“What’s the matter, Andy?” asked his mother.
“Matter?” repeated the boy absently.
“Yes. What is the matter with you? Are you ill?”
“Ill?” repeated Andy with a smile. “No. I was just thinkin’.”
“Thinking? About what?”
“Just thinkin’ how funny that’d be—old Ba asailin’ back to his home in the Bahamas in an aeroplane.”
Mrs. Leighton, with a curious look at Andy, at last turned to Captain Anderson and said:
“It will be awfully good of you to do that, and I’ll make Andy do all he can to help you. Only,” and she smiled, “I hope, if you make an aeroplane, you’ll promise you won’t try to sail it and that you won’t let Mr. Ba risk himself in it.”
“I’ll promise,” replied Captain Anderson with a laugh. “And now, if the ladies will excuse us, I think I’ll go over to the boathouse and have a pipe, and Andy can come along to talk over the project. You aren’t too sleepy, are you?” he added mischievously.