saved Dick from death.

Allan Graham, his young partner, declared that he had seen Bud near the plane just before Dick took off. But no one could say for sure that Bud Hyslop was guilty, although most of the people on the field believed he was. Dick was too tender-hearted to discharge the boy without a reason and it was only after Bud had proven beyond doubt that he was working against the field that Dick let him go.

One thing after another had happened to discredit Dick and for a time it looked as if he might have to give up the field entirely.

And as a final blow word had come from Peter Langley saying that he did not care to extend the option, after he had let it be understood that he would do so. Dick felt as if the struggle was too much for him. Old Peter Langley had gone on to say that he had received reports that Dick was using the field for smuggling purposes, and he did not care to be mixed up with business of that sort.

Dick knew, without being told, who had been the slanderer. His enemy, Joe Arnold was still trying to injure him.

Bennett Graham, his backer, came to the rescue once more and gave Dick the money, but the time limit was almost up. There were only about ten days left. And with Peter Langley believing him to be a crook, there was little hope of taking up the option without a personal interview.

Dick Mapes in his wheel chair, fretted and fumed at the problem facing him. Allan Graham, the son of his backer, and Syd Ames had been his first student-flyers and were now working at the field. They had been gone a week on a trip to Chicago. No one was left to take the long trip to Peru.

Of course he had Terry and Prim! Dick could trust Terry anywhere with a plane, but it was a long flight to Peru and there might be storms and dangers. Dick grew restless and impatient under the misfortune that kept him tied to his wheel chair.

“If I were only well enough to fly!” he fumed.

“But what’s the idea, Dad! Don’t you think I can fly well enough?” Terry faced her father with flaming cheeks, her large brown eyes were flashing. “Why not send me?”

“Send you? To South America? Alone?”

“Not alone! Prim can go.”

“But Terry, don’t you realize that Peru is a long way off? You may have to face grave dangers, storms, fevers, savages! And while Peter Langley and his wife may be all right, you never can tell ahead of time what rough characters you may meet there!”

“What of it? I’m not afraid. You wouldn’t think twice about sending Allan and Syd,” said the girl with a frown.

Dick Mapes shook his head. “That’s different,” he said. “They are boys!”

“Which means that you don’t trust me. You think I’m not a good flyer!”

Dick laughed. “Terry, don’t be silly! I’d trust you to fly anything you could get off the ground. That isn’t it. But I don't feel as if it would be right for me to let you risk your life.”

Terry sat down beside her father’s wheel chair and took his hand. “Listen Dad, while I talk. Haven’t I proven over and over again that I'm a capable flyer. I’m pretty good at getting out of a jam in the air.”

“I’ve said it often, Terry. I’ve never seen a better stunt flyer. You’re clever and you think when you’re in the air! And that’s what half the flyers don’t do. That’s why they crash.”

“All right, so far, so good! We've been in lots of jams and got out of them by using our brains. Weren’t Prim and I The Gypsies Of The Air, and didn’t we go after the boys in Newfoundland and get them away from the kidnappers? Nothing terrible happened to us. Of course old Jim Heron kept us locked up and we had to think hard to find a way out of that old fortress, but we escaped without any harm.” Terry’s eyes were snapping as she recalled their imprisonment in the old fort.

“Oh, I know, Terry. You and Prim can look out for yourselves. But I don’t like to send you into a jam deliberately.”

“But Dad, you don’t know that there will be a jam, this time, and if there is, we can get out of it.”

Dick did not answer as Terry hesitated and gave him a chance. The girl went on:

“Now we’re in one of the biggest jams we’ve ever had yet. We’re almost sure to lose our flying field, though we have the money to take up the option, because our enemy Joe Arnold has written mean letters to old Peter Langley and set him against us. Now you can see for yourself, if I could get down there before the option expires he would think differently.”

“I know he would, Terry. But it’s too dangerous. No.”

“But it’s the only way out. Allan and Syd are not here and may not be for a week. And we are apt to lose our flying field because you still have this one old-fashioned idea. You’re up to date in every other way, Dad. What makes you think that girls can’t look out for themselves?”

“Terry, you should have been a lawyer. You’re wasted in aviation,” her father said with a laugh. “You can make a fellow believe that black is white.—All right, if your mother consents, I will.”

“That’s passing the buck! You’ve got to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ You know it will be a deadlock for mother always says, ‘If you can get your father’s consent, I suppose I’ll have to agree!’ and if that argument keeps up, the day for taking up the option will be long past and we’ll have to give up the field.”

Terry loved a struggle, her eyes were shining as she noted that she had almost reached success.

Dick Mapes slapped her hand playfully. “All right. When do you start?”

“At daybreak tomorrow,” answered Terry in a business-like manner. “The plane needs a few repairs, small ones, then we’re all set to go!” The girl wasted no time. The next minute she was running to the hangar, and drawing on an overall suit was getting ready to look over her plane.

Her mother, Alice Mapes agreed without a struggle. “In fact I don’t feel half as frightened as I did when you went north to find the boys. You’ll have a wonderful trip to the south. Your father and I trust you perfectly, we know you’ll look over your plane at every stop and never take a chance with it.”

“There you see, Dad!” said Terry with a happy laugh. “When mother agrees, it’s bound to be all right.”

Prim was already busy at their flying togs. There were a few repairs to make and this was left to Prim, who liked to sew and cook and do other domestic jobs while Terry was a good mechanic and kept the plane running without a hitch.

“A born flyer!” said Dick Mapes and he followed his daughter’s figure as she tested her plane, listening intently to the hum of the motor, going over every part, making adjustments here and there to bring her plane to the highest pitch of efficiency. And when Terry was satisfied that Skybird was in perfect running order,