They continue to re-trace Kate's steps (or what they think are her steps), and as they descend into the valley they see that she's left blazes on trees to mark her way.Even though he has a better understanding for how helpless Bruce is about the situation, he still has a hard time accepting the fact that he'll be a cabin boy for at least two more years.Aw man, it'd be easier to hate him if he was a nasty jerk-but he's actually pretty likeable. He acknowledges that Matt must hate him for stealing his position, and he understands. Bruce even apologizes for the whole situation.And if he quits before the two years are up he'll be cut off without a dime. But he doesn't even know what that something else would be. They've made a deal: if Bruce can make it two years on an airship without quitting, his father will let him try something else afterward. As it turns out, being rich isn't all it's cut out to be-Bruce is only on the ship because his father is forcing him to be there.Bruce is jealous of his passion for what he does (flying), and Matt is envious of Bruce's privilege. To Matt's surprise, they end up bonding during their walk.It also makes it difficult to keep their secret. He's a little bitter that of all the people the captain could have chosen for his partner, he'd chosen this guy, but he understands. Matt meets with Bruce and begrudgingly heads off into the woods.She never gave it back to him after the cave. Too bad she doesn't have one like Matt does… oh wait. Her sense of direction is notoriously crappy, and the only way she'd find that valley would be with a compass. Matt does know where she probably went: down into the valley where they saw the cloud cat disappear.Staying on the island any longer only increases the odds of something else happening to the Aurora. Kate's disappearance is not only annoying it's a danger to the ship.Against Miss Simpkins's wishes, Matt and Bruce Lunardi are to go out to find her-and they need to hurry, because once the ship is airworthy the captain plans on leaving. The captain asks if Matt knows where Kate is, and he replies that he probably does.Matt reports to the Topkapi stateroom where the captain is relieved to see him, even if Miss Simpkins isn't.She apparently drugged Miss Simpkins and escaped her locked room, but Baz is just happy that Matt isn't with her (or complicit in the plot). However, he wakes up to a shock: Baz comes running in and breathlessly reports that Kate has gone missing.

Matt finally gets some sleep-as the ship gets lighter so does the angst he's been suffering from being land-bound.

Airborn the book