figure
on a tab of paper before him. "The Catwhisker can make twelve miles an
hour under favorable conditions. We could start early in the morning and
reach the Thousand Islands surely by noon, and then have the rest of the
day to hunt for Mr. Robinson Crusoe."

"It might be like hunting for a needle in a haystack," suggested Hal
dubiously.

"Why shouldn't we be able to find him?" Cub demanded.

"It depends on how well Mr. Crusoe can describe his surroundings for us
and how well we can follow directions," Hal argued.

"That's true enough," Cub admitted. "Let's see if I can get 'im again and
what he can tell us."

He had no difficulty in picking up the "desperate Mr. Crusoe" again, for
the latter proved to be "sparking" the ether with frantic calls in search
of the radio boy on whom he believed he had made a serious impression,
but who seemed, for some unhappy reason, to have forgotten him.

"I was just discussing your case with a couple of friends," Cub
explained. "We thought we might make a run down your way in a motor boat
if you could give us a clear idea where your island is located."

"I can't give you any latitude and longitude," was the "islander's"
reply. "I was captured in my motor boat only a mile or two away from
home. Then I was blindfolded and put here on this island by the rascals.
It's a small wooded island surrounded by several other small wooded
islands, making it impossible for me to hail passing boats. I will be
glad to pay your expenses and enough more to make it worth your while if
you will find me and get me away from here."

"I don't know how we'd find you without cruising among the
Thousand Islands a week or two," returned Cub. "Have you a flag of
distress flying?"

"It wouldn't do any good. Nobody would see it."

"Oh, I have an idea!" suddenly exclaimed Hal, for he and Bud had put
their receivers back on their ears when Cub began to communicate with
"Mr. Crusoe" once more.

"Hold the wireless while I talk with my friends," Cub directed to the
fellow "at the other end of the ether". Then he removed the phones from
his ears, and the other boys did likewise.

"Well, what's your idea, Tee-hee?" the operator demanded with something
of a tone of business challenge.

"Why, all we need is a radio compass," Hal replied. "You know I made one
last summer, although I didn't have much use for it. We can install it on
the boat and make a bee line for that fellow's island if he keeps his
spark