t to accommodate three. But she
was answering gallantly to the strain.

On she flew above the tracks, every now and then roaring above some
astonished crossing keeper or track-walker.

Suddenly, from somewhere behind them, they heard a long, moaning whistle.

"The train!" shouted Jess.

In her excitement she gripped Roy's arm tightly and peered back.

All at once, around a curve, the locomotive came into view--black smoke
spouting from its funnel and a column of white steam pouring from its
safety valves.

"She'll beat us," cried Jimsy, despairingly, as the thunder of the
speeding train grew louder. The setting sun flashed on the varnished
sides of the cars.

The engineer thrust his head out of the cab window and gazed upward. His
attention had been attracted by the roaring of the motor overhead.

He broke into a yell and waved his hand as he saw the flying aeroplane
dashing along above him. The next instant his hand sought the whistle
cord.

"Toot! toot! toot!"

The occupants of the aeroplane waved their hands. To their chagrin,
however, they saw that, overloaded as the aeroplane was, the train was
gaining on them in leaps and bounds. Its windows were black with heads
now as passengers, regardless of the danger of encountering some
trackside obstacle, leaned out and gazed up at the Golden Butterfly
roaring along like some great Thunder Lizard of the dark ages.

"Don't they stop anywhere between here and the junction?" gasped Jimsy.

Roy shook his head.

"It's a through train from Montauk," he said; "they make all the speed
they can."

"Two minutes," cried Jess, suddenly; "we won't do it."

But Peggy had suddenly swung off the tracks and was cutting across
country. She had seen that the track took a long curve just before it
entered the junction. By taking a direct "crow flight" across country she
might beat it after all.

And she did. As the train came thundering into the station and stopped
with a mighty screaming of brakes and hiss of escaping steam, the
aeroplane came to earth in the flat park-like space in front of the depot.

"Tumble out quick!" shouted Roy, "she only stops a jiffy."

Jess and Jimsy lost no time in obeying.

"Good-bye, you darlings!" cried Jess, as she sped after her brother
toward the station.

"We'll get our tickets on the train!" shouted Jimsy, as they vanished.

"All ab-o-a-r-d!"

The conductor's voice ran peremptorily out. He had seen the race between
the aeroplan