smoker, was always on the watch for a quick "getaway."

The Bird boys, of course, had many friends among the lads of Bloomsbury;
but only two who were close enough to be admitted freely to the workshop
on the grounds of Frank's father's place, where the young inventors
worked out many of their lofty ideas.

These were Larry Geohegan, and a small runt who had been called
"Elephant" by his companions in a spirit of sport, and could not shake
the name. His full name was Fenimore Cooper Small, and as a rule he had
always been rather timid. But Elephant was always having queer ideas in
which he believed fully himself; but which were nearly always jeered at
by more practical Larry.

The two Bird boys had been out on this afternoon, trying some new
arrangement in connection with their hydroplane, when they met with an
accident when attempting to land on the Quackenboss farm, to make some
changes they saw were needed, to improve the working of the machine.

Neither of them had been even scratched, but a certain amount of damage
had befallen one of the planes, which might have been remedied on the
spot in time to allow them to get back home easily, only for the
unfortunate fact that just when they needed a monkey wrench the worst
kind, it was discovered to be missing; perhaps the only occasion when
such a thing had happened with the boys.

"I just saw somebody go into the barn there," remarked Frank, as they
approached the large outbuildings connected with the successful farm of
Josiah Quackenboss.