om drew Mr. Damon to one side. "We'll arrange the trip in a few
minutes," the lad said. "Tell me more about those mysterious men,
please."

Chapter 10

A Bag of Tools

Wakefield Damon glanced at Mr. Swift. The inventor was oblivious to his
surroundings, and was busy figuring away on some paper. He seemed even
to have forgotten the presence of the eccentric autoist.

"I don't want father to hear about the men," went on Tom, in a low
tone. "If he hears that Happy Harry and his confederates are in this
vicinity, he'll worry, and that doesn't agree with him. But are you
sure the men you saw are the same ones who stole the turbine model?"

"Very certain," replied Mr. Damon. "I had a good view of them as I came
from the bank, and I was surprised to see them, until I remembered that
they were out of jail."

"But why do you think they pursued you?"

"Bless my eyes! I can't say. Perhaps they weren't after me at all. I
may have imagined it, but they certainly hurried off in their auto as
soon as I left the bank, after leaving my money there. I'm glad I
deposited it before I saw them. I was so nervous, as it was, that I
couldn't steer straight. It's too bad, the way I've damaged your house."

"That doesn't matter. But how about the trip in the airship? I hope you
meant it when you said you would go."

"Of course I did. I've never traveled in the air, but it can't be much
worse than my experience with my motor-cycle and the auto. At least I
can't run up any stoop, can I?" and Mr. Damon looked at Mr. Sharp.

"No," replied the aeronaut, as he scratched his head, "I guess you'll
be safe on that score. But I hope you won't get nervous when we reach a
great height."

"Oh, no. I'll just calm myself with the reflection that I can't die but
once," and with this philosophical reflection Mr. Damon went back to
look at the auto, which certainly looked odd, stuck up on the veranda.

"Well, you'd better make arrangements to go with us then," went on Tom.
"Meanwhile I'll see to getting your car down. You'll want to send it
home, I suppose?"

"No, not if you'll keep it for me. The fact is that all my folks are
away, and will be for some time. I don't have to go home to notify
them, and it's a good thing, as my wife is very nervous, and might
object, if she heard about the airship. I'll just stay here, if you've
no objection, until the Red Cloud sails, if sails is the proper term."

"'Sails' will do very well," answered Mr