"Well, I didn't," said John. "The captain was in such a hurry when he started that I didn't believe he would come back. I don't half believe we will ever see him again anyway. I tell you there's something wrong here." Fred's expression was serious as without making any reply he looked out over the waters of the lake. The darkness deepened and night would soon be at hand. "There's nothing for it," said Fred at last, "except to go back to the house." "I don't know what good that will do," said John, "but I'm ready to go if you want to. This is the strangest thing I have ever been mixed up in in my life. For my part I wish I was out of it." "Don't cry, John," said Fred, striving to speak cheerfully. "I'm not crying," retorted John, "but I don't like the look of the whole thing. I tell you there's something serious in it." Fred said no more and in a brief time the boys were standing once more at the kitchen door. Again the little Japanese, who had the faculty of apparently being in different places at the same time, faced them as they entered. This time he did not greet their coming with his usual loud laughter, but as he made no protest the boys entered and Fred said to him, "Did you get some supper for us?" Either the Japanese did not understand, or he continued his pretense, for he shook his head, though his expression was not unfriendly. Both boys had suspected when they returned that the Japanese was about to bar their entrance. Either they were mistaken, or he had changed his plan for now he busied himself in his duties about the kitchen, apparently ignoring the presence of the two uninvited guests. A few minutes later both boys were startled by what they were certain was the voice of a woman calling from the head of the stairway. "Mikado," called the woman, "did you let those boys in again?" Whether the Japanese understood or not he ran to the foot of the stairway and a low conversation between him and the woman who had called him followed, of which neither Fred nor John was able to distinguish any word. "You better give them some supper," at last she said in tones that the boys plainly heard. "Tell them to go away then. We haven't any place for them to sleep." A candle was burning on a little side table in the kitchen and in its dim light each boy was able to see the face of his companion. It was plain to each that the other was now seriously perplexed. However, a few minutes later, the Japanese entered the room with a tray on which he had a simple supper to which by a motion of his head he invited the boys. "Do you see how dark it is?" whispered John to Fred. "Yes," replied Fred as he glanced out of the window. There were no stars to be seen in the sky and the wind as it whistled about the corner of the little building gave forth sounds that were weird and strange.