It must be confessed that Dave slept but little that night. His mind was filled with what was before him. He felt that he had quite a mission to perform, first in locating the runaways and then in persuading them to return to Oak Hall to face the music.
He had an early breakfast, Roger eating with him, and then the buggy, driven by Horsehair, was brought around and he got in, and a minute later he was off, the senator’s son waving him an adieu from the porch of the school.
Dave found the first train he rode on but half filled with passengers, and he had a double seat to himself. He changed at the Junction, and about noon reached Lumberport, where he was to take the train on the little side-line for Camptown Falls. At Lumberport he got dinner, at a hotel frequented by lumbermen. He sat at a long table with half a dozen men and listened to their talk 219 with interest when he heard Camptown Falls mentioned.
“Yes, they tell me there is great danger of the dam giving way just above Camptown Falls,” one of the men said. “Doxey reported it hasn’t been safe for a week.”
“Say, if that dam gave way it would do a lot of damage below the Falls,” said another.
“It certainly would,” replied a tall lumberman. “It would wipe out some of those camps on Moosetail Island. I rather guess the water would cover the whole island.”
“Somebody ought to warn the campers,” said another.
“Oh, I guess they know it already,” was the answer.
Dave arose from the table feeling very uneasy. He remembered the name, Moosetail Island, now. Buster had once mentioned it, stating he had camped there and would like to go again. Were the runaways there now, and in danger of the dam, should it break?