shed everything."

"As it is, nothing seems to be much damaged," said the lieutenant. "I
wonder if we can fly back?"

"It is doubtful," the captain answered. "We'll try and get her out,
first."

As they were climbing over the pile of broken boards to get a view of
the aeroplane, an excited farmer came rushing out of a barn, a short
distance away.

"Hey, what do you fellers mean--smashing down out of the clouds,
bustin' up my pig pen, and scatterin' 'em to the four winds?" he
yelled. "I'll have th' law on you for this! I'll make you pay
damages! You killed a lot of my pigs, I reckon!"

"I don't see any dead ones," spoke the captain, calmly. "It was an
accident."

"That's what them autermobile fellers says when they run over my
chickens," snarled the unpleasant farmer. "But they has t' pay for 'em
all the same."

"And we are willing to pay you anything in reason," said the Captain.
"I don't believe we killed any of your pigs, however. But the shed was
so rotten it was ready to fall down of itself, which was a good thing
for us. How much do you want?"

"Well, I want a hundred dollars--that's what I want."

"The shed, when new, wasn't worth a quarter of that."

"I don't care!" snapped the farmer. "That's my price. Some of my pigs
may be lost for all I know, and pork's goin' t' be high this year. I
want a hundred dollars, or you don't take your old shebang offen my
premises. I'll hold it till you pay me."

The army officers looked serious at this. Clearly the farmer had a
right to damages, but a hundred dollars was excessive.

"I'll give you fifty, cash," said Dick, as he pulled out a roll of
bills. "Will that satisfy you?"

The farmer's eyes gleamed at the sight of the money. And, as Dick
looked at his companions, he caught a greedy glint in the eyes of
Lieutenant Larson.

"It's wuth a hundred; smashin' my shed, an' all the trouble you've
caused me," grumbled the farmer. "But I'll take sixty."

"No you won't. You'll take fifty or you can bring a lawsuit," replied
Dick, sharply. "I guess you know who I am. I'm Hamilton, from the
Kentfield Academy. Colonel Masterly buys some garden stuff of you, and
if I tell him--"

"Oh, shucks, give me the fifty!" cried the farmer, eagerly, as he held
out his hand for the money. "And don't you try any more tricks like
that ag'in!"

"We haven't any desire to," said Captain Grantly. "Now we'll see if we
can navigate."

"And I've got t' see if I k