ight, ain't I?"

He coolly took from his pocket a disgusting-looking cigar stump and
proceeded to light it, leering impudently into Fanning's face the while.

"Well, may be you are and then again you may not be," was the Sandy Bay
youngster's cautious reply; "but how does it interest you?"

"Because I haven't any more use for him than you have, and if you make it
worth my while I'll give you a bit of information that will be of value
to you."

"What do you mean?" inquired Fanning, beginning to listen with more
attention than he had hitherto shown.

"Just this, that I'm Jukes Dade, who used to work for Mr. Prescott years
ago, but he discharged me for--for--well for a little fault of drinking I
had. Come now, don't you recognize me?"

"By George, I do," exclaimed Fanning; "but it was so many years ago you
were with Mr. Prescott that I hardly knew you. You have changed greatly."

"I may have," was the reply in bitter tones. "I've been through enough.
But there's one thing I ain't never forgotten in all these years, and
that is my resolve to get even on old man Prescott."

"But he is dead," put in Fanning, wondering at the baleful expression of
hatred that had come into the man's face.

"All true enough. I heard that some time ago. But if I can injure the son
in any way, I'd like to do it. I've got a wrong to avenge, and if you
want to pay well to have Roy Prescott put out of the race to-morrow I'm
your man."

"Hush, don't talk so loud. Some folks over there are looking at us."

"Oh, well, if you're afraid to----"

"No, no, that isn't it. I must prevent Roy winning that race to-morrow at
all hazards. Come into my hangar and we can talk quietly."

"Ah, that's the talk," was the rejoinder, and Jukes Dade chuckled with
grim delight. "You want a little job of work done to settle our friend's
hash. Well, you've come to the right shop when you meet up with old Jukes
Dade who has an axe of his own to grind."

CHAPTER XIV.

A GIRL AVIATOR'S ADVENTURE.

In the meantime, Peggy and Roy, the former at the steering wheel and
controls, were skimming through the air above the charming country
surrounding Acatonick. The exhilaration of flying, the thrill and zest of
it, were strong upon them as they glided along, and they made an extended
flight.

"She is working like a three-hundred-dollar watch," cried Roy joyously as
the speedy monoplane flew onward.

"She's a darling," was Peggy's enthusiastic response. "I