“I understood he was not to go away until to-day,” said Chot.
Hoki shrugged his shoulders and smiled.
“I hesitate to express myself,” he said; “at same time, must have been to-day when he left, sirs, for clock had some time past chimed midnight.”
“That’s so,” said Tom. “It must have been three o’clock at least when we were up the last time. Er—Hoki, did your master leave in a motor-boat?”
“I am pleased to explain to you that he did,” was the Jap’s reply.
“I heard that boat,” said Fleet. “The chug-chug of the engine woke me up. I don’t know what time it was but it must have been getting on toward morning.”
Then Fleet caught a significant look from Chot, and said no more.
Breakfast was eaten in silence, save for desultory comment on what they were going to do during the day. There was plenty of fishing tackle in the lodge, they knew, and Fleet and Pod decided that they would try and land some of the denizens of the St. Lawrence.
“Hoki, can you go fishing with us?” Fleet asked, as the Jap come into the diningroom again, bearing a large platter of pan-cakes.
“I will take pleasure in accepting of kind request,” said he. “I be fine fisherman—sometimes,” and he grinned broadly.