“Well, you said the current was dreadfully strong just around the end of the Island. Maybe they couldn’t make it and are being carried out to sea in the canoe.”
“Oh no, they’re all right,” assured Fred, glancing at Zan and Jane.
“But they may have lost the paddles, or a dozen of any many things may have happened. Boys are always careless with an open boat,” persisted Eleanor.
“Miss Miller, we’ll put an end to this dread by going to the nearest telephone station. If the boys think we’re lost they will ’phone home sometime before morning, and then they can tell them where we are. If they have already ’phoned we will find out and rest easier for the news,” said Fred, pulling Bob up from his lounge by the fire.
“It’s too dark to see where we’re going,” grumbled Bob, who had enjoyed the chowder and fish overmuch.
“Not when my lanterns are ready. Watch me,” said Fred, picking up the two empty tins left from the corn, and slitting a hole in the side of each. The lid-ends were bent back and a candle fitted in the openings, then the jagged ends were pressed back into the tallow. The one end of the can was cut out entirely and the opposite end which had been cut open to remove the corn was bent back on the small piece of tin uncut and used as a handle for the impromptu lanterns.
Enough light reflected from the shiny tin of the inside cans to show the boys where to walk, and they started off on the hazard of finding a house or village where they could use a telephone.
“Let’s study the stars while they are gone. Who can tell us a new story or find the old planets?” suggested Zan.
So the time passed quickly until the campers heard a whoop from the woods and saw the flickering of the two lights as the boys approached the fire.
“What did you find out?” cried Jane and Zan, as they jumped up from the grass to run and meet the messengers.