"They're off!"

"Hurrah!"

"There they go!"

These and hundreds of other cries and exclamations followed the report
of the starting gun. The Cuban woman flyer was off first, then came two
other of the professional flyers, while Roy and Peggy got away last.

The race was to be sixty miles out to a small body of water called Lake
Loon and return. A trolley line ran past the aviation grounds and out to
the lake. For the guidance of the flyers a car with a huge American flag
flying from it blazed a trail below them, as it were.

Roy's craft gained a slight lead on the _Golden Butterfly_ and two of
the Kelly flyers were soon passed by both the boy and his sister. But
the professional woman flyer still maintained her lead. Second came
another of Lish Kelly's aviators in a blue machine. This was Ben
Speedwell, who enjoyed quite a reputation as a skillful and daring air
driver.

The flyers had all struck a level about 1,500 feet in the air. There was
a light head wind, but not enough to deter any of the powerfully engined
craft. Glancing back for an instant Roy saw one of the contesting
aviators dropping to earth. His companion soon followed.

"Overheated engines probably," thought the boy; "I must be careful the
same thing doesn't happen to me going at this pace."

Suddenly another aeroplane loomed up beside him. It was the _Golden
Butterfly_.

"Good for you, sis!" cried Roy, as Peggy, waving her hand, roared past.
In another minute she had shot past Speedwell, but the leader, the woman
flyer, was still some distance ahead, and appeared to steadily maintain
the lead she had.

At last Lake Loon came into view. It was a more or less shallow body
of water with a small island in the middle of it. As they neared it
Speedwell and Roy were flying almost abreast, with Speedwell just a
shade in the lead.

Suddenly Speedwell made a spurt and shot ahead of the _Dragon_. At a
distance of half a mile from Roy, who was now last, Speedwell was above
the lake.

Peggy and the woman flyer had already turned and were on their way back,
with the latter still in the lead. Roy was watching Speedwell intently.

He saw the man bank his machine to take the curve in order to round the
lake. An appalling climax followed.

"He's turned too sharp. He'll never make it," exclaimed Roy, holding
his breath.

The aeroplane swayed madly. Then began a fierce fight on Speedwell's
part to settle it on an even keel. But skillful as he was he