announced his complete surrender to the same mysterious source of
excitement that had mastered Nat. Of course this needed an
explanation; and accordingly Frank and Elephant dashed off, with
Colonel Josiah stumping along close behind; and even Larry, leaving his
cooking dinner, to come after them, still clinging to Frank's gun.

CHAPTER XII

SANDY DROPS SOMETHING

"Whoop! now, what d'ye think of that?" shouted Elephant, as soon as he
turned the corner of the shed.

"Percy shies his hat in the ring! Another man-bird come to keep the
pot boiling! Now, will you be good, Frank? Look at it eat up
distance, will you? Say, that's going some, I tell you!" Larry
exclaimed.

"Percy deserves credit for staying up about all night to assemble the
parts of his new biplane, and that's a fact!" Frank candidly admitted;
as with kindling eyes he watched the progress of the new wonder that
marked the latest achievement in the line of aviation, as advanced by a
well-known brand of builders.

His whole heart and soul were wrapped up in the strange calling that
seemed to be his birthright; so that he could even admire the clever
work of a bitter rival, and applaud his successful evolutions.

Over the treetops the biplane had arisen. Frank instantly remembered
how they had seen Percy starting aloft on his initial flight with his
old machine, the one later on seized by the natives of Colombia, and
which might still be doing duty down in that South American republic,
for aught they knew.

Apparently the young pilot of the new aircraft was filled with
exultation over his successful start. He sent the biplane swiftly
around in eccentric circles, as though testing its ability in various
lines. Now he shot upward as if intending to mount like an eagle in
gigantic circles until among the fleecy clouds that floated overhead.
Then he would volplane downward at dazzling speed, to resume a
horizontal flight when close to the earth.

The boys watched as though fascinated. When a particularly daring act
turned out to be a success Frank was the first to clap his hands
vigorously.

Possibly those in the aeroplane might not hear the applause; but
whether or no, it proved what the boys of Bloomsbury had always known,
and this was that Frank Bird did not have a mean or jealous fibre in
his whole body. He could thoroughly enjoy seeing a rival perform
brilliant "stunts;" and the only effect was to spur him on to excelling.

"Percy i