had made another convert and devotee to the royal sport of aeroplaning.

"Oh! I never would dared believe I could do it!" exclaimed the girl, as
with flushed cheeks and dancing eyes she dismounted from the seat.
"Mamma and papa will never believe I did it!"

"Bring them over, and I'll take them for a flight," said Tom, with a
laugh, as Mary departed.

Tom received an answer to his letter to Mr. Sharp that night.

"Andy Foger's entry blank states," wrote the balloonist, "that he is
constructing his aeroplane in the village of Hampton, which is about
fifty miles from your place. If there is anything further I can do for
you, Tom, let me know. I will see you at the meet. Hope you win the
prize."

"In Hampton, eh?" mused Tom. "So that's where Andy has been keeping
himself all this while. His uncle lives there, and that's the reason for
it. He wanted to keep it a secret from me, so he could use my stolen
plans for his craft. But he shan't do it! I'll go to Hampton!"

"And I'll go with you!" declared Mr. Damon, who was with Tom when he got
the note from the balloonist. "We'll get to the bottom of this mystery
after a while, Tom."

Delaying a few days, to make the final changes in his aeroplane, Tom and
Mr. Damon departed for Hampton one morning. They thought first of going
in the Butterfly, but as they wanted to keep their mission as secret as
possible, they decided to go by train, and arrive in the town quietly