much about the air. His machine certainly goes very fast, but too much
wind will be the undoing of him, while it will only help us. And I
think," he added, "that we're going to get a breeze."

It was arranged that the Red Cloud would start from the ground,
without the use of the gas, so as to make the machines more even. At
the signal off they started, the motors making a great racket. The
monoplane with the little Frenchman in the seat got up first.

"Ah, ha!" he cried gaily, "I leave you in ze rear! Catch me if you
can!"

"Don't let him beat us," implored Ned.

"Can't you speed her up any more?" inquired Tom of Mr. Sharp.

The aeronaut nodded grimly, and turned more gasolene into the twenty-
cylindered engine. Like a flash the Red Cloud darted forward. But the
Frenchman also increased his speed and did, actually, at first, circle
around the bigger machine, for his affair was much lighter. But when
he tried to repeat that feat he found that he was being left behind.

"That's the stuff! We're winning!" yelled Tom, Ned joining in the
shout.

Then came a puff of wind. The monoplane had to descend, for it was in
danger of turning turtle. Still the navigator was not going to give
up. He flew along at a lower level. Then Mr. Sharp opened up the Red
Cloud's engine at full speed, and it was the big machine which now
sailed around the other.