Page:Bedford-Jones--Boy Scouts of the Air at Cape Peril.djvu/100

 Dare, and she was the first English child born on American soil. Some people claim the lost Englishmen married into the Indian tribes and that descendants of theirs are still living, but that's all hot air."

While Hardy, to cover his impatience, was enlightening the interested lad, the individual eating with his back turned had begun to show more attention to the pilot's story than to his own meal. He started to clear his throat, rattle his knife and fork, work his shoulders and display other marks of bodily disturbance. But when Hardy paused after his "hot air" statement, the stranger, a tall gaunt man with a shock of red hair, bounded up and displayed flaming eyes to the pair at the other table.

"I'm hot air, am I? Hot air, hot air, hot air!"

And then, without attempting any violence against Hardy and Legs, who jumped up ready to defend themselves, he seized his hat and, tossing his head, rushed from the room.

Before the two guests had quite recovered from their astonishment, the landlord, his sides shaking with mirth, came over to explain.