“And leave the boys here,” exclaimed Billy, “not much you wouldn’t—not if you are the kind of boy I take you for. Cheer up, Lathrop, we’ll pull out all right. I was with Frank and Harry in Nicaragua in places that you’d think three boys could never have escaped from, but we got through all right and we’ll get through this—try that old sparker of yours again.”
Lathrop once more adjusted his operator’s harness and sent wave after wave humming through the air in search of the Golden Eagle II’s answering vibrations, but no reply came and at last he gave up in sheer weariness.
“It’s more than fifteen hours since we have heard from them,” he said in despair, “and Frank promised not to remain out of communication with us for long, unless something very serious had occurred. What can be the matter?”
“Perhaps her apparatus is out of order,” suggested Billy, “and they are not getting your calls.”
“With an expert like Frank looking after it—not likely,” replied the other boy. “I wish I could consider it probable.”
Pork Chops had gone down to the canoe anchorage to fish earlier in the afternoon. To his simple mind it was necessary for him to provide his young masters with as good food as possible even though the world were to come to an end; so, seated on a branch overhanging the clear water, he had angled with good luck all the afternoon. As it grew dusk he muttered to himself:
“Dis yar trip ain’t nuffin’ but foolishness no how. Ah jes’ wish ah’d stayed hum at Miami, but Po’k Chops, you fool niggah, you don’ nevah know when youse is well off—no, sah.”
Shaking his head with deep conviction the darky rolled up his tackle and thrusting a long creeper through the gills of his fish he prepared to return to camp. As he rose to his feet, however, he perceived something coming toward him down the channel which caused him to throw up his hands with a yell, letting all his fish drop back into the water and screaming:
“Ghoses!” at the top of his voice, the terrified black raced for the friendly presence of Lathrop and Billy.
The boys’ first impression on seeing Pork Chops’ crazy antics was the wild anticipation that the boys had returned. Their hopes were dashed the next second, however, by the loud wails of their retainer: