"Let's send ours in together," said both Ethels at once.
They often spoke together in this way. It seemed as if their being constantly together made them think the same thoughts at the same time.
"We'll tell him that we called out Swallow and Hirondelle at the same instant and so we're applying for the prize together, and we hope it will please him because it's the name of one of the most graceful birds there is and we think his airship is the most graceful one we ever saw."
"Perfectly true, considering it's the only one you ever saw," giggled Helen.
"Never mind," said Mrs. Morton soothingly. "Write him just that note and it will please him that you like his machine even if he doesn't care for the name you suggest."
Mrs. Morton had thought seriously about the possibility of one of the children's going up with Mr. Graham ever since the airman had come to the grounds. At first she had dismissed the thought as of something too dangerous for her to think of permitting. Then, as she watched Mr. Graham day by day and saw his extreme care and learned from his mechanician that he never failed personally to test every wire and nut before he started out, she grew to have such confidence in him that she was almost as disappointed as Roger when she learned the fee for a fifteen minute trip in the air. Now there was at least a chance that some member of the family might have the opportunity, so she made no objection to the sending in of the suggestions.
There was a great writing of letters, a mighty flurry of envelopes, a loud calling for postage stamps, and a march in procession of the younger members of the household up the hill to the Post Office.
"Mr. Graham flies to Mayville every morning to carry a special bag of Chautauqua postcards to the mail there," said Roger. "Let's go to the hangar when he starts. He always brings the bag down the hill himself and perhaps he'll have his own mail at the same time and we can sit off on the dock somewhere and watch him open it."
"Oh, I don't think we'd better do that," said Ethel Blue shrinkingly. "It would seem like intruding on him."
"Perhaps it might," agreed Roger. "The truth is, I'm so perfectly crazy to go up I'm losing my manners."