The Aeroplane Boys Flight | Page 9

and
Andy himself found plenty to do around the machine until summoned
to the morning meal.
The farmer was a hard sleeper, and had not heard a single thing that had
taken place; so that he was surprised when told how the enemy had
come after all, and what measures the boys had taken in order to
frighten them away.
He even told Felix he could have a day off as soon as the last load of
hay was in the barn, just to show how he appreciated the bold way in
which his hired help had tickled the rascals when they were getting
over the fence. Indeed, the farmer said Andy had been too lenient, and
that if it had been his aeroplane that was threatened in that mean way,
he would have felt wholly justified in emptying both barrels of the gun
after the marauders, first giving them time to get a certain distance off,
so that no serious results might follow the discharge.
But Andy was never a vindictive lad, and he believed the fellows had

received sufficient punishment, especially as no one knew exactly what
they had meant to do in connection with the new hydroplane. Possibly
Percy only wanted to look it over at close quarters, and knowing he
would not be allowed to do so if he asked permission outright, sought
to take this opportunity. But from the way in which they had rigged
themselves out, so as to avoid being recognized, if seen, it looked as
though the four boys had something more than that in view.
However, all's well that ends well, and Andy was quite satisfied with
the way things had turned out.
"Here's hopin' a few of 'em may be limpin' 'round this same mornin',
and feelin' rayther stiff in the legs," Felix took occasion to remark, as
they sat at table, and Andy was again in danger of being foundered by
the multitude of good things which the farmer's wife spread thereon,
bacon and eggs, fried potatoes, scrapple, puffy biscuits, apple sauce,
doughnuts, cold pie, jelly, and finally heaping dishes of light pancakes,
which were to be smothered in butter and real maple syrup made on the
farm each early spring when the sap was running.
"I expect Frank will be along any minute now," Andy remarked, about
the time he had to firmly refuse a fourth helping of cakes, because he
could hardly breathe comfortably. "It wouldn't take him long to do
what little work was necessary, in our shop, which you know my old
guardian, Colonel Whympers, built for us before we found my father,
when he was marooned in that valley in South America, a prisoner for
many months, because the cliffs around prevented him from escaping.
And of course he'll gallop out here on your saddle horse, Mr.
Quackenboss."
"Well, work ain't got any call on either Felix or me until we see all that
goes on, that's flat," remarked the farmer, with a smile, "and it's lucky
he done the milkin' already, or else the cows'd have to wait long after
their usual hour, which is a bad way to treat 'em, you know."
They all went out to the field, even the housewife and little Billie
wanting to see what a real aeroplane looked like at close quarters.
Many times had all of them seen the Bird boys, and perhaps Percy

Carberry as well, soaring aloft as if the upper air currents might be their
natural heritage; but up to now they had never had the chance to
examine one of the wonderful machines, and touch the various parts
gingerly as though afraid of injuring them.
"Beats all what people are a-doing nowadays," ventured the farmer,
shaking his head with astonishment, almost awe, as he looked the thing
over. "They ain't even contented to just fly like a red-tailed hawk, or an
eagle that kin look the sun direct in the eye; but now they got to have a
contraption that's at home in the air or on the water; a hydroplane you
called, it didn't you, Andy? And them ere twin pontoons underneath,
that look kinder like gondolas, as you say, are made of aluminum, and
kin hold up the whole affair when you light on water. But tell me, how
in all creation kin you ever mount up agin, once you settle there?"
"Why that's the easiest thing of all," replied the young aviator; "you've
watched a wild duck get up many a time, haven't you, Mr.
Quackenboss; well, we do just the same, only instead of flapping our
wings, we start the engine, and skim along the surface for a little
distance, then elevate the planes, and immediately begin to soar upward.
And it does the stunt as gracefully as anything you