The Rover Boys in the Air | Page 4

beyond. Then Tom ran back and
procured some stakes, several ropes, and a hammer, and soon he had
the biplane staked fast to the ground, after the manner of a small circus
tent.
"Now she can't break loose, even if you do start the engine and the
propellers," said he, as he surveyed his work. "Go ahead, Dick, and turn
on the juice!" he cried impatiently.
Dick Rover was just as anxious to see the engine work, and after
another critical inspection he turned on the battery and then walked to
one of the propellers.
"We'll have to start the engine by turning these," he said.
"All right!" cried Tom, catching hold of the other wooden blades.
"Now then, all ready? Heave ahoy, my hearty!" he added, in sailor
fashion.
Four times were the wooden blades "turned over" and still the engine
refused to respond. It was hard work, and both of the lads perspired
freely, for it was a hot day in early September.
"Got that spark connected all right?" panted Tom, as he stopped to
catch his breath.
"Yes," was the reply, after Dick had made an inspection. "The engine is
cold, that's all."
"Humph, well I'm not! But come on, let us give her another twist."
The brothers took hold again, and, at a word from Dick, each gave the
wooden paddles of the propellers a vigorous turn. There came a sudden

hiss, followed by a crack and a bang, and then off the engine started
with the loudness of a gattling gun.
"Hurrah! she's started!" yelled Tom, triumphantly. "Say, but she makes
some noise, doesn't she?" he added.
"I should say yes. That's because airship engines don't have mufflers,
like autos," yelled back Dick, to make himself heard above the
explosions.
"And see those propellers go around!" went on Tom, in deep
admiration. "All you can see is a whirr! We sure have a dandy engine
in this craft, Dick!"
"Looks so, doesn't it?" returned Dick, also in admiration. "I reckon the
Dartaway will give a good account of herself, when she is properly
handled. Now, I had better stop the propellers, I guess," he added,
moving toward the front of the biplane to do so.
"Yes! yes! stop em!" yelled Tom, suddenly. "Hurry up, Dick! See how
she is straining to break the ropes! Say, she wants to go up!"
Dick was startled and with good reason. Even while his brother was
speaking there came a sudden snap, and one of the ropes flew apart.
Then up out of the ground came the stake holding another rope. The big
biplane, thus released on one side, slewed around, and Tom was
knocked flat. Then came another snap and two more ropes flew apart.
"She's going! stop her!" screamed Tom, from where he lay, and the
next moment he saw Dick struck full in the face by the machine. Down
went the youth backwards, and as he fell, with a rush and a roar, the
biplane sped over the level ground for a distance of two hundred feet
and then went sailing into the air, headed almost point blank for the
Rover homestead, less than fifty rods away!
CHAPTER II
SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS

"Oh, Dick, are you hurt?"
The cry came from Tom, as he turned over on the ground and struggled
to his feet. He had seen his brother hurled backwards, and he saw that
Dick made no move to arise. He had been struck in the head, and blood
was flowing from a wound over his left ear.
"Oh, maybe he's killed!" gasped poor Tom, and then, for the moment
he forgot all about the flying machine, that was rushing so madly
through the air towards the Rover homestead. He hurried to his
brother's side, at the same time calling for others to come to his
assistance.
To my old readers the lads already mentioned will need no introduction.
For the benefit of others let me state that the Rover boys were three in
number, Dick being the oldest, fun-loving Tom coming next, and
sturdy Sam being the youngest. They were the sons of Anderson Rover,
a widower, and when at home, as at present, lived with their father and
their Uncle Randolph and Aunt Martha at a pleasant place known as
Valley Brook farm, in New York state.
While their father was in Africa on a mission of importance, the three
boys had been sent by their uncle to boarding school, as related in the
first volume of this series, entitled, "The Rover Boys at School." The
place was Putnam Hall Military Academy, and there the lads had made
many friends and also a few enemies.
From school the boys had made a short trip on the ocean, and then
another trip into the