Go Ahead Boys and the Racing Motorboat Part 4

The boys by the middle of the afternoon were tired. There was no opportunity for exercise and in spite of the beauty of the region through which they were pa.s.sing there was a certain monotony in their voyage which at last became wearisome.

The sun was sinking low in the western sky when Fred at last said, "I think we'll make Albany in about an hour."

"Do you think we'll find String there?" inquired George.

"I hope so. If it was any other of the Go Ahead boys I would say we would be sure to find him there, but no one knows what Jack will do.

The only certain thing about him is his uncertainty. Don't you remember--"

"I'm telling you," interrupted Grant, "that we'll find John waiting for us at the dock. He knows where we're going to land."

"If String is there I'll agree to pay for the dinner to-night," said George. "My own feeling is that he hasn't left Poughkeepsie yet."

It was still light when at last the Black Growler approached the dock where she was to be tied up for the night. The three Go Ahead boys were peering ahead of them with interest, every one looking among the men on the docks for their missing companion.

CHAPTER IV

THE LOST IS FOUND

"He isn't there," exclaimed George gleefully. "I'm safe on my dinner."

"I believe you are right," said Fred in a low voice after he had glanced along the docks several times searching for his missing friend.

"Of course I'm right," said George. "I am always right. That's the reason why your fond parents wanted me to go with you on this trip.

Somebody has to go along who understands modern life, so I reluctantly gave up my own convenience and came along to look after these poor benighted Go Ahead boys."

"Keep quiet a minute, George," said Grant, "we all appreciate your kindness. Just now, however, I would rather see String than hear you."

"Not seeing String you must listen to me," laughed George again. "Let me see, I don't buy the dinner, and it seems to me that one or the other of my friends agreed to provide one if I was mistaken about John."

"No such agreement was made," declared Fred sharply.

"Is that so, Grant?" demanded George, turning to the remaining member of the party.

"It certainly is," declared Grant. "You were the only one to make the offer."

"Then I suppose I shall have to put up with it," said George disconsolately. "Now as soon as we get everything s.h.i.+p-shape, we had better go up to the hotel."

"Shall we take our bags or send down for them?" inquired Grant.

"If we don't take them some one else will," said Fred quickly. "We can lock up everything else, but we don't want to leave anything on board that can be taken away."

"Just as you say," said Grant, as taking his bag in his hand he stepped quickly to the dock.

Already a small a.s.sembly had gathered and was commenting upon the beauty of the little motor-boat. The pride of Fred had been satisfied so many times throughout the day that he was not unduly moved now by the words which he overheard. In a brief time he and his two companions were walking up State Street and soon secured rooms for the night in their hotel.

An hour later when they entered the dining-room they were amazed to behold their missing friend John seated at a small table at which there were three places besides the one he had taken.

For a moment the three Go Ahead boys stopped and gazed in amazement at him, and then, without a word being spoken, all three silently advanced to the table which he had reserved and apparently without recognizing the presence of their friend at once seated themselves.

"Why don't you say something?" demanded John, a grin appearing on his face as he spoke.

"I'm going to say something in a minute," said George. "I want to read through this program first to find out what I'm to have for my dinner."

"'Program' is a good word," said Grant soberly. "When George has such a chance to get a square meal he always has a regular program mapped out."

"That's all right," retorted George, without glancing up from the menu card.

"Why don't you say something?" demanded John again.

"My friend," said Grant soberly, gazing a moment at John as he spoke, "words are not adequate to express our feeling. How is it with you?"

"I'm fine," said John. "Why don't you ask me where I have been and how I came to Albany?"

"You're in Albany and that is enough to satisfy all the curiosity we have," said Grant.

"It doesn't satisfy me," said John. "When three fellows run away from you and leave you high and dry in a city like Poughkeepsie why all I can say is that--"

"That's enough to say, Johnnie. That will do," interrupted George, waving his right hand at his friend.

"You are simply mistaken," said John, the grin appearing on his face once more. "I want to tell you that whether you want it or not you are going to hear from me and in more ways than one."

"'Threatened people live long,'" spoke up Fred. "At the same time, String, you'll have to own up that we waited for you as long as we thought we could before we started for Albany. I didn't want to be out after dark in the Black Growler."

"I appreciate all your kind feelings," laughed John. "Now I want you to sympathize with me. I had gone to half a dozen different places doing my best to select certain good things for our luncheon. I had a choice a.s.sortment too, let me tell you. Why Pop's eyes would have popped out if he had seen what I had obtained, but alas when I came down to the dock I saw the Growler running up the river as if she was trying to get away from me."

"Did you come up by train?" inquired Fred.

"I did not come up by train," retorted John, speaking deliberately.

"How did you come?" asked George, interested now in spite of his effort to appear indifferent.

"Didn't you see the aeroplane?" asked John.

"Aeroplane? No, we didn't see any," said Grant quickly.

"Well, I didn't either," said John, "so that's one way that I didn't come."

"Oh, leave him alone," said George, "he is just bursting with his story. He wants to tell us and we shan't be able to stop him, so let's have our dinner and you may rest easy that before we are done you'll know all of John's story and some beside. To-morrow it will grow big and fast. It's like the pumpkins out in South Dakota. They say that a man has to be on horseback when he plants them."

"How's that?" laughed John.

"Why the vines grow so fast that the only way he can escape is to put his horse into his best paces. Even then they don't always escape."

"What happens if they are overtaken?" asked John.

"Oh, the pumpkin vines grow right around them and cover them up and choke off their wind and do other various stunts."