Part 4 (1/2)

But thank goodness, these things must all have an end, and Bud heaved a sigh of profound thanksgiving when finally he saw signs of dawn appear through the open window.

”Day's coming on, and we're all on deck with nothing gone wrong!” he observed loud enough for the others to hear him. This chanced to be one of Bud's ways of informing his chums that he thought it high time they turned out for ”reveille.”

As there was no use in trying to sleep any longer with the anxious Bud on deck, since this was to be looked upon as his particular day, Hugh and Ralph followed the other's example, and were soon hustling out to wash in water that nearly froze their fingers it was so cold.

The sun was nearing the horizon, and from all indications it promised to be just such a day as the one before had proved; which fact delighted Bud immensely.

”Because,” he explained after giving an exhibition of a Highland Fling to allow some of his pent-up enthusiasm to escape, ”this is the day a Morgan is going to win fame or else make the grandest foozle you ever saw.”

CHAPTER V

THE ”FOOL-PROOF” AEROPLANE

”That was a good breakfast, all right, but I'm glad it's over,” Bud remarked some time later.

Ralph, of course, did not exactly understand what this meant, but Hugh knew. He was in the confidence of the young inventor far enough to appreciate his eagerness to be at work. He knew what had brought Bud all the way up to this lonely spot, in order that none of the town boys might spy upon him while trying out his latest wonderful invention.

Truth to tell, Bud had taken a most intense interest in aviation of late. Everything that bore upon the subject fascinated the boy, and he dreamed of making the name of Morgan famous through some remarkable invention connected with the work of the daring airmen.

He had confessed to Hugh in strict confidence that he had managed to fas.h.i.+on a little model aeroplane that he believed to be uncapsizable.

Many more mature minds than that of Bud Morgan had been wrestling with this important question for years, because it was pretty generally understood that when this condition had been really attained, the sport of aviation would advance with great bounds. Make navigating the upper air currents practically safe, and thousands would take up flying just as they had the driving of automobiles when the road racers had been perfected as they are to-day.

The huge packages which the two scouts had staggered under during their weary hike from the road where the accommodating farmer had dropped them, really contained the said model. It was not of very large size, and the little engine which was to drive it really weighed as much as the rest of the thing; but Bud declared that it would answer all his purposes, and prove whether he had been wasting his time and spending money uselessly of late or not.

Once the breakfast had been disposed of, Bud was trembling with eagerness to get started. He could not understand why the others should delay so, when time was slipping away.

Presently they left the cabin, closing the door behind them. All of the blankets, as well as their food supplies, had been left inside, and they did not want any wandering wild animal like a 'c.o.o.n or a fox to make way with the latter during their absence at the proving grounds. It was this same caution that urged Hugh to cover up the aperture through which they had obtained fresh air during the night just past, and which went by the name of a window.

The open field which Bud had once before mentioned as the very place for the trial spins with his aeroplane model was not very far distant.

The man who had originally started to make a farm away up here had diligently cut down trees for a s.p.a.ce of several acres. He had also grubbed the ground so thoroughly that it had remained clear all these years, save for an annual crop of gra.s.s, now withered and dead.

”If we can help any, Bud, just tell us what to do,” Hugh said to the inventor, after the three boys had come to a halt on the border of this open s.p.a.ce.

”That's the kind of talk I like to hear, Hugh,” the other replied, looking up with a smile on his anxious face. ”Just wait till I get these covers off, and then you'll see what I've been doing all these months when some of the fellows were kidding me on being a regular old book worm and not wanting to come out and play even football with them. It was the hardest kind of work, but if she even goes a little, I'll think it wasn't time wasted. All I want is encouragement; I've got the bull-dog grit to carry it on all right.”

”I reckon you have, Bud,” was the only comment Hugh made; and he ought to know, because Bud was a member of the Wolf patrol and the leader had watched him work many a time as though there were no such word as ”fail” in his lexicon.

So Bud busied himself in undoing stout cords and opening both bundles.

When Hugh saw the nature of the load he had been packing up the side of Stormberg Mountain, he shook his head and laughed.

”What did you think I was, Bud, a mule, or a Chinese porter used to carrying as much as half a ton on his back?” he demanded. ”Why, that engine would have given me a bad scare if I'd seen it beforehand.

And I toted that all the way up here from the road, did I? Well, anyway, I've earned the right to boast after this. A motor is no light load, I don't care how small it may be. Don't you agree with me, Ralph?”

Ralph was chuckling to himself, seemingly much amused.

”I should say yes,” he replied; ”and I don't wonder you complained of feeling a touch of pain in the muscles of your back last night, Hugh.

But really the load Bud took himself was larger and just about as heavy as yours, you see.”