iced, an iron door in
the wall. Turning a knob this way and that, he presently flung it open,
revealing the inside of a wall safe. Thrusting his hand inside, he drew
out a bundle of bills. Then, closing the door again, and adjusting the
combination, he said:

"Jes' goin' ter give ther boys a bit of thank you fer helpin' me put out
ther fire. If any of you folks would like----"

"Oh, no. No, thank you," laughed Peggy, sitting up and feeling, except for
a slight dizziness, almost herself again.

"Very well; no harm meant," said the farmer, as he shuffled out of the
room and into the kitchen, where he distributed his largess.

"Quite an idea," commented Jimsy, regarding the wall safe. "I suppose you
have quite a lot of money on hand at times, and it is safest to keep it
so," he added, addressing the farmer's wife.

"Yep," was the rejoinder; "Ike got his money fer his corn crop ther other
day--two thousand dollars, what with ther corn and ther early apples. It's
all in thar, except what he's jes' took out."

"Aren't you afraid of burglars coming and blowing the door of the safe
off?" asked Peggy.

"Lands sakes, no. We'd hear 'em. Besides, that's a patent safe, an' if it
is opened without a knowledge of the combination, it would take a plaguey
long time to do."

Just then the farmer came back, and after some more general conversation
the whir of an approaching automobile announced the arrival of Roy. The
lad was naturally much interested in the doings of the afternoon, as
excitedly related to him by everybody at once, and was favorably impressed
with the young naval officer. Of course, he did not ask him his opinion of
the Prescott aeroplane, but from remarks Lieut. Bradbury dropped, Roy
gathered that he was much pleased with its performance.

Soon afterward Jess and Jimsy shot skyward, in the now still air, in their
red aeroplane--the _Red Dragon Fly_, as it had been christened, and amid
warm farewells from the farmer and his wife, the auto buzzed off.

They had traversed a mile or more, when, on rounding a corner at a narrow
part of the road, they came almost head-on against another machine coming
in the opposite direction.

Both cars were compelled to slow down, so that the occupants had a good
view of each other. Both Roy and Peggy were considerably astonished to see
that the oncoming auto was occupied by old Mr. Harding, and that by his
side was seated none other than the blue-chinned man, known as Eugene
M