brake.

"Here, where are you going, Rad?" cried the lad.

"Whar am I goin'? I'se goin' t' see if mah mule Boomerang am safe.
He's de only kind ob an airship I wants arter dis!" and the colored
man disappeared into the shack whence came a loud "hee-haw!"

"Oh, pshaw! Wait a minute, Rad. I'll soon have the motor fixed, and
we'll make another try. I'll take you over to Mr. Damon's with me."

"No, sah, Massa Tom. Yo' don't catch dis coon in any mo' airships.
Mah mule am good enough fo' me!" shouted Eradicate from the safe
harbor of the mule's stable.

Tom laughed, and turned to inspect the motor. As he was looking it
over, to locate the trouble, the door of the house opened and a
pleasant-faced woman stepped out.

"Oh, Tom," she called. "I looked for you a moment ago, and you
weren't here!"

"No, Mrs. Baggert," Tom replied, waving his hand in greeting to the
housekeeper, "Rad and I just came back--quite suddenly--sooner than
we expected to. Why? Did you want me?"

"Here's a letter that came for you," she went on.

Tom tore open the envelope, and rapidly scanned the contents of the
missive.