First Flight Read Free Page B

“Wilbur! Would you get me the oilcan?” Orville jiggled a gizmo on the front of the plane. “I don’t like the way the elevator is responding.”
    Nodding, Wilbur trotted over to the hangar while Orville continued to tweak the Flyer. “Wilbur’s a trusting sort.” He beckoned Louise closer. “The thing is, I don’t think we’ve ever had someone display so much interest in one of our flyers before, except industrial spies, of course.” He smiled at her, but his eyes were hard and narrow.
    It hadn’t even occurred to her what it must look like for her to be staring at the plane with opera glasses. “I’d so wished I’d seen your first flight that I’m determined not to miss a thing about this one.” She put on her best sweet little old lady face and pointed at the rudder. “What does this do?”
    Leaning in close to her, Orville kept his smile fixed. “It helps the flyer fly.”
    Behind her, Louise heard the squeal of pigs. She lost all interest in Orville and turned as Homer came thundering up to the field, driving the wagon faster than was wise. He pulled the horse up in a cloud of dust. Standing, he pointed at her. “I thought so!”
    “Excuse me, gentlemen.” Louise set her back to them and started walking across the field to meet Homer.
    He half ran at her but stopped before he got near enough to touch. “Are you a witch?”
    Back at the plane, one of the men muttered, “Well she’s old enough to be.”
    Louise half-turned her head to him. “I’m old but there isn’t a thing wrong with my hearing.” She faced Homer again. “And I’m not a witch.”
    “How do you explain disappearing and then turning up here?”
    She shook her head. “Walk with me, young man, and I’ll explain.”
    He crossed his arms. “Not a chance. I want witnesses to whatever you’re going to say. There’s no way that I’m going to let you take me off and enchant me.”
    The snickers again from behind her. Louise sighed. “You want these gentlemen to think you’ve read too many penny-dreadfuls? Have you ever heard of witches outside of a storybook? Ever read about one in the papers? No. Because there’s no such thing.”
    “That might be so, but I saw you disappear with my own two eyes and I ain’t taking any chances.”
    “You took a chance coming here, didn’t you? If I’m what you say I am. What’s to stop me from vanishing right now and taking you with me if it were something I could do? So when I ask you to walk with me, I’d take it kindly if you would.”
    “What have you got to say that you’re afraid to say in front of these folks?”
    “Not a thing. I’m more worried about them thinking you’re any more touched than they already do.” She gestured toward the hanger. “I’m going to walk over there and you can come with me or not, as you like. I’ll keep at arm’s distance though, so you aren’t thinking I’ll grab you and haul you Lord knows where.” Without waiting for Homer to respond, she set out, stabbing the ground with her cane as she went. She figured that curiosity had brought him here and curiosity would make him follow her. Sure enough, she hadn’t got more than ten steps before she heard him coming along after.
    She waited until she was fairly sure she was out of earshot of the men at the flyer, and then waited a mite more before she started talking. “You ever read H. G. Wells?”
    “Of course I have.”
    “Well, that’ll make things a little easier.” She stopped abruptly and turned to face him. Homer was almost on her heels and half-stumbled back to keep out of arm’s reach. Louise snorted. “Do you remember the book
The Time Machine
?”
    Homer blinked and then guffawed. “You aren’t trying to tell me you’re from the future.”
    “Being a witch is more believable?”
    “Well. . . no offense, ma’am.” He dug his toe into the ground. “But a time traveler wouldn’t be old.”
    “I wouldn’t have thought so either, but it turns out that time travel