om Dick, each gave the
wooden paddles of the propellers a vigorous turn. There came a sudden
hiss, followed by a crack and a bang, and then off the engine started
with the loudness of a gattling gun.

"Hurrah! she's started!" yelled Tom, triumphantly. "Say, but she makes
some noise, doesn't she?" he added.

"I should say yes. That's because airship engines don't have mufflers,
like autos," yelled back Dick, to make himself heard above the
explosions.

"And see those propellers go around!" went on Tom, in deep admiration.
"All you can see is a whirr! We sure have a dandy engine in this craft,
Dick!"

"Looks so, doesn't it?" returned Dick, also in admiration. "I reckon the
_Dartaway_ will give a good account of herself, when she is properly
handled. Now, I had better stop the propellers, I guess," he added,
moving toward the front of the biplane to do so.

"Yes! yes! stop em!" yelled Tom, suddenly. "Hurry up, Dick! See how she
is straining to break the ropes! Say, she wants to go up!"

Dick was startled and with good reason. Even while his brother was
speaking there came a sudden snap, and one of the ropes flew apart. Then
up out of the ground came the stake holding another rope. The big
biplane, thus released on one side, slewed around, and Tom was knocked
flat. Then came another snap and two more ropes flew apart.

"She's going! stop her!" screamed Tom, from where he lay, and the next
moment he saw Dick struck full in the face by the machine. Down went the
youth backwards, and as he fell, with a rush and a roar, the biplane
sped over the level ground for a distance of two hundred feet and then
went sailing into the air, headed almost point blank for the Rover
homestead, less than fifty rods away!

CHAPTER II

SOMETHING ABOUT THE ROVER BOYS

"Oh, Dick, are you hurt?"

The cry came from Tom, as he turned over on the ground and struggled to
his feet. He had seen his brother hurled backwards, and he saw that Dick
made no move to arise. He had been struck in the head, and blood was
flowing from a wound over his left ear.

"Oh, maybe he's killed!" gasped poor Tom, and then, for the moment he
forgot all about the flying machine, that was rushing so madly through
the air towards the Rover homestead. He hurried to his brother's side,
at the same time calling for others to come to his assistance.

To my old readers the lads already mentioned will need no introduction.
For the benefit of others let me stat