For a moment Fred made no reply. He glanced in either direction along the shore, and then peered intently out over the water, but neither the boat nor the captain was to be seen. "What shall we do?" demanded John. "That's strange and I told you there's something wrong." "He'll come back again," said Fred confidently. "I'm glad you think so," responded John. "I'm not so sure of it myself." "It'll come out all right," persisted Fred. "Come on now, we'll go up to the house again." When the boys returned to the house and once more entered the kitchen, the little Japanese servant, who met them at the door, made no protest when they entered. Once more the boys seated themselves in chairs near the window. They occasionally glanced blankly at each other for there was really no explanation for their presence in the house. At the same time they were both watching the waters of the lake not far away, but their watching was vain, for when an hour had passed no signs of the captain had been seen. "Where is the man that lives here?" finally Fred inquired of the Japanese. The servant laughed loudly, but shook his head to imply that he did not understand. "He knows English, all right, I'm telling you," said John in a low voice to Fred. "This is getting all mixed up. I wish we were back in Mackinac." "You are finding trouble everywhere, Jack," said Fred, although he too was at pains to speak in subdued tones. Turning once more to the Japanese he continued, "Can you get us some supper? We'll pay you for it." The sole reply of the servant was another of his unmusical bursts of laughter. Either he did not understand what was said, or he took this method of ignoring the requests of his uninvited visitors. "Let's go back to the shore," suggested John. "All right," responded Fred, and together the two boys at once departed from the little house. When they arrived at the shore not only was their own boat gone, but the boat in which Mr. Button had come had also disappeared. "What do you make of that?" demanded John in astonishment. "I'm sure I don't know," answered Fred, genuinely surprised by the double disappearance. "Maybe I'm not Calamity Jane's brother after all," said John. "There's more in this than you think." Fred was silent, though it was plain that he was puzzled by the failure to discover any of the boats. The _Gadabout_ also was nowhere within sight. "Nothing for us to do," said Fred at last, "except to wait. They must know we're here and there's no way for us to get away unless the _Gadabout_ comes for us." "Then we'll have to wait," said John, "and that's all there is to it." Together the boys remained on the shore until at last the sun sank below the western horizon. Darkness would soon be creeping over the land and both boys now were more serious. "It's plain the boys are gone," said Fred soberly. "I thought surely one of them would be back here."