So that's why he warned you in such a queer fashion." "You must be right," answered Tom.

"What shall we do ?" "Nothing, Tom." "Yes, but we don't want the machine ruined, or even tampered with!" exclaimed Sam.
"I don't think anybody will touch it," went on the eldest Rover boy.
"After you came up here I got to thinking that maybe Flockley, or Koswell, or Larkspur, or somebody else, might try to injure the _Dartaway_, and so I went to see Filbury, the janitor, about it.

His son Abner is helping him around the dormitories, and I hired Abner for fifty cents a night to sleep in the shed and guard the biplane.

Abner has got a shotgun, and he isn't afraid of anybody; so I reckon the _Dartaway_ will be perfectly safe." "Good for you, Dick!" cried Tom.

"Say, I hope if anybody does try to injure the machine Abner gives him a dose of shot!" "I told him not to shoot anybody unless it was necessary," answered Dick.