ching a point where he could see the open, and
ascertain if his worst fears were going to be realized.

CHAPTER XI

A NEW ALARM

The next two minutes seemed an eternity to Frank, spinning rapidly
along on his trusty wheel as he was. He wanted to know the worst, and
yet dreaded to pass beyond the trees where the field would be in full
sight; because it would be distressing if he discovered the shop and
hangars blazing, and everything gone.

Still, Frank was not the one to shirk bad tidings. And consequently he
increased his speed all that was possible.

"Bully!"

Such was the exclamation that involuntarily burst from his dry lips
when, having burst from behind the barrier, he had a clear view of the
field. For the shed was there as intact as ever, and also the two
hangars sheltering the aeroplanes. Some distance back, far enough
removed to avoid any danger to the gasoline in the storage houses, Andy
was tending a bonfire; while the other boys seemed to be carrying
shavings and trash thither in bags and baskets.

Old Colonel Josiah Whympers was bobbing and bustling around on his
crutch, and seemingly bossing the "whole shooting-match," as Frank
laughingly said to himself.

Of course he saw now what Andy had been doing. For some time the other
had threatened to clear the shop of all the accumulated rubbish of the
winter; and the notion must have seized him just after Frank left for
town.

"Hello! back again, are you, Frank?" laughed his cousin, as the rider
dropped off his wheel close to the bonfire. "Cleaning house, you see.
Threatened to do this a long time back; and as we have to sleep in the
shop now, thought I might as well get at it. But what's that you've
brought along, Frank? My goodness, your gun! Now, what sort of game
do you expect to get with that thing?"

"Don't know," returned Frank, grimly. "Might be Jules Garrone for all
I can say!"

At that Andy dropped the long stick with which he had been pushing the
trash into the heart of the blaze, and stared at the other as though
stunned.

"Didn't I know you had something on your mind though?" he muttered.
"See here, Frank, ain't I in on this thing too? What d'ye know about
Jules Garrone? Ain't he fixed tight in the stone jug? I'm not from
Missouri, but all the same I want to know!"

"So say we all of us," remarked Larry, who had come up while they were
indulging in these few remarks, and was able to give a good guess as to
the