ed his head.

"Do you mean when we first landed; or afterwards when you told me to
come along or stay here, just whichever I liked?" he asked; but it was
only to gain a little time that he said this, because he already knew
what the answer would be.

"When Bob and myself were going into the brush I told you to pull the
boat up, and either stay here, or follow. Did you do it, Bumpus?" Thad
went on.

"Oh! I heard you say it, all right," admitted the fat boy, frankly; "but
when I looked back, it seemed to me that the old boat was far enough up
on the sand; and then you fellers were making off so fast I just thought
you'd leave me alone if I didn't hurry. So I just put after you,
pellmell."

"Well, that's what's the matter," said Thad, with a look of disgust.
"Next time see to it that you obey orders, no matter what you happen to
think."

"Then the boat's drifted away, suh, you think?" Bob remarked, eagerly.

"That's what I imagine," replied Thad. "Notice which way the wind is
coming, and you can see that it throws the water up on this beach, which
is wasn't doing when we left here. Once she was loose and the same
breeze would make her move along past that little wooded point yonder. I
reckon that if we climb out there, we'll see the boat adrift."

"But why haven't some of the boys ashore noticed it, and let out a whoop
to draw our attention?" asked the boy from the Blue Ridge.

"They may have been too busy to look this way," answered Thad; "and
then, besides, the boat would be carried behind the island so they
couldn't see it. Come on, and we'll soon find out."

"But if we don't find it however am I going to get on the main land
again?" complained Bumpus.

"Well, it would serve you right if you did have to stay here alone
awhile," Thad told him, with a sternness in his face which the merry
twinkle in his eyes belied. "After being so shiftless as to let such an
accident happen, you surely deserve to suffer. Isn't that right, Bumpus;
own up now?"

"Oh! I suppose it might be;" the fat boy admitted; "but I hope you won't
think of leaving me out here all alone. I might get a scare, and be
tempted to jump in; and you know what a poor swimmer I am, Thad. Oh!
bully, bully, there she is, Thad, and floating along just as sassy as
anything!"

The boat was not more than a hundred and fifty feet away, though by
degrees moving further off all the while, as the wind and the waves
influenced her movements.

"Now somebody