“What is it, Frank?” he demanded, “for I reckon you see something that is all a blank to me?  Take me in, won’t you?”

“Oh!  I was wondering what would happen if they had an accident away out on the lake, that’s all,” admitted the other.

“Well, in that event I guess it’d be up to the Bird boys to play the rescuer act for all it was worth.  But Frank, do you think this new machine of ours could climb up off the water with four aboard?  Wouldn’t that be the limit?”

“To tell you the truth, Andy, I don’t know, because we’ve never had the chance to try it out.  With only two of us aboard you know how easy she climbed; three passengers she could hoist, but four might faze her.  We can only wait and see, if ever the chance comes to make the test.”

“But you wouldn’t hesitate about trying the same, I know, Frank?”

“Of course not,” the other remarked, confidently, “and especially when it might mean life or death to a poor fellow away out here on the lake miles from land.  If we couldn’t rise, we might still be able to float like a duck, and hope that some boat would come to the rescue.  In the end that would be just the same.”

“Do you know,” said Andy, “I saw a tug pulling out at full speed from the little city on the shore of the lake, close to where we left land; and somehow I seem to have an idea they know all about us, and mean to keep in touch with us as long as they can, to be handy in case of accident.  Perhaps, now, my message was phoned to Bloomsbury; and seeing about where we must be heading if we kept on a northerly course, they have wired up here to watch out for us.  How about that, Frank; am I silly to figure that way?”

“I don’t see why you should be, Andy.  In fact, just as soon as you mentioned about the tug I began wondering if somehow these good people didn’t know who we were, and what we were chasing after the biplane for.”

They had to speak unusually loud in order to hear, even though their heads were close together at the time; for the propellers were whirling with a hiss, and the hum of the motor added to the noise.  But then, it was all a merry racket that chimed in well with the spirit of the young aviators; and which gave them much the same pleasure that the splash through the foaming water of a ninety-foot racing yacht must awaken in the heart of an enthusiastic skipper, when he knows that every sail is drawing to the limit, and all things are working well.

“Have you figured out what we ought to do if by good luck we all get over to the other side, safe and sound?” went on Andy.

“We’ll have to leave that,” was the reply Frank made.  “No use crossing a bridge till you come to it, you know, Andy.”

“But they’ll be safe then, Frank?” “I’m afraid so, even if I don’t pretend to be up in all the international law connected with the passing of a thief from United States territory to Canada.”

“But ain’t that a measly shame?” ejaculated the indignant Andy, “to think of a robber being able to turn, and put his fingers to his nose and wiggle ’em at us, just because he happens to cross the boundary line.  It oughtn’t to be that way, Frank!”