake Shaggam. "Say nothing, look at it as soon as you get away," added Dora. The old hermit nodded, and in a few minutes more he followed Gouch to another part of the boat. "Do you think he will deliver that message?" asked Nellie.
"I believe you," answered Dan Baxter. "It is certainly a dandy hiding place." "Those girls can't very well get ashore neither," said Hamp Gouch. "If they tried it they would get into mud up to their waists." "Is this Shaggam Creek the place you spoke about?" asked Lew Flapp. "Yes." "You said there was an old man around here named Jake Shaggam."
And he flourished the weapon wildly. The steam tug was led up the creek by Jake Shaggam for a distance of two miles. "See that air turn yonder?" he said. "Yes," said Captain Carson. "Thet houseboat is behind the trees and bushes around the p'int. Now whar's the five dollars?" "There you are," said Dick, and paid him. "Much obliged.
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