"That was easier than I expected," he said.
"Even if we didn't scare them playing ghost," added Sam. "I wonder if they really thought we were ten in number?"
"Well, they thought we were seven anyway!" answered Dick. "It was a clever ruse you two played."
What to do next the Rover boys did not know. It was impossible for any of them to calculate how far they were from the spot where they had landed or to determine the best way of getting back to Foreshow Bay, as they had named the locality.
"If we move around very much in this darkness we may become hopelessly lost in the forest," said Dick.
"Maybe we had better stay right where we are until morning," suggested his youngest brother.
"I'm agreeable to anything," were Tom's words.
"If we stay here we want to remain on guard," said Dick. "Merrick may take it into his head to come back."
An hour later found the three Rover boys encamped in a small opening to one side of the forest trail. They made beds for themselves of some soft brushwood, and it was decided that one should remain on guard while the other two slept.
"Each can take three hours of guard duty," said Dick. "That will see us through the night nicely," and so it was arranged.