But it grieved him to think that he was not missed and searched for.
“Whatever is the matter, among so many there might be one to think of me,” he muttered, sadly. “Don’t I amount to a button, that they don’t miss me? Or is something awful going on?”
Then, with great reluctance, he shouted for help.
When the four gathered round the hole, they beheld its tenant with wonder.
“How in this world did you get down there?” Steve asked.
“Fell down,” Will said, laconically. “I knew there was a hole in these regions, and, botheration! I found it, and tumbled overboard into it! But say, what was all that row about?”
“So you’ve missed all the fun!” Charles said, pityingly.
Then the boys told him all that had happened.
“But why didn’t you yell for us to help you at first?” Steve asked.
“Why didn’t you miss me?” Will retorted, sourly.