“Go on and tell us about it now,” Alex said, turning to Frank. “The pursuers are all in the lead!”
“Yes, we’re all crazy to know about Cloud island!” Jule added.
“But there is one thing I don’t understand,” Case observed. “These people have been following on behind us up to now. Why do they shoot ahead at this stage of the race?”
Frank’s face broke into a smile.
“It seems to me,” he replied, “that I am believed by my enemies to be out of the game just now! They appear to have left me for the pleasure of pursuing each other!”
“And you are sauntering along in order that they may have their wish and fight it out between themselves.
“Something like that,” Frank replied. “When we met those two men on Ruination creek, I knew that they would keep the Señor Lewiso rather busy, if they succeeded in getting up the river. I doubted their ability to continue their journey, for they seemed to be in hard luck, but, thinking they might, I watched and inquired all along to see if they had gone on up ahead of us.”
“I thought you acted strangely,” Clay said.
“I had about given up all idea of their being anywhere near here when the boys came upon them to-day,” Frank went on. “Where they secured their outfit is more than I can imagine, but they certainly are in the contest in excellent form. The Señor Lewiso will be troubled when he sees the launch chasing him.”
“Will the first one at Cloud island get what they are all going after?” questioned Jule. “Will they get what we are going in search of, do you think.”