“Just looking at it,” replied Jerry calmly. “We haven’t done any damage. We’re aviators ourselves.”
“We’ve made lots of flights,” put in Ned.
“And we know enough not to monkey with another man’s apparatus,” added Bob. “We were only looking at it.”
“What right had you to come in here?” demanded Mr. Brown, in surly tones.
“Yes, who let you in?” added his companion.
“The hotel clerk,” answered Jerry, for the key of the gate in his hand was rather incriminating evidence. “He didn’t mean any harm, but we were very much interested when we heard that you had come in a biplane, and we wanted to see what type it was. We saw you were busy talking, so we didn’t bother you. We just came out here to have a look.”
“It was mighty fresh of you!” growled Mr. Black.
“Yes, and we’ll report that hotel clerk, too,” added Mr. Brown. “He had no business to give you the key.”
“Oh, it—it wasn’t altogether his fault,” said Bob, hoping that their friend at the desk would not be blamed.
“We know whose fault it was, all right,” snarled Mr. Black. “Now you fellows clear out of here. We arranged, when we put up at the hotel, that we shouldn’t be annoyed by snooping crowds, and now——”