ll as for the boys who were in the city prison. Collins was always with him, at first, expressing sympathy and suggesting plans for ge

s room, saying that he was due for a little sleep. But the boy, as may well

met with an accident and was he lying, crushed from a long fall, in some mountain c

how anxious his friends would be and signal them from the upper air. Surely, Ned reasoned, this would be safe, for the hostile mac

oplane. Presently, he saw a flicker of light off to the east. It increased in size rapidly, and Ned knew that it was an airship

showed. Presently the airship drifted off to the north, and Ned saw the glint of moonlight on whi

oid Collins, who was at that moment pacing to and fro in front of the hotel. The alleged

d reasonable that he had been warned by wire of the approach of the Boy Scouts, and had hastened to Lima

der if

he asked himsel

der if

for a moment, an

am right in my estimate of the fellow. We may be even left alo

as well as from his window, but there were no si

but I wish he would let me know, too! I reckon I'll take a chan

irway and came out in the lobby. Just as he had figured, Collins sat where he could keep

s said. "I've just been over to the police

get over to the police station and back during the short s

roplane?" asked Ned. "I sa

n we want about your ship, or, perhaps

excitement as he noted how eagerly Collins took the bait. "Can w

yawn, "and we may as well take a car, if we can f

ct truth, as Collins discovered later on. "You don't know ho

taking a road which ran along a level strip of land which lay between the sand and the mountains. They had

s seat and waved hi

ll be good to him, especially as there is nothing doing in the way of trade. Hey, there,

haps forty. He was dressed in a dark business suit and wore glass

have yo

r a ride," w

he airship

'm not interest

aven't been

't interest me-th

r the aviator is out there

king Spanish with a shoofer we met, and learned from the mix-up in tongues that the

The aviator was not there. Only two Peruvians, timid chaps at best! Mr. Thomas Q. Coll

ns cried. "We'll see y

alley a short distance from the road. The spot where it lay was well irrigated, and fruits and vegetables were growing all around

ffair, with plenty of porches and a flat roof. As the two men left the car and

d. "We may have to pay for the pri

the man who approached from the

you want?

hin the next few minutes. Just as Ned anticipated Collins gave the other a sly signal before he opened his mouth. Ned was not supp

ok over the machi

he other replied, fixing his eye

g toward Ned, "knows something about an

heap to Ned. The collusion between the two was so evide

"I'd like to look

at other aeropl

and Collin

present. A member of his party took his machi

," the alleged

that the name of the avia

ew York man. Do

him, knew him to be a splendid

lled the Vixen. Collins expressed his thanks in elaborate language, but Ned went straight to the V

planes. "See here! No cranking at all! You just get into the seat, which will carry two nicely, and push

but he did not say so. Presently the Indian left the circle created by the rope and, going into the sh

n Collins and Yerkes trailed about after Ned as he wandered around the airship. The boy saw the former remove certain bits of woo

are thinking of giving me a ride in this old ice wagon! Pretty soon they'll be asking me to get up on the seat and see how easy it

me moments, while Ned seemed to be studying the machin

h and stood there in conversation wit

llins stepped forwa

prang into the driver's seat. Collins looked vex

e," the boy said. "Get up her

rkes a significant look which w

er cuffs for the wrists and a broad leg band which prevented the guest leaving his seat. The cuffs held the hands close

f the valley without breaking your neck. Don't say a word to Yerkes about his race with

rkes stepped forward, and the Indian stationed himself at the back of the machine, where he could

l told him that the cuffs had closed about Collins' wrists, that the broad strap which held him dow

d his voice instead! Yerkes, in the whirr of the machine, doubtless m

op the machine! He's got me tied

y on with grins on their faces, and

e speech habit. I've got you just where you expected to g

of the propellers and yank them off! Put a bullet through this young f

was too late. The blades were just about an inch out of his reach. Foiled in this attempt, he

d saw of Yerkes and the Indian they were performing a dance of rage on the growing v

g up at the aeroplane, and then the city streets faded away into a dull mat

s struggle against the harness. Collins' eyes were fixed on the moonlit Pac

ed that a crowd was there to greet her. The Vixen was too far away for Ned to see the surf b

y. The ribs of the Andes lay like silver in its light. Strain

iving Collins a nudge in the ribs w

ting with rage. He hitched abou

ds to say, screaming at the top of his voic

er than the guest," the boy said

you mean by that,

apture me tonig

the kind!" r

t up this relief expedition by putting me out of the way,"

here for?" a

to talk at this speed. Wait until we land and I'll tell you al

about them," sh

utheast, he caught sight of the dipping lights of