"Don't you dare desert us to look for a barber!" commanded Ruth. "To be left alone in these woods—ugh!" and she shuddered as she looked about. Certainly it was very lonely.
"It isn't as bad as last night, though," said Alice. "I feel quite at home, now. I wonder what became of that animal you shot, Russ? I'd like to see what it was."
"I wouldn't," declared Ruth, decidedly.
Breakfast over, the blankets and cushions of the boat were spread out in the sun to dry, for they were damp from the rain and dew.
"And now the question is—what are we to do?" asked Mrs. Maguire. "We don't want to spend another night in the woods if we can help it."
"I should say not!" cried Russ. "We'll start off in a little while and make our way back to the steamer."
"Can you find it?" asked Ruth.
"Well, it can't be so very far off," spoke Russ, evasively. "The trouble is there are so many twists and turns to these creeks and rivers that we lost our way. I wish I had thought to bring a compass but, since we didn't, we'll have to go by the sun. I think the steamer lies in that general neighborhood," and he pointed in a south-easterly direction.
"I think so, too," agreed Paul. "And if we row that way I think we'll get back."
Alice, who had gone over to the sunny spot where the blankets and cushions had been put to dry, uttered an exclamation.