red to put it on in a proper fashion,
although the prisoner begged abjectly to be spared the indignity.

"We have got to take care of ourselves, and I wouldn't trust to your
oath if you should swear from now till Christmas."

When it was impossible for the fellow to move or speak, Jet made a
thorough search of his clothing, and succeeded in finding, among
several unimportant things, the telegram Jim had supposed was sent many
hours ago.

"It hasn't been a bad forenoon's work," the amateur detective said, as
he wiped the perspiration from his face, for the mental anxiety of the
past few hours had caused the big drops to flow down his cheeks as the
heat of the sun never could have done.

"What are we going to do with him?"

"Take him back to the camp, of course. It won't pay to let him out of
our sight until the officers take charge of affairs."

Before making preparations for the return, Jet scanned closely the
shores of the islands, which were situated nearer the opposite side of
the lake, hoping to discover some signs of Bob and Sam; but in this he
was disappointed.

Nothing in the shape of a boat could be seen, and he said to the small
guide:

"I'm afraid they have gone into the other lake."

"It doesn't seem reasonable, and I shan't believe it until we have
searched over all those islands."

"How can we do that now we've got this fellow to look out for."

"That's what you must figger out; I'm willin' to carry out whatever you
say."

"Of course the first thing is to get back to the camp. Do you suppose
we can load that fellow into the boat so in case the men are where our
movements may be seen they won't suspect it is a human being."

"Cover him over with a lot of pine boughs."

"That's the idea. Come on; we have no time to lose, for we must do
something toward finding the others before night."

Jim hastily gathered an armful of branches and threw them over the
prisoner, completely concealing his form, and then the boys carried him
to the boat much as if he had been nothing more than a log of wood.

The fellow was laid in the bottom of the craft, and around him were
packed the goods he had stolen from the camp.

"It will load the old boat down pretty heavy; but there's no wind
blowing, an' we shan't have a very hard pull back," Jim said, as he
took his place at the oars, leaving Jet to push off.

It was not much past noon when the start was effected, and the boys had
the supreme satisfaction