n at close view.

"David," cried Anne joyously, "you don't mean to say you've gone and done
it at last?"

"I have," answered David gravely; "and I've made two trips with pretty
good success each time."

Then everyone talked at once. David was the hero of the hour.

"David, my dear boy," cried Mrs. Gray. "To think that I should live to see
you an aviator!"

"I'm a long way from being one, yet, Mrs. Gray," answered David. "My bird
doesn't always care to fly. There are times when she'd rather stay in her
nest with her wings folded. Of course, I haven't nearly perfected her yet,
so I don't want it mentioned in town until I get things in shape. But I
couldn't wait until then to show it to you, my dear friends, because you
were all interested in it last year."

"Well, well, come on and fly," cried Hippy. "My heart is palpitating so
with excitement that I am afraid it will beat once too often if something
doesn't happen."

"I was waiting for my helper," answered David, "but he appears to be late.
You boys will do as well."

"Who is your helper, David?" asked Anne.

"You could never guess," he replied smiling, "so I'll have to tell you.
It's old Jean, the hunter."

"Why, the dear old thing!" cried Grace. "To think of him leaving his
uncivilized state to do anything so utterly civilized and modern as to
help with a flying machine."

"And he does it well, too," went on David. "He is not only thoroughly
interested but he keeps guard out here in case any one should try to break
in. There are his cot and things in the corner. He sleeps in the open
unless it rains. Then he sleeps inside."

As the old hunter did not put in an appearance David decided to wait no
longer.

"Why can't we all help?" asked Grace. "What must we do? Please tell us."

"All right," answered David, "just give it a shove into the open space,
and you'll see how she gradually rises for a flight."

After making a careful examination of all the parts of the aeroplane, and
starting the engine, David took his seat in the machine.

Then the two boys, assisted by Grace and Nora, pushed it swiftly out into
the broad open space back of the ruin.

Suddenly the machine began to rise. Slowly, at first, then seeming to
gather strength and confidence like a young bird that has learned to fly
at last, it soared over the apple trees. David, white, but very calm,
quietly worked the levers that operated the little engine. When he had
risen about a hundred feet