“This is the place, Lanky, that we met the rowboat, and there’s the direction it took. Now, I’m going around the island, following the same path we did before, and see what the result is.”
Suiting the action to the word, Frank Allen held the Rocket over toward the island, swung around it at the lower end, and came up on the farther side, until he was abreast the upriver side of it.
“Now, don’t you think this is about where we were?”
Wallace agreed that, as nearly as could be told in the daylight, this was the spot where they had started their hunt.
“And right over there is where I claim that rowboat went under the trees and stayed while we sought it,” Lanky turned and pointed to the upper part of the island, where old willows dropped and spread their branches down close to the water, entirely hiding the shoreline.
“All right. Since you think so, I move we eat our lunch under those trees. Let’s get where you think they were, and see what the outcome is.”
Frank put the Rocket hard over, and gradually brought it under the trees, though it was a close shave to make it fit under the low-hanging branches.
“Why, fellows,” cried Paul Bird, “even in the daytime this is a good hiding place. Look, you can’t see out, and it is a sure thing no one could see in! Just think what it must be after dark, especially on such a pitch-dark night as you say that one was!”
Frank was won over to Lanky’s idea, after studying the situation very carefully.
The boys fell to on the food with a will such as only hungry, manly, athletic fellows, can show. They attacked the sandwiches front and rear.