There was a patter of rain on the leaves and a distant roar that told of the coming downpour. At a distance up the river was an old mill, and toward this Merry hurried. He reached it just as the storm broke in all its fury. For an hour the rain came down in torrents, the lightning blazed and the thunder shook the earth. When it was all over, Frank started out to find Flynn. He did not find the man. After searching till late in the afternoon, he secured the aid of a number of farmers. At nightfall they had found nothing. Some of them were certain the body of the man would be recovered from a pond into which the river ran about a mile below the broken bridge, but night brought an end to the search. * * * * * Nearly forty-eight hours later Frank rode back into Belfast. His disappearance and prolonged absence had caused great wonder and excitement, and his return was hailed with satisfaction. He went straight to the rooms of the Belfast Wheelmen and found Diamond there. Frank told the story of his pursuit, and expressed regret at being forced to say that neither Flynn alive nor his body had been found, but the farmers who had assisted in the search were confident that, in time, the body would be recovered from the pond. He asked anxiously for Hodge. “Bart is all right,” said Diamond. “He has had the very best of care. Yesterday he was brought up from Northport, and you can’t guess where he is.” “I won’t try.” “He is at Miss Mitshef’s home. She told her mother all about the encounter, and Mrs. Mitshef insisted that Bart be brought there and stay there till he had quite recovered. He has recovered already, but he knows when he is well off, and he is pretending to be an invalid. I don’t blame him, either.” “Eh? Why, I thought——” “Hush, Frank!” said Jack, quickly. “I know I expressed an unfavorable opinion of certain young ladies, but I want to take everything back. I was up there last evening to see Bart. Hattie Hazle was there, and I have changed my mind concerning those girls. Mabel Mitshef is cultivated and refined, as also is Hattie Hazle, although she seems to entertain a positive dislike for me. I was altogether too hasty in forming an opinion of them.” “Look here!” exclaimed Frank, with a twinkle in his eyes. “It can’t be you are forgetting the little girl at Bar Harbor?” Jack blushed, but quickly said: “Not a bit of it, Merriwell! But I did want to retract what I said about these girls here. There is to be a party at Miss Mitshef’s house to-night, and we are all invited. If you did not return, it was to be postponed.” “Well, we will attend the party,” smiled Frank. “I am ready for a little pleasure after what I have passed through in the last three days.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER VIII HANS SINGS.