The Radio Boys in the Thousand Islands | Page 5

were they at the
announcement from Cub. Then so great was their eagerness, following
the recovery from their astonishment that about all they could do was to
"fall over each other" in their efforts to express their approval.
At last, however, the "panic of joy" subsided, and they began to sift out
the obstacles that must naturally obtrude themselves in the way of such

a scheme that involved such departure from the ordinary course of
events.
"Do you think your father will let us go?" asked Hal somewhat
apprehensively.
"We've taken trips alone before," Cub reminded.
"Yes, but only for short trips along the shore or up the canal," Hal
replied. "Ontario's a rough lake, you know."
"Yes, but safe enough if you're used to it," Bud reasoned, coming to the
aid of his lanky friend. "If necessary, we could follow the bend of the
shore all the way and never get out of sight of land."
"That would make the trip longer and consequently take so much more
time to get there," reasoned Cub.
"Time's precious in a case like this," Hal averred. "Remember that we
must get up there in time to save a fellow with no food on hand from
getting an empty stomach."
"How long would the trip take?" asked Bud.
"Well, let's see," said Cub, picking up a pencil and beginning to figure
on a tab of paper before him. "The Catwhisker can make twelve miles
an hour under favorable conditions. We could start early in the morning
and reach the Thousand Islands surely by noon, and then have the rest
of the day to hunt for Mr. Robinson Crusoe."
"It might be like hunting for a needle in a haystack," suggested Hal
dubiously.
"Why shouldn't we be able to find him?" Cub demanded.
"It depends on how well Mr. Crusoe can describe his surroundings for
us and how well we can follow directions," Hal argued.
"That's true enough," Cub admitted. "Let's see if I can get 'im again and

what he can tell us."
He had no difficulty in picking up the "desperate Mr. Crusoe" again,
for the latter proved to be "sparking" the ether with frantic calls in
search of the radio boy on whom he believed he had made a serious
impression, but who seemed, for some unhappy reason, to have
forgotten him.
"I was just discussing your case with a couple of friends," Cub
explained. "We thought we might make a run down your way in a
motor boat if you could give us a clear idea where your island is
located."
"I can't give you any latitude and longitude," was the "islander's" reply.
"I was captured in my motor boat only a mile or two away from home.
Then I was blindfolded and put here on this island by the rascals. It's a
small wooded island surrounded by several other small wooded islands,
making it impossible for me to hail passing boats. I will be glad to pay
your expenses and enough more to make it worth your while if you will
find me and get me away from here."
"I don't know how we'd find you without cruising among the Thousand
Islands a week or two," returned Cub. "Have you a flag of distress
flying?"
"It wouldn't do any good. Nobody would see it."
"Oh, I have an idea!" suddenly exclaimed Hal, for he and Bud had put
their receivers back on their ears when Cub began to communicate with
"Mr. Crusoe" once more.
"Hold the wireless while I talk with my friends," Cub directed to the
fellow "at the other end of the ether". Then he removed the phones
from his ears, and the other boys did likewise.
"Well, what's your idea, Tee-hee?" the operator demanded with
something of a tone of business challenge.

"Why, all we need is a radio compass," Hal replied. "You know I made
one last summer, although I didn't have much use for it. We can install
it on the boat and make a bee line for that fellow's island if he keeps his
spark busy to guide us."
"Good!" exclaimed Bud. "That'll settle the biggest problem before us."
"Yes," Cub agreed. "You're a regular Thomas Edison, Jr., Tee-hee. I
think we'll have to elect you captain of this expedition."
"If we make it," Bud conditioned with a slightly skeptical grin.
"My opinion, if it's worth anything to you guys," said Cub; "is that we'd
better map out our plan thoroughly before we say anything about it to
our fathers. Then we can put our arguments in convincing manner."
"We must finish our plan to-night, for we ought to start not later than
Wednesday morning," Bud argued. "That'll give us one day to get ready
in."
"We'll need all that," said Hal. "Now, let's get busy,