“I don’t doubt it in the least,” smiled Peggy sweetly.

“Humph!” grunted the cantankerous old agriculturist, not quite sure if he was being made fun of or if his resolution was being admired; “all I got to say is thet ef you want to stay here you gotter pay.”

“That can be arranged,” spoke Jimsy, with quiet sarcasm.

“An’ pay wa’al, too,” resumed the farmer tenaciously.

“How much do you think the lease of your field for an hour or so is worth?” asked Roy.

The farmer considered an instant, and then, with an avaricious look in his pin-point blue eyes, he looked up.

“’Bout ten dollars,” he said, at length.

“We don’t want to buy it, we just want to rent it for a very short time,” struck in Bess, with her most innocent expression.

“Wa’al, it’s ten or git off!” snapped the farmer.

“I’ll pay you a fair price for it,” spoke up Roy, “and not a cent more.”

“Then I’ll drive you off with a shot-gun, by chowder.”

“Oh, no, you won’t.”

“Won’t, hey?  What’ll stop me?”

“The law.”

“Ther law?  Thet’s a good one.”

“I think it is, a very good one,” struck in Jimsy, who now saw what Roy was driving at.

“Humph! wa’al, if yer a’goin’ te talk law I’ll jes’ tell yer quick thet this is my land and thet you’re all a-trespassing.”

“You are not very well up on aerial law, it seems,” replied Roy, in an absolutely unruffled tone.

“Don’t know nuthin’ ’bout this air-ile law,” grumbled the fellow, but somewhat impressed by Roy’s calm, deliberate exterior.

“Well, then, for your information I’ll tell you that under the laws of the country recently enacted aviators are entitled to land in any safe landing place in times of emergency.  If they do any damage they must pay for it.  If not the owner of the land is not entitled to anything for the temporary use of his place.”

“Five dollars or nothing,” spoke Jimsy, “and if you try to put us off you’ll get into serious trouble.”

“Wa’al, yer a-robbin’ me,” muttered the man, much impressed by Roy’s oratory, “gimme ther five.”

It was quickly forthcoming.  The old fellow took it without a word and shuffled off.  As he did so there was a vivid flash of lightning and the growl of a big crash of thunder.  While it was still resounding the auto came puffing up.  Jake had put up the storm top and made it as snug and comfortable as a house.

“Come on, boys and girls,” urged Roy, “let’s get the engines covered up and then beat it for the car.  The rain will hit in in torrents in a few minutes.”

Indeed they were still making fast the waterproof covers constructed to throw over the motors in just such emergencies when the big drops began to fall.

There was a helter-skelter race for the car.  In they all crowded, and none too soon.  The air was almost as dark as at dusk, and there was a heavy sulphurous feeling in the atmosphere.  But within the curtains of the car all was fun and merriment.  The case of the old farmer was discussed at length, and Jimsy convulsed them all by his clever imitation of the way the bargain was driven.