"I wish we could take Bert with us," suggested Frank.
"Are you thinking of going?" asked Will.
"Yes," was the reply, "if I could take Bert out."
"Bert is in no condition to be taken, out," Will answered, "and even if he were it would take so long to make the journey that we could get a surgeon out here before we could land him in a hospital."
"I think," Frank said, "that I ought to go with the boy who is sent out after a surgeon. It is not certain that father will communicate by wireless save to his son. Anyway, I can find out a great deal more by talking with him than could any one else."
"I guess that's right!" Will replied.
"Then I'll go with him!" Tommy shouted. "I want to see what's going on in the world of fashion, anyway!"
"All right," Will said. "Pack up your provisions and get ready to move. Of course you'll need provisions."
"I usually do!" grinned Tommy.
The lads packed up the good supply of sandwiches and started off towards Katalla. It was somewhere near noon when they left the cabin, and they expected to reach the town on the coast before twilight fell, the distance being not more than fourteen miles.