The Aeroplane Boys Flight / Or, A Hydroplane Roundup

n minute

en, and that it had been some other sound he had heard when

of a man or boy was seen to quickly clamber over, dropping in the field.

: "Percy and Sandy thought they might need help in their little game of smashing our machine, or carrying it off somewhere, so as to give us a bad scare; and I reckon they'

with the toe of his shoe n

he farm hand, possibly thinking

was a constant succession of squeaks and groans; so that the chances of Felix being heard when he spoke i

coming across the pasture

p the situation at once, and only muttering the on

ed to where moving figures could just be

whispered th

our," replie

cause the promised circus would be a double-ring affair, in

lay there wat

ly to avoid being seen from the direction of the farmhouse, the roof of whi

the bank thieves, keeping their identity secret-they all seemed to have handkerchiefs tied across their faces, and kept

and not men; and it was an easy task for him

sket that had been used in the Civil war, and which, muzzleloader that it was, had probably brought down many a plu

n shotgun, an old model when compared with the up-to-date hammer

t would seem as though they richly deserved to be punctured with a few

hand promise to fire up in the air also because he was afraid lest Felix allow

lane lay now, and the critical moment had undoub

whispered, in the

the farm hand

three! Bl

t have rammed a tremendous charge, for it made a report like unto the

f the triggers of his double-barrel, so that the report

. And as they turned to dash wildly away and that second shot came, they became madly excited, evid

to their feet again, to resume their flight toward the fence, which doubtless seem

hich the farm hand made bold to snatch it out of his hands, and aiming directly at the place where the

small shot contained in the shells with which the Marlin had been loaded must h

hey could be heard running along the hard road, and excha

and came dashing along past the farmhouse, though those in it be

elix had done, but apparently nobody had been seriously hurt; and on the whole, the f

the hydroplane expected any, after the prompt measures that had bee

til sleep almost overpowered him, when

e and Felix could both go in to breakfast. Indeed, he released the farm hand long before that time, so that he might go abou

aken place; so that he was surprised when told how the enemy had come afte

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 fel

he 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 op

l, and Andy was quite satisfied w

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

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 tha

t," remarked the farmer, with a smile, "and it's lucky he done the milkin' already, or else th

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

n 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 underne

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 ever saw. Some time I hope to give you a chan

"I know my Bob as far as I can see

that his cousin seemed to be strangely in a hurry for him. He wondered whether anyth

boss farm. Hitching the horse to a post, he started toward the spot in the big field wh

ock together at the workshop; but as he drew nearer, his

ere, Andy?" he called out,

s in the air and nearly frightened them to death. Felix grabbed the double-barrel I had, and gave them a last shot when they were climbing the fence over there

nd cast a pleased glance over the flying machine that l

was?" demanded An

ause they didn't find our new machine there, and wanted to show their spite. And nobody in your house knew a thing about it till I came along, after a

e telling me, Frank," said the othe