galloped up from the ford. "Good
enough!"

"Now what's the next move?" asked Sam, who was at his brother's heels.

"We'll let the horses pull the whole concern up into the meadow,"
answered Dick. And as soon as Peter Marley arrived this was done, and
then the biplane was unfastened from the raft and rolled still further
inland, to a level, grassy field belonging to a farm of the vicinity.

The boys were anxious to learn if the engine of the flying machine was
in running order, and all set to work at once, drying and cleaning the
parts. Fortunately the gasoline tank had remained airtight. While Tom
looked over the spark plugs and Sam tried the oil feed, Dick adjusted
the carburetor and magneto.

"Now I guess we can try it," said the eldest Rover boy, at last. "But
we'll tie her down first," he added, with a grin.

"Yes, and good and hard this time," added Tom.

"Rope her to the raft," suggested Sam. "And drive a few stakes in the
ground, too," and this was done.

It was a wonder that none of the propeller blades had been broken, yet
such was a fact. They were scratched and nicked, but a coat of varnish
would soon remedy all that.

Dick turned on the spark, adjusted the gasoline feed, and then he and
Tom took hold of the propeller blades. Half a dozen turns proved
unavailing and the boys looked glumly at each other. Had the engine been
damaged after all?

"Give her another," said Dick, and this was done. Then the engine
suddenly responded, and there followed those gatling-gun like explosions
that set the horses to prancing wildly.

"Hi! hi! let up with thet racket!" yelled Peter Marley. "If ye don't
them hosses will run away!"

"All right, I'll stop her and you can take the horses up into the
field," answered Dick.

He sprang to the front of the biplane to stop the engine, but ere he
could do so one of the horses broke away and galloped madly away in the
direction of the woods. Then another followed.

"There they go!" bawled the farmer, lustily. "Stop 'em!"

Sam and Tom leaped to do as bidden. But they were too late, and so was
Peter Marley. Across the field dashed the horses, badly frightened by
the noise, and in a few seconds they disappeared into the timber.

"Well, by gum! Now what's to be did?" asked the farmer helplessly.

"Let's go after 'em!" answered Tom, running for the horse he had ridden.
"We ought to be able to catch them, Mr. Marley. Dick and Sam can stay
here."

"All right, we'll try i