“Then you had better get some rest and sleep now,” observed Mr. Snodgrass. “Come into the shack, and we will make you some hot coffee.”
The hermit begged them to go to no trouble on his account, but they insisted, and soon the coffee was boiling on the coals of the camp fire.
“I’m too excited to sleep,” remarked Mr. Bell, as he went inside the rough shelter to lie down. And so it would seem, for, every few minutes he would rouse up from his position, and ask some particular about his son. He appeared scarcely able to believe the good news. At length, however, he grew weary, and along toward morning fell into a doze.
The others were so tired and sleepy from being awake the night before that they slumbered late, and the sun was quite high when Jerry roused himself, and sat up, wondering what day it was.
He got up, took a plunge in the lake, and came back to start breakfast, finding that, in the meanwhile, the others in the camp, including Mr. Bell, had arisen.
“Now to start and find my son,” cried the hermit.
“You had better have something to eat first,” suggested Mr. Snodgrass. “Then perhaps we can think of some plan to aid you.”
Though impatient to be gone the old man consented to remain to breakfast. He did not eat much, however, and seemed ready any minute to start on the long search for Tommy.
“How would it be if we took you to the nearest town in our automobile,” suggested the professor, when the meal was over. “From there you can get conveyances and reach Las Cruces in a short time. If you need any money—”
“Thank you, I think I have enough for the present,” interrupted Mr. Bell. “I do not need much. When I find Tommy I will bring him back with me, and we will be together once more. It seems too good to be true!”