The aircraft boys of Lakeport

When the boys got home they had a great deal to tell, and it can be imagined with what interest the others listened to the recital. As late as it was Mr. Westmore and Joe went over to consult with Mr. Rush. Harry went along, and Mr. Darrow and Link, who lived close by, also dropped in.

“I am inclined to think that Joe has reasoned this thing correctly,” said Mr. Westmore. “And if he has, Mason and Chase are in league to swindle Andrew Akers out of his property. But how are we to prove it?”

“That’s just the point,” responded Mr. Rush. “It seems to me, what is needed is a first-class lawyer, and maybe a detective.”

“I don’t think Mr. Akers wants a lawyer, or a detective, either,” put in Link. “He is down on professional people of all kinds. Why, he didn’t even want a doctor, when he should have had one.”

“Well, a man like Mr. Akers doesn’t always know what is best for him,” replied Mr. Westmore, bluntly.

“Perhaps you and Mr. Rush had better go and see him,” suggested Mr. Darrow. “I’d go, only I know next to nothing about legal matters.”

“I am willing to do that,” said Horace Westmore. “What do you say?” and he turned to the hardware dealer.

“I’ll go to-morrow morning, if you say so.” And so it was arranged.

Of course the two boys had to tell all about the visit to the fairgrounds and the flight taken by the hydro-aeroplane. What they had to tell made Harry and Link very enthusiastic.

“That must be safe flying, when you’re over the water,” was the comment of the carpenter’s son. “If you feel yourself falling you can float anyway.”

“I’d like to have an air-and-water machine myself,” said Harry.

The next day Mr. Westmore received an extra consignment of goods from the city and he had to take care of these, so the trip to Cresco was postponed until the following Monday. In the meantime, on Saturday, the boys got out the biplane once more, and James Slosson appeared to give them further instructions in manipulating the machine.

“It’s your turn to go up, Joe,” said Bart. “Hope you enjoy yourself.”

“I’ll try to,” answered the older Westmore boy, with a grin.

As before, the biplane was carefully inspected from end to end, Slosson making the boys do this while he looked on and occasionally gave them a word of advice. Then the engine was given a tryout, and the flying machine was rolled to the center of the field bordering Pine Lake.

“Are you ready?” asked the aviator of Joe, as he took his own place at the wheel.

“Sure,” was the answer, and Joe leaped into the extra seat. It must be admitted that his heart beat rather fast, but he was not going to let anybody know his real feelings.

A small crowd had collected and there was a cheer as the biplane went up with a rush, carrying the man and the boy with it. The Skylark was headed directly out on the lake, and as he looked down Joe saw Si Voup and Ike Boardman, with two strangers, in the Voup motor boat. Si was talking earnestly to the two strangers, and motioning to the flying machine.

But just then, Joe gave scant attention to anything but the trip in which he was participating. Up and up shot the Skylark, the engine making such a noise that conversation between those aboard was out of the question. But Joe did not want to talk; he was quite content to hold on tight and watch the scene around him, and also watch Slosson and learn how he worked the various controls.

At first Joe was a bit dizzy-headed, and the thought rushed through his brain that he would be like Bart, content in the future to do his traveling on land and water instead of through the air. But then his head grew clearer, his nerve came back to him, and before he had been up three minutes he was himself again and watching his instructor closely.

Over the lake flew the biplane and then skirted the opposite shore for the best part of a mile. Then they came back over the water, sailing directly above one of the small lake steamers. There was a crowd on the craft and all cheered lustily, and many ladies and girls waved their handkerchiefs. Then the Skylark cut a figure eight directly over Lakeport, and finally landed in the field from which the flight had started.

“Great! Immense!” cried Harry, as all rushed up to the biplane.

“You were up twelve minutes,” added Bart, who had been timing them. “That is the longest yet.”

“We could have remained up much longer, had we wished,” answered James Slosson. “How did you like it?” he asked, of his passenger.

“It was all right,” replied Joe. “I felt a bit funny at first, but after that I enjoyed it. You seemed to manage the machine easily enough.”

“That’s because there is very little breeze,” returned the aviator. “It is an ideal day for flying.”

“Can’t we take some more trips?” pleaded Harry. “I’d like to go up again.”

James Slosson was willing, and in the end he took up not only Harry, but likewise Fred and Link. Bart had to go off on an errand, and he was glad of it, for, as said before, flying did not particularly appeal to the big youth. On these trips the aviator gave the lads much additional instruction, so that when at last the biplane was taken back to the Darrow carpenter shop the boys felt that they were almost competent to fly by themselves.

“But you’ll want a few more lessons,” said James Slosson. “This is something in which it pays to make haste slowly.”

“Did you see Si and Ike in the motor boat?” asked Harry, after the aviator had left. “They had two men with them and all were very much interested in the Skylark.”

“The men were strangers here,” put in Link. “I asked several people who they were, but nobody seemed to know.”

On Sunday Joe and his chums attended church and Sunday school and then went for a walk up the lake road. They had seen Si Voup going towards the docks earlier in the day, and presently they heard the put-put of his motor boat on the lake. Looking through the bushes they beheld Si and Ike in the craft and also the two men who had been with them the day previous.

“Well, one thing is certain,” remarked Harry. “They are very thick with those men, whoever they are.”

“They may be relatives of Si or Ike,” suggested Fred.

“Perhaps, but I doubt it,” answered Link.

“There they go, up the lake,” cried Bart, a moment later. “Say, Si must be crowding his boat! Just see ’em go!”

“Maybe they are in a hurry to get somewhere,” said Matt, who was along. “Perhaps those men belong in Brookside, or up to Smith’s Cove.”

“Maybe they are flying machine men,” exclaimed Fred, suddenly.

“Flying machine men?” queried several of the others.

“Yes. It would be just like Si to get some of those chaps to come here and see our aircraft and then buy something better.”

“Humph! Where would he get the money, Fred?” questioned Harry. “Flying machines cost a good deal.”

“Well, so do motor boats, but Mr. Voup bought one for Si, didn’t he?”

“I think he’d draw the line on a flying machine, though,” was Joe’s comment. “Still, there is no telling what Si will do—or try to do. You can make up your mind he is green with envy over our having the Skylark.”

“If Si wants a flying machine he’ll bother his folks until he gets one,” said Fred. “That’s his way. And he’s got a good chance now, to my way of thinking,” he added.

“Why a good chance now?” asked Link.

“I heard my father talking about some land deal in which Mr. Voup was interested. It seems the deal went through a couple of days ago and the Voups and Boardmans both made quite a pile of money. That being so, Mr. Voup won’t mind spending something extra on Si—and Mr. Boardman will be the same for Ike.”

“All right—let ’em get a flying machine!” cried Link. “Then we can have some races.”

“And I’ll be the stakeholder!” exclaimed the humorous Matt. “Come now, step up and plank down ten thousand dollars and a big red apple each. Whoop!” And in his exuberance of spirits he ran forward on the road and turned several “cart wheels.”

The boys walked almost to Brookside. They talked about so many things, and so earnestly, that they did not notice the clouding over of the sky until the sun was hidden, causing it to become quite dark on the tree-lined roadway.

“Hello, what’s this?” cried Harry, looking up. “I declare, I think we are going to have a storm!”

“If it is going to rain we had better get under shelter!” returned the carpenter’s son. He had on his “Sunday best” and did not wish to have the suit of clothing spoiled.

“Where shall we go?” asked Fred, who was wearing a new cap.

“We’d better turn back,” said Joe. “Maybe we can get home before it rains very hard.”

They began to retrace their steps. The clouds increased, and presently came a rush of wind through the woods.

“Come on!” shouted Harry. “I’d hate to be caught out here!”

He set off on a run and the others followed. Thus they covered the greater part of half a mile. Then Bart began to puff.

“I—can’t—keep—this up much lon—longer!” he gasped.

“Sa—same here!” panted the stout Fred. “I’m out of wi—wind!”

The two boys dropped into a walk, and not wishing to leave them behind, the others did the same. The wind was rushing through the woods, and now and then came a whirlwind of dust along the dry dirt road. Then came a pattering on the leaves.

“Here’s the rain!” cried Matt. “Drops as big as your hand, too!”

They were not quite as large as that, but they were big enough, and soon there was such a steady downpour that the boys were glad enough to leave the roadway and seek the shelter of the trees. Hardly had they done this when they heard the sounds of a motor engine coming closer.

“Must be an auto!” cried Joe. “Maybe we can get a ride back.”

“It’s coming the other way,” answered his brother; and a few seconds later a touring car hove into sight. The top was up, and the front seat was occupied by a man wearing a dust coat and low-drawn cap.

“Well, I never!” ejaculated Fred, after the turnout had passed at a speed of at least twenty-five miles an hour. “Did you see those men, Joe?”

“I thought I recognized Thomas Mason,” was the reply.

“Exactly; and that Lamar Chase was with him!”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive,” returned the stout lad.

“What can they have been doing in Lakeport?” mused Harry.

“Oh, they may have gone there on business,” answered Link.

“Perhaps they came to see father,” put in Harry. “Maybe they want to know more about that stock certificate affair.”

“Would they come on Sunday?” asked Bart.

“Humph! I guess, to a man like Mason, Sunday is of no more account than any other day,” remarked Fred.

“Well, we’ll find out when we get home,” said Joe.

“Where can they be going now?” continued Fred. “This isn’t the road to Springfield.”

“Oh, they can turn off at Brookside,” answered Matt. “But maybe they are going up the lake.”

“They might be going to see Andrew Akers!” exclaimed Harry. “This is the road to Cresco!”

“That’s true, Harry,” answered his brother, seriously. “Well, we can’t stop them, even if we wanted to. Come on, let us try to find some shelter, before we get wet to the skin.”