automobile gave Tom the clew he needed, and presently he made a
landing. Instantly the throng of country people who had gathered
to look at the automobile crash deserted that for a view of
something more sensational--an airship.

Cautioning the boys who gathered about not to "monkey" with any
of the mechanism, Tom hastened over to where Mary was standing
near her car.

"Are you sure you aren't hurt?" he asked her anxiously.

"Oh, yes, very sure," she replied, smiling at him. "It isn't
much of an accident--only one wheel smashed. We were both going
slowly."

"But it was all my fault!" insisted a young fellow who had been
driving the car that crashed into Mary's. "I'm all kinds of
sorry, and of course I'll pay all damages. I wanted this young
lady to let me drive her home and then send a garage man to tow
her car, but she said she had other plans. I don't blame her for
not wanting to ride in my jitney bus when I see what kind of car
you have," and he looked over toward Tom's aeroplane.

"Thank you, just the same," murmured Mary. "I'm not quite sure
that it was all your fault. But if you will be so good as to send
a man after my machine I'll go back with Mr. Swift. Wait until I
get my bag," she added, and she extracted it from the seat in her
automobile. "There'll be room for this, won't there?" she asked.
"I've been shopping."