They went to the shore of the stream, where they had left their boat, but, to their great astonishment, it was gone.
"Worse and more of it!" exclaimed Ned. "I guess Frank has gone off in the boat."
"No guessing about it," replied Bart.
"Why not?"
In answer Bart pointed down the stream. There, paddling along, was Frank in the canoe. He waved his hands to his chums and they shouted a greeting to him.
"There I told you he'd just gone out to get up an appetite for breakfast," declared Fenn, as the canoe drew nearer.
Frank was a little uneasy as to how to greet his chums. He did not know whether or not they were aware that he had been away all night. But, as he beached the boat, one glance at their tousled hair, and their eyes, still heavy from sleep, told him he had only recently been missed. He knew how to act now, and, to further his plans, determined to let his chums believe he had been gone a short time only.
"Did you get the worm?" inquired Fenn.
"What worm?" Frank retorted.
"The one the early bird always gets."