Even with all their protests and pleadings the boys were unable to induce the operator to change his decision. He still refused to accept the message and as the boys were without money it was impossible for them to prepay it. Fred and John when they withdrew from the telegraph office were not so disconsolate as they had been when they had met their first rebuff. The ample breakfast they had secured had done much to bring back their courage and again they were Go Ahead Boys in earnest. On the sidewalk the two boys stopped once more to think over their difficult condition. "What shall we do now?" asked John. "Anybody can ask questions," laughed Fred. "If I could answer it I would be very glad to." "Have you anything to suggest?" "Yes," replied Fred quickly as a sudden inspiration came to him, "it can't be very far from here to Mackinac Island. Suppose we go back to the dock and see if we can't arrange for our passage." "They will meet us with great enthusiasm," said John laughing slightly as he spoke. "Probably they'll hail us as the very fellows they have been waiting for." "But we won't look so much like tramps when we get our other clothes on." "Maybe not," assented John, "but we'll have to find that out later. Come on back and we'll see what we can do now." When the boys returned to the dock their anger was almost as great as their surprise when they discovered that the boat in which they had come had resumed its voyage. "And they said," declared Fred bitterly, "that they were going to hang up here six hours. They have gone in less than three." "Well, they are paid for our passage anyway. They have got two suits of clothes and that's something." "It is that," said Fred smiling ruefully as he spoke. "Just now I think it's a good deal. When I look at the things you have on, Jack, and then think of that beautiful suit sailing away over Lake Superior, I'm almost ready to weep!" "Don't! Don't!" said John. "It doesn't affect me that way. When I see you as you are now and then think of you as I have seen you all dolled up and even your shoes polished, to say nothing of that red necktie you wear so frequently, I don't feel like weeping, I feel like yelling." "It doesn't make any difference," said Fred. "Our boat's gone. Now what is the best thing for us to do?" "To go ahead," said John. "Come on then," said Fred briskly. Together the two boys made inquiries at various places, but did not discover any boats leaving in the near future that would land them at the place they were seeking. After several inquiries they were directed to the office of the great steamboats, which made the long voyage from Buffalo to Duluth and return. The appearance of the boys, however, was so markedly against them that they were unsuccessful in arranging for their passage. "It looks as if the Go Ahead Boys had gotten to the end of their journey," said John when the boys once more were on the street.