their employers!"

"Whew! that takes my breath away!" gasped Andy.

"It's sure a screamer, that's what!" cried Larry.

"Frank, go up head!" said Elephant, solemnly.

Stammering Nat wanted to say something the worst kind; but being still
under the domination of his nervous excitement, he could only work his
jaws and violently nod his head; but then that stood for acclamation on
his part, and so they all understood it.

"Frank, I begin to cave already," declared Andy. "Because that would
account for the way they stared so hard at our hydroplane, and the
aluminum pontoons under the body. But we bought those from the
patentee, and have the bill of sale to show for it."

"And there isn't a single stolen idea about the machine," Frank went
on. "I've been mighty careful about that. I believe in an inventor
having full credit for his work. If ever I do happen on a valuable
device, I would want to feel that it couldn't be stolen away from me."

"Listen, boys," Larry spoke up. "That would account for something that
Mr. Marsh said when we were talking to them, before little Tommy took
our attention. As near as I can remember I'd been telling them about
your shop, and how you fellows just haunted it all winter, working on
lots of ideas. He turned to his friend, and he says, says he:
'Longley, they might be willing to let us have a little peep into that
wonderful shop of theirs, eh?'"

"Yes, that sounds interesting," remarked Frank. "Go on, Larry. What
did you say to that?"

"Oh! Elephant here took the words right out of my mouth, Frank. He up
and says: 'I wouldn't bank too much on that, mister. Both of us are
chums of the Bird boys; and if they wouldn't let us come inside their
shop all winter, I guess they ain't inviting strangers there!'"

"How did they take that?" continued Frank.

"Mr. Marsh just laughed, and asked the other man what he thought of
that. Said it was mighty interesting to run across a couple of bright
young inventors so unexpectedly; and that Wright and Curtiss ought to
know the Bird boys. Also remarked, as he winked at Longley, that you
might be induced to join the big aeroplane makers' trust that was being
talked of; but I believed he was just joshing when he said that, Frank."

"It's all in the wash, though, and mighty interesting," Frank
continued, still thoughtful.

"And you can take it from me, them gentlemen never just happened on
Bloomsbury, like they said," Elephant declare