s place, but--"

"But you refused," interrupted Paul, with conclusive pride in his big
brother.

John grinned. "Well, put it that way if you like, Buddy," said he;
"anyhow, as I said before, here I am. Some chap may quit or 'go
West'--you know a round dozen of the poor chaps have been killed in the
last year--and that may let me back in again. But I won't wait for it;
I'll get after some of the commercial flying companies next week and
see if I can't land a berth with them. I simply can't think of working
on the ground. I guess I should have been born a bird, mother, instead
of a human being, I love flying so much."

"I really believe you would be safer if you were a bird, John,"
asserted Mrs. Ross, with an uneasy smile. "Birds have no motors to
fail them, no fire to ignite and burn them up, as our present
airplanes. How many of your own unfortunate associates can lay their
untimely deaths to either one of these causes! It was only the last
time you were here that you were telling Paul and me about the terrible
fall Howard Smith had because his motor stopped, and how his machine
ignited, and how he was burned past recognition."

"I know," said the veteran airman; "those things will happen at times,
mother, even with the most careful fellows. The time will come, I
think, and very soon, when stalled motors can be restarted in the air,
and when accidentally ignited fuel will burn itself out with no harm to
either the machine or its occupants. The fact is, Paul and I have some
ideas now as to how to overcome those very troubles, along with other
improvements, and the first chance we get we are going to build an
airplane along these lines and put it to the test, aren't we, Buddy?"

"We surely are," was Paul's enthusiastic response. "One of these fine
days, mother, when we get our patents and sell them, you shall live in
as fine a home as the Giddings's over on Shadynook Hill, and when you
wish to go into the city to do any shopping, John or I will take you in
a beautiful sedan airplane which will be safer than an automobile, and
which will be guaranteed not to raise a dust or wear out tires."

Mrs. Ross laughed heartily at the glowing picture her second son had
drawn, more because he spoke with such seriousness, and because John
too wore a matter-of-fact look during the prophecy.

"Oh, I have some great dreamers here in this little family," she said,
as she arose to resume her household duties. "We will ho