Dick knew, without being told, who had been the slanderer. His enemy, Joe Arnold was still trying to injure him.
Bennett Graham, his backer, came to the rescue once more and gave Dick the money, but the time limit was almost up. There were only about ten days left. And with Peter Langley believing him to be a crook, there was little hope of taking up the option without a personal interview.
Dick Mapes in his wheel chair, fretted and fumed at the problem facing him. Allan Graham, the son of his backer, and Syd Ames had been his first student-flyers and were now working at the field. They had been gone a week on a trip to Chicago. No one was left to take the long trip to Peru.
Of course he had Terry and Prim! Dick could trust Terry anywhere with a plane, but it was a long flight to Peru and there might be storms and dangers. Dick grew restless and impatient under the misfortune that kept him tied to his wheel chair.
“If I were only well enough to fly!” he fumed.
“But what’s the idea, Dad! Don’t you think I can fly well enough?” Terry faced her father with flaming cheeks, her large brown eyes were flashing. “Why not send me?”
“Send you? To South America? Alone?”
“Not alone! Prim can go.”
“But Terry, don’t you realize that Peru is a long way off? You may have to face grave dangers, storms, fevers, savages! And while Peter Langley and his wife may be all right, you never can tell ahead of time what rough characters you may meet there!”
“What of it? I’m not afraid. You wouldn’t think twice about sending Allan and Syd,” said the girl with a frown.