But he was left in peace only a moment. Ned recovered himself and
returned to the charge. Over went the cot, with Stacy beneath it.
From the confusion of blankets emerged the red face of the fat boy.

Ned Rector thought it time to leave. He did so, with Stacy a close
second and the rubber pillow brushing Ned's cheek in transit.

There was no more sleep in the camp. Ned and Stacy's foot race
continued until both were out of breath and thoroughly awake. Then
they sat down, laughing, the color flaming in their cheeks and eyes
sparkling with pleasurable excitement.

"I'll wake up Tad, I guess," announced Ned after recovering his
breath.

Going to edge of the cliff, he shouted loudly. But there was no
answer to his summons. Then both boys added their voices to the
effort, joined a few minutes later by the Professor and Walter
Perkins.

They were unable to get any reply at all; nor was there the slightest
movement or sign of life where Tad had last been seen.

"What can it mean?" they asked each other, all the laughter gone out
of their faces now.

"It means," said Ned, "that Tad isn't there. Beyond that, I would not
venture an opinion."

"Maybe he's fallen into the stream during the night and drowned,"