Inwood laughed at the look of his friend, as he gazed about him, as if he did not understand the meaning of all this.  
“Where is your man?” he asked.
 
“Gracious! I don’t know; wonder if I didn’t him down into de ground,” he said, stepping to one side and reviewing the huge footprints which he had made in the sod. “He ain’t dere! wonder where he went?”
 
“I suspect he hasn’t been there at all. You must have been mistaken, Jim. Are there any other footprints?”
 
After strict search they failed to find any, and Inwood was satisfied of Jim’s mistake, although the latter was loth to admit it.
 
“Now,” said Inwood, “I am going to find out all I can about matters and things. If you choose you can go home, or you can remain here.”
 
“If it’s all de same to you, I tinks I’ll retire,” said Jim, displaying considerable eagerness to get out of the neighborhood. Inwood watched him until he disappeared from view as he went among the rocks and hills back to his hiding place.
 
It was now near nightfall, and our young friend deemed it best to make himself invisible until he could reconnoitre with safety in the darkness. In this wild, rocky country, it was easy to find a secure hiding place, and this he did, first satisfying himself that he was not watched in his manœuvres.
 
Night finally upon mountain and lake, and when it was dark, Inwood crept cautiously , and approached the edge of the water. The moon did not rise until late, and he was sure that if any sentinel was on guard, he had not detected his approach. He had come upon the lake at a point several hundred yards removed from the point where the canon debouched into it, and he sat down for a few moments to upon the best thing to do.
 
As he sat and listened, he was sure he heard a faint out upon the lake near the point where he could just make out the dark outlines of the island up in the distance; but the gloom prevented his discovering anything more. Behind and around him was darkness, and in that solemn moment, George Inwood (naturally and thoughtful) lifted up his heart to the great Being above the stars, and sat for a time in blissful communion, such as the men of the world can never know.
 
He felt that this was a strange upon which he was about to venture, and, with the of a child, he asked that he might do that only which was right, and that he and those with him might be protected to the end.
 
He concluded, after fully deliberating upon the matter, to remove his clothing, and swim out to the island. By this means he could examine it silently and , and with more safety than if he remained on shore waiting for a suitable opportunity.
 
His clothing was rolled into a bundle, and placed in a among the rocks, after which he took his bearings to make sure of no difficulty in recovering them. This done, he carefully out, immediately rushing above his head into the waters. The first shock over, the lake felt cool and pleasant, and he struck out slowly and easily toward the island.
 
As he neared the place which had created such wonder, he slowed his strokes, until he barely moved through the water, while he kept his eyes and ears open. Nothing suspicious rewarded his vigilance, and he was on the point of advancing more rapidly, when he detected the outlines of a man on the very edge of the island nearest him.
 
Inwood was so close that at first he was sure he had been discovered; but, as the stranger gave no evidence of suspecting anything, he slowly backed water, and gradually worked his way round to the opposite side. Here he awhile, until seeing nothing alarming, he began making his way in.
 
But again, at this very , he caught the of a light, heard the suppressed of a voice, followed by a gentle plashing. The next moment he made the startling discovery that, while he was not approaching the island, it was approaching him. An indescribable thrill ran through him, and he understood the feeling which Jim had expressed; but his own sense forbade any , and he concluded to wait for the “mountain to come to Mohamet.”
 
A moment later he touched the edge of the island, and then learned that instead of earth, his hands were resting against logs, and that they extended several feet below the surface.
 
“I have learned one thing,” was the reflection of Inwood, “this Island rests upon logs, and isn’t much more than a covered raft.”
 
But the question still remained, as to what it all meant. What earthly reason could there be for a floating island in the midst of a lonely lake? There was some object beyond all question, and he resolved, if possible, to it for himself.
 
As he floated along with the island, he heard the grating of poles upon the bottom of the lake, and it was therefore easy to comprehend the means of . Shortly after he detected shadowy forms passing to and fro, as they busied themselves in shoving the craft along. The like appearance of things was increased by the silence with which these men worked. As yet, he had not heard a whisper exchanged between them.
 
Inwood right speedily appreciated the delicately dangerous position in which he was placed. One of the raftmen, as he drove his pole down into the water, just missed driving it into his crown, but he was an excellent swimmer, and he relied upon his skill in the feature which this adventure was putting on.
 
“The old thing moves rather heavy!” finally remarked one of the men, in a gruff voice.
 
“Yes,” was the response, “it acts as if the logs were becoming water-soaked. I’ve noticed for the last day or two that it seems to have sunk a few inches.”
 
“I s’pose maybe it’s carrying a pretty good load.”
 ............