“Did you get blown off—”
“The whole country has been looking for you—”
“It’s great that you are back safe—”
“Thank God you didn’t have a smash-up.” The queries and exclamations were hurled so fast it was impossible to answer, but in a moment, before Jim could loosen his strap, Allen Ruhel was beside him.
“Glad to see you, Old Top. Like to hop inside and freshen up a bit?” he asked casually as if the boys had not been gone more than a few hours.
“Like it better than anything else in the world,” Jim answered, and Bradshaw looked at him narrowly.
“Anything we can do, just sing out—”
“I’d like to know about Mom,” Bob announced a bit chokily, for he hoped hard that she had not been terrified by the news of the strange disappearance.
“Mrs. Austin is quite top hole, you know.” Ruhel answered.
“She wasn’t given all the particulars and a cable is off now to let them know that you came in under your own power,” Bradshaw added. “The first man who sighted you sent it.”