aid their
town a visit. You and Mr. Damon go back to town, Tom, and order some
stuff. Have the man leave it by the roadside early to-morrow morning.
Tell him it's for some travelers, who will stop and pick it up. Pay him
well, and tell him to keep quiet, as it's for a racing party. That's
true enough. We're going to race home to vindicate our reputations. I
think that will be all right."

"The man may get suspicious," said Mr. Damon.

"I hope not," answered the balloonist. "We've got to take a chance,
anyhow."

The plan worked well, however, the store keeper promising to have the
supplies on hand at the time and place mentioned. He winked as Tom
asked him to keep quiet about it.

"Oh, I know yo' automobile fellers," he said with a laugh. "You want to
get some grub on the fly, so you won't have to stop, an' can beat th'
other fellow. I know you, fer I see them automobile goggles stickin'
out of your pocket."

Tom and Mr. Damon each had a pair, to use when the wind was strong, but
the young inventor had forgotten about his. They now served him a good
turn, for they turned the thoughts of the storekeeper into a new
channel. The lad let it go at that, and, paying for such things as he
and Mr. Damon could not carry, left the store.

The aeronauts passed an uneasy night. They raised their ship high in
the air, anchoring it by a rope fast to a big tree, and they turned on
no lights, for they did not want to betray their position. They
descended before it was yet daylight, and a little later hurried to the
place where the provisions were left. They found their supplies safely
on hand, and, carrying them into the airship, prepared to turn back to
Shopton.

As the ship rose high in the air a crowd of negro laborers passing
through a distant field, saw it. At once they raised a commotion,
shouting and pointing to the wonderful sight.

"We're discovered!" cried Tom.

"No matter," answered Mr. Sharp. "We'll soon be out of sight, and we'll
fly high the rest of this trip."

Tom looked down on the fast disappearing little hamlet, and he thought
of the pretty girl in the restaurant.

Chapter 19

Wrecked

With her nose headed north, the Red Cloud swung along through the air.
Those on board were thinking of many things, but chief among them was
the unjust accusation that had been made against them, by an
irresponsible boy--the red-haired Andy Foger. They read the account in
the paper again, seeking to learn fro