Free Danny Dunn and the Weather Machine by Jay Williams, Raymond Abrashkin

shot.”
    â€œWell,” said Frank, “how about trying it just once more?”
    â€œRidiculous!” Ralph barked.
    â€œI’ll try if you say so,” said Clark. “Can’t tell—it may work.”
    â€œGo ahead,” said Mr. Covey. “I say, try it again. What about the rest of you?”
    The other men, who had all contributed money toward the experiment, nodded. “Okay with me,” said one of them.
    â€œWe’re all agreed,” said Mr. Glenn.
    Clark pulled his cap down. “All right. Come on, Harve. Let’s wind it up again.” They got back into the airplane. Soon the propeller was turning. They taxied down the strip and turned around.
    â€œWe’d better get out of the way,” said Mr. Covey. The group moved over to the other side of the strip.
    Danny and his friends went along, staying close to Frank Elswing. Irene held Vanderbilt’s collar. The big dog paced beside her like a pony. His tongue hung out and he had a pleased simper on his face.
    As they all turned round to watch the plane, Danny caught hold of Joe’s arm. “Do you see what I see?” he said. “Look over there—by the hangar.”
    â€œIt’s Snitcher,” said Joe. “What’s he up to?”
    Snitcher had edged up close to the hangar wall. He was glancing all around, as if looking for someone. Suddenly he bent down and caught hold of the handle of the wagon. He began to walk toward the back of the hangar, pulling IT along.
    â€œHey!” Danny shouted. “Drop that!”
    â€œLet’s get him!” yelled Joe.
    But Irene acted first. She let go of Vanderbilt’s collar, pointed to Snitcher, and at the top of her voice cried, “Fetch, Vanderbilt! Fetch !”
    Vanderbilt uttered a joyous bark. He shot across the field and seized the back of Snitcher’s belt in his teeth. Then he started back, pulling the struggling boy by the belt.
    Suddenly everything seemed to happen at once, very rapidly, like a speeded-up motion picture.
    As Vanderbilt dragged Snitcher, Snitcher dragged the wagon. The airplane had revved up and had begun to move.
    Irene screamed, “Vanderbilt! Hurry!”
    Snitcher let go of the wagon. Free of the extra weight, Vanderbilt lumbered across the strip and joined Irene. He stood, holding the howling Snitcher, and wagging his tail so that a cloud of dust arose.
    But the wagon, with the Professor’s machine on it, stood directly in the path of the rising plane. The pilot either did not see IT—which was not very large—or thought he was above it. But Danny could see that the wheels had not quite cleared the top of the ray machine.
    â€œOh, no!” he gasped. “It’s going to hit.”
    He covered his eyes.
    An instant later, Joe tugged at his arm. “Danny—Danny!” he quavered. “Look!” Fearfully, Danny opened his eyes. The plane was above their heads now. And dangling from one of its wheels, caught by the loop of wire which Mr. Krantz had so carefully made, was the Professor’s machine.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    Beautiful Rain
    â€œStop that plane!” Danny blurted, quite without thinking how impossible this was.
    â€œWhat on earth’s the matter?” asked Frank Elswing.
    Irene, Danny, and Joe all tried to tell him at once. He held up his hands helplessly, and at last cried, “Quiet! For heaven’s sake, one at a time.”
    They fell silent. Then, for the first time, everyone could hear Snitcher’s plaintive voice. “Hey, get me loose, will you?” he whined.
    They swung round on him. Vanderbilt still had a firm grip on his belt and he was unable to free himself, or even to reach round and hit the dog.
    â€œLet you loose?” Danny repeated. “It’s all your fault. If anything happens to that machine, you’ll pay for it.”
    â€œWhat machine?” Frank asked.
    â€œYou know,” said Danny. “You’ve