The mill-hands, some of whom were to have formed the crew of the
_Venture_, had already discovered that it was gone. Now they were
gathered at the house awaiting the Major's orders, and eagerly
discussing the situation.
Mrs. Caspar, full of anxiety, met her husband and daughter at the open
door, where she stood, regardless of the driving rain.
"Oh, John!" she cried, "where is Winn? What has become of the raft?
Do you think anything can have happened to him?"
"Certainly not," answered the Major, reassuringly. "Nothing serious
can have befallen the boy on board a craft like that. As to his
whereabouts, I propose to go down to the mouth of the creek at once and
discover them. That is, just as soon as you can give me a cup of
coffee and a bite of breakfast, for it would be foolish to start off
without those. But the quicker we can get ready the better. I shall
go in the skiff, and take Halma and Jan with me."
Nothing so allays anxiety as the necessity for immediate action,
especially when such action is directed towards removing the cause for
alarm. So Mrs. Caspar and Elta, in flying about to prepare breakfast
for the rescuing party, almost worked themselves into a state of
hopeful cheerfulness. It was only after the meal had been hastily
eaten, and the Major with his stalwart Swedes had departed, that a
reaction came, and the anxious fears reasserted themselves.
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