I haven't preached
that to you, but the whole scheme blows up the minute it is made
public. You understand that, of course, and I'm not afraid of you; but
the old man may want some assurance. If he does, you can give it, and
if he does not, it will be because he is taking my word that you are
all right.

"Now let's get down to business. How long will it take you to get the
machine in shape? And can't you make arrangements with the owner of
this field to leave it here for the present--and perhaps get him to
keep an eye on it? Wait. You leave him to me. I think he's a Jap,
and I know Japs pretty well. I'll go hunt him up and talk to him. If
we can run it under cover for a couple of days, all the better."

He climbed into his car and went off down the road to where the roofs
of several buildings showed just above a ridge. His talk must have
been well lubricated with something substantial in the way of legal
tender, for presently he returned, and behind him a team came down the
road hauling a flat hayrack on which four Japs sat and dangled their
legs to the jolting of the wagon.

"He's a good scout, and he will keep the plane under cover for us,"
Cliff announced in a satisfied tone. "They're going to load it on the
wagon and haul it home, where there's a shed I think will hold it. If
it won't, we'll buy it and knock out an end or something."

The four Japs, chinning unintelligibly and smiling a good deal, loaded
the Thunder Bird to Johnny's satisfaction, hauled it to the buildings
over the ridge, and after they had knocked all the boards off one side
to admit the wings, ran it under a shed. Afterwards they nailed all
the boards on again while Johnny stood around and watched them
uneasily, secretly depressed because his Thunder Bird was being penned
in by gibbering brown men who might be unwilling to return it to him on
demand.

For good or ill, he was committed now to Cliff Lowell's project. Even
though he was committed for only a week, qualms of doubt assailed him
at intervals during their roaring progress to the city. Cliff drove
with an effortless skill which filled Johnny with envy. Some
day--well, a car like this wouldn't be so bad. And if the job held out
long enough-- Why, good golly, think of it! And Mary V thought he
couldn't make any money with his airplane. Wanted him to go to work
for her dad--think of that!

Thinking of it; he tried to silence the qualms. Tried to reassure
himself