e Rolling R, where he
remembered hungrily certain past achievements of the cook.

"Going back to your Indian tribe?" one smiling, sandy-haired fellow
called out to Johnny.

"No. I'm going to the Rolling R!" Johnny retorted unguardedly.
"Ready, Bland? Contact!"

The motor started, and Bland pulled down his cap. "His best girl lives
at the Rolling R. He's goin' to see her," he informed the sandy-haired
man as he passed him. "They're engaged." He climbed up and took his
place, tickled at the chance to hand out more "dope." The sandy-haired
one seemed tickled, too, until he saw that his ears had not been the
only ones to drink in Bland's words.

They moved hastily aside as the big plane swung round and went down the
field like a running plover. They watched it swing and come back,
taking the air easily, thrumming its high, triumphant note. They
tilted heads backward and followed it as Johnny circled, getting his
altitude. They squinted into the sun to see the plane head straight
away toward the Rolling R, its little wheels looking very much like the
tucked-up feet of some gigantic bird, until it had dwindled to the
rigid, dragon-fly outline.

"He's got nerve, that kid!" the sandy-haired one declared to his
fellows. "Didn't care a whoop for publicity--did you fellows get that?
I'd been wondering if it wasn't some frame-up, but it's on the level.
That boy couldn't frame anything."

"Not with those eyes," a sallow companion agreed. "I seem to know that
other bird. He's a crook, if I know faces."

"He's just the mechanic. He don't count. But that kid--say, I like
that kid!" And he added enthusiastically, "Great story, that stuff the
mechanic doped out for us. We'd never have pulled it out of the kid."

"I wish I could remember that bird. I ought to know him. Leaves a bad
taste in my memory, somehow. You're right--it's some story."

CHAPTER SEVEN

MERELY TWO POINTS OF VIEW

Mary V wadded a soft cushion under the nape of her neck, looked again
at Johnny sprawled in her dad's pet chair and smoking a cigarette after
a very ample meal that had been served him half-way between dinner and
supper, and stifled a sigh. Johnny was alive and well and full of
enthusiasm as ever. He had just finished telling her all the wonderful
things he could do and would do with his airplane, and the earnings he
had hopefully mentioned ran into thousands of dollars, and left a nice
marrying balance after her fath