o after an altitude record for amateurs we'll make sure to
have warmer clothes along, eh, Andy?"

"We sure will," remarked that worthy, shivering at the recollection;
and yet it was a hot July day; almost sweltering, in fact, where they
now stood.

Larry stepped over to the biplane, and bending down, glanced at the
little instrument intended for recording the extreme height reached
during a flight. It could be set over again simply enough when the key
was used to unlock the frame; this particular arrangement having been
adopted in order that during a contest there could be no possible
tampering with the barographs, the several keys to which would remain
in the possession of the judges.

"Hey! that's going some," Larry immediately called out. "Ten thousand
seven hundred feet is sure high, according to my notions. I don't
wonder you found it slightly chilly. I've never been half that far up
in all my life; and I've seen some big mountains, too. What's the
record, Frank?"

"To tell the truth," the other replied, "I don't exactly know. The
last I saw recorded it was about fifteen thousand feet; but hardly a
week passes without some new man forging to the front, and putting up
another win."

"Anything doing here while we were gone?" asked Andy, carelessly.

"Lots," replied Larry, with a knowing grin.

"Suppose you open up then, and tell us about it. Been having visitors?"

"How smart some people can be, eh, Elephant? Hits it the very first
guess," and Larry winked at his chum as he said this, purposely keeping
Andy on the anxious seat.

"Perhaps you've been butting up against some sort of bulldog, too?"
suggested the other, quickly.

"No such good luck, because the girls have kept away from here,"
replied Larry.

"Then it was Percy?" Andy persisted.

Larry only shook his head in the negative; while Elephant took occasion
to remark:

"We saw him cutting all sorts of figures in the air with his new
biplane. And say, don't you forget it, Percy is some pilot. He sure
did skim around to beat the band. You ain't going to have any
walkover, Frank."

"I understand that, Elephant," replied the other, soberly. "And I'm
the last one underrate a rival. Percy is just as good as I am in this
business. His weakness lies in his spirit of recklessness; and giving
way to temper when things seem to be going against him. He may beat
me; but he'll have to do his level best."

"But looky here," Andy broke in.