"I'm afraid that will be the result of our foolishness," remarked the other, gravely. "And we ought to be thankful that our punishment isn't any worse."
The summer storm began to die out after an hour; but by then the afternoon had drawn near an end; so that it was folly to even think of making any effort looking toward their escape from the rocky crest of Old Thunder Top.
Frank crawled out of the friendly crevice, and after a short time returned, to bring good news.
"So far as I can see the biplane isn't badly damaged," he said to Andy.
"Hey! you ain't going to desert us up here, I hope?" cried Percy, in sudden alarm; which remark proved how much he was depending on Frank after all to get them out of the bad scrape.
"Not at all," came the reply. "Nobody can go down till morning. But if the machine can be coaxed to work decently then, I can carry the whole bunch, one at a time, to the ground."
This prospect of being brought home by a victorious rival was apparently not very pleasant to Percy's proud soul. He grumbled for a bit, and then said:
"Huh! guess you'll have to drop me in our front yard then, 'cause I won't be able to crawl home. I don't want to be seen in this shape, Frank Bird, remember that!"
"Sure, take you wherever you say, Percy. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Perhaps we may have to get down by means of a rope after all," the good-natured young aviator replied.
As night came on the clouds rolled away from the summit of the mountain, and Frank could see the light of the town far below. He knew only too well that many anxious hearts would be suffering because of the dreadful uncertainty that hung over the fate of the quartette of venturesome aeroplane boys.