“We must get to the rear of the shop without being seen,” whispered Hal.  “When one guard makes his rounds, we must grab him and prevent him from making an outcry.  We can then dispose of the other.  You wait here a minute, while I go back and get a piece of clothes-line, so we can tie them up.”

He returned almost immediately with two pieces of rope.

“Careful, now,” whispered Hal, as, keeping in the shadow of the house, they made a short detour.

Out of sight of the guards, they made a silent dash for the rear of the workshop, where they stood, silently awaiting the approach of the guard.

“I hate to do this,” whispered Hal, as he heard the footsteps of the guard; “but it has to be done.”

As the guard rounded the corner of the shop, Hal struck out.  Swift and true was the blow; and struck upon the point of the chin, the man crumpled up without a sound.

The boys bound and gagged him quickly, using their handkerchiefs to stuff into his mouth.  Then silently they ran to the opposite side of the shop and waited the approach of the second guard.

A moment later his footsteps were heard approaching.  As he turned the corner, Hal again struck out swift and true, and the second man went to the ground.  The boys bound and gagged him, and then hastened to the front of the shop.

As Hal had predicted, the doors were removed with little difficulty, and silently the lads rolled the huge machine into the open.  Hal’s experience with automobiles had taught him something of engines, so he had little trouble starting this one.  Finding everything in working order, Hal climbed into the driver’s seat, and Chester, not without a tremor, took his place beside him.

Hal’s afternoon experience and his natural aptitude for mechanics now stood him in good stead.  Reaching out he threw over a lever and the machine moved forward.  There was a whirring sound as the plane skimmed over the ground.  As the machine began to rise, Hal pressed another lever, and they shot into the air rapidly.

So swiftly did they go up that their breath was almost taken away.

“Great Scott!” gasped Chester.  “This is more than I bargained for!”

With the lights of the village like pin points below him, Hal, who had not for a moment lost his presence of mind, checked the rise of the machine, and headed toward the southwest, gauging his direction by a compass before him, the moonlight luckily permitting him to see.

As the machine settled down to its flight, Chester regained his composure.

“This is more like it,” he said.  “For a moment I was afraid it was all up with us.”

“I was scared for a minute myself,” replied Hal.  “But you must remember this is not my first trip aloft.”

“I guess it’s all right after you get used to it,” was the answer, “but the way I feel right now, if I ever get my foot on terra firma again I am going to stay there.”