This side up with care!
C. O. D. you know. Pay all charges. Ha! Ha! Good joke! They took the
king away."
"But where?" persisted Frank. Was his plan to fail? Had the asylum
authorities found out about it and removed his father?
"What's the matter?" called Bart from below.
"Think!" whispered Frank to the lunatic. "Tell me where he is! I want to
take him away!"
"That's right! Take him away. This is no place for him. This is a place
for barrels. Listen," and the man leaned far out of the window. "He's on
the north side, in a room just like the one he was in, only on the top
floor. I know! They tried to fool me but I hid in a barrel and I found
out. It was a barrel with the hoops off, and I saw them take the king of
the cannibal islands away. It's a great joke! I'm a barrel!"
"Is it on the other side?" asked Frank, wanting to be sure.
But the lunatic had shut his window. It was all black and dark again, and
the rain and the wind seemed a fitting accompaniment for the sorrow that
was in Frank's heart. He came down the ladder.
"What's the matter?" asked his chums, and he told them.
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