we'll have an hour's flight; how will that suit you?" he said.

The boys were too much excited to know what to say in reply. Tom walked around the machine, observing every part of the control plane and the wires, then mounted the chassis, and with a wrench unscrewed the base of the machine gun.

"Here, boys; we'll take this off for the afternoon;[Pg 43] it'll give you more room. There, take hold of it at both ends, and carry it into the hangar," he said, as he handed down the weapon.

[Pg 43]

"Gee! but that weighs something!" said Ralph.

"Close to eighty pounds, I should say," observed Tom.

"Where shall we sit?" asked Alfred.

"You can easily crowd into the hole in front," said Tom. "Now don't get frightened and jump out; I can bring you down easier than that. If it seems to turn over, don't mind. That's part of the game."

The Morane was equipped with a self-starter, but three attendants were on hand to hold the machine. They took their places and Tom turned on the switch. Whir-r-r-r-r,—they felt the tremor of the machine. Soon Tom's hand was raised and came down with a swift motion. They felt the machine slowly gain headway, and then it seemed to spring forward with huge leaps. At first they could feel the oscillating motion of the wheels, and as the speed increased there was less jar until finally there was no further vertical movement, and they no longer felt the wheels traveling over the ground.

"We're up!" shouted Ralph in excitement, as he turned to Tom. The latter evidently knew what Ralph meant, even though the noise of the motor prevented him from hearing, for he merely smiled, and shook his head.

Alfred leaned over the side of the body, and gazed at the wheels, and as he did so something[Pg 44] seemed to push the seat of the aeroplane upwardly. He quickly turned toward Tom and smiled. They were in the air. How glorious it seemed to Ralph and Alfred at that moment. The feeling was an indescribable one; they were now going up rapidly; ahead was a tall pylon, which seemed to be directly in their way.

[Pg 44]

Ralph seized Alfred's arm, and pointed toward it, their eyes being intently fixed on the square flag which flew above the mast, but the machine seemed to whiz by it like a streak. After 

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