Among the River Pirates by Hugh Lloyd

Skippy was so frightened that he did nothing for a moment but sit and stare. Then suddenly he realized the terrible thing before his eyes, and he pulled the boat up alongside of the barge, trembling from head to foot.
The dog leaped out of his arms the moment he got on deck and refused to run with him to the shanty. But Skippy had neither the time nor the nerves to think of anything but the battered Beasell in the boat floating beside the barge.’ -an excerpt
This murder mystery by Hugh Lloyd has a reader binding narrative, and is full of highs and lows at different points, which keeps the readers curious and engaged.