he found out that I was simply crazy to hear his yarns, he
used to tell me thrills, I can tell you.

"I didn't think he was such a sissy then. That crochet work looked all
right. But it was sort of funny to see him lying there showing my
mother how to make a new kind of muffler or table mat and remember how
he came by a great white scar that showed on his wrist when he stuck his
arm out."

"How did he get it?" asked Frank, all attention.

"He got that one in Africa," said Bill, taking a taste of his ice-cream.
"He and another chap had penetrated away into the jungle. They were
after a splendid specimen of--"

Bill stopped, looked at the door and attacked his ice-cream.

"Here is little Percy again," he groaned. "Frank, if I don't treat him
according to agreement, you are to kick me."

Frank turned. The African jungle faded away. There was Jardin!

He came smiling across the room and joined them.

"Hello, everybody!" he said gaily. "Getting some grub? It didn't take me
very long to get through, so I thought I would wander down the street
and see if I could run across you. Thought you might like to go to see a
movie."

"That is mighty nice of you," said Bill heartily, "but I sort of wanted
to see a little of the town this afternoon."

"I think that is a good idea," said Jardin. "We can go to see the movies
any old time. I saw my dad at the hotel and have some good news to tell
you. We are going to stay here for a couple of weeks. Dad thought that
I would make an awful kick about it, and I would if I hadn't met you
fellows, but between us we ought to be able to start something going. If
I had one of my cars here I could give you a good time, but we will have
to take a fall out of your little steamer."

"Say, that's fine!" said Frank with enthusiasm enough for two. "I will
have a chance to show you the Aviation Field, and Bill can show you the
School of Fire, and there are some dandy fellows over at New Post and up
at Old Post too."

"I would like to see them, especially the Aviation part," said Jardin.
"I might get some pointers about flying my plane. It will be done before
long,--in a couple of months anyway. I worked hard enough for that car,"
he chuckled. "I thought up every kind of mischief you ever heard of and
then some, and tried 'em all out, and all the time I kept hollering for
an airplane. I just wore dad out. He offered me everything you ever
heard of if I would stop cutting up, and at last he hit