Tom looked at her sharply. He saw that she was laboring under the reaction of fear after having heard the false report that his plant was blown up.
“Look here, Mary,” he said, “I’m afraid you’re losing your nerve! That will never do!”
“Losing my nerve?”
“Yes. I’ll wager right now any flavor of ice-cream you care to name that you don’t dare take an aeroplane ride with me!”
“I’ll take you up!” cried Mary, and she smiled. “I’ll show you!” and she tossed her head.
She often accompanied Tom on his trips in one of his smaller and less complicated aeroplanes, for Tom traveled this way on many occasions, to transact some business or to conduct experiments having to do with other machines.
“Then you’ll take a sky trip with me, Mary?”
“I surely will. I think it will do me good!”
“I’m sure of it,” said Tom, smiling.
They went out of the partially wrecked office, Tom giving orders to have it cleaned up and his gasoline experimental apparatus put aside for future use.