ange, let us
know by all means."

"You can depend on it, I will," replied Peter Marley.

"And now to see if that really was the biplane!" cried Tom, when the
party was once more on horseback. "Let us try to forget old Crabtree and
Sobber. One trouble at a time is enough. If that was the flying machine,
I hope she isn't damaged much," he added, wistfully, for he had hoped to
get a good deal of sport out of sailing the _Dartaway_.

"Well, if that was the biplane, she must have landed in the river, and
that would break the shock some," said Sam, hopefully.

"Yes, especially if she came down on a slant," added Dick. "Maybe she
struck the water and scaled along like a clamshell."

Along the river they proceeded for quite a distance and then came to
the spot that the farmer said was the ford.

"Not so very shallow either," was Dick's comment. "Mr. Marley, are you
sure of the footing?"

"Yes, I've been across any number of times," was the answer. "I'll lead
the way. Be careful, fer the rocks is slippery an' if a hoss goes down
he might give ye a nasty tumble."

And then Peter Marley urged his steed into the river and one by one the
Rover boys followed him.

CHAPTER VII

THE RUNAWAY HORSES

In the middle of the river the ford was so deep that the water almost
touched the feet of the riders. But fortunately the current was
sluggish, so the horses managed to keep their footing. They were allowed
to take their own time, so it took several minutes to gain the opposite
shore.

"Well, I'm glad we are out of that," was Tom's comment, as they reached
a trail on the other bank.

"We'll have to endure it again, to get back," said Sam. "And what about
the biplane?"

"Just wait till we find the machine first," answered Dick, with a faint
smile. "You know the old saying, 'Don't count your chickens----'"

"Before they are fried," finished Tom, with a grin. "You see, somebody
might lift them from the henroost before you had a chance to cook them,"
he went on soberly.

"By gum! thet ain't no joke nuther!" burst in Peter Marley. "Many a
chicken I've lost through tramps an' wuthless niggers."

[Illustration: "THERE SHE IS!" BURST FROM TOM'S LIPS.--_Page_ 63. _Rover
Boys in the Air._]

They had to go around several walls of rocks and through a tangle of
brushwood, and then came to a small clearing where was located the
remains of a wood-cutter's hut. Not far beyond was the locality where
they had seen the object t