"I don't know. He asked me to take him for a little row, and I was glad to have him for company."

 

"I have been taking a stroll through the woods. In fact, I was brought up in the woods," said Bowman with a laugh.

 

Fred understood that he was trying to give a plausible explanation of his absence.

 

"I like the woods myself," he rejoined. "Do they extend far?"

 

"Not very far. I enjoyed my stroll in among the trees, even barren as they are now of leaves, very much. It brought back to my mind my schoolboy days."

 

Bowman seemed in quite good spirits. Evidently he had found that his secret hiding-place had not been discovered.

 

"How much longer are you going to stay in St. Victor?" he asked after a pause.

 

"I don't know," answered Fred slowly. "I may take a fancy to go away any day."

 

"I wish I could go too. I am tired of this place."

 

"I suppose you are waiting for Mr. Sinclair to recover."

 

"Yes," answered Bowman, but there was hesitation in his tone.

 

A sudden suspicion entered Fred's mind. Was Bowman meditating giving his confederate the slip, and deserting him, taking the bonds with him? Had he perhaps taken the package from its hiding-place and got it concealed about his person? A careful scrutiny satisfied Fred that this was not the case. But it was quite possible that he would make another visit the next day, and remove the bonds then.

 

"I must lose no time," he thought, "or I shall lose my opportunity."

 

They reached the hotel in time for dinner.

 

"What are you going to do this afternoon?" asked Bowman.

 

"I haven't thought particularly," answered Fred indifferently.

 

"Suppose we play poker? The landlord has a pack of cards."

 

"I don't know the game."

 

"It won't take long to learn. I will show you how it is played."

 

"I don't care for cards. I may call on Mr. Sinclair."

 

Bowman shrugged his shoulders.

 

"You must enjoy his society," he said.

 

"I don't go there for enjoyment. My visit may cheer the poor man."

 

"All right! I'll see if the landlord isn't going to drive somewhere."

 

"I hope he is," thought Fred. "It will get Bowman out of the way."

 

About half-past two Bowman entered the public room where Fred was reading.

 

"I'm going for a drive," he announced. "I'll see you at supper."

 

"Very well!"

 

Fred waited till Bowman drove out of the yard, and then, taking his gun, went off himself. But he did not turn his steps in the direction of Sinclair's cottage. He had ascertained that there was a way of going by land to that part of the woods where he had met his young companion of the morning. He had made up his mind to repair to the spot now on the chance of finding the boy, and securing the bonds that very afternoon. He felt that there was no time to be lost.

 

It would have been easier and shorter to take the boat, and the landlord would have made no objection. But some one might see him out on the lake, and this would excite Bowman's suspicions, especially when he discovered that the bonds were missing. So Fred chose the land route as the wiser one to take under the circumstances.

 

The distance was quite two miles, but Fred did not mind that. The prize for which he was striving was too great for him to shrink from such a trifle as that.

 

He reached the other side of the pond, but no one was in sight. He walked about anxiously looking here and there.

 

"I hope I shall not have my walk for nothing," he said to himself.

 

But luck was in his favor. Walking at random he all at once heard a boy's whistle. He quickened his steps, and almost directly, to his great delight, he recognized, sauntering along, the very lad he had taken out in the boat in the morning.

 

"Hallo, there!" he cried.

 

The boy turned quickly.

 

"Oh, it's you, is it?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I thought you were to meet me to-morrow morning."

 

"So I was, but I did not dare to wait. I think Bowman will get the bonds to-morrow, and make a bolt of it."

&nb............