"I don't see how I'm to get to town," said Billoo dismally. He pulled out his watch, and held it in his hand, and every moment or two looked at it. "Haven't you a couple of row-boats? We couldn't get this train, but we could get the next—"
I shook my head. "I'm sorry," I said. "We're not much on the water, and we've never been properly supplied with boats—"
Billoo swallowed some hasty thought or other, and began to look across at the mainland. My father owns all the land opposite the island, even the pier and the short road to the village of Stepping-Stone; and although there were several boats at the pier, there were no people, and the rest of the shore is nothing but thick woods.
"We must telephone somewhere," said Billoo.
"You can't," I said. "You know you tried to telephone all yesterday and couldn't, and the butler told me this morning that he had tried to put in a call and got no answer."
"What does it matter?" said Sally. "You've all got to stay now. I think that's splendid."
"Mrs. Sam," said Tombs hollowly, "do you realize that this accident may mean ruin for some of us?"
"Oh, dear!" said Sally "how dreadful!"
"Somehow of other," said Billoo, "I'm going to get across."
And the others said that somehow or other they were going to get across, too.