“Thank you, that will be fine,” nodded the delighted farmer as he drove off.
Dave dashed breathlessly through the big gateway. He had simply to lift his hand to the gatekeeper, who passed him in with a nod, knowing him and not requiring him to show his entrance ticket. Then Dave ran down the course, heading in the direction of the hangars. All his former anxieties came back to him. He was safe and free himself, but what had happened after his two captors had disposed of him?
“They had tools, they talked of the Aegis,” soliloquized Dave. “They were up to some harm for Mr. King, just the same as myself. Oh, dear, I hope nothing has happened to the monoplane!”
Dave passed the building where Hiram made his headquarters. That friend would of course know of his strange spell of absence. Hiram could probably relieve his present worry or heighten it, but Dave felt that his first duty was to his employer.
“Hold on, there. Hi, stop, Dave—Dave Dashaway!”
This call was bawled out from a window in the building Dave had just passed. At once he recognized the voice of his friend. Turning and half halting, Dave made out Hiram waving his hand frantically.
“Can’t stop—see you later,” shouted Dave.
“Must stop.”
Hiram never waited to make for a door. He jumped recklessly from the window, ran down the road, and overtook his friend.
“Say,” he cried, all excitement and curiosity, “where have you been?”