"Think he'll get clear of his enemies, Thad?" he remarked, showing that all the while his thoughts were connected with the air pilot whom they had just rescued.
"He seemed to feel pretty sure of it," the other replied, "though of course he'd have to avoid all the people living around this section, for they'd turn on him if they guessed he was a German. The Belgians are pretty furious over their country being overrun with the Kaiser's troops. I've even seen old peasants handling guns as if they meant to fight for their homes, a very foolish thing for them to do, because it would only enrage the invaders, and end with a massacre."
"You act as if you'd remedied the break in the engine, Thad, seeing that you're putting up your tools, and wiping your hands off," remarked Giraffe.
"I've got it fixed," Thad informed him, without any great show of enthusiasm; "but remember I'm not promising how long it's going to stand. There's always a toss-up with a machine of this kind as to what part will break down next."
"Tell me about that, will you?" growled Giraffe, in disgust. "I'd like to kick the old box into the river only that it does save us some walking. It's a lottery any way you can fix it."
"Get aboard everybody, and let's see how she cranks," suggested Thad.
As usual it took several urgent efforts before the engine decided to heed the call to duty.
"There, she sings like a bird!" cried Bumpus as the loud whirr announced that once again their motor was in working order.
"One thing sure," remarked Giraffe, looking back toward the place where presently they could just glimpse the top of the tall tree where they had found such queer fruit growing, "that was a remarkable little adventure, and none of us are likely to forget it in a hurry either."
"I know for one I won't!" declared Bumpus; "and every time I look at this bolt that I took from the broken Taube aeroplane I'll think of how you fellows climbed right up to the top of that tree and brought the birdman down safe to the ground, and how I stood there to receive him. Yes, it's marked with a white stone in my memory, and I can just imagine how Smithy, Step Hen, Davy Jones and Bob White'll stare when they hear the story of the wrecked aeroplane man!"