Transcriber’s Note Italic text displayed as: _italic_ HIKE AND THE AEROPLANE [Illustration: THE WAVES WERE INCREASING—THE YACHT COULD NOT LAST MUCH LONGER _Page 51_ ] HIKE AND THE AEROPLANE BY TOM GRAHAM WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN TWO COLORS BY ARTHUR HUTCHINS [Illustration: Decoration] NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY PUBLISHERS _Copyright, 1912, by_ FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY _All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian_ [Illustration: _August, 1912_] TO EDWIN AND ISABEL LEWIS, THE AUTHOR’S OLDEST FRIENDS CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I A RESCUE IN CANYON DIABLO 1 II THE MYSTERY OF THE HAMMERING 11 III LIEUTENANT ADELER AND WIBBELTY-WOBBELTY 21 IV THE AEROPLANE’S FIRST FLIGHT 38 V THE WRECK OF THE YACHT 45 VI GO! 56 VII A GLIDE TO SAFETY 61 VIII A FIGHT IN THE SKY 70 IX TWO BOYS AND A GENERAL 81 X THAT MILLION DOLLARS 93 XI THE MERRY BELL-BOY 98 XII THE LONE CABIN 110 XIII DETECTIVE POODLE 125 XIV AIR-PILOT POODLE 146 XV CHARGE! 156 XVI THE CAPTAIN’S TRICK 166 XVII AT SANTA BENICIA ACADEMY 174 XVIII THE GREAT HAZING 184 XIX AVIATING AGAIN! 196 XX THE GAME WITH THE ETONIANS 210 XXI LEFT EARED DONGAN 216 XXII TROUBLE IN MEXICO 225 XXIII REBELS AT THE BORDER 230 XXIV A SKIRMISH AT AGUAS GRANDES 238 XXV THE RAIN OF DEATH 250 XXVI A KITE FOR WATCH-TOWER 258 XXVII WILL HIKE PLAY? 265 XXVIII THE BIG GAME 271 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS The waves were increasing—the yacht could not last much longer _Frontispiece_ PAGE “Lay that gun down or I’ll throw you off this machine” 78