Tom did what he could to comfort her, but with little effect.

At length Becky said: "Tom!" "Well, Becky ?" "They'll miss us and hunt for us!" "Yes, they will! Certainly they will!" "Maybe they're hunting for us now, Tom." "Why, I reckon maybe they are.

I hope they are." "When would they miss us, Tom ?" "When they get back to the boat, I reckon." "Tom, it might be dark then--would they notice we hadn't come ?" "I don't know.

But anyway, your mother would miss you as soon as they got home." A frightened look in Becky's face brought Tom to his senses and he saw that he had made a blunder.

Becky was not to have gone home that night! The children became silent and thoughtful.