“It can do no harm, but I don’t know that your precaution did any good.”
“I kept my eyes open and peeped over the top; the way the Professor studied us proved he had misgivings, but he did not see my features.”
“It looks as if he is not satisfied.”
The elder referred to the fact that the aviator, instead of veering to the left and coming to a stop as he had done earlier in the day, continued his straightaway course. Harvey unshipped his field glass and leveled it at the object which rapidly grew smaller and finally flickered from sight.
“He is doing that to mislead us,” said Harvey.
“Is there any way by which we can make him believe he has succeeded?”
“How would it do to stop paddling and begin fishing if he comes into sight again?”
“I am proud of a brother bright enough to think of that; it is a good plan, for if he is not satisfied he will come back for another view and he mustn’t catch us napping.”
Accordingly the paddle was swung again, and the younger brother gave his attention to watching the sky in every direction, for it was possible that with so swift a machine as was at his command the Professor might make a wide circuit and swoop down upon them again from the rear.
“If he does,” said Harvey, “it will show that he doesn’t like the look of things, and if I resort to my handkerchief again he will know why I do so.”