The Rover Boys in the Air | Page 6

getting the lady at the time to bring a
good share of the treasure with her under the impression that it was to
be invested by her friends. The lady was carried off to an island in
Casco Bay, off the coast of Maine, and thither the Rover boys and
some others followed them. There was a good deal of excitement; but
in the end the lady was rescued and the treasure brought back. An effort
was made to capture Tad Sobber and Josiah Crabtree, but the two
evildoers managed to get away.

The home-coming of the boys with Mrs. Stanhope had been a time of
great rejoicing. Dora had embraced Dick over and over again for what
he had done for her mother, and Nellie and Grace had not been
backward in complimenting Tom and Sam on their good work. There
had been a general jubilee which had lasted several days.
"Splendid work, boys, splendid work!" Anderson Rover had said. "I am
proud of you!"
"Better work than the authorities could do," had come from Uncle
Randolph.
"Now that treasure had better be placed where no outsider can get his
hands on it," Mr. Rover had added. And soon after that it was put in the
strong box of a safe deposit company, there to remain until it could be
properly invested.
At Brill College the Rover boys had fallen in with a number of fine
fellows, including Stanley Browne and a German-American student
named Max Spangler. They had also encountered some others, among
whom were Dudd Flockley, Jerry Koswell and Bart Larkspur. Led by
Koswell, who was a thoroughly bad egg, the three last-named students
had tried to get the Rover boys into trouble, and had succeeded. But
they overreached themselves and were exposed, and in sheer fright
Koswell and Larkspur ran away and refused to return. Dudd Flockley
was repentant and was given another chance.
While on the hunt for Mrs. Stanhope, the Rovers had fallen in with
Koswell and Larkspur. But instead of getting aid from the pair, the
latter did what they could to help old Crabtree and Sobber. This
brought on a fight, and Koswell and Larkspur received a thrashing they
would long remember. The former college students might have been
arrested, but, like Crabtree and Sobber, they kept out of sight.
"They are sure a bunch of bad ones," had been Dick Rover's comment,
when referring to Crabtree, Sobber, Koswell and Larkspur. "I wish they
were all in jail."

"I reckon we all wish that," had been Sam Rover's reply. "It's an awful
shame that we didn't capture at least one of 'em."
"Well, we might have caught old Crabtree and Sobber if we hadn't
broken the engine of the motor-boat," put in Tom.
"Well, the engine was broken in a good cause," came from Dick. And
he spoke the truth, as my old readers well know.
Following the home-coming of the boys, and the general jubilee, our
heroes had settled down to enjoy themselves before going back to Brill.
They had intended to take it easy on the farm, but when a great aviation
meet was advertised to take place at the county seat they could not
resist the temptation to be present.
At this meet there were five flying machines,--three biplanes, a
monoplane, and a dirigible balloon. All made good records, and the
Rover boys became wildly enthusiastic over what they saw.
"Say, this suits me right down to the ground!" cried Tom.
"What fun a fellow could have if he had a flying machine and knew
how to run it!" had come from Sam.
"Exactly--if he knew how to run it," had been Dick's words. "But if he
didn't know--well, he might have a nasty tumble, that's all."
"Pooh, Dick! If those fellows can run these machines, so can we," had
been Tom's confident words.
"We know all about autos and motor-boats," Sam had put in.
"That's true, Sam. But a monoplane or a biplane, or any kind of an
aeroplane, isn't an auto or a motor-boat."
"Are you afraid?" demanded Tom.
"Oh, no! Only if we got a flying machine we'd have to be careful about
what we tried to do."

"Hurrah! It's settled!" cried Tom, who went headlong into everything.
"We'll get a machine to-morrow! How much do they cost?"
"I don't know--several thousand dollars, I fancy," answered his elder
brother.
"Boiled umbrellas, Dick! As much as that?"
"I think so."
"Why look at some of 'em," declared Sam. "Nothing but bamboo poles
and a few wires, and canvas,--and the engine!"
"Yes, but the poles, wires and canvas have to be put together just right,
Sam, and those engines are as powerful as they are light. And then
don't forget the propellers, and the steering outfit, and the other things."
"Come