But Frank shook his head.

“I saw him dodge out of the lane and take to the woods,” he remarked, “as though he knew of a short-cut across lots to the place where his friend and the biplane were hidden.  No danger of his seeing Sallie, so don’t mention it to her.  Wait, I’ll give you my hand to help you up, Sallie!”

But the country girl had led the horse alongside the drinking trough, and was on his back in a jiffy, long before Frank could come across.

“Goodbye, and good luck, boys!” she called back, as she gave the horse a switch with the end of the halter, and was off at a lumbering pace.

They stood there a minute or so watching the girl flying down the lane.  She turned around once, and waved her hand at them, while her long hair blew behind in a cloud.  Frank would not soon forget the sight of Sallie Hoskins going to carry the news to a point where it could be telephoned in to town—­news that would cause a tremendous wave of excitement to pass over the whole of Bloomsbury.

“Hurrah! that’s done, and well done too, Frank, I say!” exclaimed Andy, turning on his cousin with a face that plainly said, “What’s next on our programme?”

“Before we pull out I guess we owe it to the good woman to tell her something of the truth, for I don’t believe she knows a single thing about it from Sallie or the professor.  So come along to the kitchen with me, Andy.  Then we’ll chase off to where we left our aeroplane, and stand ready for anything that may happen.”

The two of them quickly reached the kitchen door.  Inside they found Mrs. Hoskins, tired looking and red of face, still busily engaged with her canning operations; for peaches were ripe, and tomatoes needing immediate attention if she hoped to lay away her customary stock for the coming winter.

She came to the door where it was cooler, a look of rising curiosity on her patient face.  And Frank started in to tell what he thought necessary.  She was at first much worried to learn that she had been innocently harboring a criminal under her humble roof; but Frank soon allayed her fears on that account.

He also told her how Sallie had consented to ride over to a neighbor to send a telephone message for him, so that the good woman might not be worried over her absence.

And now, having done what he considered his duty, Frank began to think it might be the part of wisdom for himself and his cousin to consider their own affairs, and make for the spot where their hydro-aeroplane lay in the field.

“Oh!  I do hope they are caught,” said the farmer’s wife.  “Just to think of that easy talking little man being a desperate criminal!  I shall be afraid to stay all alone in the house after this.”

“Listen, Frank; somebody’s shouting out there.  What if both of those yeggs are coming back to get us?”

Andy had clutched the sleeve of his cousin’s coat when saying this; but Frank did not need to be told that something like excitement was bearing down upon them.