Don't tell him dat ar ?" There was no time for explanations then, so they hurried Solon ashore and up to the hotel.

There his replies to their questions, and his questions in turn, only served to deepen the mystery in which the fate of the _Whatnot's_ passengers had become involved.

He could not be persuaded that they had not been on board at the time of the accident.
Sabella had boon talking to him of what her "Uncle Billy" had just told her only a few minutes before it occurred.

He was also positive that Winn had been on board the ill-fated craft.

He was certain that Reward died at his post of duty, though of Don Blossom's fate he knew nothing.
How he himself had escaped he could not explain, for he remembered nothing after the shock of the collision.
"It is evident," said Billy Brackett, at length, "that we must get to St.Louis as quickly as possible, and strive to unravel this mystery there." Cap'n Cod agreed that this seemed the best thing to be done, and as there was a train about to leave for the South, they hurried to the station.
As Bim was forced to ride in the baggage-car, and his master declined to leave him, both Cap'n Cod and Solon rode there as well.