them," begged Jess.

"All right. Look what I've let us in for!"

"Why--why--good gracious, Roy, you've got us down for everything,"
gasped Peggy.

"That's right, all the way across from soup to nuts," struck in the
slangy Jimsy.

They all laughed. The color rose in the girls' faces.

"If only we can win some of them," cried Jess.

"Well, the machines are all in fine shape. If we don't win it will be
because the other fellows have better machines."

"Where are the aviation grounds?" inquired Bess.

"At the City Park, about a mile out of town to the south. We can get to
it by looking down at the trolley tracks," said Roy, who had consulted
the mayor on this point.

"Then you are going to fly out there?" asked Miss Prescott, who was also
by this time a party to the conference.

"Of course; and, by the way, we ought to be getting out there pretty
soon; I want to be looking over the grounds and selecting the best
places for landing and so on," said Roy.

"Well, please don't get into any more scrapes," sighed Miss Prescott;
"what with gipsies, firebugs and rams, our trip has been quite exciting
enough for me."

The boys exchanged glances. If the man Kelly tried to carry out his
threats things might be more exciting yet, they thought. But both kept
their knowledge to themselves.

It was arranged that Miss Prescott should motor out to the City Park.
Soon thereafter the young aviators placed finishing touches on their
machines, and while a curious crowd gathered they took to the air.

"Looks just like a flock of pigeons," said a man in the crowd, as they
climbed skyward quite closely bunched.

"It sure does," agreed his companion, "but them things is prettier than
any flock of pigeons I ever see."

And this opinion was echoed by many of the throng. At any rate everyone
who saw the aeroplanes start made up his or her mind to pay a visit to
the park and see some more extended flights, so that Mayor Hanks'
prediction was verified.

As the young aviators hovered above City Park for a short space of time,
and then dropped earthward, a veritable sensation was created. From a
row of "hangars" mechanicians and aviators came running. One or two
aviators who were aloft practicing "stunts," dropped swiftly to earth.
Lish Kelly's troupe was a large one, consisting of five men and one
woman flyer, the wife of Carlos Le Roy, a Cuban aviator.

Outside the grounds several of the frugal individuals who desired to see
the