“I’d go, if I could take you fellows with me. Say, that gives me an idea! I’ll cable Appleby Corning tomorrow and outline the situation!”
“You think he might include us in the invitation?” War asked eagerly.
“It’s possible. But as I said, I doubt Appleby would be able to finance the trip. Plane fare is no small item.”
The Scouts soberly agreed. Not many months earlier, Albert Monahan, a wealthy citizen of Belton, had paid the way of the Explorers to Peru where they successfully had traced his long-missing brother. A trip to Colombia, however, was a different matter. They could not expect Mr. Monahan or anyone else to provide passage money.
“We’ll forget it,” Jack said carelessly. “But you must seize the chance, Mr. Livingston.”
“At any rate, it will do no harm to send that cable,” the Scout leader said, smiling. “Something may turn up.”
For the remainder of the evening, the Explorers attended to routine business matters. All discussion of the proposed trip to Minnesota carefully was avoided. The Explorers knew that they might make the excursion alone or with another adult, but the prospect of having an outing without Hap left them completely cold.
Later, after the meeting had adjourned, Jack and Ken talked over the matter as they walked home together.
“Do you think Hap will accept the offer?” the latter speculated.
“If we urge him enough, he will,” Jack replied gloomily. “It’s only his conscience that’s holding him back. He figures he owes us a duty. We’ve postponed our canoe trip so many times.”