"Well, there's no way of telling for certain, so we had better say
nothing about it," decided Dick. "Then, too, any of us might have
accidentally dropped the waste in the tank while we were working
around the ship. I guess we'll call it an accident."
"But it must have been in the tank for some time," argued Larry
Dexter, "and yet it only stopped up the pipe a little while ago."
"It was probably floating around in the tank, doing no damage in
particular," explained Mr. Vardon. "Then, when we made the ship
tilt that way, to test the stabilizer, the gasolene shifted, and
the waste was flushed into the pipe. But we're all right now."
This was proved a little later when the motor was started with no
trouble whatever. There was not a very good place to make a start,
along the edge of the stream, but Dick and his chums realized that
they could not always have perfect conditions, so they must learn
to do under adverse ones.
"Look out of the way!" warned the young millionaire to the assembled
crowd. They scattered from in front of the craft. The motor
throbbed and thundered up to high speed, and then the propellers
were thrown into gear. The big blades beat on the air, the ship
moved slowly forward. It acquired speed, and then, amid the
wondering comments and excited shouts of the crowd, it soared aloft,
and glided through the air to a great height.
"Off again!" cried Dick, who was at the wheel.
The trip back to Hamilton Corners was made safely, and without
incident worthy of mention.
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