noon
By to-morrow , or perhaps within a few minutes , I shall certainly have something more definite to wire . '' At the hotel he was greatly disappointed to find no trace of the missing lad , and after eating a hearty breakfast he made a thorough search of the water-front , though of course without avail . He had intended dropping a hint here and there of the predicament in which he had left Sheriff Riley and his followers , but on second thoughts concluded to let them work out their own plan of escape from the island , rather than run the risk of further delay . By noon he was ready to depart from Dubuque , satisfied that there was no information to be gained in that place concerning either Winn or the raft . Although he was not discouraged , he was puzzled , and was even beginning to feel anxious at the strange aspect this affair of the lost _ Venture _ was assuming . Until sunset he rowed steadily and swiftly downstream , hailing the ferrymen as he passed , and stopping at the settlements on both sides of the river to make inquiries . He also hailed passing boats , and boarded several rafts that he discovered tied to the western bank , but all in vain .