This heartless observation closed Ruth’s lips on the subject. The two girls watched the other island. They did not see the boat again. Nor did they see anybody on the island or hear any other cry from there.
They both began to grow anxious. No boat appeared from the direction of the camp, and it was past the hour now when Willie was to have called for them with the Gem. Why didn’t he come?
“Of course, Mr. Hammond doesn’t expect us to swim home,” complained Helen.
“Something must have occurred. Totantora’s being sent off so suddenly really worries me. Perhaps Mr. Hammond himself was obliged to leave the camp and perhaps he went in the Gem, and Willie cannot return for us until later.”
“But where is Tom? Surely he must know all about this sudden trouble.”
“What was Tom going to do to-day?” asked Ruth quietly.
“Oh, that’s so! I had forgotten,” said Tom’s sister, in despair. “He was going around to Oak Point with some of the men. That’s down the river, beyond Chippewa Point, and they could scarcely get back in the other motor-boat before dark.”
“That’s the answer, I guess,” sighed Ruth.
“Then we are marooned!” ejaculated Helen. “I do think it is too mean—and my goodness! we ate every crumb of lunch.”
“The two ‘Robinson Crusoesses,’ then, may have to go on short rations,” but Ruth said it with a smile. “I guess we are not in any real danger of starvation, however.”