Edward Stratemeyer

“ They made the start with care, all the others at the homestead being present to witness the trial. The Dartaway went up slowly, with Dick in the center, at the wheel, and Sam on one side of him and Tom on the other.
"Hurrah! we are going to make it!" cried Tom, as the biplane arose like some big bird.
"It's a strain though," answered Dick. "We won't be able to fly very high nor very long." ”

“ After that but little was said, for Dick had to watch every movement of the Dartaway with care, and his hands and feet were constantly on the alert, to make whatever shift seemed necessary. Sam and Tom strained their eyes to catch sight of the enclosed touring car, which, they had learned, was painted a dark blue.
The wind kept growing stronger and stronger, coming in fitful gusts that were particularly bad for such a flying machine as the boys possessed. Once came a gust that sent them spinning far out of their course. ”

“ Let's call her the Dartaway, that is, if she really does dart away when she flies."
"All right, Tom; that's a first-class name," responded Dick. "And Dartaway she shall become, if Sam is willing. Now then, we'll fill that gasoline tank and let the engine warm up a bit. Probably it will need some adjusting."
"Can we use the same gasoline as we use in the auto?"
"Yes, on ordinary occasions. In a race you can use a higher grade, so that aviator said. But then you'll have to readjust the magneto and carburetor."
"Gracious, Dick! You're not thinking of an air race already, are you!" ”

“ And with this remark Aleck Pop hurried away to his work in the house.
"That's one on you, Tom," cried Dick, with a broad smile. "Poor Aleck! he evidently has no use for flying machines."
"Well, Dick, now the machine is together, it does look rather scary," answered Tom Rover, slowly. "I want to see that aviator try it out pretty well before I risk my neck going up."
"Oh, so do I. And we'll have to have a good many lessons in running the engine, and in steering, and all that. I begin to think running a flying machine is a good deal harder than running an auto, or a motor boat." ”

“ Over the cornfield sailed the Dartaway with Dick Rover the sole occupant. He was up about fifty feet in the air and presently he went still higher.
"He's making the turn!" cried Sam. "Just look at him coming around!"
"Here he comes back!" exclaimed Tom. "Hurrah! Who says Dick can't fly? Why, he's flying like a veteran!"
"Very good, so far," murmured Captain Colby. "If only he keeps his wits about him he'll be all right."
"Trust Dick to do that," answered Sam. "He knows what he is doing, every time." [83]
The biplane had now reached a point close to where the three stood in the field. ”

“ Soon the boys had gathered,—as jolly a crowd as could be found at Brill. Max and Spud had spread themselves, it being the German-American lad's birthday.
"Say, this is certainly fine!" cried Sam, as he surveyed several big cakes, two hands of bananas, some grapes, and several bricks of ice-cream of various flavors.
"How are you going to serve the ice-cream?" asked Dick.
"Oh, we're all prepared!" cried Spud, and exhibited a "nest" of paper saucers and another of paper plates, and then a handful of tin spoons. ”

“ But a monoplane or a bi [19] plane, 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!" ”

“ Tom was at the wheel of the touring car and, once the farm was left behind, and they were on a fairly good country road, he advanced the spark and the gasoline control until they were running at twenty-five and then thirty miles an hour.
"Now, don't get gay, Tom!" warned Dick. "This road wasn't built for racing."
"Pooh, what's thirty miles an hour!" declared the fun-loving Rover, who just then felt like "letting out." "You know this machine can make fifty and better, Dick." ”

“ Of course, as is but natural, Dick, Tom and Sam are older than when we first met them. Indeed, Dick is thinking of getting married and settling down, and with such a nice girl as Dora [vi] Stanhope, who could blame him? All of the boys are at college, finishing their education, and all are as wideawake as ever, and Tom is just as full of merriment. They have some strenuous times, and take a trip through the air that is a good deal out of the ordinary. They meet some of their old enemies, and prove that they are heroes in the best meaning of that much-abused term. ”

“ Here it was quite dark, and Dick took the lead, holding the lantern close to the ground, so that he might follow the trail he and his brothers had made on leaving the Dartaway. All were gratified to find that the wind had died down completely.
"I don't know how a run in the darkness will go," said Dick. "But we can try it. But I don't see how we are to steer."
"I've got my pocket compass with me," answered Sam. "That may help some. We know those towns are west of us. We can sail along until we see the lights and then go down and ask about the touring car." ”

“ Then Tom waved the lantern, and at the same time all three lads took hold of their pistols.
It was a runabout that was coming up, an old affair, carrying two men that looked like farmers.
"Hello, what's this, a hold-up?" cried one of the men. "By gum! if it ain't an airship!" he gasped, as his machine came to a standstill in front of the Dartaway.
"We'd like some information," said Dick, stepping forward and holding up the lantern. "We are looking for a big enclosed touring car that came this way. Did you meet it on the road?"
"A tourin' car? No, we didn't meet any kind o' an auto." ”

“ Sam and Tom had been trying out the biplane, and they pronounced everything in perfect order for a flight.
"Dick, let me run the machine over," said Sam, and the big brother agreed, for Tom had been at the wheel on a previous occasion.
The boys had no classes to attend after lunch and so got away by two o'clock.
"I trust we can see the girls," said Dick, as they started up the engine of the flying machine.
"Oh, they'll be at liberty after hours," answered Tom. "They always are." ”

“ Dick grasped the steering wheel and put his feet on the pedals.
"All ready?" asked Captain Colby.
"Yes. Let go."
"Now be careful. Take it easy,—and keep over the cornfield," said the captain. "And if you turn, make a wide circle." He thought a tumble among the corn might not be as bad as one in an open field where the ground was hard.
Those on the ground let go, and with a rush and a whirr the Dartaway sped forward over the ground. Then Dick shifted the elevation rudder, and up into the air rushed the biplane, gathering speed at every revolution of the propellers. ”

“ 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. ”

“ His son Abner is helping him around the dormitories, and I hired Abner for fifty cents a night to sleep in the shed and guard the biplane. Abner has got a shotgun, and he isn't afraid of anybody; so I reckon the Dartaway will be perfectly safe."
"Good for you, Dick!" cried Tom. "Say, I hope if anybody does try to injure the machine Abner gives him a dose of shot!" ”

“ On the ground lay various pieces of tinware, scattering over a distance of fifty feet.
"Look at that!" cried Sam. "He must have had an accident."
"Say, maybe that auto struck his wagon," exclaimed Tom.
"It looks that way," was Dick's comment.
"Shall we land and question him?"
"What's the use? We know the machine came this way. That's enough for the present. We don't want to lose a minute more than is necessary."
"Say, we were chumps that we didn't telephone ahead from Beechwood!" cried Sam. "We might have had that auto stopped when it went through Shepleytown." ”

“ I stopped my hosses and spoke to 'em, and then they up and run into the woods as fast as they could go! I looked for 'em, but I couldn't git on their track nohow."
"What can they be doing up around Hope?" murmured Sam.
"Maybe they are sweet on some of the girls," returned Tom. "I know they used to go up there, when they attended Brill."
"I hope, if they visit Hope, they don't speak to Dora and the others," said Dick, as his face clouded.
"Maybe we better warn the girls," said Sam.
"No, don't do that," said Tom. "You'd only scare them. They know Koswell and Larkspur well enough. ”

“ So it was settled that all should travel in the flying machine, and the boys at once set to work to go over the biplane carefully. The start was made an hour later, the sheriff and the hotel keeper and his wife waving them a farewell. Sam ran the biplane, and, as was to be expected, Dora sat close to Dick and Nellie close to Tom. There was no wind, only clear sunshine, and after a little nervousness, the girls began to enjoy the trip. Not a stop was made, all being too anxious to get to Hope. ”

“ He had his flag in one hand and his horn in the other, and Sam was similarly equipped.
"Of course you know the way, Dick," said the youngest Rover.
"Oh, yes, it's easy. I'll simply follow the road. But I am going up a bit," added Dick. "I don't want to scare any horses, or we may have some damage suits to settle."
"The horses will have to get used to flying machines, just as they had to get used to autos," was Sam's comment.
On and on flew the Dartaway, Dick managing the biplane as skillfully as if he was a seasoned aviator. ”

“ Tom's advice was considered good, and once more the three Rover boys hurried to the Dartaway. As there was still no wind, it was an easy matter to roll the machine along on its wheels. They found a field where the fence was down, and ran the biplane across this and in among some trees and bushes.
"Are you going to take the lantern?" asked Sam. "It seems to me it won't be wise to let them see us, at first."
"I'll take it along unlit," answered his big brother. "It may come in handy later."
"Let us get some clubs," suggested Tom. "They may come in handier than the pistols." ”

“ 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. ”

“ The train that carried Hans had rolled away, leaving Ricks and the Rovers alone on the little platform.
"Why, Mr. Ricks, what's your rush?" asked Tom, sweetly. "Going to a wedding?"
"No, I ain't going to no wedding!" grunted old Ricks. "I don't want you young fellers to git in my way, that's all." [100]
"Maybe you have to testify in that case in court," went on Tom, with a wink at his brother.
"Ain't got to testify in no court."
"Why, you're in that case—I read all about it in the papers!" cried Tom.
"Me in a case in court?" asked old Ricks, suspiciously. ”

“ The breeze had died down utterly, so Dick had little trouble in manipulating the biplane. He sent the Dartaway onward at a good rate of speed, the engine making a noise like a battery of gatling guns. More than likely many a farmer and his family were astonished at the sounds and wondered what they meant. If any saw the biplane the Rovers did not know it.
"I guess we are coming up to Fremville now," said Sam, when the distant lights of a town [243] showed on the horizon. "We'll have to look for some safe place to land, and that is not so easy in the darkness." ”