“I suppose they’ll say we did wrong to come here, and run so many risks,” went on Andy.
“Well, we meant it all for the best, and it has turned out fine,” declared Frank. “They won’t worry much, I guess. I wish they’d come for us, though. I don’t know what to do with this man.”
“That’s right. Well, keep on looking. Dad may come by afternoon.”
If the boys had only known of the cutting down of their rowboat and the intense anxiety of Mr. Racer they would not have been so confident of the lack of worry on the part of those at home.
“Say, are you fellows going to keep me here like this all day, in the hot sun without shelter, and nothing to eat?” the prisoner finally exclaimed. “It’s not right!”
“Well, perhaps it isn’t,” agreed Frank, “but it wasn’t right for you to shut us in the cave, either. However, we will give you something to eat, if you promise not to attack us if we loosen your hands.”
“Loosen only one hand, and don’t trust him,” whispered Andy.
“Oh, I suppose I’ve got to promise,” grumbled the man. “I’m half starved.”
“So am I,” remarked Andy to his brother. “Let’s quit searching now, and go for grub. We have plenty of it at our camp, and we can bring it here. Guess we’d better camp here, too. It’s a better place, and we can’t move him down very well.”
To this Frank agreed, and they soon had their food moved to the new location. They looked well to the bonds of the prisoner before leaving him, even for a few minutes. Then, when a fire had been built, and some food prepared, they loosened the ropes from one of his hands so that he might feed himself. Andy and Frank were seated in front of him, eating, when Andy happened to turn around.