"Hallo!"
"Get a boat, and come aboard as soon as you can after the tide turns."
"All right. How early will the tide suit?"
"Eight o'clock."
"Not before?"
"No."
After this nothing more was said. Bruce could see for himself that the tide was falling, and that he would have to wait for the returning tide before a boat could be launched. He waited for some time, full of despair, and hesitating to return to Bart with his mournful intelligence. At length he turned, and walked slowly back to his friend.
"Well, Bruce?" asked Bart, who by this time was sure that some accident had happened.
"The boat's adrift."
"The boat!"