“I should say so,” enthused Hiram.
“You go back down the hill—it will be easier than climbing up.”
“I should hope so,” grimaced Hiram, rubbing his bruised knees.
“Tell the man down there about the situation, and that I am going to fly the machine over onto his farm and fix things up with him.”
Dave waited till his handy assistant had reached the bottom of the hill. In a few moments, on the watch for some signal from below, he noticed Hiram conversing with the farmer. There were apparent explanations and discussions. Then Hiram waved his hand as had been agreed on with the young aviator, and Dave knew that the coast was clear for a run with the biplane.
CHAPTER VIII
SOMETHING OF A MYSTERY
Our hero found the gasoline tanks pretty well emptied of oil. He realized that the “juice” on hand would not admit of a long flight. Satisfied, however, that there was sufficient fuel to fly the Comet out of its resting place and down to level ground, Dave got to the pilot post and operated the self-starter.
The biplane arose promptly to the occasion. A little deft guiding cleared the hill. The machine and its occupant came safely and gently to a new landing place in a field nearby. Hiram and the farmer hastened to the spot as Dave alighted.
“I call that purty cute,” announced the farmer, a good deal interested. “Now then, stranger, what about them damages?”