“All right,” responded Fred, and together the two boys at once departed from the little house.
When they arrived at the shore not only was their own boat gone, but the boat in which Mr. Button had come had also disappeared.
“What do you make of that?” demanded John in astonishment.
“I’m sure I don’t know,” answered Fred, genuinely surprised by the double disappearance.
“Maybe I’m not Calamity Jane’s brother after all,” said John. “There’s more in this than you think.”
Fred was silent, though it was plain that he was puzzled by the failure to discover any of the boats. The Gadabout also was nowhere within sight.
“Nothing for us to do,” said Fred at last, “except to wait. They must know we’re here and there’s no way for us to get away unless the Gadabout comes for us.”
“Then we’ll have to wait,” said John, “and that’s all there is to it.”
Together the boys remained on the shore until at last the sun sank below the western horizon. Darkness would soon be creeping over the land and both boys now were more serious.
“It’s plain the boys are gone,” said Fred soberly. “I thought surely one of them would be back here.”