try, thousands of miles from home," remarked Frank,
after a while.

"Huh! seems to me there would be something doing if you happened to run
across Puss Carberry at the other side of the world," declared Andy.

The race kept up for some time, neither seeming to gain to any
appreciable extent. Of course both boys were keyed up to a state of
intense nervousness. Passing through the air at this fearful speed fully
five hundred feet above the ground was surely enough to excite them. One
little accident and they would hardly know enough to give a single shout
of horror before the end must rush upon them. And yet Frank appeared as
cool as though sitting beside a camp fire, laying out some contemplated
air cruise on paper.

Andy was full of complaints.

"Aw, now, whatever do you suppose those measly old insurrectos want to
chase us for in this style?" he growled. "We're attending to our private
business and not bothering them one little bit. Why don't they leave a
fellow alone? Goodness knows we've just got trouble enough on our hands
without this."

"I don't know," said Frank, reflectively, "but I reckon they either want
our monoplane or else believe we're in the employ of the government, and
have been sent up here to spy on their movements. Anyhow, it seems plain
that they mean to make a big effort to get us."

"Which they won't, if we know it!" cried Andy. "But see here, Frank,
that chap is nervy, all right, going up with Puss and standing all this
racket. A tenderfoot is generally rattled even with a slow flight. He
seems to be holding out."

"I've been thinking about that," replied his chum. "And Andy, it looks
to me as if that fellow must know something about aviation. If I could
only glimpse him through the glasses I'd soon tell, for he'd show it by
the way he sits there alongside Puss. A new beginner would be hugging
the upright for dear life, and showing all the signs of fear."

"Yes, I know, because I did that same," answered Andy, once again
raising the binoculars as he twisted his head around.

"How is it?" asked Frank.

"Not much signs of fright about him, as far as I can see," came the
ready reply.

"Then make up your mind he's been up in an aeroplane before. Perhaps
he's some French or German, who has thrown his fortunes in with the man
who wants to sit in the presidential chair at Bogota, and in his own
country he must have seen something of aviation. Oh, well, it doesn't
make much difference to us