e had you them times, didn't he?"

"You shet up, Ham Ludd!" roared the stationmaster. "Don't you say
another word!"

"I'll say all I please! An' you'll put up that fence, too, or I'll have
the law on ye!" retorted Ham Ludd; and then went on his way.

"Hang them Rover boys anyway!" muttered old Ricks, as he gritted his
teeth. "I'll be glad when they go off to college ag'in. Wish they would
stay away!" And he went about his work.

"Ricks and Ludd will have it in for each other from now on," remarked
Dick, as he and his brothers got into the automobile to go home.

"Yes, and he'll have it in for us--me especially," returned Tom, with a
broad grin. "Never mind; I can stand it," he added, carelessly.
Troubles, past or to come, never set heavily on that fun-loving youth's
shoulders.

The boys had given the biplane one trial in carrying two passengers,
Dick and Sam going up together while Captain Colby was present. On the
day following the departure of Hans, they rearranged the seats on the
_Dartaway_ and got ready to go up three strong, provided the biplane
would carry the load.

"I know she will do it if we get a more powerful engine," said Dick.

"Then we'll get the engine," returned Sam.

They made the start with care, all the others at the homestead being
present to witness the trial. The _Dartaway_ went up slowly, with Dick
in the center, at the wheel, and Sam on one side of him and Tom on the
other.

"Hurrah! we are going to make it!" cried Tom, as the biplane arose like
some big bird.

"It's a strain though," answered Dick. "We won't be able to fly very
high nor very long."

"But it's great to be up together!" murmured Sam.

They flew for nearly ten minutes, making wide circles and a big figure
eight. They went over the house and the barn, and in plain sight of
several surrounding farms, men, women and children coming out to look
at them. Once more the Rover boys were the talk of the whole
country-side.

"Ain't nothing they can't do," said one of the farmers living near. "If
they tackle a thing it's plumb bound to go through, every time!"

"It's because they are so full of grit and push," answered his wife.
"Wish our Jed was like 'em," she added, wistfully.

"Jed ain't never had no chanct, Mirandy."

"Boys like them Rovers make their own chances, Silas," she retorted.

That evening it was Tom who made a proposal that met with instant
approval from his brothers.

"Let's go to the college in the