ess.

"Oh, we'll go anyway," cried Tom.

The boys had purchased regular aviation suits, which looked very neat
and professional-like. The new engine was in place, and they had given
it a good try-out and had found that it worked as well as the other and
gave much more power.

"I think we could carry half a dozen folks now," said Sam, after a trial
with some bags of sand. "She takes up the extra weight without an
effort."

"Perhaps, but there is no use of straining the biplane, or the engine
either," returned Dick.

The morning of the all-important day came and the boys found the wind
blowing steadily from the west.

"Rather breezy for a flight," was Dick's comment.

"Do you think it will rain?" queried Sam, anxiously.

"Not with the wind from that quarter, Sam. But we may get more breeze
than we want."

"Oh, we won't mind the wind a bit," declared Tom, who never wanted
anything to interfere with his pleasure.

The boys had their regular classes to attend during the morning, and
also one recitation after lunch. But by half-past two all were free, and
after donning their aviation suits, they hurried to the shed and rolled
out the _Dartaway_.

"Pretty breezy and no mistake," remarked Dick, as he gazed anxiously at
the sky. "I don't know about this."

"Oh, don't say we can't go, Dick!" pleaded Sam.

"Maybe the breeze isn't so strong high up," came from Tom, hopefully.

"It may be stronger, Tom. We don't want to go up and get wrecked."

"Oh, the _Dartaway_ won't get wrecked--not with that powerful engine."

Dick hesitated. He did not like that strong breeze in the least. Yet he
was just as anxious as his brothers to visit the seminary and meet the
girls, and let them see the biplane. And there was something even more
important on his mind.

"Oh, come ahead, and take a chance!" cried Tom. "We'll get through
somehow!"

"Just what I say," declared Sam.

"Who is to run the machine?" asked the big brother.

"I'll run her, if you want me to," answered Tom, promptly.

"Oh, I was only thinking of the honor, Tom. I'm not afraid to try it."

"Oh, you go ahead and do it," put in Sam, who knew that his big
brother's heart was set on showing Dora what he could do with the flying
machine.

"We'll go up and try it," answered Dick, at last. "If she works all
right, I'll head her for the seminary; otherwise I'll bring her down
again;" and so it was arranged.

A number of the students had come out to see the fl