ing voice, and Uncle Ezra looked

up before I answer you," said

nwillingly enough,

never go. You might a good deal better take the money that you are so foolishly wasting, and put it in a s

naire. "It's on the same model as one I've ridden in, and

aviator. "I'm sure of that. But I don't g

surprise. He was all attention when it came to a

o encourage inventors, has offered a prize of twenty thousand dollars to the first person who takes his airship from the Atla

oing to win it,

ing to share in the gl

ars!" murmured Uncle

friends who are going to have a try for it. I intended to myself, but for the accident in which my craft was sma

YSELF as much a favor in having you build this airship as I am YOU. I i

again, slowly. "It's an awful lot of money-an

had nearly a million. But he was very "clo

rize in that-that contraption?" he asked,

finished yet,"

y," declared Mr. Vardon. "I don't say that just because I am building it, but be

rget your stabiliz

hearing about the twenty thousand dollar prize h

o keep the airship from turning over," explained Mr. Vardon, and he

at least he paid little attention, for he w

usand dollars! That's an awful lot o

lly Uncle Ezra, perhaps fearing that the

to be home today, but as I have missed the last train back to Dankville, listening to

ust play the host. "Go right in, Uncle Ezra and tell t

opping in the restaurant at the railroad depot on my way here, and getting a sandwic

e for five cents, but she said they didn't sell stale sandwiches. She seemed real put

throw away ten cents. That's the intere

rted back t

tually goes hungry, I believe. And his house-why he's got a fine one, but the only rooms he and Aunt Samantha ever open are the kitchen a

ested in airship

llars he was interested in," l

is, as the young

something, but it's too preposterous to mention.

it a try-out on the blocks before we mount it, to see if it develops enough

better," Dick said.

r-boat, which had been brought on from Kentfield. They had a jolly time, an

ing the days that followed. Uncle Ezra was more interested than Dick had believed po

rship began to look like what she was intended for. She was of a new model and shape

and sleeping quarters, as well as the machin

motor-boat, only up in the clouds, ins