he trouble he wants to handle without
adding any to it."

He looked at the prisoner, perhaps with a touch of feeling. At any
rate, to the surprise of them all, Jules actually smiled, and made a
declaration that proved he had been using his eyes and ears since
coming among the campers.

"I just want to say right here, Chief, that I was a fool to bother
about these boys. I got what I deserved. I should have left them
alone. And mark me, that if ever I have the luck to escape again never
will I turn one hand to injure them. Now take me to your old lockup.
I want to sleep."

So they took him to the car, and that was the very last the Bird boys
ever saw of Jules Garrone, once a well-known French aviator, until he
fell into evil ways. No doubt he was returned to the penitentiary,
where he would have to serve an additional length of time because of
his flight.

Of course the talk for an hour or more was all about the recent
adventure. But in due course of time Andy began to get uneasy.

"We're losing a fine chance for a spin, Frank!" he grumbled, glancing
up at the sky, across which here and there clouds were slowly moving,
but with no indication of coming trouble.

"Well, do you know," smiled the other, immediately, "I was just
thinking that same thing myself. Suppose we do hitch up, and take a
drive in our aerial go-cart, Andy. There are a heap of little things
I'd like to experiment on before that race comes off with Percy."

"All right. And the sooner we start the better," Andy flashed back.
"What d'ye say to going all over the course this morning? It would
only be the right thing; and when rowing clubs train for a race they
always study the course foot by foot, so as to learn the currents, the
hidden rocks, and the chances for head winds. Will you take me up on
that, Frank?"

"If you mean that we head across to Hazenhurst, and interview that
liberty pole Percy lays so much stress on, I'm willing. Then again, I
want to try for height while we're about it. We don't know just what
this biplane can do, or how it'll act when a mile or so up."

"Huh! I didn't see anything the matter when we landed on top of the
peak," remarked Andy. "Sure she was all to the good then. Frank,
honest Injun now, I'm more in love with this outfit than I ever was
with our first one. I can see possibilities about a biplane that a
monoplane never can own."

"Wait," said Frank, "the proof of the pudding is in the eating.