enclosed by inaccessible cliffs. Many times have I struggled to climb to
their top, but only to meet defeat.

"All this time I have sustained life by means of fruits that grow in
abundance in this tropical valley. In the hope that I may manage to
communicate my horrible condition to the outside world I have made
scores of small parachutes, and when the breeze at the top of the cliffs
appeared favorable, send them up by means of hot air, each carrying a
message to my son. God in His infinite wisdom only knows if one of these
will ever reach him. I shall continue to have hope, and sustain life as
long as my mind remains--

"Professor Philip B----"

When he had finished this astonishing document Frank turned to his chum.

"Oh! what a remarkable thing! I never heard its equal in all my life. To
think that your father has been alive all these months, though a
prisoner in that cliff-bordered valley! But Andy, don't you see that
now nothing is going to keep us from going down there, and finding him?
Here is the clue you wanted, only instead of discovering his sad fate
you are going to rescue him, and bring him home again!"

They reached out and gripped hands. There was something in that act to
stamp the more than brotherly feeling existing between them.

"Do you think we could do it, Frank?" exclaimed Andy, more than ever
willing that his clear-eyed chum should take the lead in this most
eventful moment of his whole young life.