“Now you’re talking, Larry; because that was just what did happen to me, for a dead certainty!” admitted Andy, readily.
“Looks like Larry had struck a warm trail,” ventured Frank, nodding his head encouragingly.
“Hear further, fellows,” the originator of the newest clue went on saying. “I remember right now that after we pried Andy loose, he had to draw himself up by means of the limb of a tree. Also, that he straddled the same limb, so that his head hung down for a little while.”
“Sure. That was when I was trying to get the rope I had tied to my wheel, over the limb, so you could pull her out of the mire,” admitted Andy.
“All right,” remarked Larry. “That was just the time the wrench must have dropped out of your pocket, and went souse in the mud, to sink to China. Some day you may hear of an enterprising pigtail man over there taking out a patent on a nice little wrench, warranted never to slip while you work.”
“Did you see it drop?” demanded the other.
“Nixey, I did not; still, it stands to reason——” began Larry, obstinately.
“Did you hear it drop?” Andy continued, positively.
“Well, seeing that you were shedding gallons of water about that time, not to mention hunks of mud, it wouldn’t be funny if we failed to hear such a little thing fall into the sucker hole,” grumbled Larry, driven to bay, yet not willing to change his mind.
“All the same then,” declared Andy, “I don’t believe it fell into that muck you call a quicksand. I’ve just gone and misplaced it, that’s all. And some minute, when I get my mind on it, I expect to remember what I did with that little beauty.”