peak. But the next instant he recovered himself.

"Bless my soul," exclaimed Dr. Mays, for it was the retired physician
himself, "I thought for a moment that the fabled days of the gigantic
Roc, with which Sinbad the sailor had his adventures, had returned.

"It must be those Prescott children. Ah!" he exclaimed, as the aeroplane
alighted and came to a standstill, "it is! Dear me, what a century we are
living in! Boys and girls flying about like--like--my chickens!"

He "clucked" reassuringly to the terrified birds as he hastened toward
the now stationary machine. Roy and his sister came forward to greet the
venerable old doctor as he approached.

Roy hastily explained their errand, being interrupted constantly by the
physician's exclamations of astonishment.

"Go back with you? Of course, I will, my children. Will one of you help
me catch old Dobbin and harness him? My man Jake is in town to-day."

"Oh, doctor," cried Peggy, entreatingly, "can't we persuade you to go
back with us in the Golden Butterfly?"

"To fly! Good heavens!"

The aged physician threw up his hands at the idea.

"It is perfectly safe, sir," put in Roy. "Safer than old Dobbin in his
present frame of mind, I should imagine."

They all had to laugh as they looked at the hitherto staid and sober
equine careening about the pasture with his tail held high, and from time
to time emitting shrill whinnies of terror at the sight of the strange
thing which had landed in his domain.

"I don't know, I really don't," hesitated Dr. Mays. "The very idea of an
old man like me riding in an aeroplane. It's--it's----"

"Just splendid," laughed Peggy, merrily, "and, doctor, I've often heard
you say to father that it was a physician's duty to keep pace with modern
invention."

"Quite right! Quite right! I often told your poor father so," cried Dr.
Mays. "Well, my dear, it may be revolutionary and unbecoming to a man of
my years, but I actually believe I will brave a new element in that
flying machine of yours. More especially as we can reach my young patient
much quicker in that way."

While Dr. Mays, who was a widower and childless, went to hunt up an old
cap, as headgear for his novel journey, Roy obtained permission to use
the doctor's telephone. He called up Jess's home and related briefly to
Mrs. Bancroft what had occurred, and asked that an automobile be sent to
the scene of the accident.

Mrs. Bancroft, who at first had been seriously alarmed, was