"Bravo! We'll soon be back at the show grounds. You have seen the last of Ben Ali."
High above the trees Matt brought the Comet to an even keel, then laid out in a straightaway flight toward the lake. This time he did not follow the Elgin road, but struck across country the nearest way home.
That was not the first time Margaret Manners had had a ride in the aëroplane. Some time before, when, under the name of Haidee, she had traveled with the Big Consolidated, she had ridden on a trapeze swung below the machine. It was against Matt's will, and only a trick of Burton's had made it possible for the girl to make the ascension. At the time she was under hypnotic influence, and could not realize what she was doing. So, it followed, this was really the first ride she had ever taken in the aëroplane while mistress of her own faculties and able to understand her situation.
She behaved admirably, and did not even cry out when the wings tilted sideways, or ducked forward with the seeming intention of hurling her and Matt to the earth.
There was no talk between the two. In silence Matt attended to his work, drove the Comet at speed over the show grounds, circled, and came down in the roped-off space set apart for the machine.
The crowds were still lingering, waiting for the aëroplane to return. Cheering began as soon as the Comet was in sight, and was kept up until she was safely on the ground in the position from which she had originally started.
Carl and Ping were waiting, too, and the eyes of both boys were big with astonishment when they saw and recognized Margaret Manners.
"Vell, py shiminy grickets!" exclaimed Carl.
The girl smiled at him wanly as Matt helped her from her seat.
"You and Ping take care of the machine, Carl," cautioned Matt, as he led Miss Manners to the guard ropes and parted a course for her through the jostling mob.