ing toadstools, Sam, you don't mean it! I don't know
where it went, it went so fast."

"Which way was it headed? Try to tell me as nearly as you can."

"It was headed over Bear Hill, near the Spring. That would about take it
over Rayville."

"Thank you, Tom; then I'll call up somebody in Rayville. Good-bye."

"Oh, say, Sam, hold on a minute. You say the machine broke away. How was
that?" Tom Bender was all curiosity.

"We were trying the engine and propellers, that's all. I'll tell you the
rest when I see you," answered the youngest Rover, and rang off. "Tom
would keep me answering questions for a year if I let him," he added, to
his brothers.

He next tried the Rayville general store, but could get no information
concerning the missing biplane. Then he tried several farmers who were
utter strangers to him but whose names were in the telephone directory.

"Airship, eh?" queried one farmer, a man named Peter Marley. "Well, we
sure did see an airship, fer it came nigh onto rippin' off the roof o'
the barn. Ef I had the feller here as was runin' it I'd give him a dose
o' buckshot! He nigh scart my wife into a fit, he did!"

"Which way did the airship go, Mr. Marley?"

"Went right over into Rocker's Woods,--over where the old saw mill used
to be."

"Did the airship come down, do you think?"

"I guess so--leas'wise she looks like she was goin' to come down. But
who was the crazy loon as was runnin' her?"

"Nobody was running the craft--she ran away on her own hook."

"By gum! Ye don't tell me! No wonder she acted so blamed crazy like! Any
reward fer her?" And the farmer's voice betrayed a sudden interest.

"I don't know--I'll find out," answered Sam, and then consulted hastily
with his brothers.

"Tell him the biplane is ours and if he will help locate it and get it
to a safe place we will pay him well for his services," said Dick.

"When can we go to Rayville?"

"First thing in the morning. There's a good road, and we can make the
sixteen miles in the auto in no time."

"All right," said Sam, and told Peter Marley of what had been said. The
farmer agreed to remain around his house until they arrived and then do
all in his power to help locate the _Dartaway_.

"Dick, do you think you'll be able to take that trip?" questioned
Randolph Rover. "Hadn't you better remain behind? I can go with Tom and
Sam if necessary."

"Oh, I'll be all right in the morning," was the reply.

"But you've got to let me and