Andy, upon my word I believe it is, it
must be--"
"Oh, say it for me, please, because I just can't find words!" cried the
other.
It was a wonder that in their tremendous excitement something disastrous
did not happen to the aeroplane, but Frank had wisely cut off some of
the power, so that they were just making fair headway at the time.
"It is a little parachute balloon, just like the one that carried that
message into the cocoa grove of Carlos Mendoza!" ejaculated Frank.
"Then it means that we have found the valley prison!" gasped Andy.
"Sure, that's a fact. The cliffs yonder are on one side of it!" Frank
cried.
"And Frank, don't you see, the fact that another of those little
messengers of hope has just come up out of the valley _shows that he is
alive_!"
"You just bet he is, Andy; and we're going to be with him in three
shakes of a lamb's tail!" declared the other.
Andy could not utter another word; he was too full of emotion. So he
just sat there and stared and waited, his heart doubtless thumping
against his ribs as it had never done before.
Of course, when Frank gave utterance to that boast he did not really
mean it, and only had the encouragement of his chum in view. He knew
that it was apt to prove a difficult task, landing in that enclosed
valley, where the vegetation must be of a tropical order.
First of all they must circle around over the wide expanse to take in
its features and discover the prisoner.
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