to volplane downward.

"No," Ned said, "that's not right. Make him think we're trying to
catch him. Give him the impression that we want to overhaul him,
but haven't the speed."

"The Nelson will blush red with shame to be bested by a water wagon
like that!" Leroy grumbled, but he did as requested.

The white aeroplane's driver appeared to take the bait. He
loitered, as if waiting for the Nelson to come up, then circled away
from her in great wide swaths. Once he swept around the Nelson, and
Leroy almost shed tears of chagrin.

"Just see him!" the boy wailed. "He thinks I've got a dirt cart
here! He is putting it all over me! I can go two miles to his one,
and yet I'm taking all his guff! Let me get at him! I'll run him
down!"

In a short time the stranger, apparently satisfied that he could
outfly the Nelson, should he desire to do so, moved off to the south
and soon disappeared in the distance.

"Now what?" asked Leroy, half angrily.

"He'll watch for us," Ned replied, "but he won't find us chasing
him. Go through some of your flip-flaps and then go back toward
Lima. I want to say a few words to that Mr. Thomas Q. Collins."

Half mollified at the thought of getting a little speed out of the