The Aeroplane Boys on the Wing | Page 8

the chances of your ever finding what became
of him are like searching for a lost diamond in the sand of the seashore.
It's affecting your mind, Andy. You look all fagged out. I wish you
could cheer up and be something like your old self."
But the other only shook his head sadly.
"I don't believe I ever can, Frank, until I've had my chance to go down
there and make a good try to find all that is left of my poor father. Just
as you say, it seems almost silly to think that I could ever succeed, but
no matter, I've got it arranged in my mind and the colonel is coming
around slowly."
"Well," Frank hastened to declare, "you know if it ever does get to the
point that you do go down to make that search, I'm with you. My father
would never throw any obstacle in the way, I'm dead sure. And Andy,
of course we'd take our aeroplane along. Think how many trips we
could make in her over country that no one could ever penetrate on
foot."
Andy was too full for further words. He simply turned and squeezed the
hand of his cousin; but the look of affection which he gave Frank told
what was in his mind just then.

Frank watched him go spinning along the road and then with a sigh
turned into the house.
The day had been replete with excitement for him. First there was the
keenly contested game with their rivals across the lake and a tie in the
ninth inning, which gave the Bloomsbury boys a chance to win out in
the tenth. His pitching had held the enemy safe, and in their half of the
inning Frank had made the hit that brought the game to a conclusion.
As a rule the home club took the last chance at the bat, but the Cranford
manager had chosen differently on this occasion, for some reason of his
own, and with disastrous results.
Then, on the way home, had come that little diversion aboard the
launch, when his old enemy, Puss Carberry, in attempting to strike him,
had miscalculated and gone plunging into the lake, himself being
unable to swim.
Frank had nothing to regret in connection with his leap after the
struggling lad and his subsequent saving of Puss. True, the latter chose
to crush down the natural spirit of gratitude that should have made him
accept the hand Frank offered later. But Frank felt that he could afford
to smile at such an exhibition of a small nature.
At the supper table his father and Janet, his sister, just home from
boarding school a couple of weeks back, plied him with questions
concerning the game. Of course, the girl had been present and had seen
her brother carry off the honors on the diamond; but there were lots of
things she wanted explained.
And before Frank knew it he was asked point blank what had happened
on the way across the lake, for Janet had been aboard another boat, it
seemed.
"Marjorie Lee told me she heard that you jumped overboard to save
some one, she didn't just know who?" was what Janet said, and the
good doctor pricked up his ears as he looked inquiringly toward the boy
of whom he was so proud.

Frank turned red and then laughed.
"Oh, pshaw!" he said. "I had hoped that would be kept quiet. But some
of the fellows like to talk too much."
"Who was it you jumped over after? They said you held him up until
the boat got around--that he could not swim a stroke, and must surely
have drowned only for your prompt action. It couldn't have been
Cousin Andy, because he can swim nearly as well as you. Tell us,
Frank," Janet persisted.
So Frank found himself compelled to relate the whole circumstance. In
his usual generous manner he tried to gloss over the conduct of Puss
and spoke as though the other had tumbled overboard during a little
boyish roughhouse business; but Janet knew of the enmity between the
pair, and she could read between the lines.
Frank spent a couple of hours after supper in poring over a book Andy
had loaned him. And it might easily be assumed that it had to do with
the birds, animals, fauna and inhabitants of that great country lying
north of the equator, down in Central and South America.
It was about nine o'clock when his father called to him. The doctor had
just come in from a few last visits and looked anxious.
"Frank, I'm in a peck of trouble," he said, with a whimsical smile, "and
I wish you could help me out, though I dislike putting you to so much