r former chums at
Putnam Hall. He had heard about the Rover boys and some of their doings,
and willingly told them all they wanted to know.

The boys went home with their minds full of flying machines, and as the
Rovers were all well-to-do, and as the three lads had in the past proved
capable of taking care of themselves, it was not a very difficult matter
for them to persuade their father to let them buy a biplane. Then,
through Captain Colby, they learned where the flying machine could be
obtained, and the very next day bought the affair and had it shipped to
the farm, and also arranged with the aviator to visit them and give them
a number of lessons.

"We've got three weeks before we have to go back to college," Tom had
said. "If we are quick to learn we can have lots of fun in that time."

"Yes, and if we do learn, perhaps we can take the biplane to college
with us and astonish some of the students and the faculty," Dick had
added.

"That's the talk!" cried the youngest Rover. "We'll take it along!"

That morning Sam had gone off on an errand as already mentioned. Then
Dick and Tom had gotten out the flying machine and started up the engine
and the propellers. The ropes holding the biplane had broken or torn
loose from the ground, and now the machine had gone off with a wild
swoop, hurling poor Dick flat on his back and injuring him, how
seriously was still to be learned.

CHAPTER III

SAM BRINGS NEWS

As Tom ran over to his brother's side he could not help but give a
glance at the flying machine, which was rising higher and higher in the
air, with a noise from the engine that sounded like a battery of gattling
guns in action.

"Hi! hi! Wot's that?" came in a startled voice from the other side of
the barn, and Jack Ness, the Rovers hired man, came running into view.
"By gum, if them boys ain't gone an' flew without waitin' fer that man
to show 'em! Who's doin' it? I don't see nobuddy." And the hired man
blinked in amazement at the sight before him. "Is Sam in there?"

"Nobody is in the machine," answered Tom, who was kneeling beside his
brother. "Oh, gracious! Look at that!" he exclaimed.

"There goes the chimbley!" roared Jack Ness, as the biplane swooped just
high enough to clear the roof of the Rover homestead. One of the wheels
underneath struck a chimney a glancing blow, hurling the bricks in all
directions. As they came clattering down, from the house out ran Mrs.
Rover, followed by her h