As luck would have it, the hotel ’bus was just backing up to the walk a short distance away, and the two fugitives immediately boarded her.
“Drive to the aeroplane!” shouted Stroup.
“Isn’t that rather indefinite?” asked Havens. “We can’t afford to lose any time, you know.”
“Every man, woman, and child in town knows where the flying machine is long before this!” answered the driver with a smile. “I’ve sent three loads out there this morning now,” he added.
As the ’bus lumbered away, half a dozen excited individuals dashed out of the hotel door and shouted for the driver to draw up. For a moment the fellow hesitated and then began pulling on the reins.
“Get a move on! Get a move on!” shouted Stroup.
“But there seems to be other passengers,” argued the driver.
Havens hastily drew a ten-dollar bank-note from his pocket and thrust it through the little opening to the driver.
“I’ll charter the ’bus for the trip!” he said with a smile. “Now run away from the whole bunch.”
“Are you the owner of the machine?” asked the fellow.