As a result of the new order of things a more bitter rivalry than ever had sprung up between Colby Hall and Longley Academy, and when the winter was at an end and there were talks of some boat races everybody was wondering how the matches would terminate. The Colbyites hoped that they might win, while the Longley supporters went around everywhere declaring that they “would wipe up the lake” with their rivals.
This was the condition of affairs when the four Rovers had gone out on the afternoon of this bright day in early summer for a row on Clearwater Lake. They had been talking about the boys at Longley Academy when their attention had been attracted to the aeroplane, as mentioned at the beginning of this story.
The flying machine was one belonging to an aero corporation which sent aeroplanes to many summer resorts where they might be used by visitors and others. Each was supposed to be in first-class condition and under the care of an experienced aviator.
At first it was supposed that the aviator would be able to get but little patronage at Haven Point for the reason that the town was small and the district sparsely settled. But it was soon found that, by skillful advertising, the flying machine drew a great many visitors to the lake; and sometimes the aviator was called on to make a dozen or more trips a day.
As he usually carried two passengers and as the fare was fifteen dollars per person, it can readily be seen that the business was a prosperous one. The local paper had devoted several columns to the enterprise, giving the personal experience of a number of people who had made a flight. So far nothing in the way of an accident had occurred to mar the success of the undertaking.
But now in the twinkling of an eye all this was changed. For some reason as yet unknown the huge flying machine had struck the bosom of the lake in slanting fashion and one of the blades of the propeller had been broken of to fly into space. And now the aeroplane was on the point of sinking, carrying the aviator and his two passengers with it.
CHAPTER III
THE RESCUE FROM THE BIPLANE
“I wonder if they are strapped to the seats of that biplane?”