“They didn’t have much use for it after they left college and went into business in Wall Street,” explained Jack. “But they certainly had some dandy times in it.”
The four boys were out on Clearwater Lake in one of the rowboats belonging to Colby Hall. They had been watching the maneuvers of a large biplane which had circled over their heads several times. This biplane had made its headquarters at a cove just below Haven Point, and its owners had advertised far and wide to take people up for a fly around the lake for fifteen dollars per person. As this was the first aeroplane to come to the lake for business, it had taken up quite a few people during the past ten days.
“I wonder how long they stay up on a trip,” remarked Andy, as the four boys resumed their rowing.
“The circulars say fifteen minutes,” answered Fred.
“It didn’t seem to me he stayed up more than ten minutes the time before this,” said Jack. “I suppose they cut the time when they have other people waiting to go up. They carry only two passengers at a time, you know, and I suppose they want to make hay while the sun shines.”
“A dollar a minute is making money pretty fast,” observed Randy. “I’d like to rake in an iron man every sixty seconds by the watch,” and he grinned.
“Yes, but it costs something to run a flying machine,” returned Jack. “And then there is the risk, too.”
“Well, if we went up it would cost the four of us sixty dollars,” declared Randy.
“And I don’t see ourselves spending sixty dollars that way just now,” cried Jack. “My spending money for this quarter is getting low.”