An Eight-foot Malay Kite.

[Illustration:  Fig. 240.  Belly Band Hook.]

Our 8-foot kite was made in the same way only the sticks were 3/4 inch thick, 1 inch wide and 8 feet long.  The cross stick was fastened 17-1/2 inches (two-elevenths of 8 feet) from the top of the backbone and it was bowed back 9-1/2 inches (one-tenth of 8 feet).  The wire in the hem of the covering was a double thickness of the heaviest picture wire obtainable.

[Illustration:  Fig. 241.  The 5-foot Malay Kite.]

[Illustration:  Fig. 242.  Malay Kite with Elastic Belly Band.]

The Elastic Belly Band.

An important change was made in the belly band of the kite.  The lower strand was made elastic by tying it fast to a number of heavy rubber bands, as in Fig. 242.  When flying the kite, if a sudden, strong puff of wind struck it, the elastic belly band would give, tilting up the lower end of the kite so that the wind passed under; but as soon as the gust had passed the rubber bands would draw the lower end of the kite back against the wind.  The elastic belly band had the effect of making the kite rise almost vertically.  Sometimes it would even sail square overhead.  The 8-foot kite was a very powerful one.  To hold it we had to use a very strong cord, the kind used by upholsterers for tying down the springs in a chair or a sofa.

Putting the Kites to Work.

Bill tested the strength of the kite once by hooking a spring scale to the kite string.  The scale was made to register weights up to 25 pounds.  But our kite yanked the pointer immediately past the 25-pound mark as far as it would go.  We judged from this that the kite would lift at least 40 pounds.  Such a pull as this it seemed a pity to waste, but how to utilize the power was a problem until one day, when the kite was soaring up on a south wind, Dutchy suggested that we tie it to one of the canoes and go sailing upstream.  We tried the trick at once, but it didn’t work very well, because the canoe was too light.  The kite would drop unless there was a heavy pull on the string.  We had better success with the scow, however, which provided a sufficient drag on the kite, and with the two kites to pull us we sailed a long ways upstream, drifting down with the current when we had gone as far as we cared to.

[Illustration:  Fig. 243.  The Scow Towed by Kites.]

The Diamond Box Kite.

Professor Keeler also gave us instructions for making a diamond-shaped box kite, and though we never built one, it may not be amiss to publish his instructions here.  I quote from the chronicles of the S. S. I. E. E. of W. C. I.: