The wind held until nightfall, and, of course, all hope of a fly for that day went down with the sun.
On the following morning there was hardly a breath of air stirring. All the troopers came down from the fort, and every person from the immediate vicinity of the trader's store assembled to see how well Matt would acquit himself of his first attempt at flight in an aëroplane.
After making sure that everything was properly adjusted and in perfect working order, Matt had the June Bug pushed to the centre of the hard road. McGlory was stationed at one wing, and Lieutenant Cameron at the other, in order to run with the machine and help give it a start.
"Nervous, Matt?" queried Cameron, as the king of the motor boys took his place on the seat and lifted his feet to the foot rest.
"Not half so nervous as you are, old chap," smiled Matt. "Here, feel my pulse."
"I'll take your word for it. Don't go very high."
"So far as results are concerned, if I'm going to fall it might just as well be from five hundred feet as from fifty. All ready?"
"All ready!"
McGlory's voice was a bit husky, for he was even more nervous than Cameron.
The engine was already humming like a swarm of bees.