ents was very cold these
days, and secured to this were goggles to protect the eyes, so that they
would not water and dim the vision of the aviator at just a critical
instant when they needed clear sight. Then they also wore warm colored
mackinaw jackets, so that altogether Felix had reason to be startled
when two such "sights" suddenly entered the barn. Why, even the gentle
cows showed evidence of nervousness, and came near upsetting the milk
buckets.

"Hello, Mr. Quackenboss!" called out Andy, cheerfully; "we're the Bird
boys, and we've dropped in on you without an invitation. The fact is, we
had a little trouble with our aeroplane, and landed in your field. How
much rent will you charge us, Mr. Quackenboss; to let our machine lie
there over night? It needs a little fixing which we can't do until
morning."

Of course Andy was joking when he said this, and the farmer knew it as
well as anything. He laughed as he came around out of the stall and
offered his rough hand to each of the boys.

"How are you, Andy and Frank Bird?" he said, hearty. "Say, you did give
us a little start when we first saw you. D'ye know what I thought boys?
Why, I was just reading in the county paper about how the bank up at
Jasper was robbed by two men last week. It told how they had their faces
hid back of red handkerchiefs, just like they always do out West, you
know. And first thing I sighted you two, my heart nigh about jumped up
in my mought, because I thought them yeggs had dropped around to see if
I'd collected my monthly milk accounts in town. And about leavin' your
aeroplane in my field, why, there's little that I wouldn't do for the
son of the man who saved my Billie, when everybody said he'd never get
well again."

"We thought you might let us show Felix here where the aeroplane lies,
and that we could arrange with him to kind of keep an eye on it tonight.
Of course, there isn't one chance in a thousand that anything'd happen
to injure it; but then that machine represents a heap of hard work, and
considerable money besides, so we don't care to take chances with it.

"Sure he can, just as well as not, eh, Felix? Suppose you go out right
now, and I'll finish the milking. In the morning I want to take a look
at that contraption myself. I've seen you boys sailing around more'n a
little, but never got close up to examine the aeroplane. Well, I guess
all the money going couldn't tempt me to go with one of you. Skip along,
Felix, now."