THE SEARCH FOR THE LOST BOYS
The impatience of the boys was manifest when the swift little boat set
forth on its voyage. Already they had made thorough investigations about
the island, but not a word concerning their missing friends had been
heard.
The anxiety of both George and Grant was well-nigh overpowering, although
both did their utmost to heed the comforting words of the captain of the
little yacht.
"Don't you worry none," he said cheerily. "Them boys will take care of
themselves. It was a ca'm night and the only way those fellows could git
into trouble would be by trying to run into it."
"That's what Fred may have done," said George dryly. "If there's anything
of that kind around he usually finds it."
"I guess you'll find the boys all right," affirmed the captain.
Striving to calm their fears the boys gazed out over the smooth waters.
For two days now the surface of Lake Huron had been almost unruffled.
Such gentle breezes as were blowing produced only the slightest ripple on
the surface. In the clear waters, objects on the shore were reflected
almost as in a mirror.
None of these things, however, was in the thoughts of the two boys as
they watched the bluffs of Mackinac Island fade away in the distance.
They had done their utmost to describe to their captain the location in
which they had left their friends the preceding night. That bluff
individual had heartily declared that he understood just where the
accident had occurred, but somehow his confidence was not fully shared by
either of his passengers.
"He tries to make up for what he doesn't know by stating with all his
might the things he does know," said George in a low voice to Grant when
the boys had taken their seats near the stern of the boat.
"That's what some people say," answered Grant. "'A lie well stuck to is
as good as the truth.'"
"I don't believe that," said George.
"Don't believe what?"
"That a lie ever is as good as the truth."
"I didn't say that. I said a lie well stuck to was as good as the truth."
"I don't believe it is ever right to lie."
"Well, I do," said Grant positively.
"When?"
"Why, if you were dreadfully sick and it would be a shock to you to know
that you were likely to die I think it would be all right to lie and tell
you that you looked well."
"I would know that was a lie just as soon as you said it," laughed
George, "but I wouldn't lie even then."
"What would you do?"
"I would do nothing."
"Well, suppose you had to say something."
"I would say what I thought was true."
"Wouldn't you lie if the doctor told you to?"
"No. I tell you I don't believe a lie is ever right."
"I don't believe in lieing in general, but I can see times when I think
it might be all right."
"The trouble is, when a fellow begins he goes ahead. He doesn't stop with
lies that may not be so bad, but he keeps on and tries it in a good many
other ways. No, sir, I haven't any use for a liar. If I give my word I
intend to keep it."
Conversation ceased and both boys anxiously were peering before them. The
captain already had explained that they were doubtless near the shore of
Western Duck Island where their accident had occurred and their
companions had been lost. He had explained also that in his judgment it
was wisest to go again to the same spot as nearly as possible and there
begin their search for the missing boys. He sturdily maintained his
feeling that the boys were not "lost," a confidence, however, that was
not shared by his passengers as the boat swiftly sped across the surface
of the shining waters.
"I sometimes think the captain is right," said George thoughtfully. "Last
night was as calm as a night could well be and, as he said, if the
fellows got into trouble they must have tried to look it up."
"I agree with you," said Grant, although the tones of his voice failed to
show any strong conviction.
"Don't you worry none about them boys," called the captain again as he
saw George and Grant anxiously conferring. "If they are any kind of boys
they will take care of themselves. Why, I wouldn't give much for a lad
that couldn't protect himself in such a night as last night was. Up on
Mackinac Island I have known people who lived for months on fried
snowballs. They are not very good as a diet, but they help to keep people
from thinking too much about their troubles."
Neither of the boys responded to the flippant words of their captain,
although both were aware that he was speaking out of the kindness of his
heart.
When nearly three hours had elapsed after they had departed from Mackinac
the captain, once more turning to his passengers, said, "Yonder lie the
shores of Western Duck Island." As he spoke he pointed to a low lying
strip of land that could be seen far in advance of them. "My opinion is,"
he continued, "that those boys didn't stay out in their boat all night.
Maybe they landed."
"Is anybody living on the island?" said George quickly.
"Not regular. This time of the year though there may be parties camping
out. A bit later in the fall there are plenty of people there shooting
ducks."
"That doesn't do us any good," retorted George. "What we want is to find
out where those fellows are now and if they got any help on the island."
"You wait a bit," rejoined the captain, "and we'll find out."
Swiftly the little motor-boat approached the shores of the island they
were seeking. It too passed the long strip of rushes which had been seen
the preceding night by John and Fred in their attempts to find a landing
place.
The motor-boat at last came to anchor off a rocky shore and at the
suggestion of the captain George and Grant climbed into the skiff and
hastily casting off at once rowed ashore.
"I'll wait for you here," called the captain as the boys clambered up on
the bank. "I shouldn't be gone more than an hour. Come back and we'll try
it farther down the shore."
The boys agreed to return within the specified time and then after
peering eagerly all about them together started toward the woods they
could see in the distance.
Just why they walked in this direction neither could explain, but there
was somehow a thought in the mind of each that possibly within its
shelter a camp or a house might be found.
The hour passed and all the efforts of the searching boys were
unrewarded. Not a trace of their missing friends had they discovered.
"It's plain enough they aren't here," said George dejectedly.
"That's right," answered Grant, "we've called and shouted and whistled
and looked and walked and waited, but we haven't anything for all our
pains. I'm beginning to believe the boys aren't here."
"I agree with you as far as this spot is concerned," said George, "but we
ought to go on farther down the island before we go back to Mackinac."
"That's right," agreed Grant. "Let's go back to the motor-boat now."
Quickly the two boys started to return to the place where the captain was
awaiting their coming. They had gone but a short distance, however,
before at George's suggestion they turned to their left and moved toward
a sandy stretch of shore which they saw in the distance. "Maybe we'll
find a footprint the same as Robinson Crusoe found on his island,"
suggested George striving to speak lightly.
The suggestion was followed and great was the surprise of both boys when
they drew near the winding sandy shore of a large cove to see swiftly
approaching from the south a motor-boat in the distance.
"Look yonder!" said Grant excitedly seizing his friend by his shoulder as
he spoke, and pointing in the direction in which he had discovered the
approaching boat. "That isn't our boat, is it?"
"No," answered George positively after a brief silence. "Our boat is up
the shore farther."
"Maybe Fred and John are on board."
"That's something nobody knows. We'll soon find out."
Quickening the pace at which they were walking the two boys soon arrived
at the place they were seeking. Save for an occasional comment the
silence was unbroken while they both anxiously watched the motor-boat
which could be seen swiftly approaching. Indeed the little boat was
marvelously swift and in a brief time the boys were aware that there was
only one person on board.
"The fellow is in a hurry anyway," suggested Grant. "Even if he doesn't
know what he wants he wants it right away."
At that moment the sound of the footsteps of some one in their rear
startled both the young watchers and as they glanced behind them they
discovered a man approaching. Apparently he had come from the woods where
they had begun their search for their missing friends, but it was quickly
manifest that he was as startled by his discovery of the presence of the
boys as they had been at his coming.
For a moment it seemed to both George and Grant that the man was about to
turn and flee from the spot. However, apparently he thought better and at
once advanced toward the place where the boys were standing.
At the same moment the boys looked again at the approaching boat and to
the surprise of both of them they recognized the man at the wheel as the
one in whose house they had been received on Cockburn Island several days
before.
What the coming of the man implied neither of the boys understood, but at
that moment, however, the man who had approached from the woods shouted
in his loudest tones to George and Grant. Startled by the unexpected
sound the two boys instantly turned and fled quickly from the spot.