A week passed.
Eragon had long ago replenished the meat he had lost as a result of his charity. Now, he was using his time mostly to explore. There were still miles of undiscovered mysteries to be solved within the Spine. He aimed to be the one to uncover all of them.
He didn't see the boy again. Whether this was because he left of his own accord, was killed, or had gotten lost, he didn't know. All three were possible in the Spine. Either way, the result was none of his business, and his master didn't seem to worry so he put the matter aside.
He went about his daily life, doing his duties that included: watering the garden, collecting wood for the fireplace, skinning his catches, reading, hunting; checking, setting, and resetting his traps, etc. Rinse, wash, repeat.
So, imagine his surprise when another week went by, and Eragon was greeted with a familiar sight.
Both boys surveyed each other, a bush just barely separating the two. Eragon broke the silence first.
"You don't learn, do you?"