“It’s oranges to oats,” Jimmie exclaimed, “that a new spark plug will put that machine in pretty good shape. Of course we can’t hope to keep up with the _Louise_ on a long chase, but I don’t believe there’ll be any long chase to-night. The outlaws will settle down in some nook and remain there until morning. All we’ll have to do to-night will be to locate them. We ought to be able to do that.” “Say,” said Kit with a grin, “I wish you’d find an air boat somewhere and row me back to Robinson’s barn. I used to have a good flop now and then when I lived there, but since I’ve been with you boys, it’s been a night and day job.” “You’re getting fat over it,” Jimmie insisted. “Sailing up in the air after a bunch like that won’t put fat on any one’s ribs,” Kit continued. “They’ll see our lights, and we might as well try to sleuth out a moonshiner with a brass band.” “Come on, you little monkey,” urged Jimmie. “We’ll go and find the machine anyhow. We’ll see what shape she’s in before we decide.” Throwing more wood on the fire in order to illuminate the bowl as much as possible, the boys started away. Before they had proceeded far a glimmer of light in a thicket almost at the lip of the bowl attracted their attention. It was a very brilliant light, but seemed to be shining through a small aperture. “Acetylene!” exclaimed Jimmie as the boys drew nearer. “That’s the acetylene lamp on that old machine. Our blond friend forgot to turn it off. Now wasn’t that kind of him!” “I guess he was about all in,” Kit advised. “We gave him a mighty swift chase, and he seems to have kept in the air a long time after we quit. They probably fed him up on some of our good provisions so he felt better before he went away.” “Of course they did!” laughed Jimmie. “Did you notice how those fellows laid into our bread and butter?” Jimmie began a systematic examination of the machine. He found the gasoline tanks nearly full, which indicated that the blond aviator had traveled to some filling station after the conclusion of the race. So far as Jimmie could see, the aeroplane was in perfect condition except that the spark plugs were badly worn and cracked. “Can we use them?” asked Kit. “The spark plugs, I mean.” “They’re no good,” replied Jimmie, “but we’ve got plenty at the camp. Ben wanted to keep them stored in the boxes under the seats, but I sneaked some out when we landed in the green bowl and put them away by the pile of tenting. Good thing I did, too.” “If you hadn’t, they would be on board the _Louise_ right now,” Kit said, “and we would be without any.” “You chase back to camp and bring the plugs,” Jimmie directed, “and I’ll stay here and look the machine over once more. Hurry back, for we want to get up in the air in time to see the lights of the _Louise_.” “They must be pretty far away by this time,” suggested Kit. “Yes, we can go up far enough to see for fifty miles on each side!” Jimmie said. “They can’t be fifty miles away by this time.”