But what could they do? He had taken the canoe and they had no means of
getting over to him. Had they known of the narrow peninsula on the
farther side, they might have worked their way around the end of the
lake. But they thought the place was an island, only to be reached by
water. Both were strong swimmers and could easily win their way over. But
they couldn't do that and keep their guns dry, and without weapons they
could do nothing.

In the wild dash through the woods he had described almost a perfect
circle, and the tree in which he was sheltered commanded a view of the
canoe and the shimmering water beyond. It maddened him to see the boat
rocking there idly, as useless to him at that moment as though it were
a thousand miles away.

If he had only brought his rifle with him! How thoughtless of him to take
such a chance! The words of Mr. Melton at the breakfast table recurred to
him and he fairly writhed in an agony of self-reproach.

The grizzly had by this time realized that nothing could be done for the
present but wait. He ceased his restless swaying to and fro and squatted
down on his haunches, his murderous eyes never leaving Bert for an
instant.

On the other side of the lake Dick and Tom were working with feverish
energy, almost beside themselves with fear at their comrade's terrible
plight.

They had awakened soon after Bert's departure, and had been startled for
a moment at finding him gone. The absence of the canoe, however, followed
by a glimpse of it on the shore across the water, had reassured them, and