urnpike gathered about an evidently disabled automobile gave Tom the
clew he needed, and presently he made a landing. Instantly the throng
of country people who had gathered to look at the automobile crash
deserted that for a view of something more sensational--an airship.

Cautioning the boys who gathered about not to "monkey" with any of the
mechanism, Tom hastened over to where Mary was standing near her car.

"Are you sure you aren't hurt?" he asked her anxiously.

"Oh, yes, very sure," she replied, smiling at him. "It isn't much of an
accident--only one wheel smashed. We were both going slowly."

"But it was all my fault!" insisted a young fellow who had been driving
the car that crashed into Mary's. "I'm all kinds of sorry, and of
course I'll pay all damages. I wanted this young lady to let me drive
her home and then send a garage man to tow her car, but she said she
had other plans. I don't blame her for not wanting to ride in my jitney
bus when I see what kind of car you have," and he looked over toward
Tom's aeroplane.

"Thank you, just the same," murmured Mary. "I'm not quite sure that it
was all your fault. But if you will be so good as to send a man after
my machine I'll go back with Mr. Swift. Wait until I get my bag," she
added, and she extracted it from the seat in her automobile. "There'll
be room for this, won't there?" she asked. "I've been shopping."

"You must have made some large purchases," laughed Tom, looking
critically at the small bag. "Yes, there'll be room for that, all
right."

He made a brief examination of Mary's machine, ascertaining that the
dished wheel was the main damage, and then, having given the young man
who caused the accident directions for the garage attendant, Tom led
his pretty companion across the field to the waiting airship.

Of course a crowd gathered to see them start off, and this was not long
delayed, as Tom was not fond of curiosity seekers. In a few minutes he
and Mary were soaring aloft.

"Well, how are you?" he asked Mary, when they were alone well above the
earth.

"Fine and dandy," she answered, smiling at him, for they were riding
side by side and could converse with little difficulty owing to the
silent running of Tom's latest invention. "I'm sorry to have called you
away from your work," she added, "but when Mrs. Baggert told me you
were at the submarine dock I thought perhaps you could run out and get
me in your machine. I didn't expect you to fly