Part 18 (2/2)

So they moved silently across the soft sod, the far busily to Bill The two children and the three dogs ran and frolicked in the rear Froazed out, still suspicious They had alotten to chew their cuds!

The roly-poly fars and corn pone and jaood things besides, including crealass Bill thought he would never get enough to eat, and even Frank consuh for two boys As soon as the o and lie down on Webby's bed Frank was given the narrow horsehair sofa in the stuffy parlor, but Ernest knew that Bill must sleep in an airy room, and the parlor had not been opened since the war of '60 to judge by the musty closeness of it

Ernest himself was in too much pain to rest so he sat and talked aviation with the farmer for a few minutes and then they went down to the lot to take a look at the machine The farmer's wife had stacked her dishes and was there before them

Not even his mother was allowed inside the scratch by the iuard beside thethe proudest oaded on by that fateful landing, had gained the highest rung of fame's ladder, his triumph was little compared to that clear sunset tiuard over the wonder-car that had coers scarcely older than hied forward, but Webby sternly drove therowls froer line and look and handle and if possible go off with a bit of wire or string or what not, as a keepsake But Webby was ada day with three boys who insisted on fighting hilance at the plane assured Ernest that everything was exactly as he had left it He thanked Webby and asked hiht

”Druther fly,” said Webby pro toward the car

”I can't fly it myself now,” said Ernest, ”but when the other boy coive you a little turn If we had time, we could stay here for a day or so This is the finest field for landing that I have seen in a long tireat hurry, and all we can do for you to-night is to give you a short spin”

When Bill came down, his eyes heavy with sleep, he found Webby restlessly pacing up and down before the car, and a silent, attentive crowd of natives waiting to see as going to happen Webby's parents did not know enough about aviation to feel any fear for their son, and watched with unspeakable delight as Ernest with his one arm and Bill with his two sound ones, pulled the plane around to face the wind, settled Webby in his seat and started the engine

”Don't go round, and keep over the field if you can,” whispered Ernest in Bill's ear

”Aren't you going up?” asked Bill

”No use; you can ht,” said Ernest, ”and I will stay here and keep an eye on Frank He needs watching He would lose himself in the swamp for a cent He is in a bad state of mind I hope he is, too Perhaps he will come to realize what he has done”

”I hope so,” said Bill ”Can't we leave as soon as I give that kid a turn? I want to get along It see around here an ahile”

”Land over by the bars if you can,” said Ernest ”It will be fun to see this outfit scaasoline tank”

”All right,” replied Bill, tuning up the engine He ski the field while a wild, shrill shout went up from the observers They co up and down and tossing their hats in exciteround and sailed shting the second time was much easier than the first He had lost what little aardness he had had in the beginning, and the machine moved with a smooth freedom He wished that he had eyes in the back of his head so he could see Webby But if he _had_ seen Webby, he would not have laughed Webby, watching the old fah he had suddenly become a creature of some finer, rarer place When Webby told about it next day, he said, ”I felt like I was a chicken just hatched fu,” but Webby said that because words were hard things and difficult to handle He really thought of angels and reaton the other side of the field as Ernest had suggested, and he and Webby sat in the car and laughed as the audience streaked across to them Webby shook just a little when he stood once more on solid earth, and he was more silent than ever But when Ernest came up he said in a low tone: ”Say, ain't there books about this here?”

”What you want is a azine,” said Ernest, ”and I will send you mine as soon as I have read it”

”Every tiood!”

”That's all right,” said Ernest, ”only take one piece of advice The flying will keep Just you _keep on going to school_ You will need all sorts of learning, especially ers!” boasted the boy

”That's good,” said Ernest, shaking his hand ”Now, good-bye I have left my address with your mother If you rite azine”

They said good-bye to the kindly faras, settled Frank in his seat, and arose just as a great white moon showed itself over the trees

Once ood luck they would reach their destination early the following day Bill was tired, deadly tired; but he thought of the pain Ernestfroed determination He had never been up after dark, and the sensation was a new one He was glad to have Ernest beside him As they rose, a couple of enorles or buzzards; he did not know enough of the country to be able to tell which He was conscious of a feeling of dizziness and fatigue Everything he had ever heard about side slipping, tail spins, nose dives--in fact, all the accidents that rueso to show its luht direction As he looked down, he coer to the many levers and knobs before him He knew them all, knew the, slipping away from him He could not remember what they were for

He felt rather than saw Ernestair, he plunged into a dense bank of cloud The thought flashed over hihted space, he would not be able to right it again As they passed once ed into a bath of liquid silver Thein the sky huge and pale If the old, the moon silvered the whole plane space about the Bill shi+vered His clutch on the wheel loosened and the engine coughed twice