y pilot as you are, Roy?"

"Almost," modestly admitted Roy, his mouth full of strawberry shortcake,
"but never mind about that now, sis. There are more important things to
be thought of than that. I'm going into town to-morrow for two things.
One is to see Mr. Harding myself. It takes a man to tackle these
things----"

"Oh, dear!" sniffed Peggy.

"The other bit of business I have to attend to," went on Roy, "is to get
a position. It's time I was a breadwinner." Roy thought that sounded
rather well and went on--"a breadwinner."

"Oh, Roy!" cried his aunt, admiringly, "do you think you'll be able to
get a position?"

"Without a doubt, aunt," rejoined Roy, confidently; "no doubt several
business houses would be glad--to have me with them," Roy was going to
say but he thought better of it and concluded, "to give me a chance."

Peggy said nothing, which rather irritated the boy. He concluded,
however, that being a girl, she could hardly be expected to appreciate
the responsibilities of the man of the household. For since that
afternoon and its disclosures, Roy had, in his own mind, assumed that
important position.

Somewhat to Roy's surprise he found no difficulty in obtaining access to
Mr. Harding at the bank. On the contrary, had he been expected he could
not have been ushered into the old man's presence with greater
promptness. He stated his business briefly and straightforwardly.

"Now, Mr. Harding," he concluded, "is there no way in which this matter
can be straightened out?"

The old man, in the rusty black suit, picked up a pen and began drawing
scrawly diagrams on the blotter in front of him. Apparently he was in
deep thought. But had Roy been able to penetrate that mask-like face he
would have been startled at what was passing in Simon Harding's mind. At
last he spoke:

"I understand that you have built an aeroplane which is a success?" he
questioned.

"That's right, sir," said Roy, flushing proudly; "but the ideas we put
into it were my father's--every one of them. He practically made it his
life work, you see, and----"

"And you beggared yourself carrying those ideas out, eh?" snarled the old
man. "Oh, you need not look astonished. I know all about your affairs.
More than you think for. And now having expended a wicked sum for the
engine of this flying thing where do you expect to reap your profit?"

Roy was rather taken aback. In the past days--since the first wonderful
flight of the Golden Butte