Ben looked at Bert a moment, and then said, “Thank you, Mr. Cope, Bert would like to go and so should I, but I ought to go back to the camp.”
“Why? What’s wrong?” inquired Mr. Cope, quickly.
“There isn’t anything wrong, only I’ve something I ought to do. I was just thinking that I would take my canoe and go back, and leave you all here anyway. I didn’t want to break up your sport.”
“He wants to write a letter, I guess,” said Jock. “Well, Bert, you come along, and let Ben go back if he wants to.”
The proposal was agreed to, and Tom was to wait on the shore and guard the skiff while his companions were gone to visit the scene of Mr. Cope’s and Ethan’s earlier days. Ben did not wait, but hoisting his little sail began to speed over the river in the direction of Pine Tree Island.
What the urgent duty was which had induced him to depart from his companions became apparent when he approached within a half mile of the camp. He then lowered his sail and carefully scanned the river before him.
Apparently satisfied with the inspection, he took his paddle and began to send the light canoe swiftly over the water, but instead of making his way to the dock he paddled around to the opposite side of the island.
There he landed, and lifting his canoe, bore it up the shore and carefully concealed it among the bushes. Satisfied that he had not been seen, he cautiously made his way toward the shore of a sheltered bay not far away. As soon as he had arrived at a place from which the waters of the bay could be seen, he halted for a moment and peered cautiously about him.
Evidently not satisfied with what he saw, he began to advance again, stepping carefully from tree to tree, and at last arrived at a sheltered spot from which he could see both the shore and bay. Instantly he was deeply interested in something he there discovered, for he peered farther out from behind the tree, and watched Bob, who now could be seen near the shore.