Nine o'clock
I wo n't worry about him , '' laughed Seedy . `` I can just see his face if he thought we imagined he was lost . He 's such an independent old fellow , he 'd be displeased . '' Nine o'clock came and still the professor did not make his appearance . The boys each took turns in riding down the creek and calling , but when the girls arrived at ten , the missing man had not returned . He had not been to the ranch and the girls had seen nothing of him . `` Something has happened ! ''