The Aeroplane Boys Flight | Page 3

Andy. "I know him pretty
well; and I guess you do too, because your father brought his little boy
around when everybody thought he didn't have a single chance to get
well. I don't believe we'll have any trouble getting Felix Boggs to look
after our machine tonight, Frank."
They quickly reached the door of the barn and could hear the steady fall
of the streams of milk passing into the buckets as the farmer and his
hired hand pursued the regular business of the evening.

As the two boys entered, the half grown boy started up with an
exclamation of alarm, for of course both Andy and Frank looked rather
queer. Each of them had on a white woolen hood that fitted close to
head and shoulders, for the air in the upper currents was very cold these
days, and secured to this were goggles to protect the eyes, so that they
would not water and dim the vision of the aviator at just a critical
instant when they needed clear sight. Then they also wore warm
colored mackinaw jackets, so that altogether Felix had reason to be
startled when two such "sights" suddenly entered the barn. Why, even
the gentle cows showed evidence of nervousness, and came near
upsetting the milk buckets.
"Hello, Mr. Quackenboss!" called out Andy, cheerfully; "we're the Bird
boys, and we've dropped in on you without an invitation. The fact is,
we had a little trouble with our aeroplane, and landed in your field.
How much rent will you charge us, Mr. Quackenboss; to let our
machine lie there over night? It needs a little fixing which we can't do
until morning."
Of course Andy was joking when he said this, and the farmer knew it as
well as anything. He laughed as he came around out of the stall and
offered his rough hand to each of the boys.
"How are you, Andy and Frank Bird?" he said, hearty. "Say, you did
give us a little start when we first saw you. D'ye know what I thought
boys? Why, I was just reading in the county paper about how the bank
up at Jasper was robbed by two men last week. It told how they had
their faces hid back of red handkerchiefs, just like they always do out
West, you know. And first thing I sighted you two, my heart nigh about
jumped up in my mought, because I thought them yeggs had dropped
around to see if I'd collected my monthly milk accounts in town. And
about leavin' your aeroplane in my field, why, there's little that I
wouldn't do for the son of the man who saved my Billie, when
everybody said he'd never get well again."
"We thought you might let us show Felix here where the aeroplane lies,
and that we could arrange with him to kind of keep an eye on it tonight.
Of course, there isn't one chance in a thousand that anything'd happen

to injure it; but then that machine represents a heap of hard work, and
considerable money besides, so we don't care to take chances with it.
"Sure he can, just as well as not, eh, Felix? Suppose you go out right
now, and I'll finish the milking. In the morning I want to take a look at
that contraption myself. I've seen you boys sailing around more'n a
little, but never got close up to examine the aeroplane. Well, I guess all
the money going couldn't tempt me to go with one of you. Skip along,
Felix, now."
And the farm hand, a heavy-set boy, eagerly fell in behind Frank and
Andy, as, after thanking Mr. Quackenboss heartily for his kindness
they passed out of the barn. Felix considered this an event in the tame
routine of farm life; and would be only too glad to stay up all night, if
necessary, in order to guard the precious aeroplane.
Once in the field, the boys explained to Felix what they wanted him to
do, and he promised not to meddle with anything connected with the
engine or the aeroplane itself.
They were passing back again toward the barns, having left their prized
possession in good shape, when Andy uttered a sudden exclamation
that told of both surprise and disgust.
"What's the matter now?" asked Frank, who had been talking with Felix,
and was hence not so wide awake as his chum.
"Just take a look over there, and see what's stopped on the road,"
remarked Andy.
"Seems to be a car, and I can see two heads raised above the top rail of
the fence, as if the people in it had sighted our aeroplane sprawled out
there in the field, and were wondering what sort of giant insect it could
be," Frank went