He would tell her he fell in the river to account for his wet clothing and bruised face, and wait until Jimmy came home and see what he told her.
He went to the cabin and tapped at the door; there was no answer, so he opened it and set the lunch basket inside.

Then he hurried home, built a fire, bathed, and put on dry clothing.

He wondered where Mary was.

He was ravenously hungry now.

He did all the evening work, and as she still did not come, he concluded that she had gone to town, and that Jimmy knew she was there.