“It’s life or death!”
The words were thundered at him by an inner consciousness, literally throbbing in his mind.
“Frank, can we go with you? We are going. Tell us what to do and we’ll do it!” From Lanky came the words, quiet, meaningful, the words of a friend ready to help in a crisis.
“The quickest possible way to Coville is by river. It’s our only way now,” muttered Frank. He was still in a daze at the news which had been given to him by the doctor.
“You come along slowly. Don’t run. Take your time. I’ll have the Rocket ready!” and Lanky turned on his heel and made a dash out of the door of the silent hospital while the others stood in a small group near the door.
The words of Lanky Wallace galvanized all of them into action. He had thought of the thing to do—prepare the Rocket for the trip, and he alone had started toward the river to attend to the duty of getting the boat out of the house.
Just as the other boys started for the door a girlish figure came in—Minnie Cuthbert.
“Oh, Frank!” she exclaimed as she reached out her hand to his. “I’m so sorry to hear the news. Is there anything I can do? Please tell me—anything!”
“The doctor says there’s only one thing to be done—to get a drug which the druggists around here don’t seem to have. A Coville druggist has it, so he told me. The quickest way to get it is to drive the Rocket down. I’m going now to get it.”
They looked fairly into each other’s eyes, this girl whose attractiveness held Frank in its grip, and this one boy who had been the magnet for most of the attention of Minnie Cuthbert.