e and the train, but even that could not disturb a
conductor's desire to start on time.

As the wheels began to revolve, Jimsy and Jess swung on to the steps of
the rear parlor car. As they did so the passengers broke into an
involuntary cheer. The shouts of approval at the up to date manner in
which the young folks had "made their train," mingled with the puffing of
the locomotive as it sped off.

Among the spectators of the sensational feat had been a broad-shouldered,
bronzed man in a big sombrero hat, who sat in the same parlor car which
Jimsy and Jess had entered. He looked like a Westerner. As the train
gathered headway he suddenly, after an interval of deep thought, struck
one big brawny hand upon his knee and exclaimed to himself:

"It's the very thing--the very thing. With a fleet of those I could
develop the Jupiter and astonish the mining world."

He rose, with the slowness of a powerful man, and made his way back to
where Jimsy and Jess were sitting. Raising his broad-brimmed hat with
old-fashioned courtesy, he addressed himself to Jimsy and was soon deep
in conversation with him.

CHAPTER X.

THE RIVAL AEROPLANE.

In the meanwhile, the exciting race against time had resulted in
overheating the Golden Butterfly's cylinders, and a stop of an hour or
more at the junction was necessary. Thus it was quite dark when the young
Prescotts were ready to make for home. A small crowd had gathered to see
them start, for there was a little community of houses scattered about
the junction.

They decided to go the way they had come, namely, to follow the tracks to
the crossing and then turn off for home. It was their first experience in
night piloting, and when they were ready Peggy switched on the tiny
shaded bulb that illuminated the compass. This done, she started the
engine, and the Golden Butterfly shot into the air under its reduced load
with an almost buoyant sense of freedom.

The crossing was reached in several minutes less than it had taken them
to reach the junction on the going trip. Peggy turned off as she marked
the glowing lights beneath her, and presently the Golden Butterfly was
skimming along above dark woodlands and gloom-enshrouded meadows. There
was something awe inspiring about this night flying. Above them the
canopy of the stars stretched like a mantle spangled with silver sequins.
Below, the earth showed as a black void.

They were flying slowly to avoid overheating the cylinder