“Just like Noddy,” murmured Ned. “So he’s down here? Maybe we’ll meet him.”
“Hark!” exclaimed the agent, as he listened to the clicking of the telegraph instrument. “There’s a message from Longwood. It’s about you’ boat.”
How the boys wished they understood the mysterious clicking of dots and dashes that came over the wires, so they might interpret the message which meant so much to them! They watched the agent as he wrote down the words that he evolved from the sounds of the clicking instrument. Then, with what the boys thought was exasperating coolness, he clicked back something in answer, and slowly arose from his chair.
“Good news,” he said. “It wasn’t your boat that was smashed. It was some rowboats being sent to a steamship company on Lake Okeechobee. Your boat was in the wreck, but was only scratched a bit. It will be here this afternoon.”
“That’s the kind of news we like to hear!” exploded Ned.
“Well, yo’ uns seem quite pleased,” remarked the agent. “Can I do anything else for yo’?”
“You’ve done more than enough, in locating our boat,” said Jerry. “Is it on the way now?”
“The agent at Longwood says they’re making up a freight train now to send here. It’s due shortly after one o’clock. Queer how things will get mixed up sometimes when there’s a wreck. I’m glad it wasn’t yo’ boat. But yo’ Northerners are always in such a hurry! By the way, was that Noddy fellow any relation of yours?”
“I reckoned yo’ uns must have, ’cause he was in the same kind of a rush,” the agent explained, as if proud of his discernment.
The boys went back to the hotel for breakfast, which even Bob had forgone in order to get earlier news of the boat. Now, with feelings greatly relieved, they ate the morning meal.
“We might as well arrange for some one to cart the boat to the lake,” suggested Jerry as they arose from the table.
“Maybe we’d better look for a shop where we can have it repaired,” put in Ned. “It may need a lot of attention.”
“Hope not,” spoke Jerry, though he thought Ned’s idea a good one.
They found near the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga a boat builder, who agreed to take charge of the _Dartaway_, do whatever was necessary and transport it to the water for them. Then there was nothing to do but to wait.