“Yes.”
“How far away?”
“About a mile.”
“I know it is asking considerable of you, Dustan, but it will be a great favor if you will go with me to your uncle’s house. I wish to get a boat before morning, for I don’t want the curs who stole my yacht to get too much of a start. Perhaps I can fix it so your uncle will let me have his launch.”
“I doubt it, but I will go with you.”
Howard retired into the house to get his coat and hat, for he had come out in his shirt sleeves. He was not gone more than two minutes.
Twenty minutes later the boys had obtained admission to the home of Howard’s uncle, and Frank was talking to the sick man. At first it seemed that Merry would not be successful, but he produced five hundred dollars in money, which he agreed to leave in the man’s possession to insure him against any damage to the launch, and he offered a remarkable sum per day for her use. Howard used his influence, and, at last, Frank won.
“It will be necessary for Howard to go with you,” said the man, “for he is commissioned to run such a boat, and you are not.”
“I shall be only too glad to go,” declared Dustan.