"An accident?" and the instructor was all attention.
"Our biplane got smashed up," put in Tom.
"Indeed! I am sorry to hear that. Are you hurt?"
"Got a shaking up and a few scratches," answered Sam.
Then their story had to be told in detail. Soon it became noised all over the place that the Dartaway had been wrecked, and before they could get a mouthful to eat the three Rovers had to tell the story over and over again.
"I'm sorry the biplane was wrecked, but glad you escaped," said Songbird, earnestly. He cherished his old friends as if they were brothers.
"Just what I say already," cried Max Spangler, a German-American student. "You can buy a new flying machine, yes, but you can't buy a new head or a body, not much!" And he shook his head earnestly.
Even while the lads were eating they had to give further details of the disastrous flight. Doctor Wallington congratulated them on their escape.
"You had better leave flying alone after this," he remarked.
"I think we shall—for a while, at least," answered Tom, dryly.