CHAPTER III.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE BIRD BOYS.
"How about coming over tonight?" asked Frank, as the boys halted at thegate of Dr. Bird's place, where Andy had gone to get his wheel, sincehe lived some little distance away.
"I'd like to first rate, Frank, because there are some things I want totalk over with you. But I promised Colonel Josiah to get at his bookstonight and straighten them out. It'll take me all evening, I reckon."
"Oh, well," remarked Frank, "see you in the morning anyway. This breezewill have worn itself out by then, perhaps, and if we feel like it wecan take a little trip somewhere in the 'Bug,' as you like to call ourdandy little aeroplane."
"I hope so," replied Andy, eagerly. "It's been some days now since wewere up, and I'm more than curious to find out if that new arrangementof yours is going to help us any in getting a quick start."
"Does the colonel still persist in having old Shea sleep outside theshed?" asked the other, as Andy pushed in to get his wheel out fromunder a side porch, where he had thrust it before starting off to thebaseball game.
"Sure," came the reply. "When Colonel Josiah once starts on a thing itwould take an earthquake to stop him. I tried to tell him that there wasno danger of our monoplane being injured now that those two men whorobbed the jewelry store were locked up at police headquarters, waitingfor some formality to start them on the road to a ten-year sentence; buthe only shook his head and said Shea had nothing else to do and might aswell be earning his salt."
The incident to which Andy referred was related at length in thepreceding volume of this series, "The Bird Boys; or, The Young SkyPilots' First Air Voyage," and had created a ten days' sensation in thequiet little lake town of Bloomsbury.
Two rogues had robbed the extensive jewelry establishment ofMr. Leffingwell and carried off the loot in a couple of suit cases takenfrom the store. Unable to get clear away on account of a quick chase,they had hidden in the vicinity of the town. One of them, named Jules,had been an aviator at some time in his near past over in France, andlearning that the Bird boys had built a monoplane, which was even thenready for a flight, they had attempted to steal the same, with theintention of giving their pursuers, who were hunting the woods for them,the laugh.
But their well laid plans were spoiled through the vigilance of the Birdboys and the quick wit of Frank in particular. The consequence was thatboth men were eventually captured by Chief Waller and his officers andstill languished in the town lock-up, awaiting the day of trial.
"Oh, well!" laughed Frank, as his cousin wheeled his bike out to thefront gate, where he could mount better, "it makes mighty littledifference, because, from what I've seen of Shea, I imagine he sleeps onhis post. I'm glad we didn't let him inside, because, like all Irishmen,he is fond of his pipe and might have set fire to the shed. It'sdangerous smoking where there's a lot of gasoline about."
"Of course we've got that Puss Carberry and his mean crony, SandyHollingshead, to consider. They tried to injure our machine once andmight again, especially after what happened today," said Andy, throwingone leg over his saddle and standing there a minute.
"Oh, I guess not, Andy. They understand that we're keeping tabs of thathangar, with its precious contents. Besides, they've got their handsfull of other matters, if what Puss said about that big trip to theAmazon country is true."
The other sighed.
"I only wish I was as sure of going down there as Puss seems to be," heobserved. "I don't know how it is, but something queer seems to bedrawing me that way. Day and night I have pictures rising in mymind. I've read every scrap concerning the Isthmus and northern coast ofSouth America, until I guess I'm as well posted on such things as onewho had been there."
"Yes," said Frank, softly, "and I'm afraid you let your mind dwell toomuch on that subject, old chum. It's more than a year now since yourfather disappeared. And the chances of your ever finding what became ofhim are like searching for a lost diamond in the sand of theseashore. It's affecting your mind, Andy. You look all fagged out. Iwish 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 downthere and make a good try to find all that is left of my poorfather. Just as you say, it seems almost silly to think that I couldever succeed, but no matter, I've got it arranged in my mind and thecolonel is coming around slowly."
"Well," Frank hastened to declare, "you know if it ever does get to thepoint that you do go down to make that search, I'm with you. My fatherwould never throw any obstacle in the way, I'm dead sure. And Andy, ofcourse we'd take our aeroplane along. Think how many trips we couldmake in her over country that no one could ever penetrate on foot."
Andy was too full for further words. He simply turned and squeezed thehand of his cousin; but the look of affection which he gave Frank toldwhat was in his mind just then.
Frank watched him go spinning along the road and then with a sigh turnedinto the house.
The day had been replete with excitement for him. First there was thekeenly contested game with their rivals across the lake and a tie in theninth inning, which gave the Bloomsbury boys a chance to win out in thetenth. His pitching had held the enemy safe, and in their half of theinning Frank had made the hit that brought the game to a conclusion. Asa rule the home club took the last chance at the bat, but the Cranfordmanager had chosen differently on this occasion, for some reason of hisown, 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, hadmiscalculated and gone plunging into the lake, himself being unable toswim.
Frank had nothing to regret in connection with his leap after thestruggling lad and his subsequent saving of Puss. True, the latter choseto crush down the natural spirit of gratitude that should have made himaccept the hand Frank offered later. But Frank felt that he could affordto smile at such an exhibition of a small nature.
At the supper table his father and Janet, his sister, just home fromboarding school a couple of weeks back, plied him with questionsconcerning the game. Of course, the girl had been present and had seenher brother carry off the honors on the diamond; but there were lots ofthings she wanted explained.
And before Frank knew it he was asked point blank what had happened onthe way across the lake, for Janet had been aboard another boat, itseemed.
"Marjorie Lee told me she heard that you jumped overboard to save someone, she didn't just know who?" was what Janet said, and the good doctorpricked up his ears as he looked inquiringly toward the boy of whom hewas so proud.
Frank turned red and then laughed.
"Oh, pshaw!" he said. "I had hoped that would be kept quiet. But some ofthe fellows like to talk too much."
"Who was it you jumped over after? They said you held him up until theboat got around--that he could not swim a stroke, and must surely havedrowned only for your prompt action. It couldn't have been Cousin Andy,because he can swim nearly as well as you. Tell us, Frank," Janetpersisted.
So Frank found himself compelled to relate the whole circumstance. Inhis usual generous manner he tried to gloss over the conduct of Puss andspoke as though the other had tumbled overboard during a little boyishroughhouse business; but Janet knew of the enmity between the pair, andshe could read between the lines.
Frank spent a couple of hours after supper in poring over a book Andyhad loaned him. And it might easily be assumed that it had to do withthe birds, animals, fauna and inhabitants of that great country lyingnorth of the equator, down in Central and South America.
It was about nine o'clock when his father called to him. The doctor hadjust come in from a few last visits and looked anxious.
"Frank, I'm in a peck of trouble," he said, with a whimsical smile, "andI wish you could help me out, though I dislike putting you to so muchtrouble."
"Oh, don't mind that, dad, one little bit; you know I'm o
nly too glad tobe of any assistance to you. What's gone wrong now? Machine laid offagain and garage closed? But you won't need it till nine tomorrow, willyou?"
There was a world of affection in the very way Frank used that word"dad." It might seem disrespectful coming from the lips of many boys,but to the ears of the good doctor it was as sweetest music.
"That's the trouble, Frank. I do need some means of getting aroundtonight the worst kind. Fact is the car broke down just as I got it inthe yard. Same old trouble, and will take an hour to fix it up. And allat once it dawned on me that I had forgotten to take the medicine out toFarmer Lovejoy, which I surely promised tonight. It lies under the seatof the machine. Slipped my mind entirely when I was out. And Frank,there may be a serious turn to that child's sickness unless thatmedicine gets there within the next hour or so."
"Don't say another word, dad," declared Frank, jumping up and gettinghis cap. "My wheel is in fine shape and with a good lantern I can makethe run in a jiffy. Only too glad to be able to help out. The packet isunder the seat in the car and you left that in the side yard? All right,I'm off!"
Aeroplane Boys on the Wing Page 3