city in any kind of time to-night we had better quit. Sinclair, I
think you can finish repairing these skids in the morning."

We locked up the hangar and hurried across to the station. It was late
when we arrived in New York, but Kennedy insisted on posting off up to
his laboratory, leaving me to run down to the Star office to make sure
that our story was all right for the morning papers.

I did not see him until morning, when a large touring-car drove up.
Kennedy routed me out of bed. In the tonneau of the car was a huge
package carefully wrapped up.

"Something I worked on for a couple of hours last night," explained
Craig, patting it. "If this doesn't solve the problem then I'll give it
up."

I was burning with curiosity, but somehow, by a perverse association of
ideas, I merely reproached Kennedy for not taking enough rest.

"Oh," he smiled. "If I hadn't been working last night, Walter, I
couldn't have rested at all for thinking about it."

When we arrived at the field Norton was already there with his head
bandaged. I thought him a little pale, but otherwise all right. Jaurette
was sulking, but Sinclair had finished the repairs and was busily
engaged in going over every bolt and wire. Humphreys had sent word that
he had another offer and had not shown up.

"We must find him," exclaimed Kennedy. "I want him to make a flight
to-day. His contract calls for it."

"I can do it, Kennedy," asserted Norton. "See, I'm all right."

He picked up two pieces of wire and held them at arm's length, bringing
them together, tip to tip, in front of him just to show us how he could
control his nerves.

"And I'll be better yet by this afternoon," he added. "I can do that
stunt with the points of pins then."

Kennedy shook his head gravely, but Norton insisted, and finally Kennedy
agreed to give up wasting time trying to locate Humphreys. After that he
and Norton had a long whispered conference in which Kennedy seemed to be
unfolding a scheme.

"I understand," said Norton at length, "you want me to put this
sheet-lead cover over the dynamo and battery first. Then you want me to
take the cover off, and also to detach the gyroscope, and to fly without
using it. Is that it?"

"Yes," assented Craig. "I will be on the roof of the grand stand. The
signal will be three waves of my hat repeated till I see you get it."

After a quick luncheon we went up to our vantage-point. On the way
Kennedy had spoken to the head of the Pin