Neither Fred nor his partner had returned.

Wherefore Casey opened more cans and "made himself to home," as he naively put it.
He was impatient to continue his journey, but since he had nothing of his own except William, he meant to beg or buy a few things from this camp, if either of the owners showed up.

Meantime he could be comfortable, since it is tacitly understood in the open land that a wayfarer may claim hospitality of any man, with or without that man's knowledge.

He is expected to keep the camp clean, to leave firewood and to take nothing away with him except what is absolutely necessary to insure his getting safely to the next stopping place.

Casey knew well the law, and he busied himself in setting the camp in order while he waited.
But when five days and nights had slipped into history and he and William were still in sole possession, Casey began to take another viewpoint.