nt to explain some things back
there in Shopton."

As if repenting of the way it had misbehaved over the forest fire, the
airship was now swinging along at a rapid rate. Seated in the cabin the
travelers would have really enjoyed the return trip had it not been for
the accusation hanging over them. The weather was fine and clear, and
as they skimmed along, now and then coming out from the clouds, they
caught glimpses below them of the earth above which they were
traveling. They had a general idea of their location, from knowing the
town where the paper had given them such astounding news, and it was
easy to calculate their rate of progress.

After running about a hundred miles or so, at high speed Mr. Sharp
found it necessary to slow down the motor, as some of the new bearings
were heating. Still this gave them no alarm, as they were making good
time. They came to a stop that night, and calculated that by the next
evening, or two at the latest, they would be back in Shopton. But they
did not calculate on an accident.

One of the cylinders on the big motor cracked, as they started up next
morning, and for some hours they had to hang in the air, suspended by
the gas in the container, while Mr. Sharp and Tom took out the damaged
part, and put in a spare one, the cylinders being cast separately. It
was dusk when they finished, and too late to start up, so they remained
about in the same place until the next day.

Morning dawned with a hot humidness, unusual at that time of the year,
but partly accounted for by the fact that they were still within the
influence of the southern climate. With a whizz the big propellers were
set in motion, and, with Tom at the wheel, the ship being about three
miles in the air, to which height it had risen after the repairs were
made, the journey was recommenced.

"It's cooler up here than down below," remarked Tom, as he shifted the
wheel and rudder a bit, in response to a gust of wind, that heeled the
craft over.

"Yes, I think we're going to have a storm," remarked Mr. Sharp, eyeing
the clouds with a professional air. "We may run ahead of it, or right
into it. We'll go down a bit, toward night, when there's less danger of
being shot."

So far, on their return trip, they had not been low enough, in the day
time, to be in any danger from persons who hoped to earn the five
thousand dollars reward.

The afternoon passed quickly, and it got dark early. There was a
curious hum to the wi