id.

But, although he did not suspect it just then, even seconds came very
near being of the greatest importance.

Perhaps he spent all of ten minutes in the Lovejoy home and in that time
learned what his father wished to know. The old farmer came to the door
with him, shaking hands warmly.

"Once again I say I'm obliged to ye, Frank," he remarked, with feeling,
"for comin' away out here to fetch the medicine. It may be the means of
savin' our gal to us, who knows? But I've got faith in your father. If
anybody kin fetch our Sue around he will. Good night, lad. Kaiser, mind
your manners. This is one of the best friends we've got."

"Oh, that's all right, sir," declared Frank, quickly, as he patted the
shaggy head of the big mastiff. "We understand each other, don't we, old
boy? He knew my voice, because a dog never forgets a friend, and I've
played with him many the time. Good night, Mr. Lovejoy. Keep up your
spirits. Dad says Sue is going to get over this all right in a little
time."

Once again on the road he turned his face toward home. After all, this
six or seven-mile run was only a good touch of exercise, and he would
sleep all the sounder on account of it. Besides, Frank loved nothing
better than to do something for the parent who all his life had been so
indulgent to him.

As he pedaled along, keeping his eyes well ahead, so as to glimpse any
vehicle that might loom up in his path, he was thinking of what Andy had
in mind. While the project was as yet rather uncertain, Frank seemed to
feel that his cousin could never be wholly satisfied that he had done
his duty by his father until he had spent some time down on the Isthmus
trying to get some traces of the lost aeronaut.

"I reckon I ought to know something of Andy's persistence," he said to
himself, with a chuckle. "And now that he's got this bee in his bonnet
there'll be no peace until he tries the scheme out. Sure I'm with him
from the word go. It makes me shiver all over with expectation just to
think of what glorious times we two chums might have--hello! there's
something ahead, and I'd better slow up!"

It proved to be a farm wagon, pulled by two tired nags, and headed for
home, after a day in the town market. The driver was asleep on the seat,
leaving to the sagacity of his animals the successful navigation of the
road.

Perhaps some movement of the horses or else the bright light of the
acetylene headlight falling on his face aroused the man, f