And there's a funny camp down here, too, where we can get some supper." The Kid made no reply, but he rode along docilely beside H.J.Owens and listened to the new story he told of the bears.

That is, he appeared to be listening; in reality he was struggling to solve the biggest problem he had ever known--the problem of danger and of treachery.

Poor little tad, he did not even know the names of his troubles.

He only knew that this man had told him a lie about those baby bear cubs, and had brought him away down here where he had been lost, and that it was getting dark and he wanted to go home and the man was mean and would not let him go.
He did not understand why the man should be so mean--but the man was mean to him, and he did not intend to "stand for it." He wanted to go home.

And when the Kid really wanted to do a certain thing, he nearly always did it, as you may have observed.
H.J.Owens would not let him go home; therefore the Kid meant to go anyway.