"Older persons than you would have stumbled into such an artfully prepared snare, baited as it was with the hope of catching Mortlake in a plot to destroy your aeroplane.

"Is Mortlake at the back of it; or" "Now, you come along, young feller," said a gruff voice, "don't axe no questions and you won't git told no lies, see?" Roy saw.

Having told him that he had outbid Mortlake for the last batch of poor Mr. Chalkstone's port, and stated, at some length, his reasons for doubting the stability of Government, he entered gleefully upon congenial topics, and proceeded to give the invalid a general sketch of business affairs during his retirement.

What was there to prevent Harding and Mortlake from examining it and acquainting themselves with the intricacies of the self-starting mechanism and the automatic balancing device?

" "Audacity," muttered Mortlake under his breath, but Harding's keen ears caught the remark.

"We've beaten them to a standstill this time," said Mortlake with intense conviction, "I feel that the Motor Hornet has the contest cinched.