shining like some strange star, was skimming above the sleeping
countryside.

Far behind them, the cheer that had greeted the boys' rising died out
and the glow, too, faded as they dashed along.

It seemed almost no time at all before beneath them they heard the
roar of a train, and as it dashed by far below the two red lights of
the crossing were sighted.

"Now for taking a chance," laughed Frank, as he set the descending
blades and the Golden Eagle glided downward. It was "taking a chance,"
indeed, and the slightest mishap might have resulted in a catastrophe.

However, Farmer Goggins's directions turned out to be quite correct
and the aeroplane landed perfectly in a big field, as smooth as a
board, only a few minutes after she had left the scene of the fire.

As she struck the ground there was a wild yell from down by the
railroad tracks and the boys saw the old switchman on watch there dart
out of his tiny hut and dash down the road shrieking:

"Robbers! Murder! Ghosts!" at the top of his voice.

"Hi, there! come back," shouted Frank, "we won't hurt you."

At the sound of a human voice the old man checked his mad career and
tremblingly approached.

"Gee! you 'most scared me to death," he said, as the boys stepped