yhow, and tuck your hair up
under that. It's hot down here, but it will be cold up above; so tell
Mrs. Baggert to see that you're warmly dressed."

"All right," and gaily she waved her hand to him. Now that she had made
her decision, and was really going up, she was not half so frightened
as she had been in the contemplation of it.

As Tom climbed out of the machine, to give it a careful inspection,
though he was certain there was nothing wrong, an aged colored man
shuffled toward him.

"Yo'--yo'll be mighty careful ob Miss Nestor now, won't yo', Massa
Tom?" asked the man.

"Of course I will, Eradicate," was the young inventor's answer.

"Case we ain't got many laik her no mo', an' dat's de truf, Massa Tom,"
went on the old man. "So be mighty careful laik!"

"That's what I will, Rad! And, while I'm up in the air, don't you and
Koku have any trouble."

"Ho! Trouble wif dat onery no-'count giant! I guess not!" and the
colored man limped off, highly indignant.

Satisfied, from an inspection of his machine, that it was as nearly
mechanically perfect as it was possible to be, Tom Swift finished his
trip around it and stood near the big propeller, waiting for Mary
Nestor to reappear. Presently she did so, and Tom gaily waved his hand
to her.

"You're a picture!" he cried, as he saw how particularly "fetching" she
looked in the aviator's costume which was like his own. Because of the
danger of entanglement, Miss Nestor had doffed her skirts, and wore the
costume of all aviators--men and women.

"I wish I had my camera!" cried Tom. "You look--stunning!"

"I hope that isn't any comment on how I'm going to feel if we have to
make a--forced landing, I believe you call it," she retorted.

"Oh, I'll take care of that!" exclaimed Tom. "Now up you go, and we'll
start," and he helped her to climb into the padded seat of the cockpit,
behind where he was to sit.

"Oh, Tom! Don't be in such a hurry!" expostulated Mary. "Let me get my
breath!"

"No!" laughed the young inventor. "If I did you might back out. Get
in, fasten the strap around you and sit still. That's all you have to
do. Don't be afraid, I'll be very careful. And don't try to yell at me
to go slower or lower once we're up in the air.

"Why not?" Mary wanted to know, as she settled herself in her seat.

"Because I can't very well hear you, or talk to you. The motor makes so
much noise, you know. We can do a little talking through this speaking
tube," and h