e willing to bet; but at that it's
going to be the devil's own job to catch him, me afoot. And he wouldn't
let you on him if I did. I guess it's a case of ride the sky or walk,
Mary V."

"Then we better be stepping, bo, before the wind comes up, as I've
noticed it's liable to, late in the forenoon. You dig up the gas, and
I'll take her home."

"Thank you, I do not wish to trouble you, Mr. Halliday. Johnny can take
me, if anybody--"

"Who--him?" Bland Halliday's smile was twisted far to the left. "Say,
where do you get that idea--him flyin' after one lesson? Gee, you must
think flyin' is like driving a Ford!"

"You could go to the shack and 'phone home for some one to come after
you," Johnny suggested uncertainly.

"And let them know where I am? You must be absolutely crazy, if you
think I'd consider such a thing. I'm supposed to be getting 'Desert
Glimpses'--"

"Well, you sure got your glimpse," tittered Bland.

Mary V turned her back on him, took Johnny by the arm, and walked him
away for private conference.

"You better let him take you home, Mary V. He's all right--for flying.
I've got to hand it to him there."

"And give him a chance to steal your aeroplane? He'd never bring it back.
I know he wouldn't."

"He'd have to. I'd only give him gas enough to make the trip on, and--"

"And if he had enough to come back with, he'd have enough to get to the
railroad with. Don't be stupid. You can take me; couldn't you, now,
honest?"

"Well,--I feel as if I could, all right. But a fellow's supposed to
practice a lot with an instructor before he gets gay and goes to flying
alone. Bland says--"

"Oh, plague take Bland! What would you have done if you hadn't run across
him at all? Would you have tried to fly?"

"You know it!" Johnny laughed. "I've sat in that seat and worked the
controls every day since I got it. I know 'em by heart. I've studied the
theory of flying till I'll bet I could stick Bland himself on some of the
principles. And I've been flying in my sleep for months and months. Sure,
I'd have tackled it. But I wouldn't have had you along when I started
in."

"You know how the thing works, then. Well, come on back and work it!
Unless you're scared."

"Me scared? Of an airplane? It's you I'm thinking about. I'd go alone,
quick enough. Maybe we could both crowd into the front seat, and let
Bland pilot the machine. Then--"

"I abso-_lutely_ will not--fly with--Bland Halliday! If you won't take me