It was a boat, and a fairly large one at that, loaded with all sorts of green vegetables. Frank could hardly believe his eyes.
“Here’s luck, Mr. Scott!” he exclaimed. “This man must have a little truck patch in some favored place above, where there’s rich ground, and plenty of water for irrigation. He’s on his way to town now, with a load that will fetch him a heap of money. We must hail him, and get him to take you along. Perhaps he’d agree to carry the balloon, too, if you wanted.”
“Don’t speak of the balloon; I hate the thought of it!” said the other; “but I’m glad there’s a chance for my getting to a doctor before long, and without taking you boys away from your work.”
Frank jumped up, and waved to the “trucker” in the boat, who quickly landed. He looked a little dubious at the suggestion of carrying a man with a broken leg all the way to town; but when Mr. Scott took out several large bills, and offered them to him, he quickly found that he could make room.
“Stop over a bit and have breakfast with us,” said Bob, with true Kentucky generosity; and the “trucker” agreed willingly enough, for he scented the fragrant coffee.
Then, a little later, they managed to carry the wounded man to the boat, where a bed had been prepared for him amid the green stuff.
“Good-by, Mr. Scott!” said Frank, after Bob had shaken hands with the wounded balloonist. “We sure hope you come out all right; and we’d have done what we said we would if this boat hadn’t come along in time.”
“I know you would, Frank,” said the other, with a queer look on his face; then he suddenly drew out the packet, and offered it to the boy. “Take it, please,” he insisted, seeing Frank hesitate. “Only promise me that you will not break the seal for seven days! By then things will have taken a turn for me, one way or the other. Give me your word, Frank!”
Mystified by this Frank could only promise. Then the boat pushed off, and the last they saw of Jared Scott was when he turned half-way around to wave a hand.
And Frank stood there, staring at the little packet the wounded balloonist had forced him to accept under conditions that only added to the puzzle.