wider he might have sheered to one side, but the highway was too narrow for that, and with a

as crouching down, looking with staring eyes th

e reverse and allowed the gears to connect with the engine. Then the automobile began to move

t!" roared Hans, who was shaking as with the ague. "Oh

bile and it came up like some bird of ill-omen, that made even stout-hearted Sam quail. But he stuck to his post, sending the aut

do something?" he yel

ck his brother. "The st

he big biplane, until the forward part of the mac

tter jump out!" c

biplane could be steered again, and with a dexterous twist of the wheel and a deflection of one of the tips, Tom broug

ngest Rover. And that sin

ang out Tom, as he climbed from his s

youth, in a voice he tried in vain to steady. "I dink

at once I found I couldn't budge the rudders. Then I got alarmed, thinking the machine might turn turtle on me, so I shut off the engine, intending to glide to

s he walked into the field to inspect the Dartaway.

Hansy, old boy

tollers, Dom! No,

Hans, when you

th firmly. "I sthay py der ground on. Yo

to get the machin

. "But I'll have to look at that steering appa

Colby inspect it f

had gone wrong, and fixed it, so that the same accident might not occur again. Then Tom got in, and Sam and H

mment. "Say, Dom, he peen a

s that

lar aviadventurer, o

u mean

him. He pe

was Sam's comment. "Tom is

d, where Hans was warmly greeted by the others, all but Captain Colby knowing him

ne," said the old aviator. "All you can do is to watch out, and

in Putnam and George Strong, the head teacher. He had also seen Mr. and Mrs. Laning, the parents of

asked, when he was told that the evi

up they'd be sure to drag Mrs. Stanhope and the girls into court.

ction as possible in the art of flying in general and the art of managing the biplane in particul

t believe you'll have any trouble excepting on rare occa

e railroad station of Oak Run, and at the latter place nearly scared old Ricks, the stationmaster, into a fit, by swoop

sked Sam, when he came bac

nswered Dick. "The Snubble boys were over there

ea where they wen

rabtree sold the

" was the advice from Hans. "I vouldn't

the watch!"

own to the railroad station in the touring car to see him off. Old

ke that flying affair

cracker in the bonfire and made him think some d

cigar that turned into a sna

brushed past, hitting Tom in the knee with a suit case he was carrying. The train that

our rush?" asked Tom, swe

nted old Ricks. "I don't want you youn

that case in court," went on T

to testify

e-I read all about it in

ourt?" asked old R

n't it?" went on Tom. "I am mighty so

own between the two properties. The neighbor had threatened to sue him if he did not put the fe

it the wust of it!" growled

ent on Tom. "The papers said he had thre

exclaimed old Ricks, an

u poisoned the c

starved the poor anima

t, nor his dog nuther!" roared old

om, solemnly. "Don't spea

the startled Ric

the fun-loving Rover. "Of course they say you let the freight trai

him?" half-whispered the stationmaster. "I-I-did

ad the newspape

too stingy to buy a mo

ll find a full account in the New York Blizzard and the Philadelphia Bazoo. Your

ity newspapers say I did I'll sue 'em fer damages, that's wot I'll do. I ain't teched Ham Ludd, nor his cat, nor his dog nuther! And it was the wind ble

he started to walk away. "But they are after you, Mr. Ricks. If I was you, I'

"I ain't teched Ham, nor his cat, nor his dog, nor the fence nuther, I tell ye! I

Tom, calmly, and then started for the

on the stationmaste

ime now," put in Dick. "

ded Sam. "Let's get out-be

omobile and were soon rolling away from the

Tom, and leaped out, and ran up behind th