The Air Mystery of Isle La Motte

e impact. She wobbled, side-slipped, twisted and dipped with the strength of the storm beating her mercilessly every inch of the way, and the gale at her tail spun her forward like a leaf

and after a resounding crash of thunder, the sky was split in a thousand ways by flashes of forked lightning. Quickly he nosed her down, eyes on the directional compass, but keeping their course was out of the question. They were being blown miles out of the way and he hoped they would

raft was almost rolled over. In Jim's mind was a vision of Champlain and he debated the advisability of shifting the landing gears from the floats to the wheels, but he decided to keep the former in place. He knew so little about the country, and where it was safe

help?" was the questio

t I don't know where to go down. I

will be hitting our side of the island. During a storm like this, boats hav

The prospect wasn'

hickly wooded sections. The boy saw small houses, their windows lighted as if it were late at night. Low growing things, vines and shrubs were bent to the ground. The trees bowed and groaned in the throes of the storm. Some of the branches, unable to withstand the strain, were being ripp

t to bring Her Highness to face the storm. Feeding the engine all she could carry he battled to get south, but it was a hard struggle, like shoving against an immovable

islands near

les long. If you can head into the southern point of our cove, that is protecte

Do these storms

come and go in less than an hour, an

anything more. Another flash of light gave them a brief glimpse of the world but they seemed to be fa

he wh

a series of flashes, and Mr. Fenton mana

f way across the lake," he volunteered.

ank

on the waves and hoped hard that none of them would cripple Her Highness when she dropped down. Another prayer he sent up fervently was that the space was wide enough fo

tened that she could hardly speak. Her face showed white in th

elle," her husband answered quickly as

d up in the back seat like a jack in the

e storm coming and they said that you had started. It-it's been just

Belle, but otherw

ld all be kille

sured her again. "Need

hat Mrs. Fenton was getting out dry garments for them, and a cheery blaze crackled in the wide fireplace, while from the kitchen came the welcome fragrance of the evening meal. They grinned appreciatively at each other and climbed to their own room

!" Bob exclaimed, hardly able to b

e back from Burlington in the teeth o

were all drowned. And, I was afraid to leave the switch connected because I was sure the house would be struck by lightning. My, it wasn't a dream-not here anyway. Goodness, such a storm. I thought the house would be

her husband served the rest of the meal. Mr. Fenton did not seem to have suffered any fr

hift landing gear was invented by an Englishman, but the rest is pure American," Bob smiled, then took suc

shave," Ji

How do you like air-tr

lly I think that I never, in all my Life, went so far and back in so short a time. We alw

ened during the

ou made with those controls, why, I just naturally couldn't go on being a coward. It does not seem to me that Bob is over-stating the facts

o go up

o use horses and oxen, and my grandfather did all his traveling, that is, any distance, on the lake-steamers. Sometimes it took

d those old boys ever get anywhe

r primitive methods, Bob, but they d

his eyes. He fully expected that Mrs. Fenton would promptly decline such an invitation, b

uess if you all think it's so fine, I can live through it. After I have the-er-joyous-I mean joyride, I'll write and

and so are you. We'll bind you hand and foot, and put weigh

d Mrs. Fenton didn't s

take a jump and we have a grand flock of them this fall, but it doesn't look now as if

ng after that rain," Jim remarked as he reca

ok, but I expect the place is flooded way abov

k so much? Norman, you are not paying a bit of atte

t my tummy is beginning to feel mighty

. You may roll over on the floor and kick

lle said hastily. "The very idea. Is that wh

n't stand that

't go so well there either," Jim added

ts did they give

ce," Jim

on four subjects to shake them of

people in it, I mean some of them, who make it unple

y as he swallowed the bite of cherry pie. "

hat because you are not at home now and y

the location yesterday afternoon, b

ld! Wher

your fair form in the red bathing s

ur pieces and two glasses-cream on top. Come along-t

nd if you helped they might think I do not want them

ate even if we could put it into a c

he was married right here in the parlor. I can remember it just as if it was yesterday, then the pair of them drove away in the t

oys co

s s

n the run-off toward the lake, and everywhere the place was strewn with leaves and branches that had been broken. The Rural Free Delivery Box was leaning wearily against a maple, as if the struggle to keep upright had been altogether too much. The th

he ditch he had showed them earlier in the day. It was full to the top with water which was running off as hard a

gave a little grun

king all right, doesn

engineer here to dry up that section and he couldn't accomplish a thing. Said the only way was to ditch it to the lake, then fill in the hole, use a lot of lime,

sort of wizard. He's bewi

omething about

ind our own business around here. They seem to be honest and

ves, but we thought it would be fun to get acquainted

s uncle speaks fairly well. He seems upstanding. There isn't an

's willing to have us. Know

ha

traight, clear-eyed, and sort of fine. He seems like that, only maybe

ian. Maybe he's like they used to be a long time ago befor

ery hard workers, not farmers I mean. It would be queer for o

ey never got much chance to show what they might do." Just then Corso cam

as he motioned towar

s not look very strong. Why not have one of the men help him in what he is doing? I can get a chap who wi

e so excellen

l have him here

he Englis

s you give him." Mr. Fenton was glad that Corso agreed to the plan for as the work

ess before it gets too late," J

ing to the boy, he grinned. "So lo

repeated, "so