“O is one left, followed by one right,” Jack replied, “and k is left, right, left, right. You won’t think the signs are foolish when you see how quickly Ned reads them. See! He’s shooting away now.”
“Perhaps he thinks the signals are being made by savages,” Pat said.
The aeroplane darted off to the west for half a minute, then whirled and came back. The boys could not see the great ’plane distinctly, but the lights which burned on the front were bright and clear, so they saw that the ’plane was sweeping toward the earth as it advanced in their direction.
“I don’t believe many professionals would care to make a landing like this,” Frank said, as the machine dipped and slid to the ground, exactly in the center of the plateau.
“Hello, Ned!” he yelled, as the aeroplane rolled over the smooth surface for an instant and stopped.
In a second the three boys were gathered about the machine, pulling at the hands and feet of the daring riders. Jimmie McGraw bounded to the ground as soon as he could cast off the lines which had held him to his quivering seat.
“Say,” he cried, “you got a fire here? I’m most froze.”
Indeed the little fellow’s teeth were chattering.
“Cold?” echoed Pat. “We’re melting down here. You’re scared, that’s what’s the matter with you. You’re scared stiff.”
Jimmie made a run for the speaker but brought up at the fire where the supper had been cooked.