that seemed to well up from his shoes, it was so
disconsolate.

"Five hundred miles--_five_ hundred of 'em! Gosh!" he was heard to tell
himself, as he stood there, rubbing the side of his head, as though he
felt like one in a stupor or a dream.

"And as we haven't a single boat, of course we can't pursue them,"
remarked Jack between his clinched teeth, while his eyes glittered
angrily.

"Oh! what wouldn't I have given to have come on the rascals just in the
act of getting away with our boats!" breathed Frank, as he shook his
rifle, after the manner of a scout who has thrown discretion to the
winds.

"Well, let's not whimper and cry over spilt milk, anyway," said Ned, who
could always be depended on to bring the boys to their proper senses.

"That's so," echoed Jack, quick to see the importance of keeping their
senses about them in this dilemma. "We've got to do _something_, that's
sure, and so let's get to talking it over sensibly."

"But, what can we do?" pleaded Teddy, who was not apt to prove equal to
a sudden strain like this, and must depend on others more vigorous of
mind.

"Oh! before we're done considering things," promised Ned, "you'll find
that we've got a choice of a whole lot of plans. I hope we're all made
of sterner stuff than to throw out the white flag of surrender, just
because something has gone wrong."

"Well, I should say not," declared Frank, grinding his teeth together.
"We're like the Old Guard, we can die, but never surrender."

"That's the stuff!" cried Jimmy, suddenly beginning to brighten up
again, as the stunning effect of the first rude shock passed away.
"Remember what Phil Sheridan did at Cedar Creek, when he met his army,
smashed and running away? What was it he told 'em as he galloped along
the road, headed for the battlefield? 'Face the other way, boys; face
the other way! We'll lick 'em out of their boots! We'll get back those
camps again!' All right, and it's me that says it; well get back our
boats again, by hook or crook!"

"I hope you turn out to be a true prophet, Jimmy," said Ned. "That's one
of the plans I spoke about. Another would be to make for the shore of
the big bay, and try to get in touch with some vessel passing, that
might carry us to Halifax, or some other northern port, where we could
send a message to Jack's father not to put a dollar into these fake
mines."

"Sounds good to me," Teddy remarked, sucking it all in eagerly.

"Then there's another thin