"I guess, Bill, one of us had better stay up the rest of the night," said King, as he finished his search. "I don't see how he could get away again, but we won't take any chances."
As they were about to leave the room, Bob asked, "Can't you give me something to eat? I'm awfully hungry."
"Sure thing," replied King. "There's a fine mess of trout downstairs, which Bill caught this afternoon, and I can boil some potatoes in no time. You just tell us what we want to know, and I'll have you a fine meal in less than half an hour."
But Bob was not yet ready to give up. "Never mind," he said, "I guess I'm not so hungry as I thought I was."
They went out and he heard them go down the stairs. Throwing himself on the cot he groaned, "Oh dear, to come so near to getting away and then fail. But," he thought, "I did my best, and I'll bet Reed's nose will be sore for a few days. If that blow had only caught him on the chin, I might have made it before King got there."
He lay for a long time thinking how he could foil his captors. Suddenly, he sprang up. "Why not?" he said to himself. "It may work if I can carry through the bluff. Anyhow, it'll be better than starving here, and I'm going to try it."
Having decided on a line of action, he once more threw himself on the cot and was soon asleep.
No one came near him till nearly ten o'clock that morning, and by that time, Bob felt, as he expressed it, as though the bottom of his stomach had fallen out.
"How goes it?" was King's greeting, as he entered the room, "Getting pretty hungry?"
"Hungry!" growled Bob, "If you don't look out I may eat you up."