“My dear, little girl,” said James Bell, “can you trust me?”

“Why, of course,” came in a chorus.

“Well, then, you’ll let me work this thing out my own way and I’ll guarantee that things will be straightened out for everybody—­are you willing to let me do this and ask no questions till the proper time?”

“Yes,” came in a positive chant of assent.

“Very well, then.  You fly back to your shed.  I’ll continue into town.  You may not see me for some time.  But don’t worry.  I’ve got this job in hand now and I’ll see it through.”

“We trust you absolutely,” said Peggy, “and you’ll trust us?”

“To the last ditch,” said the Westerner vehemently, “and now as there’s no time to be lost, we’ll go our respective ways.  By the way, what time does the first test come off?”

“We don’t know yet; but some time before noon.  It is rumored that it will be an easy one.  They’ll work up to the difficult flights by degrees,” volunteered Jimsy.

“Good.  I’d like to have all the time possible as I wish to do what I have to do thoroughly.”

With this Mr. Bell adjusted the headlight he had removed and climbed into his car.  With a wave and shouted farewell, he was off.

“Gracious, I feel as if I’d been shaken up in one of those kaleidoscopes or whatever you call them,” gasped Jess, “it all seems like part of a dream.”

“Things certainly have been happening quickly,” agreed Peggy, “but I feel more at ease now than for a long time.  Mr. Bell has the case in hand, and——­”

“He’ll see it through and fix it right,” interposed Jimsy, enthusiastically.

As there was nothing to be gained by lingering about the scene of their strange encounter and stranger adventure, the party of youthful aviators clambered back into the Golden Butterfly and once more winged aloft.  It was a short dash to their shed and they reached it without incident.  Then, with hearts that felt lighter for the brisk, healthy influence of breezy James Bell, they trudged to the small hotel at which they were stopping, in order to avoid being seen by Mortlake and his aides till the last moment.

CHAPTER XXI.

THE START OF THE SKY CRUISE.

“The first flight is to be to Cape Charles and return, a distance of sixty miles, approximately,” announced Jimsy the next morning.  He held in his hand a small blue folder which had been issued to all the contestants.  It contained the rules and regulations governing the first day’s tests.

A hasty breakfast was followed by a quick trip to the grounds in one of the ancient hacks that seem to swarm in Hampton.  If the starting field had been a scene of confusion the day before, it was a veritable chaos now.  Smoke and the fumes of gasolene hung like a pall above it.  Through the bluish cloud could be seen dim figures hurrying with cans of fuel or lubricant, bags of tools and engine parts.