“Let’s see them,” begged Jess.

“All right.  Look what I’ve let us in for!”

“Why—­why—­good gracious, Roy, you’ve got us down for everything,” gasped Peggy.

“That’s right, all the way across from soup to nuts,” struck in the slangy Jimsy.

They all laughed.  The color rose in the girls’ faces.

“If only we can win some of them,” cried Jess.

“Well, the machines are all in fine shape.  If we don’t win it will be because the other fellows have better machines.”

“Where are the aviation grounds?” inquired Bess.

“At the City Park, about a mile out of town to the south.  We can get to it by looking down at the trolley tracks,” said Roy, who had consulted the mayor on this point.

“Then you are going to fly out there?” asked Miss Prescott, who was also by this time a party to the conference.

“Of course; and, by the way, we ought to be getting out there pretty soon; I want to be looking over the grounds and selecting the best places for landing and so on,” said Roy.

“Well, please don’t get into any more scrapes,” sighed Miss Prescott; “what with gipsies, firebugs and rams, our trip has been quite exciting enough for me.”

The boys exchanged glances.  If the man Kelly tried to carry out his threats things might be more exciting yet, they thought.  But both kept their knowledge to themselves.

It was arranged that Miss Prescott should motor out to the City Park.  Soon thereafter the young aviators placed finishing touches on their machines, and while a curious crowd gathered they took to the air.

“Looks just like a flock of pigeons,” said a man in the crowd, as they climbed skyward quite closely bunched.

“It sure does,” agreed his companion, “but them things is prettier than any flock of pigeons I ever see.”

And this opinion was echoed by many of the throng.  At any rate everyone who saw the aeroplanes start made up his or her mind to pay a visit to the park and see some more extended flights, so that Mayor Hanks’ prediction was verified.

As the young aviators hovered above City Park for a short space of time, and then dropped earthward, a veritable sensation was created.  From a row of “hangars” mechanicians and aviators came running.  One or two aviators who were aloft practicing “stunts,” dropped swiftly to earth.  Lish Kelly’s troupe was a large one, consisting of five men and one woman flyer, the wife of Carlos Le Roy, a Cuban aviator.

Outside the grounds several of the frugal individuals who desired to see the flights without paying admission also watched as the quintette of strange aeroplanes dropped to earth.

One by one the graceful craft of the air settled to the ground, and the young aviators alighted.  Members of the Arrangement Committee hastened to their sides, shaking hands warmly and thanking them for their interest in the coming contests.