"Then tell me how do you account for this?" and Paul pointed to the green boat.
"Perhaps they went ashore somewhere, and while they were gone some mean fellows came along and stole their boat, sinking it in this way just to plague the owner. Yes, they may even have thought I had come down in it. There are some chaps we happen to know who would only be too willing to annoy me in that way."
What Frank had just said seemed to give his chum new hope. His face lighted up; and he even breathed without that horrible sound as though he were gasping for air.
"What if that happened to be so, where would the girls be likely to land and wait up for us?" asked Paul, eagerly.
"I was just thinking about that island down below," replied the other, quickly.
"Frank, I believe you're right. Let's pull for it and see. It was a mean trick if they did leave the girls there all this time. They must be frightened half to death. Come along!" exclaimed Paul, jumping into his boat.
"Lend me a pair of oars, will you?" asked Frank, as having turned the green craft over he started pushing it into the water again.
"Going to take it along, are you? A clever idea, and it may save us from coming back here again. Take this pair that you've been using. I hope we find the girls on the island; and won't they be glad to see us, though?"
In a minute or so both boats had been launched, and the boys were pulling for all they were worth toward the bend of the river.
"There, I can just see the head of it now!" announced Paul, who happened to be a trifle in the lead.