nearly noon before
The hurrying passengers smiled at this spectacle at once so ridiculous and so pathetic , but good-naturedly made way for the old men , while Bim , sharing the general excitement , barked and danced about , until his chain was entangled with the legs of at least half a dozen persons at once . Even with Bim 's aid , Billy Brackett failed to find the man who had escaped him in Alton by running through the store and out of its back door . The young engineer was convinced that he was one of those who had stolen the raft , and it was certainly very trying to recover the trail , as he had just done , only to lose it again immediately . So loath was he to abandon the search that it was very nearly noon before he did so , and retraced his steps to the river . As he approached the place where the _ Whatnot _ had been moored , he was surprised not to see the boat , and turned towards a group of men , all of whom seemed to be talking at once , to make inquiries . At that moment the group opened , and from it Cap'n Cod , red-faced and anxious , came hastily stumping in his direction . `` Where is the _ Whatnot _ ? ''