Nothing more was said until at last the boys arrived at the shore. Both looked keenly out over the waters hoping to discover some trace of their friends. In the dim light, however, they were unable to discover the presence of any boat on the waters or of any parties on the bluff. The night air was becoming cooler, although the breeze which had arisen at sunset had now died away. For several minutes the boys stood waiting and listening upon the shore and then Fred in a loud whisper said hastily, "Listen, Jack. Do you hear anything?" "On the water?" inquired John. "Yes." Both boys listened intently and in a brief time John said eagerly, "I do hear something. To me it is like the sound of oars in oarlocks." "That's it. That's it exactly," said Fred. "There's a boat out there somewhere, only we can't see it. Let's get behind these bushes and wait until it comes nearer." Acting upon Fred's suggestion they quickly took their places behind a low growth of bushes only a few feet back from the water. There they were still able to see what occurred on the lake, and at the same time in the dim light would not be readily discovered by any parties that were approaching. Not many minutes elapsed before the dim outlines of the skiff were discerned. There was only one occupant and he was rowing toward the shore, apparently unconcerned whether or not his presence was known. "Ahoy, there!" called John abruptly. The sound of the oars abruptly ceased and a brief period of tense silence followed. "Who's in the skiff?" called John. "Wait until I come ashore and I'll tell you," came the reply. With a few sturdy strokes the oarsman sent the light little skiff ashore and as he stepped out on the ground both boys were startled when they discovered the newcomer to be Mr. Button. Why he should be coming from the lake was something they could not explain. "Where's the _Gadabout_?" demanded Fred eagerly. "I haven't seen it." "Haven't you seen anything of the other boys?" "Not a trace of them." "What do you suppose has become of them?" demanded John, who was beginning to be seriously troubled by the failure of his friends to appear. "I cannot say," replied Mr. Button. "What are you doing here?" "That's what we should like to know ourselves," replied Fred ruefully. "We can't get into the house and we haven't any boat so it looks very much as if we would have to stay here on the shore all night." "Can't you get into the house?" inquired Mr. Button. "No, sir. We have been up there two or three times. The doors are locked and no one pays any attention to us when we rap. Besides they have got a dog there and he's a savage brute. He got John by the trousers and wouldn't let go until I hit him on the back with a stick of wood." "Was it John or the dog you hit?" inquired Mr. Button dryly. "The dog, of course. What are we going to do now, Mr. Button?"