"We'll take the day for visitin' the folk and hearin' the news, and
start back the marnin' after," suggested David.

It was near midnight when they crawled into their beds to drop into a
ten-knot sleep, and they slept so soundly than none of them awoke
until they were aroused by the sun shining upon the tent the next
morning.

Breakfast was prepared and eaten leisurely. There was no hurry. The
wind had fallen to a moderate stiff breeze, and Fort Pelican, through
the narrows connecting Eskimo Bay with the sea outside, was almost in
sight.

When the dishes were washed Andy and Jamie took down the tent, while
David shouldered a pack and preceded them to the place where they had
moored the boat the previous evening. A few minutes later he came
running back, and in breathless excitement startled them with the
announcement:

"The boat's gone!"

"Gone where?" asked Andy incredulously.

"Gone! I'm not knowin' _where_!" exclaimed David.

"Has she been took?" asked Jamie, excitedly.

"Took!" said David. "The painter were untied and she were took!
There's tracks about of big boots with nails in un!"