long.

"Well, I've got my raincoat and a waterproof cap, and that is one
comfort," he told himself. "But I had better hurry up and see if I
can't find Phil and the others before it gets too dark. I wish there
was somebody here who could tell me where to go."

He looked around for a sign of some habitation. Far across the river
he saw a column of smoke, coming up from among the trees, but that was
all. The only building in sight was the deserted depot.

There was something of a path leading from the depot to the river, and
Dave followed this. But soon the path seemed to divide, and the
various branches became more indistinct at every step, especially as
it was rapidly growing darker and darker.

"I'll strike a straight course for Moosetail Island," Dave said to
himself. "I'll surely find some people camping out there, and they may
be able to tell me about the boys, if they are here."

As he approached the river, going down a small hill, the way became
stony, and he had to walk with care, for fear of going into some hole,
or twisting an ankle. It was hard work, especially with the suit-case,
and he half wished he had hidden the baggage somewhere near the
depot.

"I was a big chump that I didn't bring some lunch along," he reasoned.
And then he had to smile at himself, as he remembered how he had
imagined that he might put up at some hotel in Camptown Falls! He had
not dreamed that the place would prove such a lonely one. It was
certainly an ideal spot for runaways who wished to remain
undiscovered.

Presently Dave found himself at the bank of the river, a wide but
shallow stream, filled with sandbars, rocks, and piles of driftwood.
Not a great distance off was the end of Moosetail Island.

It was now so dark that our hero could see but little. As he stood at
the edge of the river, he heard a patter on the leaves of the trees
and knew it had begun to rain.

"Wonder how they get to the island?" he mused. "They must either use
canoes, or else wade across, or ford along the stones."

He moved along the river-bank, and soon came to a point where the
stones in the river seemed to stretch in a line from the bank to the
island.

"I guess I'll try it here," he told himself. "But I think I had better
leave the suit-case behind."

He placed the case in a tree, sheltering it as much as possible from
the rain, which was now coming down at a lively rate. Then, donning
his raincoat and waterproof cap, he set out over t