s saw that they might get away again without a
great amount of trouble.

"Fine!" was the comment of the pilot, as he jumped to the ground, and
bent over to detach some part of the machinery without which the motor,
as Andy always said, "would not move worth a cent." This he often took
with him, just as a chauffeur might the spark plug of an automobile,
rendering it helpless unless the would-be thief were prepared to supply
the deficiency off-hand, which was a remote possibility that never
worried Frank.

"Now for grub!" announced the hungry Andy, leading off in the direction
where he had reason to believe the farmhouse lay; Frank always declared
that Andy had a most wonderful nose for a meal that was preparing, and
could spot a camp a mile away just by the smell of frying onions, or
coffee cooking.

At any rate he proved to be a successful pilot on the present occasion,
for in a short time they were passing through an abandoned grain field
where the bees and butterflies were swarming about the many lavender
colored flowers of the great clumps of thistles; and the smoke from the
farmhouse kitchen arose just over a little knoll.

"Told you so," said Andy, as they drew near the house, and caught
fragrant odors of cooking in the air.

Upon their knocking a girl came to the open door, and recognized Frank
immediately as a boy she had met at the country dance the preceding
winter. But nothing she said would indicate that the Hoskins, living
here away from the world as they did, with the head of the house
spending all his time hunting for that treasure-trove he still believed
in, had heard anything to speak of about the wonderful things the Bird
boys had been doing lately.

Frank was glad of this, and he just casually mentioned that they
chanced to find themselves near the farm, and wondered if they could get
dinner there.

So the good housewife was brought out, and with true country hospitality
she immediately invited both boys to sit down with them, although saying
that they were not as well supplied with the good things that used to be
seen on their table before father took to boring those horrid holes all
over the place, thinking to strike a coal vein, or perhaps a silver
mine.

He was off now, and would not show up until night, for the farm was one
of vast dimensions, and covered miles of territory.

"But we have a boarder," said Sallie, as they sat down at the table.
"Sometimes he's here to meals, and again h