Nine o'clock
As he sat there mechanically scribbling random sentences , it was brought home to him for the first time how unpleasantly alone he was . Save for a helpless girl and an even more helpless old woman , there was n't a soul within a dozen miles on whom he could count for help in an emergency . Of course when Bud returned -- But Bud did n't return . Nine o'clock brought no sign of him . Another hour passed and still he failed to show up . It began to look very much as if the youngster had met with some accident or was being purposely kept out of the way . When the men finished their game and began to turn in , Stratton reluctantly followed their example .