Tom shook his head helplessly, but he did not give up.  Madly he worked on, and there was need of haste, for every moment the aeroplane was shooting nearer and nearer to the earth.

Ned glanced down.  They were headed for the centre of a large grass plot and the bank employee found himself grimly thinking that at least the turf would be softer to fall on than bare ground.

“I—­I can’t imagine what’s happened!” cried Tom.

He was still yanking on the lever, but it would not move, and unless the head of the aeroplane was thrown up quickly, to catch the air, and check its downward right, they would both be killed.

“Shut off the engine and vol-plane!” cried Ned.

“No use,” answered Tom.  “I can’t vol-plane when I can’t throw her head up to check her.”

But he did shut off the banging, throbbing motor, and then in silence they continued to fall.  Ned had half a notion to jump, but he knew that would mean instant death, and there was just a bare chance that if he stayed in the machine it would take off some of the shock.

They could see Mr. Damon now.  The old man had run out of his house at the sight of the approaching aeroplane.  He knew it well, for he had ridden with Tom many times.  He looked up and waved his hand to the boys, but he had no idea of their danger, and he could not have helped them had he been aware of it.

He must have soon guessed that something was wrong though, for a moment later, the lads could hear him shout in terror, and could see him motion to them.  Later he said he saw that Tom was coming down at too great an inclination, and he feared that the machine could not be thrown up into the wind quickly enough!

“Here goes something—­the lever or the rudder!” cried Tom in desperation, as he gave it a mighty yank.  Up to now he had not pulled with all his strength as he feared to break some connecting-rod, wire or lever.  But now he must take every chance.  “If I can get that rudder up even a little we’re safe!” he went on.

Once more he gave a terrific pull on the handle.  There was a snapping sound and Tom gave a yell of delight.

“That’s the stuff!” he cried.  “She’s moving!  We’re all right now!”

And the rudder had moved only just in time, for when the aeroplane was within a hundred feet of the earth the head was suddenly elevated and she glided along on a level “keel.”

“Look out!” yelled Ned, for new a new danger presented.  They were so near the earth that Tom had over-run his original stepping place, and now the sky racer was headed directly for Mr. Damon’s house, and might crash into it.

“All right!  I’ve get her in hand!” said the young inventor reassuringly.

Tom tilted the rudder at a sharp angle to have the air pressure act as a brake.  At the same time he swerved the craft to one side so that there was no longer any danger of crashing into the house.