ying out their new hydroplane.

Tommy's mother managed to thank the rescuer, after a fashion; but Andy
was a modest lad, and made light of his recent adventure.

"Don't mention it, fellows," he laughed when Larry and Elephant started
to lavish praise on his head. "I'm thinking of sending in an
application to become a member of the Life Saving Corps on the Great
Lakes, you know. And this was just the finest chance ever to try how
things worked. Besides, some day Frank and myself may have to take a
header from an aeroplane, and it's just as well to know how to drop."

"Well, all I can say is, that you did it as well as any expert,"
observed the occupant of the tonneau, who had given the name of Mr.
Marsh.

Andy looked at him, noticing for the first time that strangers were
present.

"Thank you, sir," he said, blushing a trifle, for he was as yet hardly
accustomed to praise, and quite unspoiled. "But there comes Frank with
the machine. Did you see us rise from the lake, fellows?"

"Did we?" exclaimed Elephant, with his face beaming; "well, I should
smile we did now. It was the greatest stunt ever. I thought at first,
Andy, something had happened to your new biplane; but these gentlemen
knew all about such things, and they explained to us what you meant to
do."

Andy at this stole another side glance at the occupants of the big
touring car. Noticing this, Mr. Marsh hastened to remark:

"Well, that is putting it rather strong, my boy. We've been interested
in several aviation meets during the last year, and keep posted as to
what is new along those lines. Plenty of people know about
hydroplanes, and such things. And so this represents the last thing in
your work, does it? I must say you are a credit to your teacher,
whoever he may be."

Frank, who had landed close by, heard these words, as possibly the
gentleman intended he should. But he was too much interested in other
matters to pay any particular attention to the flattery of passing
tourists.

"How did Tommy come out of the accident?" he asked.

"All right, I guess," laughed Andy Bird, his cousin. "His ma has
carried him off into the house, to fill him up with cake, or bread and
molasses. He didn't swallow more than a pint of water."

"Lucky Tommy!" observed Mr. Marsh.

"You made the drop in fine shape, Andy," Frank went on, still keeping
his face turned toward his chum, as though not really caring to enter
into conversation with these unk