"That's just the idea!" replied Sandy. "I wonder if his mug is sore where Bert extracted the whiskers?"
"I wonder if he expects to get a good night's sleep, with Bert lying in some uncomfortable hiding place?" George asked. "I'd like to poke him in the mug, just for luck!"
"That wouldn't help us find Bert," Sandy cautioned. "We've just got to be good to him and follow him wherever he goes."
"Watch me put him off his guard," George suggested.
"How long have you been in this neighborhood?" he asked, turning to Cameron. "I ask," the boy continued, "because one of our chums wandered away from the cabin while we were out fishing and hasn't returned."
Cameron's eyes sought the floor for a moment.
"I have just returned from the coast," he said, "so, unless your friend strayed off in that direction, I wouldn't have caught sight of him. Do you mean that he strayed away in the darkness?" he asked.
"No," replied George, "he strayed away this afternoon while temporarily out of his mind. My friends were out fishing, and I was asleep at the time. He received a slight wound on the head, from a fall, not long ago, and that is probably the cause of his aberration of mind."
The boys thought they saw a sudden expression of satisfaction creep over Cameron's face as George finished his explanation.
"If you'll serve Mr. Cameron's supper," Sandy said, giving George a sly wink, "I'll go with Will, and we'll take different directions so as to cover more ground. We are getting anxious about Bert."