“‘Thank you, Scudder,’ says Dixland.  And then turnin’ to Gus:  ’Well, sir, may I ask why you wait?’

“’Twas Olivia that answered.  ‘Uncle Ansel,’ says she, ’I must tell you somethin’.  I should have preferred tellin’ you privately,’ she puts in, glarin’ at Nate, ’but it seems I can’t.  Mr. Tolliver and I are engaged to be married.’

“Old Whiskers didn’t seem to care a continental.  All he had in his addled head was that flyin’ contraption.

“‘All right, all right,’ he snaps, fretty, ’I’m satisfied.  He appears to be a decent young man enough.  But now I want him to start my aeroplane.’

“‘No, Uncle Ansel,’ goes on Olivia, ’I cannot permit him to risk his life in that way.  His nerves are not strong and neither is his heart.  Besides, the aeroplane has failed twice.  Luckily no one was killed in the other trials, but the chances are that the third time may prove fatal.’

“‘Fatal, you imbecile!’ shrieks the professor.  ’It’s perfected, I tell you!  I—­’

“’It makes no difference.  No, uncle, Augustus and I have made up our minds.  His life and health are too precious; he must be spared for the grand work that we are to do together.  No, Uncle Ansel, he shall not fly.’

“Did you ever see a cat in a fit?  That was the professor just then, so Nate said.  He tried to wave his sprained wrists and couldn’t; tried to stamp his foot and found it too lame.  But his eyeglasses flashed sparks and his tongue spit fire.

“‘Are you goin’ to start that machine?’ he screams at the blue-white, shaky Augustus.

“‘No, Professor Dixland,’ stammers Gus.  ‘No, sir, I’m sorry, but—­’

“‘Why don’t you ask Mr. Scudder to make the experiment, uncle?’ suggests that confounded niece, smilin’ the spitefullest smile.

“‘Scudder,’ says the professor, ’I’ll give you five thousand dollars cash to start in that aeroplane this moment.’

“For a jiffy Nate was staggered.  Five thousand dollars cash—­whew!  But then he thought of how deep Gus had been shoved into that sandbank.  And there was a new and more powerful motor aboard the thing now.  Five thousand dollars ain’t much good to a telescoped corpse.  He fetched a long breath.

“‘Well, now, Mr. Dixland,’ he says, ’I’d like to, fust rate, but you see I don’t know nothin’ about mechanics.’

“‘Professor—­’ begins Augustus.  ’Twas the final straw.  Old Whiskers jumped out of the chair, lameness and all.

“‘Out of this house, you ingrate!’ he bellers.  ’Out this instant!  I discharge you.  Go! go!’

“He was actually frothin’ at the mouth.  I cal’late Olivia thought he was goin’ to die, for she run to him.

“‘You’d better go, I think,’ says she to her shakin’ beau.  ’Go, dear, now.  I must stay with him for the present, but we will see each other soon.  Go now, and trust me.’

“‘I disown you, you ungrateful girl,’ foams her uncle.  ’Scudder, I order you to put that—­that creature off this island.’