The Girl Aviators and the Phantom Airship Part 28

"You can get there in two or three hours from here if you can catch a train," said Roy. "If you like I'll phone for you and find out."

"Say, boy, that would be mighty white of you. I tell you it hurts to think of poor Peter living all alone like that in poverty while I've been rich all these years. But it wasn't for lack of trying to locate him, for I've advertised and had detectives searching every likely place."

Roy found that there would be a train to Acatonick in about half an hour, and their new found friend hastened off, after warm farewells, to catch it. He promised to be back within a few days and let them know of his success, and also inform them of any further arrangements he might be prepared to make about his offer.

"Well," said Roy, after he had gone, "the skies are beginning to clear, sis."

Peggy sighed.

"Yes, but there is still one thing to be cleared up, Roy," she said.

"I know--the disappearance of those jewels," rejoined Roy. "Oh, if only we had something more to go upon than mere suspicions."

"Perhaps we will have before long," said Peggy, musingly.

CHAPTER XXIII.

LIKE THIEVES IN THE NIGHT.

"Heard anything of Fanning Harding?" asked Jimsy, one bright morning, as he stopped his car at the Prescotts' gate and he and Jess got out.

"Not a thing since that day at Acatonick," responded Roy, who with his sister had hastened to meet the other two. "Why, Jess, how charming you look this morning."

"Meaning that you notice the contrast with other mornings," laughed Jess merrily; "oh, Roy, you are not a courtier."

"No, I guess not yet--whatever a courtier may be," was the laughing rejoinder; "but I always like to pay deserved compliments."

"Oh, that's better," cried Jess; "but have you heard anything more from Mr. Bell?"

For, of course, Jimsy and Jess by this time knew about the visit of the mining man. Mr. Bancroft had looked up his standing and character and had found both of the highest. On his advice Roy had about decided to accept the unique offer made him by the Western millionaire.

Peggy shook her head in response to Jess's question.

"No, dear, not one word," she said; "isn't it queer? However, I guess we shall, before long. Oh, I do hope that that poor old hermit turns out to be Mr. Jim Bell's brother."

"So do I, too," agreed Jimsy. "It would be jolly for you and Roy to think that you and your aeroplane had been the means of righting such a succession of mishaps."

"Indeed it would," agreed Peggy, warmly; "but now come into the house and have some ice cream. It's one sign of our new prosperity that we are never without it now."

"I've eaten so much of it I'm ashamed to look a freezer in the face,"

laughed Roy, as they trooped in, to be warmly welcomed by Miss Prescott.

In the midst of their merry feast the sound of wheels was heard and a rig from the station drove up. Out of it stepped a venerable old gentleman in a well-fitting dark suit, with well blackened shoes and an altogether neat and prosperous appearance.

Peggy and Jess who had run to the window at the sound of wheels saw him a.s.sisted to the ground by a younger man whom they both recognized with a cry of astonishment.

"Mr. Jim Bell. But who is the old gentleman?"

"Why it's--it's the hermit!" cried Roy.

"Good gracious, is that fas.h.i.+onable looking old man a hermit?" gasped Jimsy.

"He was, I guess, but he won't be any more," laughed Peggy, happily, as she tripped to the door to welcome the visitors. The Prescotts had a maid now; but Peggy preferred to be the first to greet the newly united brothers for it was evident that Jim Bell's quest had been successful.

What greetings there were to be sure, when the two brothers were inside the cool, shady house! The old hermit's eyes gleamed delightedly as he gallantly handed Miss Prescott to a chair. As for Jim Bell, he was happy enough to "dance a jig," he said.

"I'll play for you, sir," volunteered Jimsy, going toward the piano.

"No, no," laughed Jim Bell; "I'm too old for that now. But not too old for Peter and I to have many happy days together yet, eh, Peter?"

He turned tenderly toward the old man whose eyes grew dim and moist.

"I wish dad and mother could see us now," he said, sadly, as his thoughts wandered back over the long bitter years he had spent in solitude.

"Perhaps they can," breathed Peggy, softly; "let us hope so."

"Thank you," said the old hermit, with a sigh.

But the conversation soon turned to a merrier vein. And then it drifted into business. Mr. Bancroft happened to stop in on his way into town and after a long talk with Jim Bell he seriously advised Roy to accept the mining man's proposal.

"I'll put you up a factory any place you say," said the millionaire, "and you can turn out all that we require. I've a notion, too, that they might be used as general freight carriers over arid stretches of country where there are no railroads, and feed and water for stock is scarce."

"Not a doubt of it," said Mr. Bancroft.

Before he left the preliminary papers had been drawn up and signed, and Roy Prescott found himself fairly launched in business. But in all this success he did not forget how much he owed to Peggy. Recent events had softened the boy's character and reduced his conceit wonderfully.

"I owe it all to you, little sis," he said that evening.

"I don't know about all," cried Jimsy, who was present; "but you do owe a whole lot to her, old man, and I'm glad to see you acknowledge it at last."

"I always have," cried Roy, turning rather red, though.

"Hum," commented Jimsy; "I'm not so sure about that."

But Peggy put her hand over his mouth and it took Jimsy what seemed an unduly long time to remove it. As for Jess, she stalwartly declared that if it hadn't been for Peggy there would have been no Golden b.u.t.terfly, no five thousand dollar prize, and, as she said, "no nothing." But to this loyal little Peggy would not a.s.sent. In her eyes Roy would always remain the most wonderful brother in the world.

Soon after this Jimsy and Jess took their leave and it was not long before the last light was extinguished in the happy little household and deep silence reigned. About midnight, as nearly as she could judge, Peggy awoke to find the moonlight streaming into her room and upon her face.

"Good gracious, I'll get moonstruck," she thought, and throwing on a wrap she went to the window to pull down the shade which had been raised to admit the cool air.

The window commanded a view of the workshop, in which the Golden b.u.t.terfly was kept, and Peggy, as she looked out, was astonished to see that the door of the work shop which housed the precious craft was open.

"Goodness!" thought the girl, "how careless of whoever left it that way.

The night air will rust the stay-wires and the steel parts of the motor terribly. I guess I had better slip downstairs and close it."