d
be ready to give me a lift if I need it. Watch and see if they don't
drop down closer to the water. It would be a wise thing to do, I take
it; for in case of accident the spill wouldn't be so bad."

"All right, Frank, just as you say," replied the other, accustomed to
looking to his cousin for the words of command when an emergency or a
crisis came along.

He fastened the precious glasses in their rigid case, where they would
be safe so long as the aeroplane remained above the surface of the
water, or did not fall to the ground in a serious wreck.

Then Andy paid attention to a number of small but very important matters
that had always been given over into his charge at times like this. The
Bird boys had been comrades so long that they worked together like a
well oiled machine. The ball team that has played in company for a
season can accomplish feats that would be utterly impossible to a nine
that had been brought from various clubs, even though each player might
have been a star in his respective team.

So it was with Frank and Andy; they had grown to know each other's
points so well that when the moment came it often seemed as though they
instinctively formed a single unit, with that exceedingly bright brain
possessed by Frank doing all the piloting of the combination.

They were all ready for the business in hand long before the border of
the big water was reached. Frank had looked around him several times,
and his cousin seemed to know instinctively that he was endeavoring to
decide as to whether the wind was apt to hold as it chanced to be at the
time; or increase in velocity, should they drop to lower levels.

It was rather awe inspiring to see that vast gulf of glistening water
stretching as far as the eye could reach in three directions, north,
east and west. From the high altitude which they still occupied, they
could not tell whether the lake was calm, or waves rolling along its
surface. The westering sun glittered from its bosom as though it might
be streaked with gold, and altogether it was a sight that neither of the
boys would soon forget.

To Andy in particular it appealed with vigor. His nature was more
inclined to worship at the shrine of the romantic than would be the case
with the practical Frank. To Andy that vast sheet of water seemed
mysterious, profound, filled with secrets of argosies that were launched
on its breast centuries ago, when only the bark canoes of the red men
had ever been