he had meant to."

"You sure don't mean--Percy?" exclaimed Andy.

"Oh! no, I didn't have him in mind," laughed Frank.

"Not that he wouldn't be guilty of such meanness if the chance
came--you know that fellow isn't above anything!" declared Andy,
vigorously.

"Well, just at present I can imagine that Percy and his crony Sandy
Hollingshead, are using up every minute of their precious time
assembling the parts of their new aeroplane. Consequently, Andy,
neither of them would be apt to wander away up here, miles from
Bloomsbury, and carrying a rifle."

"Guess you're right," grumbled the other, as if loth to entirely give
up the idea that had flashed into his mind. "But it strikes me, Frank,
after this, when we're out for a spin, we ought to give that region of
the old charcoal burner's shack a wide berth. It spells trouble for
the Bird boys."

"Oh! I don't know; perhaps the trouble may later on be all in store
for the fellow who held that gun. But look up, Andy; we're getting
along toward the peak at a gay old pace. Say, what do you think of the
biplane now?"

"She's a peach, that's what!" burst out Andy, impulsively. "I thought
the little Bug was the whole thing, and then some; but honestly, Frank,
she wasn't in the same class as this new machine."

"And yet," Frank laughed, "remember that with her we beat Percy and his
biplane, manufactured by one of the best firms in the market. That
ought to be glory enough for the Bird boys. Now, get ready for your
part in the landing; because, you know the plateau isn't extra big on
Old Thunder Top."

"I see our old friends, the white-headed eagles soaring around. D'ye
think they'll tackle us again, like they did last year?" Andy asked.

"Oh! I hope that by now they've grown used to us, and consider that
we've got just as much right up here as they ever had. Besides, we
gave 'em an awful walloping you may remember. And this time we've been
smart enough to fetch along a couple of fine sticks to repeat the dose
if necessary. Careful now, Andy. Here goes for a snug drop on the
rock!"

Almost as lightly as a thistle-down the biplane alighted on the small
table rock that constituted the apex of grim Old Thunder Top. High
cliffs completely surrounding this summit had kept it from ever being
reached, up to the time Frank and his cousin landed there, in winning
the race for a silver cup; and planted the Stars and Stripes there for
the first time on record.

S