AT THE SANITARIUM
Ned's cry of alarm, which had aroused Bart and Fenn, brought his two
companions out of their beds with a rush. They looked over at the cot in
which Frank slept, and saw that it was empty.
"Frank's gone," Ned repeated.
"What makes you think so?" asked Bart.
For answer Ned pointed to the empty bed, and to the stool, on which Frank
usually placed his clothes. The garments were missing.
"Maybe he got up early for a walk," suggested Fenn.
"Sure; that's it," chimed in Bart, glad to have an excuse for explaining
Frank's seeming disappearance.
"He's not in the habit of doing that," Ned remarked. "He's usually the
last one up. I'm going to dress and take a look outside."
Ned lost little time in putting on his clothes. The other boys followed
his example, and soon the three were outside the tent, standing in the
bright morning sunshine.
"I wonder how our canoe stood the soaking it got last night?" observed
Fenn, "Let's go to the creek and take a look. Frank may be back by then."
They went to the shore of the stream, where they had left their boat,
but, to their great astonishment, it was gone.
"Worse and more of it!" exclaimed Ned. "I guess Frank has gone off in
the boat."
"No guessing about it," replied Bart.
"Why not?"
In answer Bart pointed down the stream. There, paddling along, was Frank
in the canoe. He waved his hands to his chums and they shouted a
greeting to him.
"There I told you he'd just gone out to get up an appetite for
breakfast," declared Fenn, as the canoe drew nearer.
Frank was a little uneasy as to how to greet his chums. He did not know
whether or not they were aware that he had been away all night. But, as
he beached the boat, one glance at their tousled hair, and their eyes,
still heavy from sleep, told him he had only recently been missed. He
knew how to act now, and, to further his plans, determined to let his
chums believe he had been gone a short time only.
"Did you get the worm?" inquired Fenn.
"What worm?" Frank retorted.
"The one the early bird always gets."
"No, someone else was ahead of me," answered Frank, as Fenn's question
confirmed his belief that his companions did not know of his night trip.
"I was just out for a little paddle on the creek."
"How does she ride?" asked Bart, looking the canoe over.
"Fine; like a cork."
"You look as though you were pretty tired," commented Ned, with a curious
look at his chum.
"I didn't sleep much last night."
"And I suppose you thought getting up early and paddling would rest you,"
Ned went on, but Frank did not answer.
"Come on, Fenn, hurry up with breakfast!" cried Bart, and soon the aroma
of coffee filled the air.
Frank went to the tent to make a hasty toilet, while Bart, who was going
fishing that day, followed him. Ned remained near the canoe. A little
bundle in it attracted his attention. He picked it up, and opened it.
Inside were several sandwiches, and Ned knew they had come from the
camp supply.
"Frank took them with him in the canoe," he half whispered. "He has
been away all night, and he had them in case he couldn't get back. I
wonder where he was? I'll say nothing about this now," and, as he
heard Bart approaching, he tossed the little package of food into the
bushes. Puzzling over what Frank's object could have been, Ned went up
to the tent.
Breakfast over, the boys took turns trying the canoe. It was a stauncher
craft than the three churns had anticipated, though Frank had good reason
to know the value of the rude canoe.
"I'm going fishing," declared Bart, as he dug some worms and put them in
a can. "Any one else coming?"
"I'd like to take a trip in the canoe," said Fenn.
"That would suit me," put in Ned. "It will only carry two, though. What
are you going to do, Frank?"
"I think I'll just lie around to-day. I'm a bit tired, and I need a rest.
I didn't get much last night."
"I'm right," thought Ned. "He was away all night. I wonder when this
mystery will end?"
Bart started off up stream, while Fenn and Ned, in the canoe, began to
paddle down the creek. As for Frank, he stretched out on his cot, and,
almost before the boys were out of sight, he was asleep. He did not
awaken until dinner time, and then he got the meal. His chums were not
yet back, but they came in a little while, with appetites that made Frank
glad he had provided a bountiful repast. Bart had caught a number of fine
fish, and Ned and Fenn were so enthusiastic over their canoe trip that
they wanted to take another in the afternoon.
"Give me a show at it," said Bart. "I haven't been in it except the night
we put it into the water. I want some fun. Frank and I will take it this
afternoon."
"I don't believe I care to," Frank replied. "The truth is," he went on,
"I was going to ask you fellows to loan the boat to me all day to-morrow.
I want to go off by myself. Not that I don't desire your company," he
hastened to add, as he saw his chums looked a little surprised, "but I
have something to do and I've got to do it alone. Please don't ask me
what it is. It's that same thing I'm mixed up in, and I think, if things
turn out right to-morrow, I may be able to tell you something. Besides,
I may need you to help me."
"We'll be only too glad to!" exclaimed Ned. "For we don't like to see you
so worried, Frank."
"It's very good of you, I'm sure, to bother with me," Frank went on. "I
hope you can help me, for I'll need it."
"Well, who's going with me in the canoe?" asked Bart, and, as Fenn did
not care much about making another trip, Ned went, and Frank and
Stumpy remained in camp, the latter busying himself over a wonderful
pudding he set out to make with a combination of eggs, corn starch,
sugar and raisins.
Frank set off in the canoe early the next morning. He took a lunch with
him, and told his companions he might be away all night. He was going to
try, however, to return by dark. Where he was going he did not say, nor
did his chums ask him.
"Good luck!" exclaimed Fenn, as Frank began paddling.
"Thanks," he called back, and his companions waved their hands to him.
"It's very queer," murmured Ned, as he turned back toward the tent.
Frank reached the turn of the river, near the cliff, just before noon.
Instead of taking the canoe to the foot of the rock, he hid it in the
bushes near the bend of the stream, and then began tramping through the
woods toward the sanitarium. He ate his lunch in the woods, and then took
up his position near the big tree, whence, on his first visit, he had
watched the sad-faced men.
He had to wait several hours. At length the little procession appeared,
and Frank's heart beat so loudly he could almost hear it. He stood up and
watched the men. Yes, the one he wanted to see was there. How was he to
communicate with the man?
Chance, seemingly, gave him the opportunity he desired. There was a
little disturbance at the head of the line. One of the patients insisted
on taking a different path than the one the attendant designated, and
there was a dispute. The guards at the end of the line ran toward the
head, leaving the rear men unattended.
Frank ran from behind the tree, toward the procession which had halted.
He approached the man, the sight of whom, on the previous occasion, had
caused him such wonder. This man did not look up.
"I must have a talk with you in private!"
Frank said, in a low but tense whisper. The man looked quickly at him.
His eyes seemed to see nothing.
"Who are you? What do you want of me?" he asked in dull tones. "I don't
know you. I know no one in this world."
"I must speak to you!" cried Frank, as he saw the attendants returning.