"What has that to do with the aeroplane?" asked Dave wonderingly.
"Nothing. I just wanted to get your mind off the subject. You're trembling like a leaf," answered Jimmie. "If they see you it'll be a dead give-away. Can't you stop shaking so? What's the matter?"
"I'm going to stop. I was just thinking about what would happen to you if they saw you at the machine. I'm all right now."
"You'd better be. If they start any questions, just remember that you never saw an aeroplane nor a Boy Scout in your life."
"There he is now," said Dave, pointing toward the machine.
"He's going to try to make a start," said Jimmie. "But for goodness' sake," the boy went on, "get your mind off it. Look away."
By this time the aviator had reached the machine and was preparing for another flight. Willing hands had been stretched forth from the crowd of soldiers who had but a moment before ignored the machine entirely, and the plane was turned about and headed away from the station.
A preliminary explosion or two from the motors announced to all that the aviator intended leaving the place. Other explosions rapidly succeeded the first. Then came a silence. The aviator was examining his machine, evidently seeking for the cause of some trouble.
The exhausts of his motor had been regular, but something had gone wrong, and he was trying to locate the difficulty.
Presently he again started the engine in an effort to warm it up. Becoming impatient at his failure to readily locate the cause of the uneven running of his motor, the aviator turned on full power.