you think there's any danger in
going higher? I believe I'd like to go up a bit."

"I knew it!" cried Tom. "Up we go!" And he pulled the wind-bending
plane lever toward him. Upward shot the craft, as if alive.

"Oh!" gasped Mary.

"Sit still! It's all right!" commanded Tom.

"It's glorious; glorious!" she cried. "I'm not a bit afraid now!"

"I knew you wouldn't be," declared the young inventor, who had
calculated on the fascination which the motion through the air,
untrammeled and free, always produces. "Shall we go higher?"

"Yes!" cried Miss Nestor, and she gazed fearlessly down at the earth,
which was falling away from beneath their feet. She was in the grip of
the air, and it was a new and wonderful sensation.

Tom went up to a considerable distance, for, once a person loses his
first fright, one hundred feet or one thousand feet elevation makes
little difference to him. It was this way with Miss Nestor.

Now, indeed, could Tom demonstrate to her some of the fine points of
navigation in the upper currents, and though he did no risky "stunts,"
he showed the girl what it means to do an ascending spiral, how to cut
corners, how to twist around in the figure eight, and do other things.
Tom did not try for the great speed of which he knew his craft was
capable, for he knew there was some risk with Miss Nestor aboard. But
he did nearly everything else, and when he sent the Humming-Bird down
he had made another convert and devotee to the royal sport of
aeroplaning.

"Oh! I never would dared believe I could do it!" exclaimed the girl, as
with flushed cheeks and dancing eyes she dismounted from the seat.
"Mamma and papa will never believe I did it!"

"Bring them over, and I'll take them for a flight," said Tom, with a
laugh, as Mary departed.

Tom received an answer to his letter to Mr. Sharp that night.

"Andy Foger's entry blank states," wrote the balloonist, "that he is
constructing his aeroplane in the village of Hampton, which is about
fifty miles from your place. If there is anything further I can do for
you, Tom, let me know. I will see you at the meet. Hope you win the
prize."

"In Hampton, eh?" mused Tom. "So that's where Andy has been keeping
himself all this while. His uncle lives there, and that's the reason
for it. He wanted to keep it a secret from me, so he could use my
stolen plans for his craft. But he shan't do it! I'll go to Hampton!"

"And I'll go with you!" declared Mr. Damon, who was w