The Girl Aviators and the Phantom Airship

k from the coast, that The Golden Butterfly was wheeled out of her cocoon-so to speak-and dragged up the hillside at the back of the white, green-shuttered cottage

clouds had been chased from it now. She watched as eagerly as a girl while Roy and Peggy, aided by Jess and

ately-for Roy had no desire of a crowd to witness his initial ascent in the new 'plane-the Prescott house was some distance out of the village, and there we

lumps-were all about. To the north glimmered the sparkling waters of Long Island Sound,

re leather puttees, trousers fashioned somewhat like riding breeches, and leather coats. On their hea

ptivating indeed. Peggy's glossy hair, unadorned, but tightly confined in a net, formed her hair covering. Both girls were all a-tiptoe with e

utterfly. This done, he climbed into the chassis-or body-of the thing, and leaning over the machinery he rapidly tes

of the machine, "everything seems to be ready for the initi

, in a voice that was vibrant with excit

Roy, with a gallant

mining the aeroplane once more. Suddenly she gave a little cry. The exclamation inter

n anything wrong it couldn't have escaped

! The spring of this lan

t brought up Roy somewhat shortly in th

Sidney, one of his chums, observed with a chuckle to Jeff Stokes, that Pe

realizing that had it not been for Peggy's acute observation a serious accident might have oc

ellow say he would show up?"

"I've half a mind to start anyhow. I ca

know you promised aunty that you wouldn'

oy, hastily, "don't be sca

y, suddenly, "there

soon halted, and a figure in leather garments with gaitered legs alighted and hastened across the

al Homer, the well-known cross country flier, from w

s to Peggy, after introductions to the dap

ined Peggy, with

somer?" questioned Jess with a misch

ir skin. But Jess laughed

looking boy," she said,

red up Peggy. "Oh

nfusion while Jess laughed t

of a stout rope Roy had brought with him. This done, and the monoplane thus secured from flying away when her engine was started, he set t

ng a monoplane, this was

tart, to leap aside," warned R

head in an emerge

all of them but Hal Homer's, as he and Roy started

all their force. The fourth time they were rewarded by

t onc

led Roy, jump

ance down the hill unnoticed, before he succeeded in stopping his motion. In the mea

tant it was a mere gray blur, while a furious wind from its revolving blades swept the onlo

But it held fast, and after a while Aviator Homer slowed down the engine and finally stopped it, after adjusting a miss-fire in one of the cylind

n't it a darli

gs,'" responded Peggy with assumed severit

a ride in it!

le longer I hope to have the pleasure of

ped Jess, while Peggy clasped her ha

"but after Homer has tested her thorough

red Peggy, as Roy made off once more. "I know a go

ou much good in a mile-long

er says one is as safe in an aeropla

Jess. "He calls it 'burning up the road.' But-oh, look, they're casting

d been talking the rope had been cast loose, and now, with Mr. Homer himself at

they had not noticed the approach of a second auto on the road below. From it Fan Harding had alighted and hast

he two girls just as the aviator gave the signal to let go of the machine-to the rear structure of which Lem S

was off. How it scudded across the hill top! Blue smoke and flame shot from its exhaust. Its operator sat hunched over his machinery looki

eathed, her color coming a

it won't fly any mor

and her eyes blazed angrily. Jess, hardly less indig

his motoring cap nonchalantly, "I came to see the ascen

Peggy, angrily, stamping her foot. "Our aeroplane

y scudding aeroplane had stopped its skittering over the grass and h

at top speed. The girls could see Mr. Homer clambering

uckled Fan Harding, viciously,

ut of herself. She switched round on Fan Harding with a suddenness that ma

ith blazing eyes. "How dare you come here to sn

hispered something to the indignant girl, who, with a scornful look at Fan Hard

d Fan Harding to himself. "How pretty she is when she is angry. But I guess if

around which the anxious young p

I think I could use an aeroplane. I don't see why I should let Roy Prescott beat me out at anythi

ied. Even Fan Harding, little as he liked Roy, could not help but join in the cheers as the Golden Butterfly, swin

enthusiasm till her golden hair was tumbli

dy!" she squealed in t