He insisted his friends were yet on the Island, and announced his determination of remaining all night rather than take the chances of leaving them behind.
“What will we do when the last boat goes?” Sadie asked anxiously.
“Perhaps we’ll find the boys before then.”
“But s’posen we don’t?”
“Look here, Sadie, we won’t s’posen anything about it. We’ve got to find ’em, an’ that’s all there is of it; but if the last boat should go before either of ’em turned up, why we’d have to walk.”
“I’m ’fraid you couldn’t do much of that because you’re so tired now;” and Sadie ceased her efforts at persuasion, shutting her teeth hard as she thought they might possibly be forced to remain on their feet all night; but determined to say nothing more lest the boy who had been so kind should think her importunate.
From this hour until ten o’clock Josiah and his companion alternately walked and rested, and just at the moment when he was beginning to think it would be necessary to abandon the search, a stranger of about his own age halted suddenly in front of him, as he asked:—
“Say, ain’t you the feller what come down from the country to see Bob Green an’ Tom Bartlett?”
“Well, s’posen I am?” Josiah replied, rendered cautious by his previous unpleasant experience.
“Nothin’; I reckoned you was, but couldn’t figger out where they were. Hello, Sadie!” the stranger added as the match-girl stepped forward a few paces where she could be seen. “You down here too?”