human
I don't know, boys, but we ought to make a trip somewhere in the Catwhisker and get police help to solve this problem, Mr. Perry remarked with a reflection of years and judgment in his countenance.
gpt
Hal's cousin may be in serious trouble, for all we know, and it's our duty to enlist every agency at our command to aid him.
human
But while we're gone something might develop here that would throw light on the mystery, said Bud.
gpt
Excuse me, Mr. Perry, for insisting on calling it a mystery. I can't think of it as anything else.
human
Oh, goodness me! returned the one thus addressed.
gpt
I'm afraid you boys failed to get what I was driving at. I didn't mean there was no such thing as mystery. That depends on your point of view. It is only people who are easily startled or confused by unusual things who are easily mystified. I don't mean to say that it would be impossible to mystify me under any circumstances. For instance, if the man in the moon should suddenly jump down on the earth and give me a brick of green cheese, and then jump back again before I could say 'thank you' I presume I'd be greatly mystified.
human
Your illustration won't stand a test of reason, dad, Cub objected.
gpt
To test whether it is possible for you to be mystified you must offer a test that is possible.
human
That's precisely why I offered that impossible illustration, Mr. Perry smiled.
gpt
I wanted to see if any of you boys would catch the inconsistency. You just call this affair a mystery as long as you think it is one, but after it is cleared up, I fancy you'll have difficulty in looking back and picturing it as a mystery in your minds. But I didn't intend to take us off our subject. I was going to answer Bud's argument that something of importance might develop while we were gone. Yes, that is true, but it wouldn't be necessary for all of us to go. Two of us might make the trip and the other two remain here.
human
That's a good idea, declared Hal.
gpt
Suppose you and Cub go and leave Bud and me here to look after the camp and watch for developments?
human
On second thought, he said after a few moments of silence;
gpt
I'm inclined to withdraw my suggestion.
human
What's up now, dad?
gpt
I was just recalling a portion of Hal's cousin's diary, his father replied.
human
According to that, it seems that rough characters visit this place sometimes.
gpt
Oh, we're not afraid, Hal protested.
human
Besides, you could make the trip there and back in a few hours.
gpt
Well, we'll think it over and decide in the morning what we'll do,
human
Meanwhile, I tell you what we ought to do, Bud proposed.
gpt
It's an hour before dark and we'd have time to bring Hal's wireless outfit up here and hook it up before the sun sets.
human
That's a peach of an idea, declared Cub, jumping to his feet in his eagerness.
gpt
I've got two hundred and fifty feet of extra wire and some insulators on the boat and we can put up an aerial here without taking down the one on the Catwhisker. Then we can shift the radio outfit back and forth to the island and to the boat as we please.
human
Good! exclaimed Hal.
gpt
I'm with you on that. Let's get busy and not waste a minute of daylight.