“Is Bruce here?”
“We have seen nothing of him,” they declared.
“He must be here,” insisted Frank.
“It’s strange we have not seen him, if he returned.”
They looked for him, but he was not in his room, nor could he be found about the hotel. Frank threw himself upon a chair, and stared at the floor, with a troubled look.
“What’s the matter?” asked Diamond. “Hanged if you don’t look as if you’d been in a scrimmage!”
“I have,” said Merry quietly.
“What?”
Both lads stared at him.
“Kit your quidding—I mean quit your kidding!” spluttered Harry.