Dick, emerging from the fuselage working compartment, displayed a large, fat, round object.
“The life preserver—from the yacht!” gasped Larry.
“How did it get there?” repeated Sandy, stunned.
“Jeff!” said Dick, briefly.
“Oh, no!” declared Larry. “Jeff is a good pilot. He’d never leave anything that could shift about and cause trouble.”
“But how did it get there?” Sandy reiterated. “I thought——”
“We all thought it went back to the yacht,” Larry finished his sentence for him.
“It did,” said Dick, seriously. “I know that after Jeff brought it in, the caretaker in the hydroplane took it out—and I’ve seen it at the stern.”
“Well, this may not be the same one—we can easily find out.”
Larry hurried from the open hangar, followed by his two friends. At a trot they went through the grove and down the path, after Dick, dropping the life preserver onto the after seat, jumped down.