locked. There
appeared to be no one outside guarding the exit, and, since the noises
in the outer room had ceased, the lads determined to leave by the
window. In a short time they again stood outside the house.

To make their way back to the field where the Eagle had been left was a
short task and quickly accomplished. There they found, to their
astonishment, that the two aeroplanes remained in the same position and
were apparently unguarded.

This time, however, the lads were more cautious in their approach, and
reconnoitered the vicinity thoroughly before approaching the plane.

Ned set to work immediately and soon announced that he had again
connected the severed wires. In another moment the Eagle rose above
the field into the darkness of the night.

CHAPTER XVII

ACCUSED

A smile came to Jimmie's lips as he heard the crashing sound that
indicated wrecking of the plane. He turned to observe the condition in
which he would find the machinery, hoping that it had been damaged
beyond repair, or at least so badly damaged that its repair would be a
matter of considerable time and effort.

As he wheeled he observed that Dave already had turned to look in that
direction, and that his face bore a look of astonishment and surprise.
Jimmie's own smile died away as the thought of possible injury to the
plucky pilot of the craft came to his mind.

"Oh, Dave!" he cried anxiously, laying his hand upon his comrade's arm.
"Can you see the pilot? Has he been hurt badly?"

"I can't see from here, but there's a big crowd gathering about the
wreckage, and they seem to be picking something up."

"Gee!" was Jimmie's regretful rejoinder. "I surely hope he got out of
the mess without getting hurt. That's all. We haven't got any
particular grudge against him, and I didn't wish to harm him."

"What on earth did you do, anyway, Jimmie?" inquired Dave.

"That was easy enough," replied the other. "I had observed some bolts
through the hub of the propeller. I also had several bullets in my
pocket, and a good-sized chunk of lead that had been used for filling
some holes in a piece of iron back there in the camp at Peremysl. What
could be easier than to take out the loose bolt I noticed and fill the
hole plumb full of lead? That was all."

"But lead wouldn't wreck a machine so completely as that!"

"Don't you think it wouldn't!" boasted Jimmie, rather proud of the
manner in which he had brought about the destructi