After this little meeting broke up Frank went to the hospital to see his father, finding him resting, but nervous, and the nurse said that he did not appear to be doing quite so well as he had during the earlier part of the day.
The day of the picnic broke bright, clear, sunny, perfectly wonderful for such an outing as had been planned. Vehicles of every kind, but most of them new automobiles, were pressed into service to take the crowd of high school students to the picnic grounds. Frank asked Lanky Wallace, Paul Bird and Ralph West to go there in the Rocket, especially since Minnie Cuthbert had refused Frank’s request to take her and said she was going to go with the crowd of girls.
The Rocket had to be given a load of gas and oil, which caused the four boys to be a little later in getting away than had been planned, but finally they were ready to push the trim boat out of its house.
Before doing so, Frank saw that the engine would turn over easily, and, as it emerged from the house, Lanky gave the wheel a twist and the put-put started merrily.
Paul and Ralph had not yet had the pleasure of a ride in the new boat, nor had they done any more than give it a cursory inspection. Now, aboard for a real ride, they bent to looking around for the things that made the craft complete.
“This is far better than going down in a car,” remarked Paul. “But according to my ideas we are wasting time to-day. What we ought to do is to search for some clues to the Parsons robbery. Picnics are fine when there’s nothing else to do.”
To this the boys all agreed, even Frank. What was puzzling Frank, though never a hint did he give, was what it was about Cunningham, the stranger, that caused him to get along so easily with the girls, and especially why Minnie Cuthbert, the girl he liked so well, should be attracted to the fellow, even to the point where she was willing to refuse Frank’s attentions.
They ran down to the picnic grounds in a very short while, the motor humming along beautifully. No particular speed was shown, nor did Frank wish to try for any, as he felt that he would rather warm the engine up little by little, feeling the boat along for several more days, after which he would give it a good test if the chance was offered for a race with Cunningham’s Speedaway.
The girls were at the picnic grounds, as, indeed were most of the boys, when they swung in toward the shore to land.
“Wonder where the Speedaway is,” remarked Wallace.