actual
command.

"Why? Why should we stay out of it?" demanded Roy.

"The mayor of the town has asked us to take part," came from Jimsy;
"what have you got to do with it?"

"It's this way," said the man in rather a less overbearing way than he
had hitherto adopted; "we're going about the country giving flights. The
city gives us the park in this town and we get so much of the receipts.
But we rely on winning the prizes, see. Now if you kids butt in, why
you might win some of them and that knocks my profit out. Get me?"

"I understand you, if that's what you mean," rejoined Roy; "but I still
fail to see why we should not compete if we want to."

The man placed his hand on the boy's shoulder impressively.

"'Cos if you do it'll make trouble for you, sonny."

"Who'll make it?" flashed back Roy indignantly.

"I will, son, and I'm some trouble maker when I start anything along
them lines, take it from me."

He turned on his heel, stuck his cigar at a more acute angle in the side
of his mouth, and strode off, leaving the two boys dumfounded.

"Well, what do you make of that?" demanded Roy, as soon as his
astonishment had subsided a trifle.

"Just this, that Mr. Lish Kelly thinks he can run this thing to suit
himself."

"What will we do about it?"

"For my part I wanted to compete before. I desire to more than ever
now."

"Same here."

"Maybe he was only bluffing after all."

"Maybe; but just the same I wouldn't trust him not to try to do us some
harm. As he says, his main profits come from winning the prizes offered
by the different communities."

"Humph! well, so far as that goes, I don't see why that need keep us out
of it."

"Nor I; but we've had troubles enough, and I don't want willingly to run
into any more."

"Nor I. Well, let's sleep on it. We'll decide in the morning."

"That's a good idea."

The two lads went up to bed and slept as only healthy lads can. The next
morning dawned bright and clear. There was hardly any wind. It was real
"flying" weather. The aeroplanes had been sheltered in a big shed
belonging to the hotel. Before breakfast the boys went out and looked
them over. All were in good shape.

As they were coming out of the shed they were hailed by no less a
personage than Mayor Hanks.

"Well," said he, "are you going to fly?"

"We think of doing so," said Roy, hesitating a little. He wanted to
speak of the conduct of Lish Kelly, but on second thought he decided not
to; the