“Oh, it was very well in the winter; but I could not stay there in the summer. I am afraid my search for health is vain. We have friends and relatives here, and that is why we stopped in London. Later we shall go to Italy, and I hope for improvement there.”
“I sincerely trust that you may not be disappointed, sir.”
Then Frank sat on a chair Inza had placed for him, and chatted agreeably with Mr. Burrage for half an hour, speaking briefly of the countries he had visited and of his adventures, when questioned by the invalid.
“You are a strange youth, Frank Merriwell,” declared Bernard Burrage, regarding him with no little wonderment. “One would never know you had seen anything of the world if he did not drag the facts from you by questions, and I am certain it has never before been the fortune of another youth to travel so much and meet with such adventures. We have heard from you indirectly since Inza received your last letter, and so we knew of your wonderful experiences as king of a cannibal island and in search of the ‘missing link’ in the wilds of Africa.”
“Heard from me?” exclaimed Frank, in surprise. “How?”
“Through Elsie Bellwood,” said Inza, quietly. “She wrote me.”
Frank started, overwhelmed by a sudden thought. Just what had Elsie written Inza? The girls had been warm friends, and, after being rescued from the island of cannibals, Frank had been much with Elsie on Captain Bellwood’s trading vessel.
In the world there were two girls whom Frank Merriwell admired above all others, and it seemed that his friendship for one was quite as strong as for the other. They were Inza Burrage and Elsie Bellwood.
In the company of either of these girls Frank seemed to forget the other for the time. They were vastly different in appearance and temperament, although both were remarkably pretty. Inza had dark hair and eyes, while her disposition was passionate and resentful. Elsie had sunny hair and blue eyes, and her disposition was gentle and trusting.
In an honest, boyish way, Frank had made love to both of these girls. He had tried to make both understand that he did not contemplate marriage for years to come, and that he did not bind them by any vows or pledges. He was young, they were young; the years to come might bring many changes.