He turned over and mechanically looked over to where his companion lay at the time he went to sleep. He was a little surprised to find that he was not visible. Usually Boone slumbered² till Rupert went over and waked him up.

 

"Ben has gone to take a walk," he said to himself. "It must be later than usual."

 

He looked at his watch and found that it was eight o'clock.

 

"Well, I did oversleep myself," he said, as he rose to his feet. "No wonder Boone got the start of me."

 

Upon reflection he decided³ that Ben had[Pg 306] probably gone down to the boat, which was tied to a small tree on the river bank not more than five minutes' walk distant. He turned his steps in that direction. When he reached the place where the skiff was fastened, a surprise awaited him.

 

The boat was not there!

 

Still he had not the faintest suspicion that his guide had played him false and deserted⁴ him in the wilderness⁵.

 

"Ben must have taken a row himself," he decided. "It is rather strange, for he isn't generally enterprising enough for that. He must have had a headache or something that prevented his sleeping. Well, I might as well take breakfast."

 

There was something left from supper of the night before. Rupert ate this with a hearty⁶ relish⁷. He did not stop to make any hot coffee. Ben usually attended to this duty, and he was likely to appear at any moment.

 

"I will wait for Ben to come," Rupert said to himself. "I hope he hasn't gone very far."

 

[Pg 307]

 

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