To the surprise even of Jarius, the boat he had seen leave the shore so mysteriously the night before was nowhere to be seen either upon the lake or on the shores. The other two were just as they had been left. “Let’s put one of them jest where the runaway was and then watch it.” The idea was acted upon, and the entire party withdrew into the cover of the growth to await the result. A long, tedious watch followed, but to the disappointment of all, as well as the chagrin of Jarius, the boat remained as motionless as a rock. Not a first move was noticed. “Wait a leetle longer,” whispered the puzzled Jarius; “I thought I seed it wink jest a bit then.” Half an hour passed, and still the object of their vain watch had not been seen to stir. “It’s cur’us,” muttered the leader; “but that other took an orful long time to start. Why I was here nigh ’bout six hours all told.” “Mebbe it has to be night for it to move,” suggested one. Be that the case or not, they watched until noon, when they abandoned the fruitless task, and the mystery of the missing boats was more unfathomable than ever. Some vented their disappointment upon Jarius Bede, and others were silent, not knowing what to say. Jarius was completely dumfounded, and well he might be. “Tan’t any use to watch longer,” growled one. “We’ve been a set of fools. The idea of a boat’s moving! Jarius is mad, and we are fools. Come, we shall be the laughing-stock of all who hear of it. I’ll bet my gun Jarius got us down here on purpose for some game. If I thought he had----” and a latent look shone in his flashing eyes. Jarius did not reply. He had enough to think of besides. Dropping upon his knees, he looked the boat over and over, and around it. He moved it, but it lay a dead weight upon the earth. “It’s queer,” he muttered. “I can swear to what I saw with my own eyes, but I don’t understand it.” He had regained his feet, and was about to leave the place, when suddenly something seemed to catch his attention and hold it. Pointing to the edge of the water a moment later, he exclaimed: “Look there, boys! See that sand move! There’s something under it! I--I have diskivered the mystery!” Seizing one of the boat’s paddles, Jarius quickly cleared away the sand where he had seen it move, when a large turtle was disclosed to their gaze. Upon further search another was found buried deeper than its mate. “Waal, waal, it’s plain as daylight now. They were under that boat and moved it! T’others were moved in the same way. But we didn’t get this one over the critters.” “Who’d a-thought!” ejaculated his brother, while the others were speechless with amazement. “But where do they go to?” asked one, at last. “I’ll tell yer!” cried Jarius, as a new idea suddenly entered his head; “they drift down to the outlet and into Mad River. You know an empty boat would fare hard there; and we an’t never looked there for them.”