CHAPTER IX 

THE NEW ARRIVAL 

"Say, that's great!" 

"Be careful, Dick! Don't try too much!" 

"He made a very good start," came from Captain Colby, who was watching the progress of the biplane closely. 

Over the cornfield sailed the _Dartaway_ with Dick Rover the sole occupant. He was up about fifty feet in the air and presently he went still higher. 

"He's making the turn!" cried Sam. "Just look at him coming around!" 

"Here he comes back!" exclaimed Tom. "Hurrah! Who says Dick can't fly? Why, he's flying like a veteran!" 

"Very good, so far," murmured Captain Colby. "If only he keeps his wits about him he'll be all right." 

"Trust Dick to do that," answered Sam. "He knows what he is doing, every time." 

The biplane had now reached a point close to where the three stood in the field. All expected Dick to come down, but he did not. Instead, he made another graceful turn to the left, and started over the cornfield a second time. 

"I wish the others could see him," murmured Tom. They had not told the folks in the house about the trial flights for fear of scaring them. Everybody thought the boys would not try to fly for at least a week. 

Four times did Dick sail around the cornfield, the last time making such a wide circle that he went directly over the barn and the wagon shed. Then he shut off the engine and glided slowly to earth, coming down in the middle of the field with scarcely a jar. 
to the moon ?
earth