"He seemed very much excited," she replied.

"Oh, he almost always is that way--blessing everything he can
think of. You know that. But this time it was different, I'll
admit. I hope nothing is the matter. I might have stopped and
spoken to him, but I was afraid if I did you'd back out and
wouldn't come for a sky ride."

"Well, I might have. But now that I've had one, even with an
accident thrown in, I'll go any time you ask me, Tom," and Mary
smiled at the young inventor.

"Shucks, that wasn't a real accident!" he laughed. "But I do
wonder what Mr. Damon wanted."

"Better go back and find out, Tom," advised Mary, as they
stopped in front of her house.

"Oh, I want to come in and talk to you. Haven't had a chance
for a good talk today, that motor made such a racket"

"No, go along now, but come back and see me this afternoon if
you like."

"I do like, all right! And I suppose Mr. Damon will be fussing
until he sees me. Well, glad you liked your first ride in the
air, Mary--that is, the first one of any account," for Mary had
been in an aeroplane before, though only up a little way--a sort
of "grass-cutting stunt," Tom called it.