w voice.

"I don't know yet--I hope so," answered the father. "Some business
matters have gotten pretty well twisted up. But never mind now. I see
your new machine can fly." And Anderson Rover smiled.

"Oh, she's a peach!" cried Tom slangily. "We expect to have the
greatest times ever in her!"

"Yes, but you must learn all about the biplane first," added the fond
father anxiously. "You mustn't think of going up until you are sure of
what you are doing."

"Dat am suttenly de greatest bird wot I most eber see!" declared Aleck
Pop solemnly. "If I hadn't dun see it wid my own eyes I wouldn't nebber
believe it nohow!"

"That's a fact," added Jack Ness. "When the boys go up in it there won't
be no holdin' 'em in."

"We're going to take you up, first thing, Jack," said Tom, with a wink
at his brothers.

"Me? Not much!" cried the hired man. "I wasn't built to fly, not me!"
And he began to back away in alarm.

After dinner Captain Colby made another trial flight, and then gave the
three boys a lesson in the manipulation of the biplane, showing them
just how to regulate the engine while running, how to balance the
machine, how to steer, and how to make various turns.

"Do you ride bicycles?" he asked.

"We do, and have for years," answered Dick.

"And do you swim?"

"Of course," came from all of the lads.

"Then just remember how you felt when you first tried to ride a wheel
and when you first tried to swim. You got excited, didn't you? And when
you thought the wheel was going over you gave it a wild twist that did
send you over, and when you thought you were going to drown you thrashed
around in a way that only made matters worse. Well, that's a lesson to
remember in running a flying machine. Don't get excited and lose your
presence of mind, or it may cost you your life. Keep cool, act quickly,
but don't overdo a thing. If the machine is tipping a little to one
side, don't get excited and throw it clean over the other way. And don't
try to make any sharp turns until you know your machine thoroughly."

Then he had them watch him while making several flights close to the
ground, and told them exactly what he was going to do. This lasted for
two days.

"Running an auto and a bicycle will help you," he said. "But sailing a
biplane is, after all, a science in itself. But you'll learn--I see that
by the way you take hold."

There had been a slight breeze blowing during the third afternoon, but
towards sunset this