that Mr. Wright invented,
on this machine right now, because only for that you'd be giving me more
than a few scares when you swing from one side to the other so quickly."

A minute later, and Andy, who had been looking through the glasses,
spoke again.

"It's a little hard to cover them steadily, because they keep rising
and dipping just like we are; but I can see that little Casper Blue, and
the man alongside of him is a much larger chap."

"Of course it's Casper who's piloting the biplane?" remarked Frank.

"Yes, and he knows the ropes, let me tell you. I don't believe there are
many professional birdmen today who can go ahead of that man. I only
wish you could take a squint through here, and watch how he manipulates
the levers, in spite of that stiff arm of his. Only for that, and he'd
still be in the harness, and doing stunts that'd have Beachy left far
behind."

"Either that, or else he'd be buried," remarked Frank, drily.

"Oh! well, the less we have to say about that the better I'll feel,
Frank. If you're going in for aviation at all you've just got to forget
all about being in constant danger; though I hope I'll never get so I'll
be reckless like Perc Carberry. But Frank, sure we seem to be picking up
a little on that crowd. And from the way they keep looking back all the
while, I guess they know it too."

"Perhaps we are," Frank went on to say, "but if I really thought so I'd
cut down a peg or two in our speed."

At that Andy set up a howl; at least he voiced his objection.

"Well, that's a queer stunt for you to do, I must say, Frank. Here we
are chasing after our game, and the very first time we believe we're
gaining some, you inform me you mean to cut down our speed. Is that the
way to win the game, tell me?"

"But we don't want to come up with them while we're booming along like
this, you understand," ventured Frank, as he gently moved a lever just a
trifle; "this sort of racing is a lot different from what you'd do on
the ground down there. Suppose we did come abreast of that biplane right
now, what good would that do us? Could we put out a hand and arrest the
yeggmen? Wouldn't it be more likely that such desperate men as these
must be, would try some sort of game looking to disable our craft, and
sending us tumbling down to our death? No, excuse me from coming to
close quarters up here with such hard cases. Honest now, Andy, if they
began to circle around as if they meant to turn on us, I'd t