“Ah!” broke in the professor, eagerly, “you know something about that?”
“I think I do—I don’t know for certain,” was the reply; “but if you’ll wait here for five minutes I’ll find out if what I guess amounts to anything.”
And then the strange lad was off like an arrow, leaving Professor Barrington in a state of great suspense and Frank wondering what the next happening of their eventful journey was to be.
CHAPTER V
A NEW MYSTERY
“Incomprehensible!” exclaimed Professor Barrington, gazing after the excited lad who had scudded up to them and then away. “What do you think that young fellow means by all this?”
“It is simple, to my way of thinking,” responded Frank. “He heard us talking about that missing satchel and knows something about it.”
“But what can he know?” inquired the professor, arising to his feet and pacing the floor of the summer house in his quick, nervous way.
“Well, he strikes me as an unusually keen and intelligent boy,” returned Frank. “He is of the kind who keep their eyes open, and may possibly have noticed the man who got the satchel. Here he is back again, to report for himself.”
At an amazing pace, his bright young face showing keen interest, the farm boy was steering straight for the summer house. As he approached he waved some object in his hand. Frank started as he recognized its familiar outlines.
“Is that it?” questioned the farm boy, breathlessly, dropping his burden on the little round table.