COPYRIGHT, 1926, BY
GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC.
MADE IN U. S. A.
FRANK ALLEN
AND HIS MOTOR BOAT
CHAPTER I
TUNING THE ROCKET
“Cunningham really wants a race, does he? Well, I’m ready after to-day to give him a chance to beat the Rocket; but, Lanky, he’ll have to handle the Speedaway better than he handles himself or he will find himself taking the rough water of this little boat mighty quickly.”
Frank Allen and Lanky Wallace were out on the Harrapin river giving the regular daily try-out to the Rocket. Lanky’s father, after their return from a recent trip to the West, had presented Frank with this neat, little, rakish-modeled motor boat for three reasons: first, because he liked the upstanding leader of the Columbia boys and felt that his own son, Clarence (though Lanky was the name known best) could be in no better company; second, because he was himself a lover of the great out-of-doors and felt that kinship to Frank which the outdoor life develops in men; and third, he felt that Frank had done him a great turn out at Gold Fork when he had so successfully outwitted those who had tried to rob him of the gold which was rightfully his.
“You know, sweet little Clarinda—” and Frank started “kidding” his pal.
“Listen, boy,” Lanky spoke up quickly, “the Harrapin’s wetter than usual to-day. One of us might get damp.”
“As I was saying,” and Frank’s eyes sparkled, “Clarice,” keeping a watch on Lanky, “you know that a gas engine has fifty-seven varieties of tricks in it, just like a good Missouri mule, and before I get into any contests I am going to learn a few of the tricks this one has.”