flies. You tell me you don't say nothing for my brother when I'm tell
you that things sets over there." He waved a dirty, brown hand to the
southward. "Me, I'm _trus'_ you. Tha's secret what I'm tell. You don't
tell no-_body_. You promise?"

"All right. I promise." Very gravely Johnny made the sign of the cross
over his heart.

Tomaso's eyes lightened at that. More gravely than Johnny he crossed
himself--forehead, lips, breast. He murmured a solemn oath in Spanish,
and afterwards put out his hand to shake, American fashion. All this
impressed Johnny more than had the detailed description of the thing
which sat.

If he still laughed at the story, his laugh was not particularly
convincing. Nor was his jibing tone when he called after Tomaso when that
youth was riding away:

"Tell your brother I might buy his flying machine--if he'll sell it
cheap!"




CHAPTER FIVE

DESERT GLIMPSES


Mary V was indefatigably pursuing a new and apparently fascinating