ss by her side. The two girls had stolen up unnoticed in the
excitement.

"Bravo, Peg!" exclaimed Roy heartily, glancing approvingly at his
sister, "what's your idea?"

"Fly over and get help."

"Fly over! Wa'al, I'll be switched!" gasped old Hutchings.

"I don't see why not," struck in Jimsy, "it's five miles, you say. Well,
we ought to make that in ten minutes or so, or even quicker."

"How fast can the engines get back?" asked Roy practically.

"Wa'al, ther roads be good and Bob Shields hez a right smart team,"
was the rejoinder. "They ought ter make it in half an hour."

"Good. Then if you can hold the flames in check for a short time longer
we can save your place yet."

Beckoning to Jimsy, the boy darted off for the _Red Dragon_. This
machine he selected because, with the exception of the _Dart_, it was
the fastest and lightest of the aeroplanes they had with them. Farmer
Hutchings had hardly closed his mouth from its gaping expression of
surprise when a whirr of the motor announced that the _Red Dragon_ was
off. Its lithe body shot into the air with tremendous impetus.

"Ther Corners is off thar to ther westward," shouted up the farmer, "you
can't miss it. It's got a red brick church with a high tower on it right
in the middle of a clump of elms."

Speeding above fields and woodland the red messenger of pending disaster
raced through the air. Five minutes after taking flight Jimsy espied a
high red tower. Eight and one half minutes after the _Dragon_ had shot
aloft it fluttered to earth on the village street of Topman's Corners,
amid an amazed group of citizens who had seen it approaching.

It was the first aeroplane ever seen in the remote Pennsylvanian hamlet,
and it created commensurate excitement. But the boys had no time to
answer the scores of questions, foolish and otherwise, that were
volleyed at them from all sides.

"There's a fire!" exclaimed Jimsy breathlessly, "a fire at Hutchings's
farm. How soon can you get the engines there?"

A stalwart-looking young fellow stepped up.

"I'm chief of the department," he said, "we're the 'Valiants.' I'll be
there in twenty-five minutes if I have to kill the horses. It's downhill
most of the way, anyhow. Jim, you run off and ring ther bell."

A second later the fire bell was loudly clanging and several of the
crowd melted away to don their helmets and coats. In less time than the
boys would have thought it possible a good-looking engine came rumblin