ct.

CHAPTER IX.

A RACE AGAINST TIME.

One evening, a week later, Peggy and her brother were tightening up some
braces on the Golden Butterfly after an afternoon's flight along the
coast, when the sharp "honk! honk!" of an automobile from the road
attracted their attention. Running to the door, Peggy saw Jimsy and his
sister in the "Gee Whizz," as their red auto had been christened.

But that there was something the matter with the Gee Whizz was evident.
The motor, ungeared, was coughing and gasping in a painful manner. Jimsy
shouted as he saw the two young Prescotts.

"Say, you aviators, come here and see what you can do to doctor a poor
creeping earthworm of an auto."

Laughing at his tone and words, Peggy and her brother hastened down the
path and through the gate.

"Something's wrong with the transmission," explained Jimsy.

"What's the trouble?" asked Roy.

"What a question, you goose?" cried Jess; "if we knew we'd have fixed it
long ago."

"It's doubly annoying," said Jimsy, in an impatient voice, "because we
got a wire from father to-night, saying that he would take us on a trip
to Washington with him if we arrived in New York by eight-thirty."

"Oh, you poor dears," exclaimed Peggy, "and if you don't get there at
that time?"

"We can't go, that's all," said Jess, tragically clasping her gloved
hands.

"Bother the luck," muttered Jimsy, with masculine grumpiness. "Found out
what's the trouble, Roy?"

"Yes," was the response; "one of your gears is stripped. I'm afraid that
there'll be no Washington trip for you folksies."

The tears rose in Jess's fine eyes. Jimsy looked cross, and an abrupt
silence fell.

It was Peggy who broke it with a suggestion.

"There's a train leaves Central Riverview junction at six, isn't there?"

"I believe so," rejoined Jess, in a doleful voice; "we took it one night,
I remember, when we missed the through cars from Sandy Bay."

"It's five now," nodded Peggy, examining the dial of a tiny watch, one of
the last presents her father had given her.

"Fat chance of getting this old hurdy-gurdy fixed up in time to make it,"
grumbled Jimsy.

"You don't have to," cried Peggy, with a note of triumph.

"Don't have to!"

It was Jess who echoed the remark.

"No, indeed. Our aerial express will start for the junction in a few
minutes, and----"

But the rest was drowned in an enthusiastic shout. Jess threw her arms
about her chum and fairly hugged her.

"